Weekend Trip

Last weekend I was able to take some time to travel to Mt Ranier. Although the mountain was beautiful, the trip there was the highlight of the day. I went over White Pass at 4000 feet and had spectacular vistas to enjoy. Ranier about filled up the horizon at one point.(photo) My acrophobia kicked in mildly when the pass traveled along a several hundred foot drop with a guardrail between me and the great blue sky. It took about an hour to get to Mt Ranier National Park and a lot of it was mountain driving. Fortunately traffic was very light and it was a beautiful day. The thought of doing the cross on a snowy day or with  a bunch of trailer trucks was inconceivable for me.

At the park, several trails were marked for day trips. I went to Silver Falls, about 3 miles round trip. The forest in Washington is totally different from Vermont. Most abundant are the pole pines( photo) . Straight as an arrow and very tall, they make up the vast majority of the trees. Here and there are scattered Hemlocks. The undergrowth is sparse but some wildflowers were in bloom. The falls were beautiful.(photo). All things considered it was a great day.

Here's a view of a typical sight in the Yakima Valley. In the mid foreground is a thoroughly irrigated vineyard surrounded by the typical desert terrain of the area. With sharp eyes you can see a white pole in the middle of the green field. The irrigating wand, one of hundreds that spew water early morn and in the evening. Remarkable contrasts side by side. Besides fruit, the valley is noted for its vineyards. The lady at the chamber of commerce went on and on about the wines of Yakima Valley. They sure are pretty to look at. Spent the last two days in Toppenish being oriented to the computer system of YVFWC (Yakima Valley Farm Workers' Clinic) Toppenish is the admin site for YVFWC and quite the cowboy town. It is noted for it's murals, a couple of which I will attach. They are painted right on the walls of the town's buildings by various local artists and are stunning. I hope to get back to Toppenish and see them all.

       Real work starts Monday. I am excited and a little nervous to be entering a new environment with all the attendant rules and cultural idiosyncracies. So far it seems like a good organization. More on that later. Enough for now. I hope I can attach the photos.

Here in Yakima

So I have arrived in the city of Yakima, an all American city in 1994. JetBlue has become my new favorite airline. The leg room was amazing and the trip was actually pleasant. Picked up a rental car in Seattle and drove across the mountains to get to Yakima, 3 hours distant. The area around Yakima is desert like. Brown, sage brush, short grasses also brown extend for miles to the horizon on both sides of the highway.  Coming down the last hill into Yakima was quite a change.  Due to the miracles of irrigation the valley is brilliantly green even in September.  Vineyards dot the hillsides and peach, cherry, and apple orchards abound. Someone told me the agriculture industry accounts for 85 % of the jobs. Haven't started work yet-awaiting orientation tomorrow and Thursday. Although I have been being a tourist and have lots of pictures, I am temporarily(I hope) unable to download to my computer. Frustrating. Enough for now-will blog again soon-hopefully with pictures.

On the way

    So the final reservations have been made and I will be flying directly from Boston to Seattle WA Monday, 9/4.  A wonderful way to spend Labor Day. It was a task to find a direct flight  but a friend mentioned that JetBlue does have one.  I'm looking forward to assessing the much touted increased leg room on all JetBlue flights. I will visit my daughter Erin and her family tomorrow (near Boston) and spend the night at an airport hotel, leaving at 7AM.  Will keep you posted (or blogged) as the journey progresses.