Super Urban Exploring & Such

     I realize it is almost Turkey Day, and I have still not posted about our great Halloween yet.  This post really is coming!  Please also check out my other --more established blog sight ---full of random rambling, coffee love, pictures, jokes, and such.  At  http://www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com/  

                                                             Sheridan, Wyoming

    The sight includes some great exploring posts ---Great but not about Bellingham- so not on this sight.  

     Also in the works for this exploring sight----    Much about our youngest son and my running goals and exploring.  Complete with a blog co-written by him and his best buddy.   A listing of many  helpful local sights --for those that have just moved to Bellingham or are dreaming of living here soon.  I also found some older pictures, from exploring the area in the past, so I will be using many of these. Etc Etc Etc!  Please share this link, if you enjoy what you see!

This is a very old picture----But with Thanksgiving coming up, I have been counting my blessings. 

And at the top of the list ---is my great, loving family!

   Today's post starts about super urban exploring.   This is were one disappears in the gaps of woods and trees around busy areas of the city.    I do not have any pictures to go with this.  You will have to explore yourself-if you are so inclined.  I can tell you that --make shift forts and homeless tent cities are frequent in wooded areas.  I have not had a confrontation with any of the tent owners, but please tread lightly.   Much of this land is private property,  potentially adding to the fun of the trip.  Please note--I grew up in Wyoming, and am very easily entertained, so none of the following may be your idea of a great time!
       My examples today are-- 1.)  Just down from Home Depot  were the trailer park used to be.  This is a very open area, but has lots to explore.  And the area is surrounded by trees and running water.  Bring a bag or two---for recycling, because beer cans are very plentiful!  The parking lot just above this, were GI Joe's used to be, also offers some great insight.  If you are a people person.  Several people live out of there vehicles here.  Couches used to line the front of the old store.  And several recliners can be spotted in the trees surrounding the sight.  On a sunny day, it can be a very busy area, for being a closed store.  
    2.)  If you follow the mowed/blackberry bush border of Michale's  arts and craft store off of the guide, around the unloading dock, you enter some great exploring land.  
   3.)   Behind Wal-Mart there is some good exploring.   With lots of trees, and wrappers of items stolen from the store.   You might have to jump a fence to find better adventure.
   4.)  Behind the Fred Myers off Lakeway, is more wooded areas with plenty of trails.
    And lastly for today---- 
 If you park at Jack in The Box, and follow around the run off pond, there are trails all through the woods.   

    Another great way to explore around here-is to just jump a city bus and see were you end up.  Or jump off early and head up a trail.   Around Lake Whatcom is a terrific area.   If you have time to kill, head out to Blaine for some exploring around there bay and the boarder.  The bus to Lummi   also offers some great picture taking areas.   The bus system here is one of the best I have seen.  And the booklet---   lets you easily pick the right bus for your day.   The bus is also a great way to entertain your kiddos!   They will love taking the bus, even if it is just to downtown to check out the local shops and grab some coffee.   This is a quick, gas saving, cheap way to beat all the parking meters down town.   Please note---Fairhaven has NO parking meters and some great local business for sure!    
     A great game to play on the bus----  Before we got our car, my wife and I used to ride the bus a ton.   We started this "game" were we would take pictures of the most interesting, maybe strange people we saw on the bus.   To make it more interesting, we took the pictures with our cell phones, and really attempted to not let the subjects know we were taking there picture.   This allowed for more candid pictures, and kept us from getting our butts kicked, by people whose last picture was a mug shot.   At the end of the day, we would compare all the pictures we snuck, and pick the best one.  My wife almost always won this game with her pictures.   

Another great local game --my wife and I both enjoy--- involves the above huge rock.

When you are near the great city of Bellingham coming from the south,  nestled in the woods, is this huge boulder.  

It gets painted all of the time.

Above happens to promote a blog sight I visit several times a week.  

With many awesome pictures.  In fact some of my shots were fashioned after ones from this sight.  

This picture was stolen from this very sight.  But I hope that if I keep telling how much I enjoy there blog --and push viewers to it, I will be forgiven?

Anyways,  any time we head south, on the return trip, my wife tries to take a picture of this rock.

We were very positive we knew were the rock was, but it seems hidden every trip. 

Long story -short, we still have no picture of this rock.  And have drove the trip at least a dozen times now.   ;)

Another good traveling game---is to call out the licence plates you see while on the road.  

This is not a good game here---because you mostly just here 

Washington and Canada yelled out over and over!

    Lastly for today---hooray!    A local game we play with the kiddos.   At least in the Fairhaven Haggin --- they have a full sized cow and several baby pig models.   The piglets seem to roam the store  and be displayed all through the grocery store.  I don't know if they get in the way, or the workers are overly bored.   Either way, each time we visit, we see who can spot both of the lil pigs first.   

    

     

All Aboard!

    So several months ago our family loaded up for a short road trip to the Lake Whatcom Railway Museum in Acme, Washington.  This is a beautiful drive, but allow an hour just in drive time.  Google maps seems to be sending people in the wrong direction.  But there web sight and great page on Facebook has step by step directions, that get you right to the museum.   The pages are also full of more great pictures.  

Go Sea Hawks!!

This was a great day, enjoyed by all of us, especially our 
youngest, who loves trains!   

     Once we got to the area, we had some time to explore before our train ride. 

At the ticket booth. 

We are members of several discount clubs online.  And they sent us notice for tickets on the train

at deeply discounted prices.  But the ride is never very expensive, even at full price. 

Contact the museum before taking the drive, because many of the rides are over for the season.

A moment to take in the view.

