Sequim Y is open

The long waiting time of about 1 year for all of us active Sequim senior citizens is finally over with the soft and Grand Opening of the Sequim Y which has taken over the place of former SARC (Sequim Aquatic and Recreation Center). I can't emphasize enough how much we all missed our 'full work out' with the lap swimming, water aerobics, saunas and jacuzzi. The immediate sign-up of by over 2000 members proves this more than anything else. Finally, we can reunite with kindred spirit friends because 'Anytime Fitness' and 'Sequim Gym' had split our fitness community. Long story short, we are very happy to be back in our familiar fitness and aquatic center.

We are well aware of the changes the  Sequim YMCA had to take in order to make this a smooth operation and a long time financial survival possible. In the long run we see the close cooperation with the Olympic Medical Center' Rehab and the Y as a big plus. We also welcome the openness of the Y management to our feedback as former SARC members. As senior citizens on a fixed incomer we love that all fitness classes are FREE and included in the membership. I have joined the Tai Chi class with Michael, who has been teaching Tai Chi for 40 years. I love it. However, the are many more  fitness classes to choose from like: Zumba, Water Aerobics, Yoga, Active Older Adults and more. Why not giving it a try? Stay happy and healthy in Sequim with the Sequim YMCA.

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

Graysmarsh Berry Farm opened 2011 U-pick Berry Season

Graysmarsh Berry Farm, the biggest u-pick berry farm in Sequim, opened its gates on Friday for the 2011 u-pick berry season in Sequim!



When you love to pick your own berries like we do, we will love to hear the Sequim news that Graysmarsh Berry Farm opened on Fiday for its 2011 u-pick berry season. Strwaberries are the first ones in line. However, with the sun not being out enough, there are not yet as many sweet strawberries available as usual at this time of the year, the owners of the berry farm inform their visitors on their website.

My suggestion is to still wait a few days for the sun sweetening the fruits. I will buy for now the strawberries from California, which has actually also been much colder this spring, but still produces more sweet strawberries than Sequim weather allowed this June. Offially summer starts on June 21. Show us the sun in Sequim! The few days, when I took the photos of Sequim Vacation Rental are not enough.

Sequim Tennis indoors?

I can't believe it. Could it be true? Might it really happen? After 5 years of playing outdoor tennis in Sequim in wind, rain and a few times in almost freezing weather, Sequim might have a chance of having 'indoor' tennis courts. It seems the 'Bubble', which was donated to the Port Angeles YMCA, may be available for use in Sequim.

Now I can tell you there is nothing better than playing tennis under the 'Blue Hole' which Sequim is famous for. We play tennis at Sequim High School tennis courts and play can sometimes be interferred by a flock of geese flying overhead, a beautiful cloud formation and of course the ever present views of the Olympic Mountain range.

However, playing inside the 'Bubble' would eliminate the problems of changing weather patterns and allow for scheduled tennis tournaments to be played on time. Yes, I'd miss the great outdoors and the challenges it offers. Whatever happens in the Sequim tennis world, I will support it whole heartedly. Keoki, Sequim tennis player

Hurricane Ridge Road open for winter season

Keeping Hurricane Ridge Road open for winter is exciting news for snowbirds in the Sequim and Port Angeles area. When it was first mentioned that Clallam County authorities consider keeping Hurricane Ridge open each day during the winter season and not just open for the weekends, still always weather permitted - this is 'Hurricane Ridge' after all - I had my serious doubts that this project could be funded.

About two weeks ago the 'Peninsula Daily News' reported that the project was funded with monies coming from the county and both cities, Port Angeles and Sequim and by the National Park Service. Winter sport related businesses and of course, ski and snow lovers must have been thrilled when they heard the news. Remember you will still need snow chains when going up Hurricane Ridge Rd in winter. If you don't have any, buy them early. We bought ours used and saved a lot of money.

Since the money for the Hurricane Ridge project has been raised, detailed planning started by Olympic National Park staff. Now it needs to be determined how many more employees are needed and how many more fuel and sand the snow removal teams need. Anyways, the Olympic National Park will keep the road open daily this November through March, except for avalanche control and weather closures.

