Blog

The Beginning of an Amtrak Journey on the Coast Starlight Train – Day 64

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 11, 2019
Categories In Oregon, The Days Of The Trip
No Comments on The Beginning of an Amtrak Journey on the Coast Starlight Train – Day 64

Today we are about to mark off another bucket list item by taking an Amtrak Journey from Portland to Los Angeles.

However, we won’t be able to officially mark it off until tomorrow night. That is because the train ride down the Pacific Coast will take over 30 hours to complete.

Although it is about twice as long of a trip as compared to driving it ourselves, we are looking forward to not being behind the wheel for a few days to enjoy the scenery.

And this trip was only made possible due to the inclement weather that we faced in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Coast Starlight Schedule — Here is the schedule of all the stops on the Amtrak Coast Starlight Journey.

By avoiding the freezing temperatures, we were about 5 days ahead of schedule on our trip around the country.

The weather, along with a flash sale from Amtrak, gave us the perfect opportunity to make one of our bucket list items come true.

Leaving the Truck and Camper Behind

So today we headed to Portland Union Station to begin our Amtrak Journey.

But before doing so, we had to find a safe place to keep our truck and camper. So what did we do?

Last week we contacted the staff at NuCamp, the manufacturer of our T@B 400 trailer, to inquire if they had an RV dealer in the Portland area. And lucky for us, they did!

portland amtrak union station — We begin our Amtrak Journey at Portland Union Station.

The staff at Apache Camping Center graciously agreed to let us park our truck and camper in their lot while we were on the train.

And because we were going to have it there for 4 days, we decided it was a fantastic time to have them install an automatic trailer jack on the tongue of the camper.

After being on the road for 64 days, it gets tiresome to manually crank the jack up and down every time we need to hitch and unhitch the camper from the truck.

So we both agreed that while we were on the Amtrak Journey it was the perfect time to have one installed.

Heading to Portland Union Station

After packing up a few items from the camper to take with us, we called for an Uber to take us to Portland Union Station.

Amtrak counter — We arrived at the ticket counter, not knowing a thing about taking a trip on a train.

We are both so excited to finally get a chance to ride the Amtrak down the Pacific Coast. Yet, neither one of us have any idea what to expect.

The only thing that we are sure of is that we were heading to Los Angeles. We have no experience traveling on a ‘real’ train. And by ‘real’ I mean not the historical train that travel in the Black Hills of South Dakota or the Williams train in Arizona that takes you to the Grand Canyon.

I am talking about a train for the purpose of traveling from point A to point B, without a history lesson given by a tour guide.

This will be our first journey on an Amtrak train and we have so many questions and so few answers.

Will there be food on the train to purchase? Can be bring our own food and drinks? What type of security will we need to go through? Will we have to check a bag? Do we have an assigned seat?

inside amtrak station — The inside view of the Portland Union Station Amtrak Center.

But just like we do with life in general, we took the ‘I don’t know, but we are going to find out’ approach.

Arriving at the Amtrak Station For Our Journey

About an hour and a half before the train was scheduled to depart, we arrived at Union Station. The train station itself was a beautiful sight.

Just like you picture, it is an old historic train depot with a large brick tower with a clock at it’s peak.

We entered through glass doors to a beautiful lobby with a check in counter to the left.

As I approached the ticket agent, I quickly confessed that we were rookies and had no idea what to do.

He grinned and told me that I was in the right place.

double decker amtrak journey — We even took the opportunity to sit on the upper level of a double decker train car.

Step by step he walked us through the check in process and handed us a green boarding pass. We were to sit tight and listen to the boarding instructions that would happen a half an hour before the departure time.

After striking up a conversation with a wonderful couple from Las Vegas, we realized that everyone has been in our shoes at one time or another.

In fact, they had just taken their first Amtrak ride a few days before to attend a wedding in the Portland area. They were heading home and were scheduled to be on our train as well.

While we waited for the boarding call they helped answer all our questions, based on their own recent experience.

Our Amtrak Journey Questions Are Answered

coach seats on amtrak train — The coach train car and the view from our seats.

First of all, as scary as it sounds, there is no security to go through before boarding. You simply walk through a door, someone scans your ticket and you head towards the train car that they assign you.

Then, as you get closer to the entrance of the train, you receive a seat assignment.

The train is set up with two seats on both sides of the train. Then you hang your destination ticket above your seat assignment. This is done for lengthy train rides with multiple stops.

The purpose is quite brilliant. Just in case you fall asleep and don’t wake up in time, the staff with walk through the passenger cars and make sure you don’t miss your destination.

