No. 101 Vintage Aircraft Weekend

Where: Historic Flight Foundation Restoration Center
Located on the southwest corner of Paine Field
10719 Bernie Webber Drive
Mukilteo, Washington 98275
http://vintageaircraftweekend.org/

 When: The fifth annual Vintage Aircraft Weekend will begin on Friday, August 31st with aircraft arrivals throughout the day at Historic Flight Foundation's Restoration Hangar, Kilo 7, Paine Field

The main event begins Saturday morning, the first of September, at 9 a.m. VAW features a first-class Speakers Bureau, live music, two flying sessions of vintage aircraft, vintage automobiles and military vehicles, fine food, vintage bicycles, vintage clothing and uniforms, and a host of opportunities for kids and parents to interact with displays and vendors. The final flight will conclude at 5 p.m.

Tickets: Tickets for the Big Band Dinner Dance on the 31st are $50 per person and include admission to the festival on the 1st. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids (up to a maximum of $25 for a family) on Saturday

Who: Hosted by Historic Flight Foundation along with many supporters including Cascade Warbirds, Castle & Cooke Aviation, Flying Heritage Collection, Future of Flight, Heritage Flight Museum, Museum of Flight, Paine Field, Port Townsend Aero Museum

Images From Past Vintage Weekends

Gear Kit 

Nikon D7000 Digital Camera
Tokina 12-24mm 
Nikon 70-300mm
ThinkTankPhoto Urban Disguise 35

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No.100 Hurricane Ridge

Sunset atop of Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is a mountainous area in Washington's Olympic National Park. It can be accessed by road from Port Angeles and is open to hiking, skiing, and snowboarding.
At an elevation of about 5,200 feet (1,585 m), Hurricane Ridge is a year-round destination. In summer, visitors come for views of the Olympic Mountains, as well as for superb hiking. During the winter months the small, family oriented Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area offers lift-serviced downhill skiing and snowboarding.
Spectacular views of the Olympic National Park can be seen from the Hurricane Ridge viewpoint. The road leading west from the Hurricane Ridge visitor center is dotted with picnic areas and trail heads. A paved trail called the Hurricane hill trail is popular with visitors, and is about 1.6 miles long (one-way) with an elevation gain of about 700 ft. It is not uncommon to find snow on the trails even as late as July. Several other dirt trails of varying distances and difficulty levels branch off of the Hurricane hill trail. The picnic areas are open only in the summer, and have restrooms, water and paved access to picnic tables.

Western Slope of Hurricane Ridge in evening Light

Olympic Mountain Range from the Parking Lot

Purple Wild Flowers

Plenty of Deer walking through the meadows

Deer looking for a sweet grass snack

Waiting for the Blue Hour

All images are copyrighted by © Pugetexposure Photography. Do NOT use my images on blogs, personal or professional websites, or any other digital media without my explicit permission.

Gear Used:
 

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No. 99 Dungeness Spit

 

Dungeness Spit is a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) long sand spit jutting out from the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  The body of water it encloses is called Dungeness Bay. It is the longest natural sand spit in the United States. The Dungeness Spit is entirely within the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and home of the Dungeness Lighthouse.
For those avid beach walkers the 5 mile (10 mile round trip) trek along the western edge of the spit will reward you with the site of The New Dungeness Lighthouse. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the State of Washington and has been in continuous operation, providing navigational aids to ships in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, since its completion in 1857. 
 The lighthouse once was run by United States Coast Guard, but since an automatic light was installed, it has been run by the "New Dungeness Lighthouse Organization". The spit is open to the public year around.
It was first found by Europeans during the Spanish 1790 Quimper expedition. The name "Dungeness" comes from the Dungeness headland in England. The spit was named by explorer George Vancouver in 1792, who wrote: "The low sandy point of land, which from its great resemblance to Dungeness in ths British Channel, I called New Dungeness."

Looking back at the Olympic Mountain Range and the Straight of Juan de Fuca

Part of the 5 mile long Dungeness Spit Sand Bar

photo credit: New Dungeness Lighthouse David Irons Jr

Gear Kit 

Nikon D7000 Digital Camera
Tokina 12-24mm 
Nikon 70-300mm
ThinkTankPhoto Urban Disguise 35

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No. 98 Lavender Fields, Sequim Washington

Sequim, Washington
Olympic Peninsula
Clallam County, Washington
http://www.lavenderfestival.com/
MAP IT
Sequim (pronounced Skwim) is roughly in the middle between Port Townsend and Port Angeles along Hwy 101 on Washington States Strait of Juan de Fuca north shoreline.  The landscape is flat, hot and humid in the summer and for the Evergreen State a relatively dry area.
Sequim lies within the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains and receives on average less than 15 inches (380 mm) of rain per year—about the same as Los Angeles, California.  Morning marine fog burns off usually around mid afternoon revealing the northern side of the Olympic Mountain Range just behind the city. 
This quainty city of 6000 is steadily growing as more discover its beauty, climate and 2hr drive from Seattle. Every July the city celebrates a Lavender Festival which attracts 10's of thousands out to the Dungeness Valley for the fields of purple lavender. 
The city and the surrounding area are particularly known for the commercial cultivation of lavender, supported by the unique climate: it makes Sequim the "Lavender Capital of North America", rivaled only in France. The area is also known for its Dungeness crab.