Even though we moved to Sequim because of mild winters and little snow, and many of our retired friends did so too, we still consider leaving Hurricane Ridge daily open during winter season a great opportunity of visiting the Ridge. Besides, we are certain that it will attract more visitors to the Olympic Peninsula and Sequim for a winter vacation.
p.s.
Before your Hurricane Ridge visit, call the Olympic National Park hotline for weather updates 360-565-3131.

Hurricane Ridge related articles

Best things to do in Sequim Hurricane Ridge

Tags: Hurricane Ridge daily open in winter, Sequim winter vacation

Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center goes high tech

As regular Sequim Town blog visitors you know that one of the reasons we love Sequim so much is because it's a town which offers the ingredients to keep you young and in good shape and health. It's all up to you! We love biking the Olympic Discovery Trail, hiking in the Olympic Mountains or just walking Carrie Blake Park!

Of course, there are also those months when outdoor activities are limited because of the weather. Rain shadow and blue holes are good but Sequim is still in the PNW. When we investigated about Sequim as our retirement option, we read about SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center. We say it again 'This is the biggest bonus the Sequim retirement community enjoys DAILY!. The Center offers any cardiovascular or muscle-building machine you can dream of - come and see for your selves - two pools, jacuzzi, steam sauna complement the workout with nice recreation and relaxation features.

SARC has changed and improved a lot ever since we joined 4 years ago when moving to Sequim. It seemed to me that SARC had achieved a high level in quality equipment and exercise classes, including Keoki's very own 'Easy Stretch class' on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30am, but it still got better. When I walked into the aerobic workout room over a week ago, there were two new cross-trainers, my favorites ,and 5 new treadmills equipped with its own TV. I brought my airplane headphones and tried one of the cross-trainers. Really nice!

Reading when on the cross-trainer does not come easy and a 20-30min workout can stretch when not doing anything but pumping your arms and legs. With the new TVs, any workout becomes a piece of cake. Interestingly, the first week the machines stayed surprisingly empty but as it was and is with any technology, seniors need a little while to adjust to the challenges of new buttons. The figured out computers and cell phones. Sequim seniors will line up at the new machines pretty soon. Thanks SARC for going high tech!

Tags: Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center, retire in Sequim

Sequim Golf Course Sunland

Dear Sequim lovers,

We noticed that the early spring on the Olympic Peninsula also attracted Sequim home buyers back to the area. Alas, the top bargain price of the 'Best Sequim Home for Sale' is still to high for potential home buyers. It was the same for us when we went house hunting on our Sequim vacation in October 2005. As retired people, we needed to stick with a Sequim home within our budget. Honestly, I loved the peace, the privacy and the beautiful green scenery at Sunland - though we are not golfers - but at that time, sellers still had the edge and prices were just not matching for us.

So, what's new at Sunland for current homeowners and what should future Sunland homeowners know? A couple months ago, the Sunland golf club membership had fallen below what would support keeping the course open. Sunland golfers have attemped to enlist new members even opening it to outside players, but it seems to have come down to having the homeowners vote on whether to increase the homeowners fees to support the golf course. There are 180 homeowners but not all are golfers. It would be interesting to know how many of the Sunland homeowners are active golfers. Bottom line, the non-playing golf homeowners don't seem to care to pay, so others can push the ball around the grass.

The big argument is that the value of Sunland homes benefits from keeping this private golf course well maintained. The entire Sunland Golf Course issue has become a big 'dispute' and 'The Peninsula Daily News' gets frequently letters concerning this topic. Even though, it's none of my concerns, I've found it quite interesting that members and investors of Sunland Golf & Country Club demand that all Sunland homeowners unilaterally be mandated to contribute $300 per year to support the golf course. And if homeowners wouldn't comply, a lien could be placed on their home. Can they do that?

Another letter to the editor claimed that the sole purpose of the $300/yr is to recover the money that a group of club members invested in a new 1-million dollar sprinkler system. They could do so with the assessed payment for 5 years. Nothing has been finalized yet, last I read in letters to the editor they are planning a vote but no date has been set. If they vote not to support the golf course, the home values could go down and of course the other way the Sunland homeowners' fees would go up. Something to think about when looking at homes for sale in Sunland.