And when you get hungry, we did find out that on this specific Coast Starlight Amtrak train that you have two options.

our Amtrak journey — We decided to take a quick selfie before the train took off.

First, there is a café car below the observation deck for snacks, drinks, and light meals. But lucky for us, we found out that this train also has the traditional dining car.

Another part of that bucket list item that we can cross off – eating dinner in a dining car.

And yes, you can also bring your own food and drinks.

So we waited until it was boarding time and took the first steps onto the train to find our seats.

Here is to getting to experience a new adventure for the next couple of days!

Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 64 of 365
States Visited: 10 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : A Coast Starlight Amtrak Train
Miles Driven : 14.3
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7510.7
Total Gallons Used : 560.5
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 0
Hiking Miles To Date : 147.9

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

Follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

The Amazing Kindness Of The People We Meet – The Power Of A Smile. Day 63

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 10, 2019
Categories In Oregon, The Days Of The Trip
4 Comments on The Amazing Kindness Of The People We Meet – The Power Of A Smile. Day 63

With each passing day, we continue to be amazed at the incredible kindness, friendliness, and outright generosity of the people we meet along our journey’s path.

I mean, it has truly been unbelievable!

In an age where there is so much emphasis place on the negative, this trip has revealed a sweeter, more gentle world.

People We Meet — Talk about a wonderful person, Gail has been a long-time follower of Old World Garden Farms. She contacted us while in Nebraska, and drove to come say hello. And she even brought us a few treats to enjoy while on the drive!

One of kindness. One of smiles and laughter. And one of inclusion. One where complete strangers of any race, religion or belief can be friendly to one another – and become friends.

And one where everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand.

The Kindness of People

I can’t begin to tell you how many wonderful people have been so very kind to us on this trip.

Folks we have never met before have gone out of their way to tell us things to see and do in their home towns. And in many cases, even take us there personally to show them off proudly.

And perhaps most of all, it has been nothing short of incredible to see the willingness of people to include us and make us feel welcome, no matter what city or state we are in.

One family, seeing we would be in their hometown on Christmas day, has invited us to their big family’s celebration. Another did the same for New Year’s Eve. And it goes on and on.

University of Washington -People We Meet — Who can forget our Washington Husky game-day experience and the kindness of this entire group. Simply wonderful people! Thank you again Jim and Stephanie for the invite!

From oyster roasts, to clam bakes, and a fresh-caught Alaskan Halibut dinner, to countless offers of places to camp, share a meal, or just hang out and talk – people have overwhelmed us with kindness.

The People We Meet

I could write at length with example after example, but it would create a small novel. And we’ve only been on the road for 63 days!

But it really hit me personally this past week in a little coffee shop called Cutters Cafe in Lacey, Washington.

north dakota vikings — Even the Vikings have been friendly to us! It is amazing to see the smiles of people who simply love to share their city.

As we often do, we set up shop in the early morning hours to catch up on a little writing.

It wasn’t too long before Dick, a gentleman in a bright red sweater approached and asked about our trailer parked outside. We talked at length about the trip. And then he told he was here to meet with his fellow “coffee group” friends.

We are always intrigued by all of the coffee groups we run into at the many coffee shops we frequent. We love hearing their stories of how they formed, and what they talk about. And you could tell this group, which meets at the coffee house 3x’s a week was a special one.

The people we meet: This surfer stopped in between runs to say hello. It is amazing how many interesting and talented people we have met in our first 63 days on the road.

One by one, as a coffee group member walked in, Dick would bring them over and introduce them to us. And one by one, we made a new friend.

The Secret To Happiness?

As we got ready to leave, I mentioned to him how much I admired the energy and the smiles of the group.

And he then told me something that has stuck with me ever since.

“We’ve been meeting for years, Dick said, “and we have every kind of person in this group imaginable, with all sorts of political viewpoints. But we are all friends, and we all get along”

cool little coffee shops — We have been to a lot of coffee shops on our trip. And the people we meet along the way have been nothing short of spectacular.

So simple. So perfectly said. And something that is missing so much from this world.

Smiles are free. So is saying hello. Whether to people you know, or to complete strangers. And it is amazing how doing both can open you up to a whole new wonderful world of positive energy!

So here is to having a smile on your face, and a kind word to say. To everyone you meet. Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 63 of 365
States Visited: 10 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Portland, Oregon
Miles Driven : 6.2
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7496.4
Total Gallons Used : 559.3
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 0
Hiking Miles To Date : 147.9

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

You can follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

The Portland Buckeyes – A Little Taste Of Home, Day 62

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 9, 2019
Categories In Oregon, The Days Of The Trip
4 Comments on The Portland Buckeyes – A Little Taste Of Home, Day 62

Today we spent most of the morning in the city of Portland hanging out with some fellow Buckeyes.

