Exploring Beautiful Bellingham & Whatcom County: Lummi Nation

I am very proud and happy to work at the Silver Reef Casino. Because I like my job and wish to keep it, I do not share much about work---but for the most part really love my job. I have posted some pictures and such from trips to the casino with my beautiful wife. I can say that I am the token white boy on the night crew. Not that I smoke, but that I am one of the few workers in the Cafe on nights, that is white. I would like to say this helps my tips, but I doubt it. I can also say that the great Casino, is soon to get greater, with the next huge phase of it's expansion being completed on the 9th of May. With a huge events center, another restaurant, 300 more slot machines, and lots more parking. Of course I will have a picture filled blog about this before our big move. And the next exploring blog will be about the land around the casino. Were I was mostly trying to get some pictures of the great snow covered mountains in the distance, but it was to cloudy of a day for that on this day. Today is about venturing further --to the reservation land.

You can take this journey on the city bus. This is nice, reasonable price, but time consuming. No matter how you drive to the reservation, you can defiantly tell when you get on Lummi Land.

From all of the nifty speed checker signs, to the over-turned boats just off the side of the road. Or from the spray painted signs warning you of the local speed limit. Of course not all of the great aspects are negative. These are a great people, and this is a rich land in sights and resources. Plus the carvings all around are amazing! Just past the casino you start running into some great carvings and totem poles.

There is also a great raised walkway/boardwalk. That I was pleased to see so many people out jogging and running on. This day was once again a very rare -for the season-sunny day.

On this trip I traveled out I-5 and than down Slater Road.

This road is full of great sights. Like the above barn. In the next blog post I will

include more landscape pictures.

I tried to frame the great mountains into this picture. But it was to hazy and cloudy for that.

This bridge was out of commission for two months over the summer after a truck driver hit several of the beams and the bridge was deemed not safe. By the travel commission.

This allowed for some very long commutes to and from work --leading through Ferndale.

Another fun thing to do while enjoying the sights, is to read the many motivational posters.

This one can be found just before the ferry out to Lummi Island.

Of course, like much of this state, fishing is big business here.

Hi-tech security at it's best.

I thought this picture was a great balance between beauty and just gross.

Ferry pulling up.....

On this day I did not have enough time to journey to the island. But it is a great trip.

Although taking a vehicle is encouraged. Sights are spread across the island and it quickly turns into a long walk. The voyage on the ferry is very nice. And reasonable. Some state ferries are extremely expensive.