Tags: Sequim Golf Course, Sequim Sunland Golf Community

Hurricane Ridge is cut off - January 2010

Residents and visitors alike love to go snow shoeing and skiing the slopes of Hurricane Ridge during the winter months. Even though the Ridge is only open during the weekends, it attracts quite a number of people on a sunny winter season weekend.

As we reported in our December Sequim Round-up, Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula experienced unusual very mild winter weather in December and now continuing all the way into January. We had several days when the warm Chinook winds were blowing and bringing Sequim weather temperatures around 58 F in the shade. Currently, we have 54 F in the shade but with sun all over Sequim. I am ready for my walk through Carrie Blake Park!

Anyways, let's get back to Hurricane Ridge. Last Friday the Ridge experienced really hurricane winds with over 80miles/hr. When Sunday morning came and Sequim town was warm, sunny and had no winds whatsoever, I decided to call the Hurricane Ridge weather station for an update to check whether it's worthwhile a visit. Well, at 8am Sunday morning, the road to Hurricane Ridge was still closed and wind gusts up to 40miles/hr were reported. This was enough for us to hear. So we postponed our Hurricane Ridge visit in the snow to another Sunday.

This opportunity might not come too soon. Here is what had happened later on Sunday. Hurricane Ridge road had to be closed just north of Heart O' the Hills campground area about five miles south of Port Angeles because of a road slip-out. Repairs could take 1 month to 6 weeks. Part of the road had slipped down during heavy rains. Ski and Snowboard Classes are supposed to begin January 30/31. The manager of the hurricane Ridge ski area still hopes for a temporary solution to bypass the problem area. Let's hope so!

Hurricane Ridge related articles

Tags: Sequim vacation, Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge closed, January 2010 Sequim

Sequim Summer Vacation Best Sequim Monthly Rate

Hooray Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula are connected with Seattle and everybody else again, as reported in our June 5th post 'Hood Canal Bridege opened early'.

Sequim Marathon last Sunday received a big boost from the early opening of the bridge. About 300 more runners signed up. Sequim weather cooperated with the marathon runners with some cooler temperatures instead of our recent hot Sequim summer weather. Effects of global warming? Who knows. Most Sequim residents don't mind, at least if temperatures don't go much beyond the 80 F.


With summer temperatures rising in states like AZ, HI, CA or TX to temperatures past the 90 F and Sequim's attraction to summer visitors rising as well, we decided to offer our visitors the LOWEST monthly rate for their Sequim vacation at $950/mo. Compare to regular monthly rates offered by other fully equipped Sequim vacation rentals at $1200/mo.


Our fully equipped private 'Bell Hill View' 1Bd/1Ba Sequim vacation rental apartment provides a great home-away-from-home to visitors to explore Sequim, the Olympic Mountains + the Olympic Discovery Trail. Not to forget there is no better time than NOW to look for and find a piece of land as investment, buy a manufactured home for summer stays or for rental income or buy a Sequim Home at the lowest price ever in recent years. Sequim realtors are awaiting your visit. Let's see what else is there to do in Sequim in June.

Sequim Events for June

Today, Friday June 12, starts the Annual Driftwood Show in Carrie Blake Park, which will last till Sunday. Great family fun and free!

The Olympic Explorer Volkssport Club will host a 10-kilometer or 6.2 mile walk along country roads and the Olympic Discovery Trail. You may meet with the group Saturday morning before 9am at QFC.

Sequim Open Aire Market is open for business Sat. June 13 from 9am - 3pm. Located in Cedar St, over 60 farmers and artists are selling their products. Live music is from 11am - 2pm, and there will be lots of food stands to enjoy some breakfast or lunch.

Summer family fun is coming our way with this new season 'Music & Movies in the Park' starting June 23 (more events 6/30, 7/28, 8/28). This is a free event to Sequim residents and visitors alike. Local sponsors make this possible. Thank you!

Last but not least, Sequim Berry season officially opened with Camron Strawberry Farm and Graysmarsh Farm announcing the U-Pick season for strawberries. I made it to Graysmarsh yesterday and picked the biggest and ripest strawberries - took me an hours to pick - which we served our friends with Vanilla ice-cream. No berries from the stores can compete with fresh berries from the field! Another reason for a Sequim vacation!

