Roswell, New Mexico, conjures one image–ALIENS. The city has embraced its reputation as “The Alien Capital of the World” and the area businesses use the 1947 release of an army report that a disk-like craft had been found near Roswell to hype their sales. The army later said the craft was a weather balloon, but the image of Roswell was set, and UFO theorists have made the city their talking point.

Kathy and I went by the UFO Reseach Center, and unfortunately, when I went by the entry sign, an alarm went off. Guards quickly surrounded me and a research assistant told me that I fit the profile of a space alien, and they asked me to submit to an X-ray! Kathy said there was no need because she knew I was an alien for quite some time. Strange things happen in Roswell! WEG

Somehow, in planning our western journey, I did not plan time for the wonders of Utah beyond the area around Park City. When we drove south toward New Mexico today, I discovered we would drive right by two national parks–Arches and Canyonlands. We would not have time to tour them. As we drove into the area, the landscapes were impressive. The rust red canyons and rock pinnacles thrusting into the sky called out for me to turn towards them and throw my schedule aside. Knowing that this was impossible, I resisted the siren call and drove steadfastly onward. We were blessed, however, in that the drive took us by amazing sights–a large mountain arch, red mountains made even brighter by a gentle rain falling on the rocks, deep canyons, fields of massed yellow flowers and unusual rock formations. If such beauty was on the borders of the highway, what beauty must lie within the parks? At least we were able to take a few photos as we drove past. Kathy and I consoled ourselves with the thought that we will return someday, God willing. WEG

Park City is a great resort destination. It makes no pretenses and does not try to be something it’s not. I am not dissing places like Vail, Colorado, which I love to visit. When you go to places like Vail, you get the feeling that you are in Europe-the architecture shouts European mountain village. In Park City, you know you are in the mountainous West. The Main Street is wonderfully restored and feels authentically Old West, as in the old mining days. I told Kathy the reason I like Park City is because it is authentic, high in the mountains, a year round resort with plenty of entertainment and sporting options. WEG

Here and there I see yellow and red in the trees, signaling that autumn colors are not far away in the great Northwest. As we turned our car toward home from Seattle, we were finding it hard to leave such beauty and vibrancy, not to mention the astounding weather, behind. Yet, as we travelled southeastward, we realized that new adventures lay before us, and that re-energized our thinking and planning. The day took us through the Cascades into Washington wine country. Vineyards began to brighten the brown hills and valleys around Yakima. In the distance, Mt. Adams stood out, with its white dome reaching skyward. Mt. Rainier was still visible to the north. Beauty still lay around us in this vast land where fall will come sooner than those places further south. WEG

Mt. Rainier, southeast of Seattle, is much more than a mountain, though at over 14,000 feet, it is the fifth highest mountain in the continental U.S. The snow-capped peak is covered by glaciers that are a deep blue. The mountain is surrounded by a range of peaks that have exaggerated jagged summits. The drive up the mountain takes one by numerous mountain lakes, and one reflection lake mirrors the summit in its clear blue waters. Waterfalls abound everywhere. The water that flows from the glaciers has a grey soapy appearance derived from the massive ice sheets grinding of the mountain as it imperceptibly moves down the mountainside. Our friend, Steve, and his pastor brother, David, hosted us for the day, and they had much knowledge to share as they guided us along some of the beautiful mountain paths. One of the paths was as beautiful a walk as I have ever taken. The blue mountain lupine was in full bloom with red orange paintbrush and white mountain lily for background. Streams flowed along rock-strewn beds and through green grass hillsides overlooked by towering fir trees. A large deer munched on the grass and did not flinch as we moved closely by. Vistas looked down upon deep valleys and waterfalls. A deep gash in the mountain caused by a flood of fast melting snow several years ago was a jumble of rock that caused multiple cascading streams to flow from the glaciers above–it was a surreal sight, yet, magnificent and powerful. We were totally refreshed by the clean mountain air and the beauty of the sights we beheld.

