Backpacking to Cape Alava

Discovery Park: Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Tomorrow we are headed to Discovery Park to visit one of our favorite beaches during low tide!  There will be beach naturalists out at many of the beaches tomorrow, but not at Discovery Park (which means a few less people).  Since we already got to visit Alki Beach at the lowest tide day this summer with the naturalists, we feel ready to go and explore on our own.
Let me know if you want to join us!  We plan to leave Bellevue at 8:45.

Hike to PooPoo Point

So tomorrow there is a hike planned to Poopoo Point, which is a great hike with a beautiful view when it is a clear day in Seattle.  This hike is part of the Summer Hikes with Kids schedule which has been organized by Kathryn Stapley and Maggie Hsu.  Although we may join them on other hikes, we will not be there tomorrow.  If you want more information or need contact information for Maggie or Kathryn, let me know.

Monday, August 22: mystery outing

Hi - we're back from three weeks of vacation.  We had a great time, but we're happy to be back to the beautiful Northwest, especially now that the sun has decided to shine again!  Yahoo! The original plan for this Monday was Rattlesnake Lake, but we may change our minds as the Watershed Museum is closed on Mondays.  So if you'd like to join us, give me a call and we'll fill you in on where we'll be.  The plan is to leave around 9am, though.  Hope you can join us!

Wednesday, July 27: Everett - Jetty Island

Wednesday we're headed up north to Everett.  We plan to take the passenger ferry to Jetty Island and spend the day there.  We've never been there before, so the info I have is just from the internet and from recommendations from other friends.  Here's what I know:

• The ferry runs on the 1/2 hour from 10am until 5:30pm
• Parking is free Mon-Thursday (so that includes the day we'll be there - yahoo!)
• The ferry is free (but donations are requested - $2 for adults, $1 for kids)
• The ferry departs from the 10th Street Boat Launch and Marine Park, located at 10th and West Marine View Drive on Everett's waterfront.

Bring:  water, food, sunscreen, jackets, sandals, swim stuff, beach toys
We plan to stay most of the day if the weather is nice, less if the weather is not so nice.
Come along on our adventure!

Tuesday, July 26: Bellevue - Mercer Slough

Tuesday morning we'll be heading to Mercer Slough.  Here's a good link to learn more about it:
http://www.bellevuewa.gov/mseec.htm#visitor

First we'll stop at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center to learn about wetlands and the birds, animals and plants that live there.  I've heard that there are "explorer" backpacks to borrow if you get there early, so we'll hopefully get to use one of those as we explore the trails through the slough.  


Then we'll be heading over to either the Mercer Slough blueberry farm or to the Larsen Lake blueberry farm to pick some blueberries.  


So we'll be leaving our house around 9:30am
We'll likely be picking berries around noon.


Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center
Open 10-4


U-pick blueberries

Mercer Slough Blueberry Farm
2380 Bellevue Way SE

• Hours of operation:
       Mid-April through October
       Daily, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Information and product availability:
       Farm - 425-467-0501
       Bellevue Parks - 425-452-7225
• Driving directions - From I-90, take Bellevue Way exit north.  Turn right into the blueberry farm after passing the Park & Ride.

Larsen Lake Blueberry Farm
14812 SE Eighth St.

• Hours of operation:
       Mid-June - October
            Tuesday - Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (reduced hours in October) 
• Information and product availability:
            Farm - 425-260-2266
            Bellevue Parks - 425-452-7225
• Driving directions - From I-90, take 148th Avenue SE exit (BCC exit, 11B) north. Turn right into parking lot just past SE 8th Street.

Monday, July 25: Snoqualmie

Monday we are headed to Snoqualmie. Our main goal is to ride our bikes on part of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail - an unpaved trail that runs for miles from Snoqualmie all the way up to Rattlesnake Lake (we will NOT be riding the whole trail. No way.)

Our plan is to leave Bellevue by noon and head out to Tanner's Landing Park (a Greenway Challenge site, so bring your cameras) to access the trail. Then we'll ride for a while - hopefully making it to 3 Forks Natural Area (also a Greenway Challenge site) and if it's hot we'll stop and play in the river.

After we have had enough of bike riding and the river we'll head into town to see the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie and the kids' favorite = the candy store across the street from the museum.

We'll also make a stop at the Log Pavilion to get another photo for the Greenway Challenge.

Depart Bellevue: noon
Return: sometime later in the afternoon

If you come, be sure to bring:
bikes and helmets
shorts and sandals for river exploration
raincoats (because you never know about the weather around here)
cash for the candy store
camera
food and water

Here are some addresses for where we'll be:
Tanner Landing Park
S Mt Si Rd, N of North Bend Way
North Bend, WA 98045

Three Forks Park/Natural Area
42320 SE Reinig Rd
Snoqualmie, WA 98045
(dirt parking area located across the street from the above residence)

Northwest Railway Museum
38625 Southeast King Street
Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Snoqualmie Log Pavilion
SE Fir St
Snoqualmie, WA 98065