Tags: Sequim vacation, best monthly rate Sequim, Things to do in Sequim

Is Sequim Weather early Summer?

Today, we received an email from our friends, Ron and Mary-Nell from Texas, who love Sequim and their annual Sequim Vacation. Here is a short glimpse of their email:

"We really enjoyed the photos on your May 26 post. We were amazed to see people fishing at the park in shorts. Has this been a typical May with everything being so green and flowers blooming? I thought it would be still on the cool side but as we've been following the weather daily from down here it appears to have been a lovely month overall."

Yes, you are right to envy us. Ever since the Memorial Day Weekend (actually even much earlier) Sequim residents and visitors get spoilt by the most pleasant May weather in years. It's like an early summer! And according to this Sequim weather link from Ron, who watches Sequim weather carefully in order to know what weather he can expect when he will finally move to Sequim with his family, this stretch of nice weather will continue next week!

It's amazing how nice sunny weather can make people happy and feel good! Friday, we decided spontaneously to visit our favorite place in the Olympic Mountains, the Sol Duc Hot Springs. Before we settled down at the resort, we went for a walk to the Sol Duc Falls. On can't really call it a hike with it's one way 0.8 miles mostly level walk. We love this walk through the woods, admiring wild flowers, listening to the birds and taking a short break at the powerful falls.

Arriving at the Sol Duc Springs Resort, we noticed immediately the effect of the closure of the Hood Canal Bridge. At 11am we were almost the only visitors there. Later the Sequim Senior Center bus made it there but hardly anybody from Seattle. Businesses on the Olympic Peninsula are desperately waiting for the reopening of the Hood Canal Bridge. Latest we read in the Peninsula Daily News was June 11! Sequim vacation businesses will appreciate it.

Yesterday, the warm weather attracted lots of visitors to Carrie Blake Park for their popular annual dog show, the playgrounds, the ponds or just for a walk or a bike ride. Everybody having a good time!

Today, we headed with the bikes for the first time weat again on the Olympic Discovery Trail, past the Railroad Bridge - Dungeness River had lots of melting water from the mountains - and past Carlsborg till Kitchen Dick where we turned around after a 40-min. bike ride. Best part when going west on the Olympic Discovery Trail are the amazing mountain views of the Olympics. You may see mountains which one cannot see from Sequim, and all still covered in snow sparkling white against the blue skies! Lots of bikers enjoyed the trail like us.

The most impressive picture caught our eye when entering the Discovery Trail passage to the Railroad Bridge through an Eagle Habitat. There they were: two bald eagles perching on the highest branches of the tree with no leaves around looking out for their prey. Those are the moments when you say "Why didn't I bring my camera?!" Next time we will. Hope the eagles will be there then.

Tags: Sequim weather, best weather in Sequim, Sequim vacation

Sequim Vacation Roundup May with Photos

Welcome back to our Sequim Vacation blog. After our short update on the Sequim Irrigation Festival in May, let's talk vacation and the favorite topic weather. Sequim weather has been quite pleasant in May and attracted lots of visitors to the Olympic Peninsula for a short vacation on the extended Memorial Day weekend.

I was suprised though to read in the Peninsula Daily News that a number of visitors got stuck at the Hood Canal Bridge and were not to happy to find the bridge closed. I can imagine that they did not know before departure but how they could have missed all the signs along the road, is still a mystery to me.

When we drove back from Seatac Airport to Sequim a week ago, we noticed lots of signs 'Hood Canal Bridge is closed' along the Hwy. BTW, it took us about 3hrs to drive to Sequim on Hwy 101 from Olympia. It's a very scenic drive but long. I expect visitors to the Peninsula still waiting till the bridge is open again on 6/15/09.

Not only Sequim visitors enjoyed the beautiful weather on Memorial Day Weekend. Sequim residents were out and about, in Carrie Blake Park, biking and walking the Olympic Discovery Trail or visiting the Juan de Fuca festival in Port Angeles. To watch the wild life in Carrie Blake Park, which is a short 3 min. walk from our house, was especially fun this time. Three Canadian geese families took their new fuzzy babies for a first swim on the pond, where the model boaters had a boat race. Well, no collision occurred!

