Roadtrip-Pacific Northwest

[BEEDEE]

If ever you find yourselves on Vancouver Island...



GO TO BUTCHART GARDENS!!!!


That's an order.

Be well,

Star

Been there, done that and you are absolutley right. They are fantastic. Unfortunatley we were there in early May and the roses were not out, but the hyacinths! You did not have to bend down to smell them, the air was full of their perfume.

Brian

[cessna152towser]

Wow, this really has been a guid gangin threid.
Lovely pics all the way, and its been great to see so many x-markers featuring at the various kilt meets along the way.
Sushi sitting on your lap is especially cute.

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

We finally caught the ferry to Tsawassan (I love saying that word!), and had a nice trip back. There was a naturalist talking about the unique ecosystem of the estuary. It was fascinating to learn that there are three orca cultures, and that they all speak different dialects. I thought it was especially funny that they prefer members of the opposite sex that have accents! I guess that does help with genetic diversity.


We watched our ferry approach the dock.




And on the way across we saw this good omen in the sky-A Saltire!




We arrived at our wonderful hosts in Langley, the pub sign was up.





And Mikey was in rare form. Here he is in the first kilt of the afternoon. How many did you wear Mikey? If you want to see the back of the shirt-ask Mike!





People began to arrive shortly after we did (and here we were worried about being late!).

In no particular order....

Here's ronstew and his lovely wife, and BruceBC. What are Ron and Bruce doing, you ask? I'm not sure either, but it looks like some version of "Pull my finger".





Everyone kept telling Ron that his sporran and belt were not on correctly, but he wouldn't do anything about it, so I fixed things for him.




Here's Jamie and Colin. Two different species of man. And yes, I know, Colin's not wearing a kilt, but it was hot and all of his kilts are heavy wool tanks apparently.





Colin, didn't you see the sign?






Here we have the beautiful Maid Marion.





Oh yeah, she came with someone else. Hmm... Oh, here he is. Raphael.





More people and photos to come....

Be well,

Star

[Ancienne Alliance]

Ohhhh... this is going to be gooooood !


Best,

Robert

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

There was a really cute guy there, a bit of a lurker on X-Marks, but he's recently retired, so we may see more of him soon. Login, unknown, so we'll call him by his real name.

Here's Don. I'm being obnoxious, as usual.




Here's another one whose login I don't know. Jerry, accepting the Quaich from Mike.





We had promised to lift a glass to RetroRed, but we did one better that that. We sat around telling as many pun filled jokes as possible-hopefully we were able to fill the void, so he doesn't feel the need to tell extra puns when he feels well enough to post again.



Even Sinbad joined in the fun (remember that joke book he purchased at the used book store in Sidney?)





Shelly gets ready to deliver a punchline.




Jamie does laugh from time to time.





Wee Xena didn't have any jokes to share, but she's quite the artist.





I commented on the cool shirt that Bruce was wearing. Mikey immediately asked me what size I wore. He also has hats.




Immediately I felt the urge to enforce the "kilt laws". This one must go, it's not even a tartan!



We then had to do the kilted line up.


Front view. From left to right: Jamie (Panache), Don (?), Mike (Big Mikey), Jerry (?), Raphael (Raphael), Ron (ronstew), and Bruce (BruceBC).




Pleat shot.



I could keep posting pictures from the party until I've filled up the entire site, but I'll show restraint. The rest of those who took pictures might want a turn. It was a marvelous time, and we are, as ever, grateful for Mike and Shelley's hospitality and generosity!

Next up, we finally go home...


Be well,

Star

[JRB]

I've really been enjoying these posts, Star. My wife and I have never been to the pacific northwest so I get to live vicariously through your pics. Oh and I can see that Raphael is a Mandalorian!

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

We left very early in the morning on Sunday because we wanted to reach the border before all of these folks did. Note that this is the line behind us !




We did have to make a stop in White Rock to pick up the kilts we'd left behind on our way to Victoria. Otherwise we probably would have flown right over the border. As it was, we waited about 45 minutes, which ain't too bad.


We stopped at the Cabelas store in Washington. The whole reason we stopped there was to get some more Safari shirts for Jamie. Turns out they don't carry them there, despite the fact that the store was big enough to contain an entire mountain. All the animals are real (dead and stuffed, but real).




Complete with trout stream (here, we're feeding the trout, and wishing they were feeding us!)




And a giant aquarium



We reached Portland in the afternoon and spent the night, then flew down I-5 all day on Monday.

Coming home (only about 360 miles to go at this point)



I'm sorry morrison, we didn't stop in Weed. We pushed on to Redding for lunch (a huge buffet, which also had a fish pond).






Xena found some clan plant badges at a rest stop.



After 13 hours of driving, we arrived home-final pictures to come...


Be well,

Star

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Home again. Yay!


Barely a wrinkle!




Exhausted man.





My tomatoes had ripened while we were gone, yum!




That's "The End" folks!







Be well,

Star

[Ancienne Alliance]

Awww, c'mon, just a few more !

Pleeeeease ... Pretty please ?


Thanks again,

Robert

[Canuck]

And a big end it is!