Our first full day in Coupeville was July 3rd. Mom's house (with the red roof below) is at the southern end of the town limits (less than 2000 people, as you can see).
Even though we were in Coupeville, Erich and I had both been there before...so we really didn't go into Coupeville proper until almost the end of our trip. For now, here are some shots all within a block or so from Mom's house. The blue/green house is one of the many bed & breakfast places on the island. The Red Apple is the local market (but, just up the road about 10 minutes is Oak Harbor---where there's a Safeway, Walmart and a couple of other large grocery stores). Across the street from the Red Apple is the Tyee Hotel, which has a restaurant. The locals eat there (and a few other places around town). We had breakfast there that first morning.
Next to the Tyee there is a vacant lot on the corner. On it was a huge tent selling fireworks. oh my stars! They take their fireworks seriously there. They have HUGE ones and sell those kind that shoot up and explode in the sky. There's a shot of my nephew, Brawn, standing next to a big box (with my brother photo bombing from behind). The box costs $499. EEK!
One of the things I really wanted to do was to revisit a hiking trail I walked all of the time while I was living up there all alone for a few months while studying for my nursing license exam. I'd forgotten how exhausting it was, but stunning and adventurous. Erich, Ron and Brawn all did the hike with us (I am proud of Ron and Brawn for even attempting it. I'm sure they HATED it. Zowie!). It starts off on the beach, goes up the side of a cliff to a prairie. Across the prairie there are some hills to climb and then you walk along a bluff with the ocean below.
The grey house in the distance between Brawn and Ron is abandoned, but is a local historical landmark. If I understand correctly, it was originally used at the first ferry landing spot (which has since been changed) as lodging and a tavern for travelers a long time ago.
There are some lagoons protected from the surf by walls of driftwood. The trail winds its way down into the lagoon area, for an adventurous, rugged trail.
Finally you climb over the driftwood and walk along the beach for the last long stretch, which is grueling all by itself. I was pooped afterwards--but glad I got to share it with Erich, Ron and Brawn. (Erich had done the trail once years before--but had not experienced the lagoon section---which is one of my favorite parts).I threw in one lame shot of the ocean through some weeds on the top of the prairie. That thing in the distance that looks like an island is Port Townsend, where we had caught the ferry the night before.
After the hike, we dropped off Brawn, Ron took us to the new Coupeville Tap Room for a beer. We tried the sampler trays.
And that was only the first half of the day. The rest of the day--in the next episode--will feature a trip to Langley and an early fireworks show.
Stay tuned!
Even though we were in Coupeville, Erich and I had both been there before...so we really didn't go into Coupeville proper until almost the end of our trip. For now, here are some shots all within a block or so from Mom's house. The blue/green house is one of the many bed & breakfast places on the island. The Red Apple is the local market (but, just up the road about 10 minutes is Oak Harbor---where there's a Safeway, Walmart and a couple of other large grocery stores). Across the street from the Red Apple is the Tyee Hotel, which has a restaurant. The locals eat there (and a few other places around town). We had breakfast there that first morning.
Next to the Tyee there is a vacant lot on the corner. On it was a huge tent selling fireworks. oh my stars! They take their fireworks seriously there. They have HUGE ones and sell those kind that shoot up and explode in the sky. There's a shot of my nephew, Brawn, standing next to a big box (with my brother photo bombing from behind). The box costs $499. EEK!
One of the things I really wanted to do was to revisit a hiking trail I walked all of the time while I was living up there all alone for a few months while studying for my nursing license exam. I'd forgotten how exhausting it was, but stunning and adventurous. Erich, Ron and Brawn all did the hike with us (I am proud of Ron and Brawn for even attempting it. I'm sure they HATED it. Zowie!). It starts off on the beach, goes up the side of a cliff to a prairie. Across the prairie there are some hills to climb and then you walk along a bluff with the ocean below.
That thing in the distance that looks like an island is Port Townsend, where we had caught the ferry the night before.
The grey house in the distance between Brawn and Ron is abandoned, but is a local historical landmark. If I understand correctly, it was originally used at the first ferry landing spot (which has since been changed) as lodging and a tavern for travelers a long time ago.
Coming up you'll see a shot of some buildings in the distance. The house with the chimney next to a small square structure is the Ebey homestead---the first building on the island, for the family that founded Coupeville (or something like that). You can visit the house (I did in 2013). If you continue on further, beyond the house and in the clump of trees in the far distance to the left (behind the green agriculture area) is the town's old hillside cemetery (which i also visited in 2013).
There are some lagoons protected from the surf by walls of driftwood. The trail winds its way down into the lagoon area, for an adventurous, rugged trail.
Finally you climb over the driftwood and walk along the beach for the last long stretch, which is grueling all by itself. I was pooped afterwards--but glad I got to share it with Erich, Ron and Brawn. (Erich had done the trail once years before--but had not experienced the lagoon section---which is one of my favorite parts).I threw in one lame shot of the ocean through some weeds on the top of the prairie. That thing in the distance that looks like an island is Port Townsend, where we had caught the ferry the night before.
After the hike, we dropped off Brawn, Ron took us to the new Coupeville Tap Room for a beer. We tried the sampler trays.
And that was only the first half of the day. The rest of the day--in the next episode--will feature a trip to Langley and an early fireworks show.
Stay tuned!
Comments