#36 Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls
Unfortunately we got there kind of late in the day, and I didn't have time to ride the Maid of the Mist, so while I'm crossing this item off, I'll definitely be visiting again.

It was crazy hot and humid, and by the end of the day I thought I would die. NO literally. I suddenly was so sick I thought I would throw up. I found a bench and sat down, and then the dizzy, room spinning started. I should've know better. With the FMS I NEED to take breaks, and drink lots of water, or my body starts to shut down fast, but I never remember until it's too late. Actually, I always remember, but just ignore it thinking this time will be different.

American Falls is quite unimpressive, but Horseshoe Falls is ginormous. I can't wait to see it from the Canadian side, and from the bottom of the falls!

#35 Middle Fork of the Salmon River

Middle Fork of the Salmon River
I didn't do the full out week long excursion, 1 day only, please. Despite not being an "outdoor" sort of girl I love, love river rafting. This particular group had 6 boats and 27 people...all ages, our youngest was 4 and the oldest was...well there were about 6-8 in their 70s and 80s.













I'm serious, family, river rafting in Moab -- 2013!

#34 Sun Valley

Sun Valley

Sun Valley is actually an area made up of Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley in Idaho. I stayed in Hailey at the Ellsworth Inn (B&B) in a delightful, although tiny room. The Sawtooth room has a fireplace and possible pseudo-celebs have slept here.



I drove out to the resort proper and spent a couple of hours wandering around the grounds and watching the ice-skaters. Ice-Skaters! In the summer, on a rink with a zamboni and everything! Crazy, rich people.













When I started driving out of the resort I realized my brakes were making a horrific sound, so by the time I made it back to Hailey I went stratight back to the Ellsworth and called for a replacement. The nearest rental agency was in Twin Falls...70 miles away, but the innkeepers were nice enough to make me breakfast for dinner...especially after finding out that I'd be leaving tommorrow too early for breakfast. Awesome fried potatoes, pancakes with homemade raspberry jam, and sausage. Delicious. They also busted out a fruit parfait with raspberries, strawberries, and bananas. The strawberries were marinated in a special vanilla sauce. So good.

#33 San Juan Islands

San Juan Islands

Turtleback Inn



View from Mount Constitution


Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm

#32 Kenai Peninsula

Kenai Peninsula


We went out on Portage Lake in a ice-breaker boat. When it plows through the ice it creates these cool little needle-shards along the fault lines.



Portage Glacier: The nearby weather station mid-April recorded winds of 214 mph.



Our guide was telling us that those crevasses go a very long way down. A couple of weeks ago, a bear was trying to cross the glacier, fell into a crevasse, and is presumed dead. Occasionally a bear does make it across; they've also been seen swimming across the lake.

#31 Inside Passage

Inside Passage


The view is so fantastic that these pictures can't possibly do it justice!



We ran across this logging raft going into a narrow part of the passage. I couldn't belive the size of it; all being carried primarily by the current with a little help from a tug.



We had fantastic weather, low 70s most of the week. Every guide mentioned that they only get around 20 days per year like that, and we had 7 in a row.

#30 Pikes Place Market

Pikes Place Market

We had lunch at Lowell's; I had a fabulous turkey club while everyone else enjoyed seafood. Everyone raved about the food, and the view from the 3rd floor was spectacular!



That blurry thing...it is a fish being tossed through the air.



The flower vendors were my favorite. I got yelled at by a lady selling ceramic pigs, but once you've been yelled at by an Amish guy...well ceramic pig ladies in public markets are not very scary.