Road to... the final edition.

Well, enjoying our last full day.  Here are the photo's from the Farm Market we visited the other day.

This morning I finally got to see the Bald Eagle that has been flying around. The others had all seen it and I was a little envious.  Then just a few minutes ago a lovely Doe came by to say hello and munch on a leaf.  She only stayed a few minutes then continued on her merry way.
In between those two visitors, Cathy and I also saw a dolphin - or something with a fin - swim by. Add that to the Cougar, several local hawks and eagles, etc.  Fun.

Road to... cont'd, part trois.

Yes, we made it to Victoria. We have seen and done much, as the pictures (seen on my Facebook albums) have shown. I only wish I could remember all the wild and crazy things we have done, but it is late as I write this, having had a couple of Rum and Cokes and shared a few bottles of wine.
On this day three of the four of us went back to Victoria to check out the RBCM.  But not before we went to the local Farm Market.
It was awesome.  In the local church back yard, the local farmers, fishermen and sundry other locals shared there wares.  They could not have been nicer, friendlier or more eclectic!  If I did not feel like such an interloper from California, I would have struck up more conversations.  Especially with the (very) elderly gentleman with the jeweled, manicured finger and toe nails.  But I digress...

I promised Miss Wendy, who needed to stay behind to find her ankles, that we would be home before dark!  It get's dark here around 9:30 - we laughed, she did not - (Actually, she needed to rest her aching back :(  - she was feeling much better upon our return).
The museum was cool, as was the IMAX movie. Biggest screen in British Columbia, dontchaknow!
While driving back I needed to pick up breakfast and a light snack.  A Tim Horton's Maple doughnut and a Swiss Chalet Chicken dinner.  They had them both in the same place - Nirvana!  Pictures tomorrow, perhaps.  Alas, all was not perfect.
While preparing to go and locking the car, I reached behind me to close the door.  Little did I know that the genius engineer who designed the front doors put them on a severe angle.  So much so that while it cleared by big butt (bigger while eating on vacation) it did not clear my  tiny little head.  It smacked me so good, Jay turned and said WTF?
Well, it broke the skin and I have a nice souvenir of the TH/SC on my head!  So far, the chicken, fries and gravy appetizer were worth it.  I will let you know how the doughnuts are tomorrow. And if there is any residual pain.  Not a big fan of the teasing I am getting from Cathy, et al, however!

So, to bring you up to speed, here are some other days of images from our trip, but not including today.  I would have done today, but with the grilling, drinking, and following up on all the comments, I can only do today's images another day...

Day 5

Day 6

Day7

Feel free to leave your thoughts.  Or not, eh.

Here is a short video of our rainstorm. 

Road to... cont'd.

Seattle is a great city, so most of you already know everything there is to know about it. Home of the first Starbucks and Nordstroms.  I guess I was not aware how far it is inland from the coast.  There is actually a mountain range between it and the ocean.  It may rain often in Seattle, but not when we were there - two whole days without rain!
I also must say that I was shocked at how little traffic there was, compared to most cities of similar size that I have visited.  Perhaps everyone uses public traffic.
I also thought is was nice of VP Joe Biden to stop by our hotel to say hi. 
Well, I have places to go, people to see, and things to do!  So with that, here are links to two more days worth of boring photo's for those of you not on FB.

Day 3:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151033185099390.448126.721144389&type=1&l=b6aa6111da
Day 4:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151033292829390.448135.721144389&type=1&l=f8f2b4bb44

Road to...

Um, Road to what Glenn?  Oh, sorry.  Just made me think of these.

Let the Hi-jinks begin.  Way late and much more than a dollar short, here are some low lights from the road to Seattle and Victoria via Amtrak (had it been all in Canada, it would have read better - via VIA, but I digress).

Hit the road very early on a Saturday morning, being dropped off at the lovely Irvine Rail Station by our 'practically perfect neighbors', the Thorton's.  It being so early, we neglected to photographically record their kindness.

Quick jaunt to Union Station - which should be a tourist stop on everyone's to do list; right across from Olvera street and a famous sandwich restaurant called Philippes - a French Dip legend that I have overlooked and have to correct in the future.

To help set the tone of our trip, on our first leg of the train ride we met a nice family from Colorado Springs, vacationing in California for the first time.  They were on their way to, where else, Disneyland!  Cathy was happy to get them in the mood before they even got there.
After they got off in Anaheim, another family moved into their seats.  This group was from New Zealand on their way to San Francisco.  We were two for two on meeting great people, and that trend has continued on the entire trip - except for some wacko lady we ran into in LA.  This grandmother and granddaughter did get on our car, but luckily we never saw her again until she disembarked somewhere in Washington State.

Well, for the next 36 hours we road the rails.  Won't bore you with the hour-by-hour details, but it was just what we all expected, except for the amount of food they offer you!  With nowhere to go, it seemed like we were always walking to the dinning car - actually, for us Sleeper Car residents we had our own private Parlour Car - La Ti Da...

Anyway, I have some photo's posted in an album on Facebook that show the 35 or so hour trip.  You should be able to see them both here:

Facebook link, day one:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151031856309390.447983.721144389&type=1&l=bec1ee5265
Facebook link, day two:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151031919119390.447995.721144389&type=3&l=9def60ca30

The whole thing makes me think of the Great Canadian, Gordon Lightfoot!