The last entry ended halfway through our vacation. Well suffice it to say that the rest of the trip was as wonderful as the first half. We left David and Rachel's on Monday morning definitely feeling sad to say goodbye. Our first stop was Pike Place Market in Seattle. The nectarines we purchased there were the best I've every had. They were also the largest and most expensive but worth every penny. It didn't make sense to buy any fish since we had no way to cook it or get it home unspoiled but it was fun watching the guys slinging huge fish around as people picked what they were buying. It is worth stopping just to see the variety and quality of the food.
Just one of the vegetable and fruit stands. I'm not sure if the picture below does justice to the size of the lobsters, but one would feed more than one person. They were HUGE.
Leaving Seattle we headed south for Mount St. Helen's. It was too foggy to see the mountain on Monday but we were staying in the area and the next morning proved to be clear and beautiful. It was fascinating to drive the 50 miles from Hwy 5 through the countryside once devastated by the volcano. It has been 29 years since the volcano blew and the area is still in the process of recovery. Forests have been replanted in many areas and some places have naturally regrown. The replanted forests looked so strange and we realized it was because all the trees are the same type and nearly the same height. It felt like a movie set. Once in the National Park, 
nothing has been replanted and the original destruction is still visible. Trees blown down, most areas with little or no vegetation, and areas of deep ash. The mountain itself is beautiful in it's barrenness. We spent half the day there and then once again headed south.
Monday we stayed near Multnomah Falls, the second highest falls in the US. Yosemite Falls being the tallest. It was a beautiful area. When we drove up to the B&B where Doug had made reservations my my initial reaction was...'let's find a motel.' However, it turned out to be a very nice place to stay and quite historic, nearly 100 years old and still owned by the original family.
The rest of the week was spent visiting such places as Tillamook, Oregon, home to Tillamook Cheese and touring the factory. We spent time enjoying the beauty of the Oregon Coast and onto the majesty and quietness of the Redwood forests of Northern California. It was a restful and relaxing trip home. 