Other Sequim Attractions:

Olympic Game Farm
Dungeness Split

Purple Bees make Purple Honey

Commercial Lavender Farm outside of Sequim

Purple Carpet of Lavender

Gear Kit 

Nikon D7000 Digital Camera
Tokina 12-24mm 
Nikon 70-300mm
ThinkTankPhoto Urban Disguise 35

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No.97 Sul Duc Falls

Sul Duc Falls
Olympic National Park

GETTING THERE: From Port Angeles, drive west 27 miles on U.S. Highway 101, turn south on Sol Duc Hot Springs Road (also known as the Sol Duc River Road). The Sol Duc Ranger Station is about 12 miles from U.S. 101. Sol Duc Campground is an Olympic National Park campground, not to be confused with an RV campground operated by the resort. The end of the road is just under 14 miles, elevation 2,000 feet.
Normally most waterfalls are approached from a creek or river bed level, but here a Sul Duc Falls you are above the waterfall which offers a unique not available at most falls.  

A 0.8 mile walk along a wide, well trekked trail, winds you under the canopys of old-growth forest trees, numerous tiny creeks dot the trail on your way to the Canyon Creek shelter, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The shelter is well worth a visit. A one-of-a-kind structure with a cupola, it's a good place to leave your pack on a wet day while you hike a bit farther to view the falls. As you approach the Canyon Creek shelter you will start to hear the rumblings of thousands of gallons of water from the Sul Duc River cascading over a sandstone brim in three separate falls, then flows furiously through a deep canyon. A rustic wooden bridge spans the chasm 70 feet above the canoyon and you will have to shout to be heard above the roar. Cross the bridge and turn left to head up river for alternate views of the bridge and falls. Hikers can continue on the Sol Duc Trail or explore the Canyon Creek Trail. It is just over three miles to upper Deer Lake at 3,500 feet and a junction with the Bogachiel River Trail.

In summer, the spray will dampen your face and camera lenses. The falls don't get much sun, but when shafts of sunlight beam between the somber trees, it is a cosmic moment.

With or without sun, there is a wild beauty that no season of the year can subdue. Pick a season -- you can't miss. Just make sure the Sol Duc River Road -- also known as Sol Duc Hot Springs Road -- is open before you set out, as storms can cause temporary closures.
Bring a tripod, wide angle lens, shutter release and plenty of lens clothes to dry off the water spray. 

The Sol Duc Trail has two trailheads, but the shortest approach to Sol Duc Falls is from the end of the Sol Duc River Road, elevation 2,000 feet. The other approach is from the Sol Duc Campground (1,700 feet). The trail is wide and easy to hike through old-growth forest of Douglas fir. The trail joins the Canyon Creek Trail and Sol Duc Falls at .7 miles. The Sol Duc Trail continues climbing to intersect the Appleton Pass trail at five miles (3,100 feet) and eventually reaches the High Divide at 8 1/2 miles, elevation 5,050 feet.

Click here to order Greeting Cards ad large wall prints of Sul Duc Falls

san juan islands photos

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No.96 Olympic Game Farm, Sequim

1423 Ward Road
Sequim, WA 98382
http://www.olygamefarm.com/

The Olympic Game Farm just a few miles north of Sequim, Washington in a 87 acre animal park that has a 30.000 gallon aquarium, petting zoo and Drive Through Animal Park. For 28 years this farm worked exclusively for Walt Disney Studios, filming here at the farm and on the Olympic Peninsula, as well as on many different set locations. A few popular titles produced with our past animal actors, are “Charlie the Lonesome Cougar”, “The Incredible Journey”, “White Wilderness” and “Grizzly Adams” television and movie series.

Kodiak Bear, Olympic Game Farm

Rosevelt Elks great the next group of vehicles

Get Face to Face with free roaming animals

The Farm allows you to get inches a way from Zebras, Elk, Deer, and Bison by driving your personal vehicle through the 87 acre property. The drive takes approximately 1 hr. Stopping your vehicle is not recommended.  All vehicles must be fully enclosed at all times for your safety. Jeeps, Broncos, etc must have tops on. NO MOTORCYCLES PERMITTED on drive tour.
 The animals have their own daily meals but you can purchase loafs of wheat bread at the ticket booth. I would recommend at least 2 loafs depending on how many people in vehicle want to have a 2000 lbs Bison eating from their hand.

Where do the animals come from?

Most of the Olympic Game Farm’s animals are the offspring of our past animal actors. Several others are either rescues; overflow from other licensed animal facilities; retired from acting in the entertainment industry (other trainers); or we just received as gifts and donations from licensed individuals.

Tibetan Yaks were first domesticated in 1000 BC. Mostly found at high altitudes in the Himalayan Mountains, they can carry over 300 lbs up steep mountain grades. Tibetan Yaks are also referred to as the Grunting Ox. They shed over 7 lbs of course wool per year and is primarily used to make blankets and clothing. Their milk is very rich containing 89% butter-fat, twice as much as a milking cow.

Kodiak Bears can weigh up to 1800 lbs and range from 6 to 10 feet tall. They are coastal bears that originated from Kodiak Island in Alaska and are close cousins to the Grizzly bear. Kodiaks do not have the grizzled fur, the large fat pouch on their neck or shoulders, and are much larger. Kodiaks can run just as fast as quarter horses- up tp 30mph.
Their average life span is 30 years in the wild and 50 years in captivity. They are 80% vegetarian eating fish, rabbits, berries and small game

Roosevelt Elk are the largest of the species and are commonly found around the pacific coast from California to Canada. Their average life span is 20-25 years and can weigh up to 18000 lbs. The average set of antlers weighs up to 50lbs and have 4-6 points. Elk can run 28mph for long distances and 35-45mph for shorter bursts.

American Bison or commonly called Buffalo, have an average weight between 18000-25000lbs with their average life soan of 20 years. The bison are native to open prairies and woodland forests in eastern part of the North American Range. In earlier centuries, their population was over 60 million and has dwindled down to fewer than 50 thousand.

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