Seattle, the city, is an impressive place. Approaching by ferry, with the skyscrapers and the space needle looming above the port and waterfront, signals that this is a confident and proud place. The Pikes Place Market is a tourist magnet. Its flower shops, fruit and flower markets, spice stands and organic shops are delightful. Various musicians and street artists abound. The original Starbucks is nearby. Friends, Robert and Jan, graciously guided us to many sights as we rode the streetcar from our hotel into the city center. We have had wonderful days in a wonderful city. WEG

Kathy and I accomplished our dream goal–we drove the entire coastal highway from San Diego to Seattle. That means CA-1 in California and 101 in far north California, Oregon, and Washington. The last miles in Washington were different than all the rest. Most of the Washington coast is devoted to the lumber industry and forestry. Managed and unmanaged timber groves, trucks laden with cut wood, factories devoted to timber processing, ship yards and docks with processed lumber and small ships to carry the wood products were scenes all along the way. The coastal towns and villages of Washington were not tourist centered as were most of the rest of the coastal highway areas. They were working towns. That does not mean that the coastal drive was not beautiful. It was. Hills and mountains were filled with beautiful vista and trees. All along the way, tall wildflower spikes of deep pink were along both sides of the highway, with a ground cover wildflower of yellow as a backdrop. This never ceased to amaze us. As we drove, Kathy spotted a sign that said the next road to the right had the largest spruce tree in the world on it. I stepped on the brakes and made the turn. Several miles down the lane we spotted another sign that pointed to a one third mile trail to the tree. We took the trail and then stood in awe of the massive tree–57 feet in diameter and over a thousand years old! Also in this Valley of the Rain Forest Giants are the world’s largest western red cedar, Douglas fir, and mountain hemlock, as well as the largest yellow cedar and western hemlock in the United States.

The very last leg of the trip on 101 took us away from the coast and up to the Canadian border. Along the way we passed stunning mountain lakes, especially the turquoise-watered Lake Crescent. Reaching a depth of 600 feet, the large lake is surrounded by mountains and forests. Highway 101 hugs the water all along the way. Finally, we turned south towards Seattle and ended our journey by taking a ferry ride into the heart of the city. WEG

You will probably never see the race I saw today. It has been held for generations at the Tillamook (Oregon) County Fair. This fair was rated by the “USA Today” national newspaper as one of the ten best county fairs in the nation, and Kathy and I happened upon it accidentally as we drove the coastal highway. The Pigs & Ford’s Race involves young pigs and Model-T Fords that have been stripped of their body. The Model T’s are original and authentic, have been used in these races for generations, and are the pride of the families that own them. The race involves heats in which several Model-T’s are hand cranked to ignition by their drivers who then run to small pens containing young pigs. The drivers grab a pig and, holding it in their arms, drive around the racetrack back to the pens and start the procedure over again. The race consists of three laps. Several thousand people filled the stands for today’s races. The Pigs & Ford’s race was preceded by regular horse races which Kathy and I have never before witnessed. The county fair was nostalgic for both of us, since our families were very involved in our local county fairs when we were young. We enjoyed looking at all the entries of young people and adults alike–canning, baking, flowers, animals, etc. We were amazed at the “Queen of the Cows”–a Holstein who weighed 1,800 lbs. and who produces 105 lbs. of milk a day! We walked the farm implement displays, the food lanes–oysters on the half shell were 10 for $7–and they were fresh from the ocean. The midway was busy, and the central stage was filled with one act after another. The evening’s big entertainment in the arena was Country Western star, Travis Tritt.

We also took a morning tour of the Tillamook Cheese factory. We buy this cheese and were happy to find that it is a farm co-op. It was fun watching the employees make, cut, slice, and wrap cheese. While there are machines to do a lot of the work, the process is till labor intensive.