As many of you know, we are from the state of Ohio. And yes, although we love college football in general, we are also Ohio State Football fans.

And today, we decided to join the Portland Ohio State Alumni Club to watch the Buckeyes take on Maryland.

An Early Start to the Day

brutus buckeye — Even Brutus Buckeye showed up for the watch party.

But that required us to get an early start.

In fact, this is the first time in 62 days that we have actually set an alarm clock.

Because the game had a kickoff time of 12 p.m. E.S.T. that meant that the game would start at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

With us waking up on the coast of Oregon this morning, we knew we had at least an hour and 30 minute drive to the city.

Portland buckeyes crowd — The Ohio State fans begin to fill the ‘pit’ at Ladd Taphouse in SE Portland.

That meant we had to get up, unhook our utilities and pack everything up and be on the road by 6:45 a.m.

But as soon as we turned down the road to the Ladd Taproom in SE Portland, we knew that the early morning trip was well worth it.

In fact, before we even made it down the end of the road to park, we were greeted by a few Buckeyes that were waiting for the doors to open.

They helped us park our truck and trailer on the street and welcomed us to come inside and enjoy the festivities.

Buckeye Winnebago — Yes, there are even Ohio State Tailgate RV’s in Portland!

Within minutes we were talking to various members of the club about the cities around Ohio that they had previously lived.

There were stories about their time spent in Ohio, their families that may or may not still be living there, and of course, the time spent on Ohio State’s campus.

And we even found a new friend that used to live within 15 minutes of our home back in Ohio.

The Portland Buckeyes

We thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of cheering on the Ohio State football team with fellow Buckeyes.

And we also participated in their game day raffle where when the Buckeyes score, ‘Buckeye Bob’ reads off 1-2 winning tickets. The winner then can pick out a ‘Buckeye’ item on the raffle table.

Buckeye Raffle — Throughout the game there are Buckeye items that are raffled off to help raise money for scholarships.

The money raised goes to various causes including providing scholarships for students who are interested in attending Ohio State.

And for those not interested in attending game watching parties, they have more to offer.

From golf outings to wine tasting events, the club looks at various ways to get both old and new members involved.

We appreciated the hospitality and the kindness of total strangers treating us like family while were in town. It is always nice to feel like you are at home, even if you are over 2,000 miles away.

The Portland Buckeyes enjoying the game with fellow OSU Alumni.

And to support such a great cause we are now the newest members of the Portland Buckeye Club!

Who knows, maybe we will be back next Saturday!

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 62 of 365
States Visited: 10 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Portland, Oregon
Miles Driven : 85.8
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7490.2
Total Gallons Used : 558.97
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 0
Hiking Miles To Date : 147.9

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

Follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

The Incredible Beauty Of The Oregon Coastline In Full Color! – Day 61

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 8, 2019
Categories In Oregon, The Days Of The Trip
4 Comments on The Incredible Beauty Of The Oregon Coastline In Full Color! – Day 61

What a day it was taking in the incredible views of the Oregon Coastline!

We have had a near unbelievable stretch of sunny days the last few weeks on the trip.

Especially when you consider we’ve ventured throughout Washington and Oregon at a time when it should be raining here more often than not!

The Oregon Coastline — A view of the coastline between Seaside and Cannon Beaches. The sounds of the waves (heard in the video near the bottom) crashing against the shore is powerful and yet peaceful. The water was cold, as was the breeze, but with temperatures in the 60’s, it made for a great walk.

But although today was a bit chillier, the no-rain streak continued as we drove, hiked and biked about the amazing coastline of Oregon.

Here are a few of our favorite photos of the day, along with a few descriptions to help tell the story.

Oswald West State Park and the Short Sand Beach

Our hike through the forest at Oswald West State Park to the Short Sand Beach was filled with soaring trees, a suspension bridge, and a hike over rolling streams.

As we hiked the trails through Oswald State Park , we were towered over by pines in every direction. The light filtering through the trees made for an eerie yet beautiful scene all around us.

The towering pines along the trail to the Short Sand Beach. It is incredible to see the size of some of these trees!

We apparently took the more difficult path on the hike. One that required us to maneuver over a few logs and a stream in order to get to the beach.

It tested our balance a bit, but added a bit of drama for both of us!

Walking the “tightrope” across a few logs to get over the stream and to the beach. I am glad I didn’t find just how cold the water was!

The hike and the balancing act over the logs were all worth it. The views on the beach were stunning!

This is a favorite spot for surfers to come and enjoy the waves. They say on good weekends, it can be hard to even find a spot on the beach.

