Sunset at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park

Saturday, October 11, 2014

While on the way to have dinner with friends in Richmond Beach this magnificent cloud formation caught my eye.  At the risk of being a few minutes late I took a detour to Saltwater Park just in time to join several other fellow cloud gazers and take these pictures.

Anacortes, WA

Friday, October 10, 2014

Following an overnight stay at Bay View State Park we drove a short distance to Anacortes, WA for lunch followed by a walk along the main street.  As we neared the end we noticed people gathering along the sidewalks and were soon met by the sounds of the local high school marching band warming up for what turned out to be their home coming parade.  I couldn't help but think of how many towns, large and small, across our country share this common experience of parades, marching bands, and Friday night football.  It made this short day trip feel like a home coming for us too.

The band warming up before leading the parade

I stopped here looking for the Guemes Island Ferry, one of the smallest in the state.

We didn't have our lunch here but it's definitely on the schedule for next time.

Bay View State Park

Bay View State Park is on Padilla Bay between Burlington and Anacortes, Washington.  While not as large as many state parks I've found it to be a great place to get away for a night or two.  It's about an hour's drive from where I live in Edmonds, Washington so it's possible to take a spontaneous trip as Lynn and I did when these pictures were taken on October 9, 2014.  We stayed in cabin #3 which has the best view of the sunset.  A nice campfire, some steaks on the grill for dinner, and a beautiful sunset made for an enjoyable one night get away.