Day 1: Pacific Northwest

Day 1: E-ville to San Juan Island


Weather: Gorgeous in E-ville, clear and cool in Seattle and SJI

We're on a 5 day jaunt to the Northwest, pairing up with K&E.

Today was an unusual travel day, almost equal parts flying, driving and on the ferry.

Without coordinating that much, after Uber-ing to the airport we end up in the TSA security line a few folks behind K&E (they came in from San Ramon).

Southwest is suberb: a new plane and 20 minutes early to SeaTac.

E has reserved a pick-your-own car at National. There are only giant cars in the category EM selected, so they upgrade up us to the next category (which strangely is made up of slightly smaller vans and jeeps). How many cars did it take to get us out on the road?

This one is missing a seat belt and head rest 

This one has captain seats in second row

Ahhhhhhh, just right!

There is a very reasonable time gap before we catch the ferry in Anacortes, about 2 hours north of the airport, so we lunch in Fremont, a neighborhood near downtown Seattle. It is known for two famous landmarks: Lenin and the Troll. Seems appropriate given the current election cycle, right?

The Fremont District

Putin predecessor 

Who let the dogs out, who?

Lunch at Red Star, it's Tuesday Taco day, and we order a lot of what the house has to offer, along with a brewski, ice tea and an Arnie Palmer, $55.

Snow-capped mountains on the road to Anacortes:

Mt Rainer

Maybe 20 miles north of Seattle: Mt Baker?

From Highway 5: Mt Baker?

From Anacortes: Mt. Baker?

At a rest stop south of Anacortes:

We've reserved our space on the ferry and pre-paid (did THB pre-pay for a round-trip? We'll find out on Thursday, two days from now).

It's cool on the fore-deck (THB is inside)

Takes around 1.5 hours, with a stop, and we're in the San Juan Island town (in the San Juans) of Friday Harbor, at the Friday Harbor House. It's very nice, great rooms. 

The view from our deck

The bathroom is separated from bedroom by sliding "door"

Here the curtains shut off the bathroom from bedroom

And the dinner in their small dining room is excellent.

Lots of appetizers: oysters, fries, fried Brussel sprouts, clam chowder, arugula salad

Four mains: burger, salmon, fish curry, and jerk chicken

Drink: cocktails, beer and wine, $240 for four.

The patio overlooking the harbor