I flew out to Washington State last Friday to visit one of my closest friends. Meaghan has lived in some great places while serving in the US Navy, which means I’ve gotten to visit some great places! This was my first time out to Washington so I was definitely excited to go.
Our main plan for the trip was hiking and drinking wine (typical plan of ours) plus I was really looking forward to seeing/playing with her 2 dogs again. I personally don’t have much interest in big towns or touristy things so her living in a small town in the northwestern part of Washington was perfect. I flew in late Friday night and it was over an hour drive from Seattle to her house so it was straight to bed that night – though I did take the time to lay on the floor and snuggle with my beloved Simba.
On Saturday we walked down to a local coffee shop and stumbled on a dog festival along the waterfront. Of course we had to book it back to the house so we could grab the dogs and head back down! I won Simba an avocado plush dog toy and Aero got a squeaky tennis… which he promptly dropped off the boardwalk and down to the rocks below. *sigh* We spent the rest of Saturday hiking in Bainsbridge and exploring the town. The hike was short, but we spotted a bald eagle hanging out by the water and the driftwood along the beach was intriguing.
We also stopped in to 2 wineries, and I can definitely say I enjoy Washington State reds. At Eleven, we opted for just a glass each instead of a full tasting. I got the Ratio Rosso which is a blend of Lemberger, Mourvedre and Syrah with a dash of Viognier. It was delicious and I can only hope available somewhere out here! I think the best part of their winery was the wine descriptions on the menu – someone definitely had fun.
2018 La Donella – “This fruit-forward, full-bodied wine packed with apple and citrus flavors is sweet up front and doesn’t linger, like the perfect one-night stand.”
The second winery we visited was Amelia Wynn Winery, and here we actually did a flight of wine and enjoyed some food. I tried their All Worlds Red flight which included their Cabernet Sauvignon, Giovanni, Petit Verdot, and Aragon HHH. Meaghan went with the Reds Reds Reds flight which included the Sangiovese, Cab Sauv, Aragon HHH and Tempranillo. My favorite was their Petit Verdot, and again would love to find a bottle somewhere out here. It will be interesting to wander through Total Wine and see what Washington wines I can find!
Sunday was our big hike day. We grabbed coffee and lunch to go in Port Townsend then headed into the Olympic National Forest.
We chose Mt Walker Trail since it is listed as moderate and we wanted something a little shorter in mileage since the weather was typical Washington – chilly, foggy and raining! The elevation was definitely strenuous (2,805′!!) but the views were A-MAZING. The differences between hiking in Washington vs Virginia are astounding. Plus with all the fog and drizzle combined with the dense greenery, I felt like I was walking through a Twilight novel. I love hiking – being out in nature inspires the creative side of me and is where I do some of my best thinking.
We finished the trip with Italian wine and pasta reminiscent of the last trip I took to visit her when she was stationed in Italy! The weather may have seemed lousy but it was a fantastic break from hot humid Virginia plus visiting friends and their pups is the best kind of mental refresher. I’m incredibly grateful for my friendship with Meaghan and all the adventuring she has brought into my life!
Cheers!
the Bold Bach 
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