Lucky we live in Sequim

Dear Sequim town blog visitors,
We can't believe it, our 10th anniversary of our life in Sequim is coming up on January 12th 2016. Time to celebrate! For all those of you who seriously consider to move to the Olympic Peninsula now or in the near future, let us tell you, we never regretted the move here one bit. Reading the news about nasty weather reports like tornadoes, snow storms, floods, icy roads and more in states like Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico make us even feel better. Visit Sequim, check it out and make your decision. We welcome new arrivals on a daily basis. Realtors are happy about the 'rush'.

New Railroad Bridge

We are closing the old year 2015 with some good news. In February the rain and high winds from a passing through storm damaged the Railroad Bridge at Dungeness River Auduborn Center and resulted in the closure of the bridge. As the bridge is part of the Olympic Discovery Trail and is frequently used by Sequim residents - we love our bikes past Sequim Airport to Robin Hill Park - and visiting bikers as well, the closure caused lots of inconvenience and detours. After about a 10th month waiting, the new bridge is completed (see my photos from Christmas Day). There will be a Grand Opening of Railroad Bridge steel truss trestle on December 30th at 1pm at the Railroad Bridge Park. See you there!

New riverbed of the Dungeness River

Location of Dungeness River before storm

Another big event negatively affecting the lives of hundreds of active, health oriented Sequim senior citizens happened when our beloved SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center closed at the beginning of November - totally unexpected, we were promised by the board members that SARC will stay open at least till August 2016. Prior to the closure we attended a final meeting at the City Hall about the necessary closure. Hearing that SARC was working on its last reserves of about $20K(!), we were totally shocked and especially surprised when people in charge did not take responsibility for the failure by resigning from their position. This failure did not happen from one day to the next. No private business could have done that.

To cut a long story short, after lots of discussions and meetings of all the different entities - such as Clallam County, City of Sequim, Olympic Medical Center, Sequim High School - which realize how important SARC is to the healthy life styles of Sequim residents is, finally joined forces and a solution for SARC's reopening is in sight. Please, follow the discussions at the Sequim Gazette and at the Peninsula Daily News We are all very happy that a reopening of SARC has become feasible but we are very disappointed about the set time frame for July 2016. Til' then we signed up for two different gyms: Anytime Fitness offers AARP members (United Health) an affordable alternative but I signed up with the general affordable fees of Sequim Gym. Last but no least, forget about doing your swimming at the William Shore Pool in Port Angeles - they raised the daily fees FOR SEQUIM RESIDENTS from $3.50 to $10.50, which we consider totally unethical because the majority of Sequim residents are seniors on a fixed income.

We are looking forward to reuniting with all our kindred spirit Sequim friends at SARC soon.

Moving to Sequim Olympic Peninsula

Relocating to Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula has become a very attractive idea for many vacationers who spent a vacation in Sequim this summer 2015 for different reasons:

Why moving to Sequim?

Baby boomers are looking for the perfect place to retire...

Sequim offers the most moderate weather: mild winters & moderate summers

No EXTREMES!

Tired of living in a big city? 

   

Sequim located between the Olympic Mountains and the Straits of Juan de Fuca 

offers country living with the amenities of big town box stores like Costco,

Walmart, Home Depot, Pennies and more.

Housing

There is a wide range of homes, condos, manufactured homes available at a 

 reasonable price compared to the rest of the nation.

Taxes

   

There is no income tax! But sales tax of a bit over 8% on all non-food purchases

can add up easily. Property tax is a little over 1% of assessed value.  

Utilities

The City of Sequim provides water, sewer, electricity by PUD and trash pickup

within city limits. Be aware that private wells and septic systems in rural areas

in the Dungeness Valley can be a costly expense for construction and maintenance.

Employment

Sequim is foremost a retirement town with needs for tourism, recreation and health

care. There is plenty of work to do for handy men, gardeners, yard & house 

work or nurses and nurses aids for home care or in rehab or assisted living         

facilities. Experienced realtor companies always look for independent co-     workers www.clallam.org

Education 

Sequim High School offers quality education till 12th grade. Peninsula College   

offers adult classes in Sequim and Port Angeles.

Churches 

The over 20 churches in Sequim represent most of the major denominations. 

The Sequim churches are a center for many social events around the year.

Fitness Clubs & Golf Clubs

  

Sequim senior citizens love an active life-style socializing with retired friends at   SARC, Sequim Gym or Any Time Fitness . Sequim residents may play golf in 

Sunland on the weekends or at any time at the 7- cedars resort golf course. See 

golf rates here. 

We love to answer your personal questions about 'Moving to Sequim' right here on the Sequim Town Blog when we feel our answer will be helpful for the big Move!

Sequim Doubles Tennis Tournament

The tournament is sponsored by the Peninsula Tennis Club with proceeds to the Sequim High School Scholarship Fund

Come enjoy a day of fast paced social doubles

WHEN:   Saturday, September 12th, 2015  10 am -3 pm

                (Rain date Sunday 9/13/15, noon til 5 pm)

Where:    Sequim High School tennis courts.

Who:       Men and Women, all skill levels, No set teams.

Format:   Doubles format, but everyone enters individually

Cost:       PTC Members, $10.00 and bring a snack

               Non-Members, $12.50 and assigned snack

ENTER EARLY - LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS

CALL JULIEN AT 681-3301 TO ENTER & GET ASSIGNED SNACK

Sequim Lavender Festival 2015

Welcome to all our visitor to the Sequim Lavender Festival 2015!