The waves coming in are some of the best around, and draw surfers from all over.

One thing for sure, it was awesome to see the surfers take to the cold waters for their runs. You can hear the water’s power as it rolls ashore in the video below, and it was so incredible to take it all in.

Tomorrow we will head out and down to the Portland area to prepare for our big Amtrak train trip down the entire coast to Los Angeles and back. That all starts on Monday!

It will certainly be a trip with a lot of memories!

Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary.

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 61 of 365
States Visited: 10 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Seaside, Oregon
Miles Driven : 55.2
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7404.4
Total Gallons Used : 552.57
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 2.5
Hiking Miles To Date : 147.9

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

We Arrived On The Pacific Coast At the World’s Longest Beach – Day 60

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 7, 2019
Categories In The Days Of The Trip, Washington
4 Comments on We Arrived On The Pacific Coast At the World’s Longest Beach – Day 60

Today we headed southeast, not knowing that we would end up at the World’s Longest Beach.

In fact, we had all intentions to spend the night in the small town of South Bend, Washington.

A couple of days ago we contacted a county park campground in this area to reserve a campsite. Unfortunately, they called us back the next day to inform us that they were full due to hunting season.

pine trees — We headed toward the pacific coastal highway which took us through some beautiful views, including this pine tree lined road.

Understanding the situation, we began looking for alternative locations to spend the night. Trying to prevent driving more than 2 hours, we looked for areas both south and west of South Bend, and to be honest, the choices were limited.

So we decided to keep driving along interstate 101 to see what we could find. And I am so glad that we did!

The drive itself is absolutely stunning. We drove through streets that were lined with huge pine trees on both sides.

Then we turned the corner and we drove down Willapa Bay towards the most southeastern point of Washington.

In fact, it was so beautiful that we decided to pull over and enjoy a lunch with such a fantastic view.

Feeling refreshed after a bite to eat, we decided to keep driving towards the Oregon border.

The World’s Longest Beach

And within about 30 minutes, we arrived at Long Beach, Washington.

What we didn’t know is that this peninsula is the home to the world’s longest beach!

We knew that we had to take advantage of another beautiful, dry day in Washington and talk a walk on the beach.

Plus, we had to celebrate making it to the Pacific Ocean and dip our feet in the water.

So we parked the truck and camper on a side street and headed toward the beach.

Although it is the ‘off-season’ for this somewhat tourist town, we could see a few other people also taking a walk along the wide coast.

Driving On The Beach

our camper on the world's longest beach — Not only is it the World’s Longest Beach, you can also drive on it!

However, we also saw a few personal vehicles driving up and down the beach as well.

It was then that we both looked at each other, smiled, and turned around simultaneously to go get the truck and camper!

It was going to be a once in a lifetime experience to have our T@B 400 right on the beach with the Pacific Ocean in the background.

So we hopped in the truck and slowly and carefully made our way down towards the beach.

Lucky for us, it was low-tide and the beach was not only long, but wide as well.

We enjoyed driving up and down the beach and looking out into the Pacific Ocean. But we also enjoyed views inland where Cape Cod like homes and piers peaked out from the dune grass.

And yes, we did what all Midwestern residents would do and let the water splash over our bare feet.

What a wonderful and rare opportunity it was to be standing in state of Washington on a sunny November day and having the Pacific Ocean right at your feet.

And now we look forward to continuing our journey down the beautiful coastal highway into the state of Oregon.

Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 60 of 365
States Visited: 10 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Seaside, Oregon
Miles Driven : 51.4
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7349.2
Total Gallons Used : 548.45
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 1.6
Hiking Miles To Date : 145.4

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

Follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

Living In A Teardrop Camper – What It’s Really Like! Day 59

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 6, 2019
Categories In The Days Of The Trip, Washington
3 Comments on Living In A Teardrop Camper – What It’s Really Like! Day 59

The questions come every day on our trip, and they all have to do with one big subject : what is it really like living in a teardrop camper day to day?

And the questions cover every aspect of the topic imaginable.

Are you comfortable inside? Do you two have enough room? What is it like sleeping in there? Is it hard to pull with your truck?

And they keep on coming…

The 18′ teardrop lets us set up camp in so many cool places – like this spot on the banks of the Yellowstone River.

How does the solar-power work? Does it really have a bathroom and shower? A refrigerator? How about a stove?

But it is all good for us. We actually love all of the questions and talking about life in our teardrop.

It has truly been one of the most magical and life-changing experiences for both of us. And we are glad to share all we can about it.

living in a teardrop camper — With our solar power, we camp completely off-grid a majority of the time. It is a huge savings on camping fees!