One of the joys of our “encore life” journey this year has been the ability to meet folks along the way. Today, in Tillamook, I met a man who told me how to go crabbing for Dungeness crab. I learned why you use chicken or turkey in the trap rather than fish–seals tear up the traps to get to the fish, but leave the chicken or turkey meat alone, and the crabs like chicken and turkey just fine. I think I can successfully go crabbing now! WEG

It is not Ore-a-gone or anything close to that! In spite of the spelling, it is pronounced “Or’ – u – gun.” That factoid is one not to be forgotten when traveling in this beautiful state. Today, our friends, Mark and Miriam Hoelter of Portland, took their day to escort us around to some of the sites in and around the city. We had a grand day! The rose garden in Washington Park was in vibrant bloom giving us proof as to why the city is known as the City of Roses. The trip up Mt. Hood to the sturdy, rugged and depression-era Timberline Lodge was a treat. Not only were the views of the snow-covered Cascade Range in full view, but the national park lodge was an artistic treat with its animal-carved balusters and hand-forged metal handrails highlighting thick hand-cut stair and balcony railings. Rich nature paintings and mosaics covered the walls and a massive stone central fireplace spanned two floors. Rock and wooden flooring complemented the hand-made furnishings used throughout the building.

Multnomah Falls, a 700 foot drop of cascading water, is the second highest year round waterfall in the United States. Impressive. The clear blue waters of the wide Columbia River cut through deep tree-covered valleys. The downtown of Portland is very pedestrian friendly and an urban paradise. The mountains and mountain sports are 30 minutes to the east and the Pacific coast is 40 minutes to the west. The Willamette (pronounced “Wil-lam’-ette”) Valley with its agricultural base of vineyards and fruit orchards is immediately to the south and the Columbia River with sail boating and fishing is immediately to the north. There is everything to like here. We thoroughly enjoyed the day with loving friends as our guides. WEG

I enjoy taking roads that are off the beaten path, and today Kathy and I did just that. I did not do it on purpose. The GPS took me the shortest route and that just happened to be over the mountain and through the woods. Yes, it was on a one lane gravel road that contained no guard rails on the high passes, but the views were priceless. The Willamette Valley spread out below us and the high farmlands were surrounded by pine forests and deep valleys. The oats in the fields were golden in color and ripe for harvest. It was an amazing pastoral scene. The end of the journey was an area containing seven waterfalls. We were high and could look down upon one of the major falls as it cascaded to the pool far below.

We also were able to visit the Oregon Garden, designed by the Nurseryman’s Association and containing a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The conifer garden was my favorite section of the park. It contained at least one conifer of every type on the planet. I had no clue. I marveled at the variegated varieties and the weeping spruce varieties. Interspersed by fountains and rock features, the garden was an impressive display. Our off the beaten path road took us somewhere special today. WEG

The Oregon south to central coast is noted for its magnificent sand dunes, some reaching 500 feet in height. I think the fact that the pine and spruce forests intersperse with the dunes and that lakes dot the valleys along the coast together serve to give this portion of the west coast a distinct feel. The villages along the coast are centered in fishing and have a nautical ambiance with clam chowder, fish stuffed with crab, and fish and chips dominating the menus.

I saw sand drifting onto Highway 101–the coastal road in Oregon–and quickly pulled over. I looked at the dune and said to Kathy, “Let’s climb it.” At first she was hesitant since it was tall and steep. I told her if we fell, it was soft sand, so off and up we went. Half way up we discovered a number of fully ripe fruited blackberry bushes growing on the edge of the dune. What a treat! The thing about sand dunes is that, since the sand is loose, you slide backwards; so you don’t make much progress. The struggle upwards–probably about 60 feet–was worth the effort as we were able to see sand dunes interspersed with forest stretch out before us. The way down was easer to navigate–gravity helped.

Who knew that Oregon has covered bridges? We took a detour to see one and soon found ourselves on gravel roads among vineyards and commercial Christmas tree farms. The bridge was white and barn-like with thick wooden boards for flooring. It was fun to drive across its one lane.

Oregon has great natural beauty and is clean, clean, clean. WEG