Refugees

We took a boat trip from one end of lake Chelan to the other. A 100 mile round trip.

When we returned that afternoon the wildfires near us had spread and the lake valley was filling with smoke. We stopped at the ranger station and found that the main highway was closed. We decided to become refugees and flee the area. Packing the car and including a picnic lunch we set off the following morning for the trek across the Cascades north of the fires. Unlike most of history's refugees we stopped several times to enjoy the view and snap a few pictures - shared below:

Across the Cascades

We traveled back to the mainland yesterday and crossed the Cascades to Lake Chelan in central Washington.

During the weekend a lightening storm started 80 fires. We saw several of them on the way in and can see a couple in the mountains around the lake.

Lake Chelan is about a mile wide and 50 miles long. We are staying at aunt Gene's waterfront condo a few miles up from the south side of the lake.

Deception Pass with a very strong current you can see in the water:

Wildfire smoke south and west that we can see from the condo:

Gene White

We are on Whidbey Island visiting my aunt Gene. A remarkable woman who, although pushing 90 years old is still working full time as president of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation. http://www.gcnf.org/about/leadership/

She testifies before committees of Congress, has traveled, just this year, to Africa twice and China 3 times setting up school nutrition programs, and advises the UN on child nutrition matters.

It is humbling to have an internationally recognized nutrition expert bake me a cherry pie.

De Anne and I are providing a little help in organizing and streamlining the house before we all head off into the Cascade mountains for a week at her condo on the shores of lake Chelan.

A rare moment of rest - for her - not me.

The way on and off the island.

Whidbey Island

Between breakfast and lunch we saw the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Our flight left Fort Lauderdale at dawn and by chasing the sunrise and the clock we arrived in Seattle at 11:00 am.

After a train ride and two buses we watched the North American land mass fade.

Ok.... It did not totally fade away since we are on an island just across the Sound, but we are between North America and Asia with a breathtaking view from the porch.