A Taste of Seattle Life Will Have You Looking for Return Flights on Your Flight Home

“I’ve always wanted to go there!” are six words that used to trickle out of my mouth more often than veggies went in. Just as often were the two words “One day…” I once lived a life of hesitation and slept in a deep well of procrastination. I found every excuse in the book for why I couldn’t do something, then, something switched. The switch from no to yes flipped, and all of a sudden I was determined to let go of those hesitations, crawl out of the well and start doing things I was once reluctant to commit to. 

When I lived in California, exploring the Pacific Northwest was always high on my list, but apparently not high enough because after living there for 33 years, I never made it out there. Two years later, now living in Colorado, the desire to visit this lush green paradise was still nagging at my inner being. I listened and booked my ticket to Seattle.

Oh, Seattle, you are one beautiful city, and even more beautiful is the proximity to everything nature. It's just a hop skip and a jump away. As much fun as I had climbing the dozens of hills that downtown Seattle sits on, I was eager to gain some elevation climbing the Washington trails. 

We settled for a quick and easy Twin Falls hike in North Bend, approximately 40 minutes from the city. The hike is well marked and follows the banks of the Snowqualmie river. Even with a thin layer of snow, slush, ice and mud the hike was relatively mild with a few scattered hills to introduce just enough burn to your quads and calves to make you feel accomplished. 

There are several smaller trails off the main path that will take you to the river. We made sure to explore each one, so as to not miss any of the hidden gems that may not quite be seen too well. The moss covered trees and lush green foliage were a California girl’s dream. I was walking with my camera glued to my face and a smile permanent enough to make my cheeks hurt.

Vasque Mesa Trek UltraDry™ hiking boot.

Vasque Mesa Trek UltraDry™ hiking boot.

Now, while I know that this is just a tiny appetizer of what the state of Washington has to offer, that fact just makes me even more eager to return for the main course. I may or may not have already looked at flight costs and free weekends.