So we thought for today’s update, we would share a typical day of what it’s like living our teardrop camper. And, take a bit of time to answer a few of the most commonly asked questions we get about our T@B400.

If we miss anything you would like to know, feel free to ask in the comments – and we will be sure to answer!

Life In Our Teardrop Camper – Living In Our nuCamp T@B400

On a typical morning, we make coffee in our coffee pot, and breakfast on the two burner gas stove – just like we would at home.

All while we write our articles for an hour or two at our front kitchenette / dining area. Which, is no different than we always did at home on the farm. Except, our morning views now are all across America!

living in our teardrop camper — The morning view a month back from the teardrop camper at Lake Moreau. The camper’s small size allows us to go where many larger campers can’t.

The picture above really tells it all about daily life.

And this morning, as I write yesterday’s update, I am looking out over the Pacific Ocean from our front window. We sometimes have to pinch ourselves to ask if it is all real!

The Space

What we trade in space if we had a huge camper we gain in how easy it is to operate. And, even more, where we are able to drive the camper – which is just about anywhere.

We can pull up to our campsite and be set in less than 5 minutes. And leave the next morning in 5 minutes as well. We absolutely love that! (See : How We Set Up Camp)

3 quart instant pot — With our two burner stove and our instant pot, we have everything we need to make meals!

And honestly, we don’t require a lot of space. We make our meals, sleep and write in the camper. And the rest of the time, instead of worrying about setting up or maintaining a huge campsite or camper, we are out seeing and doing.

The queen size bed is plenty of room for sleeping. And we have enough room to store food needs for about 4 to 6 days of meals. Which is more than enough for two people who love to go to small markets all the time anyway!

And towing it? Pulling it over through Yellowstone and through the Rockies & Cascades has been easy. It has made the trip much easier than anticipated.

It’s lightweight frame also helps with fuel mileage, which has averaged right around 13.4 MPG so far pulling it with a gas-powered V8 Chevy Silverado.

The Basics – Power, Heating and Cooling

Our T@B camper is equipped with both plug-in 30 amp electric service, and an off-grid solar package. And they work together beautifully.

When we are at a campground or power source, the electric hook-up runs all systems – including heating and cooling. It also charges our batteries from the solar side if needed. Although the solar film panel up top has never let us down yet on that front.

living in our teardrop — The camper has stayed nice and toasty with the radiant floor heat. Even when it has been frigid outside!

But for much of the trip (well over 50%) we are completely off-grid. And that is when the solar takes over. The solar runs all of our LED lighting, the water pump, USB power outlets – and powers our refrigerator. Even as we travel down the road it keeps the fridge perfectly cold.

That is a big plus for never worrying about the food, or a need for a cooler.

The solar, along with our small propane tank, also powers the radiant floor heat system.

dominic kulr8 news — We get a lot of questions about the camper – everywhere we go!

How Long Can You Go?

We have been off-grid for as many as 4 to 5 straight days without any issue. And the batteries have yet to ever go below even 50% in total overnight darkness. And even better, they are totally recharged by noon from the daylight.

As for how long we can go? The small LP tank (grill size) powered the camper’s heat and cooking needs for 5 straight days in Colorado when we hit the cold snap. And it was still 20 percent full when we re-filled.

The holding tanks for fresh water and waste both can last us about 5 days without needing to be filled or drained.

Then there is the bathroom and shower area – which of course is so nice to have on board! I am still amazed at the heat the Aldi water system generates for showers and the kitchen sink for dishes.

Getting a chance to discuss living in the teardrop in Idaho…

All in all, as you can see – we love life in our teardrop! It has just given us so much freedom to travel anywhere – and for us, that is incredible! Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 59 of 365
States Visited 9 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Long Beach, Washington
Miles Driven : 137
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7297.8
Total Gallons Used : 544.61
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 3.6
Hiking Miles To Date : 143.8

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

Seattle Underground Tour, A Troll and Family – Day 58

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 5, 2019
Categories In The Days Of The Trip, Washington
2 Comments on Seattle Underground Tour, A Troll and Family – Day 58

Today, on our final day in Seattle, we were able to partake in a little history of how the town was built by taking the famous Seattle Underground Tour.

And by underground, I don’t mean the dirt and gossip on how the city was made years ago. I literally mean underground. The sidewalks and streets are actually beneath the ones that you walk and drive on today.

We found out about this tour from a suggestion made by someone that we met a few days ago. And because it sounded so unique, we decided to take the tour ourselves.

Pioneer Square

We arrived in Pioneer Square which is just south of downtown Seattle. After finding a place to park, which isn’t easy to do in Seattle, we headed to the meeting point of the Seattle Underground Tour location.

