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| The day it happened as we were driving from Spokane to Seattle. Bob has previously described the result but we adhere to the old adage of "a picture is worth a thousand words". Top left shows the remnants after the wheel, hub and most of the brake assembly detached from the axle. The end of the axle should be sticking straight out instead of bent up. The lower left is our electric cord and housing. We can still plug in but cannot unwind the cord as the housing was smashed into the mechanism. The middle picture shows the separation of the end cap from the trailer and the rear panel that is just hanging on. Right photo is the fender which has been bent out. We did recover the wheel a quarter mile behind us sitting on the highway which fortunately had not hit anyone. |
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| While this event was tramatizing, you still have to eat, right? The Palace Cafe has been serving Ellensburg and visitors for over 100 years through several owners and locations. |
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| After traveling 22 miles on the highway at 20 mph, we had left our home at the local tire shop. It was determined that a new axle, two leaf springs, brake assembly and tire were needed to get us on our way to Seattle. Spending the day walking the dogs in a local park and taking a driving tour of the area, by 5pm we were able to drive away with our home in tow. |
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| Axle and spring repairs completed we didn't have to go far to find a campsite when we arrived at Ellensburg KOA. No, we did not stay in the teepees but they were illuminated at night giving the impression of fires inside warming the occupant through the night. |
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| We did not feel like cooking dinner so we returned to town for some Italian at the Ellensburg Pasta Company, formerly the Camozzy & Williams One-Stop Station 76. Quite a mouthful for a gas station though I thought it had been a car dealership. |
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| Sun is going down. Teepee is glowing. Good night. |
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| Football games start earlier on the West Coast. Not sure we can get used to breakfast and the game. |
Space Needle & Chihuly Garden, Seattle, Washington - 8 Sep 2019
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| At the base of the World Famous Space Needle is a museum and garden dedicated to the glass art of Seattle resident, Dale Chihully. |
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| Several views of Seattle from the Space Needle. Several Seaplanes landed on the interior lakes. |
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| Standing on the moving floor at the top. The former revolving restaurant moves about one mile per hour. The restaurant has been replaced by a snack and beverage bar because the operators discovered they can get more visitors through per day if there is no food service provided. Gotta know your priorities! |
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| Chihully experiment with large bowl-shaped display. |
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| Reminiscing about his mother's gardens, Chilhully designed this installation to reflect her massive color displays and variety of plants and flowers. |
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| The Fall installation inside the glasshouse is suspended from the ceiling, extending the full length of the space. |
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| Outdoor installations merging with the plantings of a variety of trees, bushes and groundcovers. |
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| Two less traditional interpretations of Chihully glass and the exterior of the glasshouse. |
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| Nestled among the groundcovers and short plantings, the glass seems to blend perfectly with them. |
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| This expansive open market goes on for blocks and has multiple levels of shops and artist studios. |
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| The iconic sign atop the marketplace. We were a little disappointed that the famous fishmongers do not throw their offerings around the stall to entertain visitors. So no photos. |
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| Excellent peaches were found at a much better price than the $49 per pound for wild Morel mushrooms. Fresh flower bouquets were a big seller, reasonably priced. |
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| Whimsical little tea and scone shop for lunch. |
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| Organic and fair-traded cocoa beans are roasted on site and processed into delicious chocolate. I was familiar with this brand from my days at the market so we knew there would be a lot of good samples coming our way. |
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| A short film showing some Eastern Congo farmers where most of the cocoa originates. As with many foods, including coffee and tea, the flavors in the finished products are derived from the different soil and water compositions. |
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| On the right is the roaster which really is just removing the moisture within the beans which develops the flavor. |
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| Raw cocoa butter is not a good choice for tasting. The wall displays the 26 different kinds of chocolate bars made at the factory. Of course we had to stop by the factory shop for some bars to take home. There was no shortage of good options. |
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, Washington - 10 Sep 2019
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| Driving downtown was the suspected trial but parking was a breeze in the garage next to the stadium. We arrive with plenty of time to walk around to see the different vantage points. |
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| The stadium open in 1999 as Safeco Field and was renamed T-Mobile Stadium on 1 January 2019. The massive, one-of-a-kind retractable roof is designed to cover but not enclose the ballpark. Made of three movable panels, it take between 10-20 minutes to open or close (depending on wind conditions) with 96 ten horsepower electric motors. |
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| It was a rather sparse crowd that night since the Mariners season was not going well. But we enjoyed the game none the less. |
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| Meeting the insurance adjuster for some picture and measurement of the damaged areas, he noticed some wires hanging down. When I got underneath I discovered a worthless U-bolt barely hanging on and missing the second U-bolt plus the wires are for the brakes which had not been connected. Again, isn't the special! |
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| Add to that frustration, the replacement microwave arrived with the side caved in. We just can't seem to catch a break on this trip. |
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| While temporary repairs were being made to the damaged areas of the RV, a visit to the Gardens cheered us somewhat with the grazing deer. |
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| The Dahlia Garden is comprised of plants grown from tubers sent by dahlia growers from throughout America, Canada, England, New Zealand and Australia. As a trial garden, the dahlias are scored by official judges, included in the annual classification book, named and made available to the general public. |
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| Dahlias can grow to a height of over 6 feet. This garden had nine double rows of plants and though past its prime blooming period, was stunning in colors and varieties. The fuchsia and rose gardens are also outstanding. |
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| Some of the varieties. |
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| Walking paths, the superintendents' cottage and car ferry. |
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| With miles of paths (accessed by Wilson Way Pedestrian Bridge), and a backdrop of Mount Rainier we had a good walk with the dogs but were confused about the bell. Luckily, as we stood there debating its purpose, a couple overheard us. They explained this area was a mining site and the slag was moved to the point using the "bell" (Scoop) to build up the point for a park. |
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| Along Ruston Way are plenty of restaurants to choose from. We had the dogs so the criteria was a parking space close by that had plenty of shade. The temperatures were in the low 60s but the sun was hot. Katie Downs had a lot across the street, it was on the water and the outdoor seating also had shade for us. Good food and good views. Now we need to go get our home. |
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