Kids were having fun at the pond too. I watched how two boys caught each a decent size fish. The park allows kids in company of their parents to try their luck fishing in the pond. Here is a photo of one of these lucky boys.

Well, let's not forget that it was Memorial Day Weekend. Sequim Sunrise Rotary had been busy preparing this holiday to remember soldiers who died in the service for their country. Rotary volunteers had displayed American flags all along E.Spruce St.and E.Fir St. Here is a photo of their work.

Last but not least, The German Restaurant 'Sauerkraut', which opened about 1 mo. ago, enjoys many satisfied visitors like our friends Gail and Tyke from Sun Meadows eating Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Sauerbraten and a delicious cinnamon bun for dessert.

Anything you want to share about Sequim or Sequim vacation, please, leave a comment. Your questions are most welcome too.

Tags: Sequim, Vacation in Sequim, Olympic Discovery Trail, Best of Sequim

Parades,parades and a Yellow rubber duck race

Wow..wasn't that a great Irrigation parade we had in Sequim this past weekend. I tell you, for a small town, Sequim knows how to party. The turnout was outstanding despite the Hood canal bridge being out.

Well if you missed that parade or you just like parades go on down the road to the seaside town of Port Townsend and catch their Rhododendron Festival Grand parade this Saturday, the 16th, starting at 1pm.

If you are not into another parade try the Rubber Duck Race in Port Angeles on Sunday. You still have time to make your purchase of a rubber duck and the chance to win the grand prize of a new Toyoda Tundra truck. The proceeds go to the Olympic Medical Center Foundation. The event starts at 11:30 at 1902 Marine Drive. Food and entertainment will be provided.

And last but not least, if you are in Sequim on Saturday our weekly Sequim Open Aire Market is now open, on Cedar St just off Sequim Ave, from 9am to 3pm. Lee Tyler Post will perform with a selection of blues and rock from 11am til 2pm. Come out and buy local.

Our next big event is the Lavendar Festival check here for last years post.

Sequim WA or Santa Rosa CA?

Dear Sequimtown blog visitors,

Most of our regular blog readers are following our Sequim articles because when contemplating moving to Sequim for good, one wants to know as many details about the town and area where you intend to live before making a serious commitment like buying a new home in Sequim. Believe us we know better than anybody else because we moved from Hawaii to Sequim!

This week, we received another one of those emails from somebody who had heard about Sequim and is now wondering about all kinds of things: why we chose Sequim and not Bellingham or PortTownsend, what we like in Sequim, what we don't like and much more. We published Jack's email with his permission as a comment on our recent post 'Get Ready for your Sequim Vacation'. Before continuing reading this article, you might want to visit that post and read Jack's entire comment.

We decided to answer a number of Jack's questions in this post, which we called ' Sequim WA or Santa Rosa CA?'

Why Sequim and not Port Townsend or Bellingham?

Jack believe us we studied many WA weather charts, average temperature and rain fall by month and year of all the places in WA we had considered and Sequim with its location in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains came up with the least rain and the most moderate climate.

Are we missing cultural events of big town living?

Well, we have lived in Hawaii for many years in a peaceful, rural countryside, in a small town community (actually very similar to Sequim) in the most wonderful setting surrounded by rolling hills, snow covered volcanoes and white sand beaches a short 10-minute drive away. When in Honolulu, we longed to be back home! Now you can imagine how small Sequim town perfectly matched our expectations with its wonderful location and scenery between mountains and ocean. There are lots of cultural events happening on the Peninsula, just on a smaller scale. The big city, Seattle, is a short 2 hr drive away for those who want to be there occasionally.

Is Santa Rosa a better place to live than Sequim?

It all depends what you are looking for. I did not know many facts about Santa Rosa, so I checked Google and found a lot of answers about Santa Rosa like the number of residents in 2007 was 157,985 compared to 5000 in Sequim, and the annual rainfall is 30 inches compared to 12 inches in Sequim. CA homes were on the high end when we looked at homes in CA and even now that prices came down, they are still too inflated (just like Hawaii home prices) to attract retired people on a fixed income. Well, if home prices are not an issue and you don't mind higher temperatures above 90 F or big town living, Santa Rosa might be the way to go for you.

