Pulling an all-nighter at SeaTac airport for a 6:45 am flight tomorrow. Perfect time to catch up on blogging!

After a WWOOF stay with the Bobcat Ridge family in Watsonville, I’ve spent the past couple weeks exploring the Pacific Northwest. Got to see some awesome places, experience great outdoor activities, and visit wonderful friends I rarely get to see. I also tried out CouchSurf for the first time, once in Seattle and again in Vancouver. I was wary at first but it’s quickly becoming my favorite way to travel. So heartwarming to know that there are such generous and cool people out there.

There’s way too much to cover everything, but here’s a little recap.

First Stop: Boise
Visiting Lily and Nick, the sweetest hosts! Boise would never be on my radar if I didn’t know someone there, and it was very different from what I expected. It’s a city without a big city feel and has gorgeous foothills and trails at your fingertips. I got to experience a Boise State football game and whitewater rafting for the first time. Lots of fun!

Second Stop: Seattle
I spent a good 10 days in Seattle and explored almost all the neighborhoods by foot and bus. The city has a lot to offer, from great parks and markets to lively nightlife and theater, but in the end it wasn’t my favorite place. Something about the damp cloudy winters and constant smell of homelessness, though it was actually beautiful and sunny for most of my stay. Unexpectedly, my favorite site was the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Their visitor center is beautifully done and a great visit, especially if you’re interested in social causes and international development.

Third Stop: Vancouver, BC
Finally left the country for a day and made it all the way to Canada haha. Granted, I was only there for a day but Vancouver is awesome! Right after crossing the border, I beelined for the infamous Grouse Grind, a 1.8-mile, 2,800 feet trek up Grouse Mountain. The Grind is no joke! I sweated through my shirt and thighs and calves were burning well before reaching the top in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Will definitely need to return and do it faster next time. In the evening, I took a scenic drive through the Sea-to-Sky Highway and then a stroll around downtown. Really dug the city — clean, big but not cluttered, and full of culture.

Fourth Stop: Mount St Helens
A quick pitstop on the drive down to Portland turned out to be not so quick since it was a good 50 miles off the highway. Still worth a trip to see though.

Last Stop: Oregon
Spent a great weekend with Justin and Keri, my friends from the American Odyssey Relay back in 2010. Portland was an interesting city, but the highlight of the weekend was definitely the day trip down to Eugene, aka Track Town USA. Home to Hayward Field and the Olympic Trials, University of Oregon, Nike, Prefontaine, and many more running legends. Needless to say, I was in running heaven! Even though I didn’t actually get a workout in, it felt like a runners’ high just being in the town.

Tomorrow I’m back to California and back to farm life. It’s been a blast traveling for a while and not having to get up and do farm work at 7 am, but it’s time to get back to work. I’m also sufficiently traveled-out in the States and ready to go abroad for real. Starting to contact farms in New Zealand. Fingers crossed!