We immediately noticed how beautiful the area was. From the tree canopied parks to the historic brick and stone structures around us, it was truly a beautiful sight to see.

As we headed to our location we ended up in front of a beautiful curved pergola. It had a glass top and it seemed to be a focus of the park that we were walking through.

As we completed the tour, we found at this shelter was built for the 1962 World’s Fair. It’s served as the main transfer station from the city. And today, it still stands to highlight Pioneer Square.

the skylight sidewalk — There are beautiful rectangles on the sidewalks around Pioneer Square. However, they weren’t always just for decorations.

However, Pioneer Square wasn’t always this beautiful. And that is where the Seattle Underground Tour begins.

Although I won’t get into great depth on everything we learned on the tour, there is a little history that must be told.

The History of Seattle Underground Tour

In the late 1880’s the buildings in the city were built out of wood and the streets were basically built out of mud and saw dust.

With Elliott Bay so close in proximity, and with the Seattle weather, the roads never hardened.

A few years later the invention of the toilet changed everything. And although this was supposed to be a one way drain to the bay below, that didn’t happen.

the crapper — The installation of the toilet virtually ruined Pioneer Square.

What did happen was that when the high tide came in twice a day, the sewage lines would back up and come back up through the toilets themselves.

As you can imagine, this caused Pioneer Square to be an unwelcoming town for both the residents and the visitors.

However, the problem took care of itself when in 1889 when a fire destroyed the entire area.

The Rebuilding of the City

In order to prevent such a disastrous event from occurring again, the government determined that only brick and stone buildings could be built in future.

underground seattle — This once was the first floor of a building, before they built the road above.

And due to the horrific conditions of the roads, they would now be raised to prevent any chance of water from the bay softening them.

Unfortunately for the business owners and residents, the roads would take at least 10 years to build.

Not wanting to wait that long, the individual property owners began to build their businesses immediately.

Here is where the Seattle Underground story takes place. When the roads were finally completed, the first floor level of each of the buildings were below street level.

seatlle underground tour skylight — The rectangles that are in the sidewalks above also served as skylights for the town below.

Therefore, the first floors were now underground. Then there became the issues of connecting the road to the buildings via a sidewalk. This was the only solution to get a front street entrance.

And when this finally happened, it left a whole underground path around Pioneer Square.

As you can imagine, over the years, there have been some interesting stories that have arisen about the shady activities that have happened in this area.

seattle underground tour hotel — There is still evidence of a time period that once was – 75 cents per hour for a hotel room.

From madams of the night soliciting customers to running a speak easy underground, the stories are endless.

And if only the streets could talk….

The Fremont Troll

After our fun filled time exploring Pioneer Square and the streets below Seattle, it was time to head north to visit our nephew.

However, we knew that we had to make a quick stop in Fremont to visit the iconic Fremont Troll.

Although we wanted to spend some time exploring the funky town of Fremont (that is how locals described it to us), we knew that we only had time to quickly pass through.

But that did allow us enough time to view the troll that lives under the bridge. Originally part of an art contest, the winning troll sculpture is one that draws thousands of visitors every year.

And I would have to say, the sheer size and massive structure that now occupies the space, that once was an area of crime and homeless activity, is a strangely, beautiful sight.

Our First Visit With Family

And finally, after being on the road for 58 days, we have made it to the home of a family member.

Our nephew, Jim and his wife Maddie have lived in the Seattle area for several years.

We have seen them a few times over the past couple of years, but always in Ohio when they came back to visit.

It was fantastic to finally make it to their stomping grounds and visit them in their own home.

Although the visit could never be long enough and we would have loved to stay longer, we knew that we had to continue down the road to get to the next state.

So now our newest conversation has turned to wondering who will be the next family member that we will visit on our trip around the country.

Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 58 of 365
States Visited 9 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Lacey, Washington
Miles Driven : 67.3
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7160.8
Total Gallons Used : 538.40
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 0
Hiking Miles To Date : 140.2

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

Follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

A Dazzling Tour Of Chihuly Garden And Glass – Day 57

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 4, 2019
Categories In The Days Of The Trip, Washington
2 Comments on A Dazzling Tour Of Chihuly Garden And Glass – Day 57

So many of the recommendations we received for the state of Washington included the phrase “you must-see Chihuly Garden and Glass!”

And fortunately for us, we listened to that advice! It was truly an amazing experience for both of us, and one we will never forget.

Learning about Chihuly…

Chihuly Garden and Glass — It is hard to believe it is all glass! One of nine exhibits in the main area, this Chihuly piece is simply gorgeous. From every angle, the glass in the room took on a different look and feel.