The fog slowly lifted away and we were greeted with a very sun shine filled day for an adventure!

Several old relics to explore.

      Both while waiting for the train  to depart, and while enjoying the ride on other tracks.  

   Inside one of the huge main buildings is this old steam engine.  You can still climb up inside it and marvel at power these machines have.  And the view the engineers have.  And most importantly you can ring the bell a time or three. 

This classic bicycle just waits to be ridden down the rails.

                                                                 Almost boarding time!!

This classic steam engine is over 100 years old. 

It has since been converted for those living along the tracks and for those on the ride. 

Loaded and ready to go. 

The comfortable seats all with great views made the ride even better. 

Here I try to echo the train whistle!

Warning: this sound should not be made around train tracks.  Or by anyone over the age of  five. 

The above shirt should not be worn by anyone!

                                                               On board entertainment.

                                               The view from the back of the train.  

   You have lots of time to enjoy the view as the train slowly makes it's way down the tracks.  And many of the residents living close to the tracks, were full of smiles and waves when we passed by. 

After a brief pause to turn the train around, they stop for about half an hour.  

With time to explore or eat a snack.

Please note---no food is provided on this tour.  Or beverage.

There are simple but working restrooms at the rear of the train though.

Picnic under this terrific tree or venture a ways to a small water fall.

The kiddos can take this track car for a spin.

This was a wonderful day.  That I will always remember. 

And all of the workers were beyond friendly and knowledgeable.  

You can also take a 2nd train ride -for the same price.  But on this day we were needing to return home.

Mainly to get back to our dog before he destroyed our house to rebel being left alone.  

Any guesses were we venture in my next exploring blog post?

Please do not forget to check out my longer running blog series 

www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com

now with 300+ posts to roam through. 

And leave some comments!

Big Rock Garden Park

   Welcome to all of my readers!   This new page is just about Bellingham and Whatcom county and  fun and exciting things to do here.   I have a ton of ideas and new posts in the works.  I just work full time and have a full family at home, so do not always get the ideas down on paper as quickly as I would like to.  I hope you enjoy the posts so far and will pass on this pages link to your friends and family that live in the area!   Coming up are posts about:  All of the statues on WWU campus, Our trip to the new family fun center on Meridian Street, A post just of my favorite pictures around the area while exploring, sunset pictures, our family trip on an 100 year old train --a few weeks back, and an entire post with useful links to those living here or thinking about moving here.  Plus many many more posts and ideas!   Thank you for checking us out and sharing the link!       While you are waiting for new material, please check out my longer running blog series at     http://www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com/   with 300+ posts to roam through.   

    A few weeks back our two boys and I were out and about exploring and stopped at The Big Rock Garden Park.  The only other time I have been there, was about two years ago.  When I started on some trails behind the Starbucks in Barkley Village-and a long time later ended up in the great park.  I am not sure I could do that again.   There are many great trails between the area.  I can tell you the park is above Lake Whatcom.

   A place I have posted about several times now.  I will not ruin the fun, by explaining how to get to this particular park--that is part of the fun of exploring!  Soon I hope to do an entire post just about the wonderful parks in this great town.  Ranking the better parks in my mind.  One of my favorites is very close to the above area --and Great Falls Park.  I have also posted about it several times, with some awesome pictures, if I do say so myself.  

    Several things have stalled me.  I started work almost two months ago, and it is some what strange to stand in the middle of a park, and snap pictures.  Past posts have talked about many of the parks in the area.  I just hope to ramble about them all in one great post.  I also hope to break out my thesaurus soon, and stop using the word "great" so much.  But I really do like most of the things about this town!

   We soon discovered this was not the best place to explore with kids.  They needed room to run and run and be kids.  And people in the park actually wanted to view the many sculptures and enjoy the peace the park usually has to offer. ;)  Just after this picture was takin' the kiddos were blasting through the park.  I took off in the other direction, not sure if I really wanted to take them back home with me.  The kids ran past a larger group of art critics.  I was way down the trail, but heard the adults raise there voices, and was heading to the area to stop any problems.  The adults tried to yell at our kids, saying something about how they were trying to enjoy the art and beauty of the park.  Our youngest, stopped long enough to pant out "that he was just trying to run!"  And than ran off.   I have to say that it was a great response, and the adults really had nothing to say about this.  

   Out of the parking lot, you are first greeted by the above sign.  It shows were all of the sculptures are and a little about each one.  I believe at one time there were just short of 40 sculptures.  Now many of these are just empty spaces.  The many trees and such make this a great place to find yourself and maybe find some peace while you are enjoying the art.  Many benches can also be found through the park.  

     The main gateway into the park.  The entire area is enclosed with a tall wooden fence. 

The land scaping is amazing.

And even the trees offer great pictures.

   The below very bumpy tree is extra neat to look at, and feel.

                                                The park even has fake trees to view.  

  Just past this half building, is a large deck like area, overlooking the lake and beyond.  With many benches to enjoy.   Each sculpture also has a name tag, and some history into what the art is about. 

                                                             "Freedom is not free!!"

   The sculptures are very varied.    And much time can be spent here just looking and learning.

                                                       This trio is read to play you a song!

This full sized horse is just waiting to be petted.

When you visit the park ---read the story on the next two sculptures.  I find them the most interesting of the entire lot.

                                 This would also be a great place to just sit and read.  Do people still do that? 

This turtle just wants to say "Howdy!"

At first I thought the above was also a sculpture.

I defiantly did not get pictures of every thing. 

So that you can still explore and enjoy the area.  

My next exploring blog post will be about our family's great trip on a old train.