Bottom line: Nobody and no place is perfect! There is no perfect weather, not even in Hawaii, which got too hot for us when getting older. And global warming will probably change a lot of weather patterns around the world. So make sure that you live in a likable community with friendly people, amenities and activities you like!

What we like in Sequim

We like the unique location between mountains and ocean.

We like small town living with big town amenities (from Costco to WalMart etc.)

We like the moderate weather. Milder winters and not so hot summers.

We like the outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, biking and more.

We like Sequim's friendly people.

We love SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreational Center. Best reason to move here!

What we don't like

When not used to seasons, the winter months, moderate or not, can stretch a bit. Hawaii, Palm Springs and Phoenix AZ are great options for getting away for a month or two to break the winter spell.

Moving to another place and whether Sequim is right for you, is all about finding out about your own priorities and expectations and then find the best possible match for you! Best way to find out whether Sequim is a match, come visit Sequim for a vacation!

Tags: Sequim, Olympic Peninsula, Sequim vacation, Moving to Sequim, Best of sequim

Tennis Anyone?

Tennis anyone!!!Burrrrrrrr

Having come from Hawaii I must say that tennis in Sequim can be a challenge.

You might say what’s the big deal, tennis is tennis, a court, a net, a ball and 2 to 4 players. Ah, but in Sequim the other element is the weather, especially in the winter. Ever played tennis with a wet ball, I have and it does not play the same as a dry one. It seems to stick to your racquet and when it does come off it never goes as far as you want and of course it won’t bounce as high.


Now that is dealing with a wet ball so that assumes the weather is above freezing. If its below freezing and the courts are wet then its not tennis anymore its ice skating. Cause below freezing we don’t play when the courts are wet. But when they are dry, bring on the cold. You just need to dress warm and keep moving and have a handkerchief handy to wipe your runny eyes and nose. But back to the ball, I don’t think tennis balls were made to play with in freezing weather. I guess that’s why most pro matches are played in warm climates.


All I can say is if you are a die hard tennis player and I am, a little freezing weather will just be invigorating. See you on the courts (Sequim High School tennis courts that is)…Keoki Happy New Year to Sequim's tennis players
p.s.
I took these photos on Friday last week where we had a group of Sequim tennis players playing doubles on two courts of Sequim High School.

Tags: Sequim, Sequim tennis, Sequim vacation

Sequim Aquatic Center SARC is closed

For all those Sequim visitors who are still on extended weekend Labor Day vacation or plan a Sequim vacation for the next two weeks, here is the not so good news: our most popular meeting place for exercise, swimming and socializing SARC (Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center) is taking time off for annual maintenance and repair jobs from September 1 (tomorrow) - September 14.

We told our Sequim Vacation blog visitors in the past repeatedly that the great outdoors with hiking and biking, the small town living with big town amenities and the amazing scenery all around Sequim is what has attracted us and so many other retirees to this town on the Olympic Peninsula. One of the biggest attractions of all the above is SARC.

Keoki's Stretch class at SARC has really taken off and had become an integrated part in the fitness classes at SARC. Of course, anybody who is interested in Keoki's Easy Stretch video or DVD for home use or giving as a present to a friend or family member, just email us, and we let you know how you can obtain it.

OK I am not an instructor at SARC but I am a very committed member using crosstrainer and bike, stretch facility and my favorite part is the lappool for swimming between 12noon and 1pm. The best part comes afterwards with jacuzzi and sauna and chatting with friends. It's amazingly easy to make new friends at SARC. Just ask 'How long have you been living in Sequim?' and/or 'Where have you moved from?' and you will get a very lively conversation going and have a new friend for your next visit at SARC.

Now, you can imagine how tough it is for us addicted exerciser when SARC is not open. Here is what we recommend: go on vacation, enjoy the last days of summer for bike rides and hikes and pick blueberries till they come out of your ears. Actually, I have started this year to freeze my extras. The recommendation (by a SARC member!) to spread them on a tray, freeze for 24 hrs and then fill them in freezer bags worked well.

