Alki, Alki, and Not Alki

Once again, I continued hiking, but once again, it wasn't particularly noteworthy. The next two days, I hiked Alki because it was close and convenient. This time I walked around with my camera thinking I should take pictures for this blog, but found myself increasingly frustrated because it seems like I already took all of the most interesting shots I could think of at some point or another. Gotta find something new, but what?

So that first day after the Green River Trail, I hiked Alki. Again.

Hey, look, paddling boards or something. That's new!
I hadn't taken a picture of those before! =)

Later in the afternoon, after my Alki walk was done and I was walking home,
I found this little message. Hey, that's new too! And I couldn't help myself--
I giggled. I sense some pent-up anger from the person who wrote the message.

The next day, I took another evening stroll around Alki, which limited my photo opportunities even further. At least I brought my small, portable tripod along this time, so my night photos aren't nearly as blurry this time. =)

Downtown Seattle

And, of course, the Space Needle, at night!

The next day, Amanda and I shook things up a bit and left West Seattle and Alki. =) I signed up with a work party with the WTA--the very organization we're raising money for--but the work site was a several hour drive away and we  were expected to meet at the trailhead at 8:30 in the morning. We figured we'd drive down the day before and do some hiking and camp out overnight near the trailhead.

So Amanda printed out some letterboxing clues, we loaded the car with camping gear, and we were off!

We stopped at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, just off of I-5, along the way, where I hiked every trail in the refuge, along with my buddy, Wassa Jr.

Hey, is that what I think it is?

Yes! It is! A turtle! =)

I loved tossing these helicopter seeds into the air
when I was a kid. I refrained from doing so on this hike, however. =)

Wassa Jr. takes a closer look at the views!

I gave the camera to Wassa Jr. for awhile,
but he kept getting his thumb in the photos. *shaking head*

This photos shows what is the single longest and most impressive boardwalk I've ever seen in my life. Amanda told me that the hike out to the end and back was four miles. The first part of the hike wasn't along the boardwalk, but from end-to-end, the boardwalk was easily more than a mile long, held up on stilts with an observation tower, a bird blind, and two viewing decks.

I'm not sure why Wassa took this photo of the viewing deck's bird-poop-covered roof.
I don't think I'll let him use the camera anymore....

After our hike, we built up a huge appetite and satisfied it further down I-5
at Burgerville. Wassa was especially excited about Amanda's onion rings!

Late in the afternoon, we did a short hike near the Lewis River.
I don't remember what this waterfall is called, though.