It was so neat to learn that Dale Chihuly, the creator and artist behind this magical exhibit, was actually born in Tacoma Washington in 1941.

After attending the University of Washington, he went on to study glass the world over. In the process, he has become a world-renowned artist when it comes to everything and anything glass.

And one walk through the exhibit backs that statement up beyond belief!

We were simply blown away by the intricacy and beauty of Chihuly’s glass work on display, both indoors and out.

And speaking of the outdoors, for two avid gardeners, the Chihuly garden area is a dream come true!

Touring Chihuly Garden And Glass

The glass display and garden opened in 2012 as part of a rebirth of the grounds that once made up the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle.

indoors — Another amazing indoor exhibit. It is hard to believe these are created from glass blowing.

In fact, Chihuly Garden and Glass sits right below the famous Space Needle that was the feature of the fair.

With every turn of the corner in the exhibit, there is something to see.

Within the main building, there are 8 galleries and a series of drawing walls. Together, they highlight the artistry of Chihuly’s designs and glass work.

We have truly never seen anything like it before. With each new gallery, it amazed both of to see how glass could be transformed into unfathomable shapes and colors.

Outside at the garden — No, it’s not a tree. It is a sculpture made entirely of glass. And breathtaking to behold.

At the center of the complex stands the Glasshouse. At 40 feet in height, the steel and glass structure is as impressive as the sculptures inside.

It is almost unbelievable to think that someone can have this type of vision and talent.

But for us, the garden area was the most enticing of all.

Everywhere you walk outdoors, the combination of glass and foliage was brilliant. What an artist!

The way Chihuly masterfully creates and blends his glass artwork into the landscape is a sight to behold.

One thing is for sure, Chihuly Garden and Glass should be at the top of the list for any traveler to the Seattle area!

Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 57 of 365
States Visited 9 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Issaquah, Washington
Miles Driven : 58.4
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7093.5
Total Gallons Used : 533.36
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 3.5
Hiking Miles To Date : 140.2

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

A Visit To the Iconic Seattle Space Needle – Day 56

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 3, 2019
Categories In The Days Of The Trip, Washington
8 Comments on A Visit To the Iconic Seattle Space Needle – Day 56

Long before we ever arrived in Seattle, we knew that a visit to the Space Needle was a must! And after visiting the area and spending the admission fee to head to the top, I have to admit, it was money worth spent!

However, after spending the first few days in the Seattle area, we began to question if it was worth the visit or not.

When we visit any area, we always ask the locals on the best things to do and experience while in town. And not one person mentioned the Space Needle.

In fact, every time that we mention heading to the Space Needle, everyone we talk to tells us the same story.

All we hear is that ‘we haven’t been there in years’ or that ‘it’s over priced’.

However, because we don’t know if we will ever be in this area again, we took the risk and decided to pay the fee so that we can experience this iconic attraction.

The Seattle Space Needle

The Seattle Space Needle was originally designed to be a focus for the World’s Fair in 1962.

Seattle from the Space Needle — The unobstructed, 360 degree views from the top of the Space Needle are absolutely breathtaking.

The theme, Century 21 Exposition, inspired the futuristic building that included a UFO like ship perched up high in the sky.

It took just 8 months to build and it officially opened on the first day of the 1962 World’s Fair.

Millions of visitors enter the iconic building each year, including famous individuals such as Elvis Presley, John Wayne, Bob Hope, and Billy Graham.

Although you will hear many stories of people that have visited the Space Needle, it has changed quite a bit over the years.

mary and jim space needle — Joining the ranks of many famous people, we also enjoyed the views from the top!

After the world’s fair, the building hosted a radio broadcast booth. And then in later years another section was added for meeting rooms, reception halls, weddings.

No More Revolving Restaurant

But the most popular attraction has always been the revolving restaurant, located just one floor below the observation deck.

rotating glass floor — The rotating glass for is the only one in the world! And if you get over your fear of looking at the street below, you can take time to watch the gears as they rotate the floor beneath your feet.

However, in 2017, that restaurant was closed during the Century Renovation Project. Although you could still make it to the top of the tower, the restaurant no longer existed.

Now that the renovations are complete, the observation level has open-air glass walls and glass benches around the perimeter for unobstructed viewing.

3-D spiders — No, this wasn’t a Halloween decoration. These spiders were painted specifically for the enjoyment of the visitors to the top of the Space Needle.

And where the restaurant once was, you can now enjoy the world’s first, and only, rotating glass floor that looks down to the street level below.

The views from the ride up and down on the elevator, on the 360 degree observation deck, and looking through the glass floor were all simply amazing.