Last but not least, blackberry season has started. I picked the first ripe berries at sunny spots in the park. Enjoy blackberry season in Sequim. Naturally, visitors who stay with us for a month at our monthly Sequim Vacation rental will get a bucket for picking berries.

Tags: Sequim vacation

Bird Watching in Sequim

If you are not into heavy hiking the Olympic Mountain trails or biking the Olympic Discovery Trail and yet like being out in nature with a leisurely walk in the forest, then the Bird Walk at Railroad Bridge Park might be just for you, when on your Sequim vacation.

The walking tour begins at the Dungeness Audubon River Center at Railroad Bridge Park at about 8:30am on Wednesday mornings and takes about 2hrs. to complete. It's a leisurely walk. The peaceful sound of the Dungeness River and the birds singing in the forest makes this a wonderful experience for birdwatchers on vacation in the Sequim area.

Participants can bring their own binoculars but if you are from out of town, the Center will provide them for free. Remember morning hours in Sequim can be still a little chilly, so put on a jacket which you can take off when the sun comes out later. An average 15 - 20 people show up for the Sequim bird walks during the summer months July and August.

Have fun bird watching in Sequim for the rest of this summer. Tomorrow morning is another chance!

Tags: Sequim, vacation, travel, Sequim vacation, Olympic Discovery Trail

August in Sequim

It's hot, hot summer all over the United States but there is one little corner in the Pacific Northwest, Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula which has pleasant temperatures for enjoying all outdoor activities, like biking the Discovery Trail, hiking the trails in the Olympic Mountains and pick berries at Sequim berry farms. If you are heading to Hurricane Ridge, read our recent article about traffic delays to Hurricane Ridge during the week.

It's now, beginning of August, that we recommend to come for a Sequim vacation to do all of the above. We are loving each of those Sequim fun activities and want to prove it with a few Sequim photos.

We bike regularly Carrie Blake Park, the Olympic Discovery Trail starting at Railroad Bridge or just bike to visit friends in Sun Meadows or Sunland, as we did yesterday. We looked at our friends' new Sunland home, which is very beautiful and peaceful. Together, we biked to the beach and explored more of the Sunland neighborhood by bike.

My favorite fruits are raspberries. I don't make jam or jello. I love to eat them fresh. Maybe this year, I will try to freeze some. Heard that a good way to do that is to spread the raspberries on a tray, freeze them and then put them in the freezer bags. I will give that a try. Our frozen blueberries worked well last year and lasted long over winter with adding them to our morning cereal. Right now is the best time to pick berries in Sequim. Not too many cherries, another favorite of ours, made it this year but again raspberry and blueberry bushes are full of delicious fruits.

I had a feeling that strawberry season was somewhat short this year but it seems a big blackberry harvest will reward us pretty soon. Blackberry bushes are covered with fruits. The first ones at sunny spots should be ready to pick in about 2 weeks. No need to pick them at the Berry Farms. They are growing plentiful everywhere. I would not recommend to pick them along the road as those areas get frequently sprayed for weed control.

Enjoy all the summer activities in August in Sequim, just as we do.

p.s.

For Sequim residents and visitors: The Sequim Senior Center has its 3rd Annual Benefit Sale coming up on Thursday August 7, 9am - 7pm and Friday August 8, 9am - 3pm. Great way to find something at a cheap price plus to support the community!

Sequim Vacation Articles

Cheap Sequim Vacation

Berry Season in Sequim

Biking the Olympic Discovery Trail

Sequim Vacation Rental

Tags: Sequim, travel, vacation, best of Sequim, Sequim vacation

Traffic Delays Hurricane Ridge

July and August are our high season for Sequim vacation. One of the biggest vacation highlights is a visit to Hurricane Ridge. We love to take visiting family and friends for an outing to Hurricane Ridge and Crescent Lake. Get some hiking done in the middle of the Olympic National Park - great exercise! - and enjoy the most stunning views. When we recently saw this beautiful photo of wild flowers in full bloom on Hurricane Ridge Trail, we decided it's time for a return visit in the middle of summer!