As usual Sequim residents get excited when the week of the festival is here. So here it is. Best news for the lavender growers, vendors and our Sequim visitors: the weather turned nice again with showing the fairly warm summer weather, which is much preferred to the unusual hot summer days in June and the beginning of July, which made the lavender bloom much earlier this year. No worries you will find still plenty of lavender to take home from Sequim with you.

Purple Haze Lavender Farm

What is new at this year's Lavender Festival?

***There won't be a Lavender Festival in the Park this year,

which we think is totally OK because the farm tours and the street fair will take all our visitors' attention anyways.

***Farm tours will be FREE this year! Seven great lavender farms are included in the tours.

***The Lavender Street Fair in Fir St will be the big attraction as usual with its abundance of stands by lavender growers and vendors of plenty of arts and crafts products. Not to forget plenty of food selection and entertainment will be available over the three day festival. Sequim is hosting the largest lavender event in North America. We are proud of it!

There will be fun for everyone. Come and and see!

Impression of the street fair

Olympic Discovery Trail at Railroad Bridge closed

Discovery Trail at Railroad Bridge

If you love biking and hiking the Discovery Trail leading through Sequim - just as we do - you know by now that one of our big outdoor attractions, the Railroad Bridge crossing the Dungeness River, got severely damaged by a big winter storm in February 2015 and has been closed ever since.

Bikers and walkers lane up the bridge

View of Railroad Bridge still impressive

Damage to Olympic Discovery Trail in Sequim

James Town tribe is the owner of the Bridge and considers a short term or long term plan for fixing the bridge. Alas, nothing has been done so far. We - and probably many other residents and visitors - loved to bike beyond the Railroad Bridge all the way to Robin Hill Park or just to Sequim Airport watching small planes take off and land. Now our ride has become a short one from Carrie Blake Park to the Railroad Bridge because the detour available via Old Olympic Hwy is more for the serious bikers. Nevertheless we feel our blog is a good place to list it in addition to the Olympic Discovery Trail site 

Old Dungeness River Bed covered with trees

Damaged Railroad Bridge from high flood waters

Closed part of Railroad Bridge

Bikers' Detour to circumvent Railroad Bridge Closure

The route (east to west) leaves the trail in Sequim at 5th Ave, goes north on 5th to Old Olympic Hwy, turns west across the river on the Hwy bridge, then south on Heath Rd to rejoin the trail. See Trail Status

Visit to Railroad Bridge in Sequim 

Old riverbed of Dungeness

Most parts of the bridge are still accessible

General Discovery Trail Information

The route of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) traverses almost 130 miles of lowlands, bordered on the south by the Olympic Mountain Range and on the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It starts in Port Townsend and ends on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The trail is a wide, paved pathway designed for bicyclists and hikers with a shoulder for equestrians where appropriate.

The Olympic Peninsula is Washington State’s premier destination for non-motorized touring, filled with views of snow capped peaks, ocean vistas, fast flowing rivers and pristine lakes, and everywhere the majestic forests of the Pacific Northwest. The presently completed trail winds through fields and farms, parks and towns over creeks, rivers and ravines, past beaches and national recreation areas.The trail exhibits a wide diversity of fauna and flora of natural beauty.

Sequim 120th Irrigation Festival

Hello again to all our Sequim town blog visitors,
The lovely month of May is here with spring blossoms everywhere. Ever since we moved to Sequim, we've fallen in love with its two big Festivals: the Lavender Festival in the middle of July with Lavender in the Park, Lavender Farm Tours and the most amazing Lavender products in the street market...

and the Sequim Irrigation Festival at the beginning of May starting today.

The Sequim Irrigation Festival is the oldest festival in WA state. It's held downtown Sequim with its tons of vendors and competitions in Carry Blake Park. The 2015 festival will be from May 1st through 10th under the motto "120 Fun a Plenty".

Among the many fun events of interest for you and the entire family are:

Family Fun Day Saturday, May 2, 2015, 9am – 5pm Washington Street between Sequim Avenue & 2nd Avenue Businesses and Non-profits from around Sequim will have booths along Washington Street and offer activities and events for kids and their families.

Kids Parade Saturday, May 2, 2015, 10am Downtown Sequim Parade for kids 12 years and younger. Prizes are awarded.

Sequim Arts Juried Art Show May 1 - 30, 2015 Reception during the First Friday Art Walk Location Sequim Museum and Arts Center Sequim Arts

Sequim Farmers Market Saturday, May 2, 2015, 9am - 3pm Corner of Washington Street and Sequim Avenue

Grand Finale Weekend Thursday, May 7, 2015 to Sunday, May 10, 2015

Logging Show, Truck and Tractor Pull Friday, May 8, 2015, noon - 10pm Saturday, May 9, 2015, 10am - 5

Fireworks Friday, May 8, 2015, 9:30pm Blake Avenue Lot -  our favorite!

120th Irrigation Festival Grand Parade Saturday, May 9, 2015, Noon Downtown Sequim - our favorite!

We are lucky to live in sunny Sequim just as our current Sequim vacation rental guests are to be just 5 minutes away from all the fun events of the 120th Irrigation Festival. See you in town!

Sequim vacation rental - Peaceful & private location - 1Bd/1Ba w/FREE Wifi + long distance phone + cable TV

Walk through the Park - 5 minutes from Sequim vacation rental

Exhibition of drift wood sculptures available in the Park