Pacific Northwest Tour Bingo -- Twelfth numbers posted!

[Dragonrider]

6/10

[cairee]

just caught up! Im at 7/10
beautiful pictures!

[Lizzieh]

7/10 for me as well. I love that lake. It looks stunning.

[Fizzbw]

My mum chose my numbers. Never again!!!!! None for me....

That crater lake is stunning though. I'd love to see that.

Niki xxx

[Ketta]

Poor Fizzbw! Perhaps she'll get you a stitchy present out of guilt.

I apologize for missing yesterday, it was another long day of work and too many errands afterward.

Here are today's picks (I imagine we just might get a bingo today...good luck!): numbers 12 and 29!

12. Seattle

The largest city (a population of nearly 650,000) in the Pacific Northwest and one of the fastest growing in the US, Seattle itself is a beacon and a symbol of the Northwest. Like Portland, it's many outlying areas make for an area with a population of around 2 million people. Seattle is in Washington State, within the Puget Sound region, relatively close to Mt. Rainier.

Native peoples inhabited the area for over 4,000 years before Europeans migrated there, and the city gets its name from a notable Native, Chief Seattle (or 'Si'ahl' as pronounced by the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes). The region is very rich and profoundly abundant in many food sources, and unlike most other First Peoples tribes you've likely read about, had to migrate only small distances to get different types of foods.

Logging was what established Seattle, but it wasn't long before it became solidly established as a commercial and shipbuilding city. It was also a hub for Alaska-goers during the Klondike Gold Rush. Several major corporations have their home base in Seattle, like Boeing, Microsoft, and Starbucks Coffee. In the early 1990's, I had a job driving a box truck from Port Angeles to Bellevue (one of the many outlying cities of Seattle). On the way home, I'd stop at a certain gas station to fuel up, and once a odd, older (in his 60's) man driving a blue Mazda Miata struck up a conversation with me about buying stocks. "There are these two that you should really get into, so you don't have to have jobs like that...you want to be comfortable for the rest of your life, get stock in Microsoft and Starbucks...yeah, coffee? I know, Microsoft seems obvious but Starbucks is a sure thing!" He wrote the names on my teabag wrapper, and to this day I STILL have it, to remind myself what a dummy I was for not listening to this guy. He was weird, but he was right!

This is a view you can see from at least one of the ferries, and there are loads of tours that take you around the Puget Sound where you can get great views of the city:



29. Sequim

This little town with a population of a little over 6,500 people is located just 15 miles east of Port Angeles. Due to a few hills that lie between the two places, Sequim and Port Angeles have drastically different climates. About 75% of the days of the year, Port Angeles gets some precipitation. Sequim gets much less than that, but still enough for great farming---oddly, there are even vineyards in Sequim that are quite successful. Those hills create a rainshadow, pulling most of the precipiation off on the west side before it reaches the east.

Sequim ('skwim') is located along the 'handle' of Washington State, on the Dungeness River. Dungeness crab are famous in this area, and as a kid a highlight of summer (late June) was the crab feed. I would literally eat so much I'd feel sick. This was solved by lying down in the shade somewhere for a while, until I felt better enough that I could eat more! Sequim is a popular area for retirees, and let me just say that when they finally made Highway 101 bypass the town instead of going through it, many drivers (including myself) were very happy!

Sequim's most well-known cultivated crop is lavender. There's a fabulous Lavender Festival every year when the lavender is harvested, and it's a great event. One of my favorite things is the lavender-vanilla ice cream -- yum! My stepmother and half brother live there so I make sure to get up there for a visit at least once a year, but Sequim is on my very short list of places I want to live once I finish with my degrees. Truly one of the most beautiful areas, close enough to yet far enough away from the bigger cities for my tastes, with lots of outdoor activities.

[LadyS]

Oh beautiful!!! But alas, still at 9/10. Good luck to whoever gets bingo today!!

[LilacDragon]

I am at 8/10 and am stuck in the middle of nowhere with no internet!!!!

Snuck out for a weekend in Northern Michigan and cell service is intermittent at best. WiFi is tricky, but I am at the library today so am able to check things.

[Lizzieh]

The lavendar fields are gorgoue in the photo and I can just imagine how lovely they smell.

[cairee]

8/10 getting close!

[rcperryls]

Those lovely lavender fields bring me up to 8/10. What a gorgeous picture that is! Good luck to those who only need two today!

Carole

[wwdiva]

6/10 today with Seattle!

[bookknurd]

Still at 8/10, though I was only one number away from one of today's numbers!

[Ketta]

It's getting close! I thought for sure we'd have a winner yesterday...

Today's picks are 4 and 25.

4. Mt. Rainier

Located in Washington State, Mt. Rainier is just over 50 miles southeast of Seattle. Known as the most dangerous volcano in the US (even though it hasn't erupted in recent history), it is the highest mountain in the Cascade Range, at nearly 4,400 meters. It's also one of the most geographically prominent--more so even that K2.

Mt. Rainier is considered an active volcano, but currently has no signs of eruption. However, it is one of 16 volcanoes that is on the 'Decade Volcano' list, meaning the likelihood of causing great loss of life and property is very high. Mt. Rainier has a large amount of glacial ice, and were it to erupt at the magnitude that Mt. St. Helens did in 1980, massive mudflows would occur along with the rest of the catastrophic events that result from such an eruption.

Because of these factors, Mt. Rainier is heavily monitored. Earthquakes occur from midway up the mountain to the summit frequently, about 5 per month, and sometimes 'swarms' of these seismic events are recorded. They aren't large earthquakes and are very rarely felt beyond the base of the mountain, but the swarms are cause for concern (though still not a sign of an imminent eruption), and the latest was recorded in 2011.

Despite these dangers, Mt. Rainier is, not surprisingly, a tourist hot spot. In spring, the slopes that aren't covered in snow are covered in wildflowers. Climbers and hikers are drawn to the area, and camping there is fabulous (I've gone twice and seen deer, bears, bobcats, and even a cougar...and more).

This picture shows Mt. Rainier with interesting cloud formations (I can't remember what they're called). I've seen them when driving by on the way to Snoqualmie pass, and sometimes they stack up like what's shown here, or there's just one big 'ring', and it looks like a big sunhat:



25. Bend

Known as the largest city in central Oregon, Bend is located on the eastern edge of the Cascades along the Deschutes River. It began as a little hub because of a good crossing point on the river, it grew first into a logging town. It's now known for being the jumping-off point for all things outdoors, from mountain biking to white-water rafting, and from skiing to golfing.

Bend is a fast-growing city, a great place to put down if you're looking for both work and adventure. In 2000, the population of the city was just over 50,000, and in 2010 over 75,000. Currently, it's nearly at 80,000 and when outlying areas are included, it's over 170,000. Truly, a thriving, growing area. Despite this growth, Bend doesn't have the typical 'city' feel, as residences and businesses are more spread out.

[LadyS]

Fantastic pictures but once again, still at 9/10. 4 numbers after I just needed 1 and still nothing! I am sure someone will get it today, though. Good luck everyone!

[wwdiva]

7/10 today with Mt. Rainier
Cheers

[bookknurd]

Still 8/10 for me and yet another day where I'm only one number off!

[Squirrel]

Both really interesting and I had both down giving me a scary 9/10

Good luck to all who are close.

[socialsue]

None for me.... still at 5/10!

socialsue

[tiffstitch]

Finally got on here.. at 7/10. Love the photos and info Ketta!

[Dragonrider]

7/10