I‘m finding it extraordinarily difficult to write this post. We won’t be returning to Lopez Island next summer, and it’s causing us grief in more than one way. On a spiritual and emotional level, we’re going to sorely miss the beauty of the island, the satisfying work of teaching the interpretive programs, and our delightful […]
Archive for Lopez Island
We left Lopez Island two weeks ago, waving goodbye from the deck of the ferry as we sailed away. Although we were on the island for two months, our parting is always bittersweet. Are we excited about continuing on to new adventures? Yes! At the same time, it’s hard to leave a place where we […]
As of mid-October, we’re back in Ashland, Oregon, taking care of a myriad of things that need to be completed before we can again resume our travels. This is a challenging part of fulltime RV life—there’s always a mountain of stuff to deal with when we return to our hometown each year. It’s no different […]
For years, we’ve been trying to see whales. Orca whales, in particular. Several pods of these magnificent creatures make their home in the Salish Sea off of San Juan Island. It’s one of the best places in the world to see orcas. At Lime Kiln State Park (also known as “Whale Watch Park”), the conditions […]
I can’t tear myself away from Lopez without one more post celebrating the incredible natural beauty of the island. Although small, Lopez is blessed with an abundance of opportunities for outdoor adventures. We bike, hike, or kayak—or at the very least, take a long walk circumnavigating the beautiful spit—every day while we’re on the island. […]
The pumpkins are ripening in the fields at Horse Drawn farm, and rose hips are plump on the beach roses on Spencer Spit. There’s a distinct shift in the angle of the sun, casting everything in a golden glow come late afternoon. It’s a lovely, and yet bittersweet time of year. The dawning of September […]
If you like hiking, biking, and kayaking, Lopez Island offers plenty to keep you occupied. This is a small island, at only 15 miles long and 8 miles wide. Friends have asked us, “Do you ever get island fever?” The answer is “No.” In fact, it’s hard to pry us off the island. We always […]
Island life suits us, especially life on Lopez, a small isle in the San Juan archipelago just off the coast of Washington State. We love it here. It’s just as laid back as you imagine island life to be, but with the particular twist of being located in the Pacific Northwest, a belt of liberal […]
Three mornings a week, we teach programs at the Nature Center at Spencer Spit State Park. The Nature Center is conveniently located right next door to our campsite; as a result, we have kids screeching to a halt on their bikes throughout the day to investigate. A sign out front advertises our programs: Plants and […]
Not quite six weeks into our journey, we’re finally finding our stride. The emails and phone calls we’ve received in the past week from friends have helped immensely. So has meeting new friends in our travels. Everyone, without exception, has been generous in offering support and encouragement. Undoubtedly we’ll trip and stumble again—but that’s true […]
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