Category Archives: Travel

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

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Narrows BridgeApproaching the Narrows BridgesNarrows Bridge from Titlow BeachThe best view may be behind youTacoma Narrows Bridges
Tacoma Narrows BridgesTacoma Narrows BridgesTitlow Beach looking at the Narrows BridgeZoo Lights

Over the years I’ve taken a bunch of photos of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which spans the Tacoma Narrows strait of the Puget Sound connecting the City of Tacoma with Gig Harbor in Pierce County and other points on the Kitsap Peninsula. The bridge, which is now actually a pair of bridges, is part of Highway 16. The older of the two bridges was constructed in 1950 and the newer, westbound bridge was built in 2007. The original bridge was known as “Galloping Gertie” and opened in 1940, collapsing four months later.

A webcam of the bridge can be found here:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/tacoma/sr16_tacomanarrows_east.htm

Transpire

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Lakewood Transit Center has this dramatic piece of public art known as Transpire by Mark Calderon. The website for the center http://projects.soundtransit.org/Projects-Home/STart-Public-Art-Program/Public-Art-Projects/Lakewood-Station.xml states the following:

Three intertwining spires create a radiant and elegant design inspired by the early history of settlement in the Lakewood area. Speaking of his inspiration, artist Mark Calderon said, “To me [the campfire] represents the center for food, warmth and community – in a way, the hub of the settler’s existence. I want my sculpture to be attractive in the same way—a place that is comfortable and enlivening where people may gather and where community forms.”

The airfield at Boeing in Everett

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On Friday we found ourselves in Everett with a little time on our hands. Not enough time to take the Boeing Tour, but enough to go check out the airfield near the Future of Flight Museum.  There were several wonderful things about the experience. The day was lovely, warm and sunny. Mt. Baker was hoovering in the background. There were a bunch (30+) planes on the field. But best of all, I think, was the fact that the Boeing Co. was thoughtful enough to create berms that provide a view of the field. There were a bunch of people out checking out the planes, and many of them appeared to be fathers and their children. This is the kind of thing that memories are made out of!

The really huge aircraft in the photo below is a Dreamlifter and it is used to move airplane parts. The back part of the plane is hinged and can swing open! I thought that was pretty cool! To read more about it, go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_Large_Cargo_Freighter

Dock Street Marina

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We took an evening stroll today along the Thea Foss Waterway and I took this quick photo of the Dock Street Marina with the Murry Morgan Bridge in the background.  The website for the marina says “Dock Street Marina is the leading all-weather metropolitan destination on the Puget Sound. Completed in 2005, Dock Street Marina was publicly commissioned to provide first class, year round quest and permanent moorage. Brand new concrete docks, marina support facility, and the ideal location make Dock Street Marina the leading destination marina on the Puget Sound.

http://www.dockstreetmarina.com/

While we were there I stopped to admire the new to me exhibit at the Museum of Glass.

Destiny Harbor Tours, Gig Harbor

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I wanted to pick up some information about Destiny Harbor Tours at 8829 North Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor. What I found out is that a two hour tour costs $27 for an adult, which I thought was pretty reasonable. They also offer memorial services, which sounds like a good way to say final respects. Their website is here: http://www.destinymarine.com/

 

Keeping the Skies Safe

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Keeping the Skies Safe by Gexydaf

Yesterday’s new place of the day was the Air Traffic Control Tower at SeaTac Airport. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says “Air traffic controllers earn relatively high pay and have good benefits. Median annual wages of air traffic controllers in May 2008 were $111,870”.  Wow.  http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos108.htm

It isn’t the best photo that I’ve taken, in fact I made my daughter take it as the car was moving!

The Price of Getting Around

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I was riding around on fumes today when I pulled into the Shell Station at 5744 N 26th St., at N. 26th Street and Pearl Street. I paid $3.95 per gallon for the regular gas and that seemed expensive to me, though at the time I didn’t complain because I was so happy to have gas back in the car!

That made me think about gas prices and I found this website that provides the gas prices within cities or zip codes. Per the site, the average gas price in Tacoma and Washington State is $3.90 per gallon and in the US the average is $3.80 per gallon. The site also has a trip calculator and an interesting 72 month average price chart. Nope, it’s not my imagination, gas is high right now!

http://www.tacomagasprices.com/

Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver

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The BC (British Columbia) Ferries in Canada are amazing. Dear daughter, my dad and I took the Spirit of British Columbia Ferry from Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver, BC) to Swatz Bay (on Vancouver Island, north of Victoria). On the way to Victoria we took the Spirit of British Columbia and on the way back we traveled on the Spirit of Vancouver. The photos are of both ships.

While I’ve been on my fair share of ferries, none of have matched these ships for size and style. They hold 410 vehicles (including up to 34 semis) and 2,100 people (passengers and crew). Amenities include Seawest Lounge, Pacific Buffet, Coastal Cafe for hot & cold dishes, Coast Cafe Express for lighter fare, Passages Gift Shop, video arcades, play areas, work/study stations, telephones, elevators, wheelchair-friendly decks and washrooms. The trip took over two hours, allowing time to enjoy the spectacular scenery as we traveled through the San Juan Islands.

http://www.bcferries.com/

   

Dark Clouds at Sea-Tac Airport

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Today’s new place is the Sea-Tac airport, with the photo taken from the top floor of the Doubletree Inn (yesterday’s new place).  This photo was a happy accident because I was just lost looking for a meeting that I thought was upstarts.  It wasn’t, but this lovely view was!  Considering the photo was taken with my phone, I thought it came out pretty well 🙂 The photo below was taken the next day with the better camera, though it doesn’t look all that different.  The airport is the 18th busiest in the country and is the primary hub for Alaskan Air.  When I checked into the airport on my FourSquare App, there were already 43 people checked in there.

http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/