And if you were wondering if it was worth the admission price, the answer would be YES!

Happy Traveling! Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 56 of 365
States Visited 9 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Issaquah, Washington
Miles Driven : 8.4
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7035.1
Total Gallons Used : 528.95
Biking Miles : 4.6
Biking Miles To Date : 133.0
Hiking Miles : 0
Hiking Miles To Date : 136.7

About Our Living Simple Tour

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

Follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

A Washington Husky Experience – An Incredible Day With New Friends!

Post author By livesimplenow
Post date November 2, 2019
Categories In The Days Of The Trip, Washington
No Comments on A Washington Husky Experience – An Incredible Day With New Friends!

Saturday turned into an unexpected “fun-day” for us – with an unforgettable Washington Husky tailgate experience. All courtesy of some wonderful new-found Washington friends!

After a rewarding day Friday on our whale watching trip, we decided to stop for a pizza on the way back home to our campsite.

We had no clue on Friday that we would be walking the University of Washington campus on Saturday.

As always, when head out for a bite to eat on the trip, we try to find local shops and restaurants. It is a great way to really experience both the local flavor, and the people.

And that was certainly the case on Friday night when we walked in the doors of the Resonate Brewery and Pizzaria.

And, as has happened so many times on this incredible journey, it turned into an unforgettable evening, and so much more.

Not only did we manage to get an incredible home-made pizza, but make some great new friends in the process.

The Resonate Brewery and Pizzeria

We always try to sit at the counter whenever we enter a local place.

a washington husky experience — The campus of the University of Washington. We hadn’t planned on visiting it, but fate stepped in. And so glad it did!

For one, it gives us a chance to find out what are the best options to eat from those on the front lines. And two, it is a perfect way to meet and talk to locals and learn about their community.

And Friday night’s visit to Resonate certainly rewarded us with both. The staff was amazing, and so were are pizzas and brews.

And it just so happened, we struck up an incredible conversation about our trip with Jim & Stephanie Riley, who happened to be sitting right beside us at the counter along with Jim’s sister.

Jim & Stephanie (right) even helped us continue our Saturday Bloody Mary Tradition on the road! — Jim and Stephanie posing with our Warehouse Steak n’ Stein glasses. We have more on the significance of the glasses in an upcoming story.

We absolutely love meeting new people. And as we sat there exchanging stories, it struck us both how incredible people really are all over this country.

A New Day, A New Plan

By the end of the evening, he asked us what our plans were for Saturday. As it happens, Jim and his wife host a big tailgate at the University of Washington before all of their home games.

And he graciously invited us to come down and meet their friends and experience the atmosphere.

What an experience we had on Saturday at the University of Washington.

To be honest, we had been sightseeing so much, we were planning on heading to a coffee shop Saturday and getting caught up on a little writing. But how could we refuse such a generous offer from such wonderful people.

And so it was, Saturday morning, we headed down to the campus for a Washington Husky game-day experience!

An Unforgettable Day

Jim told us that we would be amazed at the beauty of the campus. And was he ever right! As we parked and walked the campus, it was simply gorgeous!

To say the campus and football stadium are picture-perfect would be the understatement of the year! In fact, words could never describe just how beautiful the setting is.

The stadium’s open end overlooks scenic Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains, and includes a view of Mount Rainier.

It is one of only a few stadiums in the country where people can arrive at the game by land, sea – and even (seaplanes) air!

The tailgating scene was amazing. Parking lots were filled with purple and gold in every direction. And the boats! It was crazy to see all of the boats pulled in and decked out for tailgating.

But what made the day truly incredible was the amazing hospitality of Jim, Stephanie, and their entire entourage of tailgating friends.

We have never met a more friendly, outgoing, and over-the-top group of people that welcomed us in to their day. The food, the conversation, and just the overall excitement in the air was incredible.

One thing is for sure, Jim, Stephanie, and their entire gang made our Saturday with an incredible Washington Husky Experience – Thank you all for a great day!

We say it often, but the best thing about this trip is and will always be the incredible people we meet along the way!

the campus — Unexpected finds and meeting new people are one of the biggest reasons we took this trip. And we are loving every minute of it.

Happy Traveling – Jim and Mary.

CURRENT TRIP STATS

Day 55 of 365
States Visited 9 / 50
National Parks / Monuments Visited : 10
Stayed In : Issaquah, Washington
Miles Driven : 54
Total Trip Miles To Date : 7026.7
Total Gallons Used : 528.32
Biking Miles : 0
Biking Miles To Date : 128.4
Hiking Miles : 4.5
Hiking Miles To Date : 136.7