Good for us that we've found two days later in the Peninsula Daily News the article about 'Expect delays on Hurricane Ridge Rd - Crews work to install new conduits, rock walls, repave road'. Bottom line of the article is that visitors may expect delays of up to 40 - 50 minutes each way on Hurricane Ridge Road during construction. Here is an important notice for hikers in this part of the Olympic Mountains: The Switchback Trail parking area, which is about 3 miles north of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, will be closed beginning today, Monday 7/28/08. It will be closed for about 1 month to repair storm damaged sites.

New conduits have been installed and new rock walls are being completed. Construction crews have started the process of milling the old pavement and repaving Hurricane Ridge road. Flaggers and pilot cars will guide traffic. The road will stay open 24hrs a day. So far weekend work has not been scheduled. This might be the best chances for visitors and hikers to make it up to Hurricane Ridge without big delays. The crews are working hard to complete this road rehabilitation project my mid-November 2008.

Hurricane Ridge Rd will be closed to all traffic Monday through Thursday from September 15 - October 15. It will remain open Friday through Sunday, weather permitting. For more trail and hiking information, check the Olympic National Park website or call 360-565-3100 or call the Park hotline for additional information 360-565-3131.

Hurricane Ridge Related Articles

Best Things to Do in Sequim - Hurricane Ridge

Second Anniversary of Moving to Sequim

Sequim Things to Do on Sequim Vacation

Tags: Sequim, vacation travel, Sequim vacation, Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge

Biking the Oympic Discovery Trail

That's quite unusual that Keoki beats me to a post but I guess he must have really enjoyed his tennis at the Sequim High School tennis courts on Father's Day. His Sequim tennis post definitely shwos his love for Sequim and for tennis. Actually, everybody liked his article about Tennis in Sequim.

Anyhow, here is what I had in mind to write about and then it got postponed. When Keoki played tennis, I went for a bike ride, which we normally do together. We both love biking, in 'old' Hawaii and in 'new' Sequim.

I did a bike ride through Carrie Blake Park past the Canadian Geese with their babies, past the fish pond where the kiddos were fishing (they actually caught a fish!), past the dog park and up and down the new development of Willow Creek with the lots for sale signs by Welcome Home Realty (one said SOLD!) and past the Peninsula Driftwood Exhibition (lots of visitors). Finally, ending up at our favorite bench at the duck pond enjoying a warm sunny day in Sequim. It was wonderful!

As said above, Keoki and I loved to bike in Hawaii on Sunday mornings when traffic was down. We'd put our bikes on our bike rack on the car, drive to the coast and ride our bikes along the Hwy which leads all along the beautiful Kohala Coast in the direction to Hawi. We never made it to Hawi, which is the turning point for the triathletes at the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon but we definitely got our work-out up and down the hills with occasional stops to watch the whales during the 'winter' months. Our 24-mile round trip of biking made us feel like accomplished bikers.


Ever since we moved to Sequim in 2006, we 'discovered' the Olympic Discovery Trail for our biking ambitions. Well, we never made it all the way to Port Angeles - probably always did like 1/3 of the Discovery Trail distance. Unfortunately, our new house construction last year slowed down our biking ambition. It was just easier to go to SARC and get everything down right there: Biking or crosstrainer, Stretching, weights and swimming laps in the pool and not to forget, relax in the sauna and jacuzzi!


However, nothing beats being outside and bike through the beautiful countryside in Sequim with the backdrop of the Olympic Mountains with a few patches of snow. We have not started our Olympic Discovery Trail biking routine yet but we both started using the bikes from our house to SARC, which is a 10-min. ride each way. Actually, with gas prices rising daily, we expect more people in Sequim will pick up biking again, just like in the old days. It's healthy and saves money!

Let me tell you it's not that bad when you avoid Washington St. Cars yield and people wave to you, even high school kids who come from P.E. This is friendly Sequim. That's why we moved here. Last but not least, for those who come here for a Sequim vacation, check out Mike's Bikes for bike rentals and Olympic Peninsula biking trails. And here is good news for those who stay a month at our Sequim Vacation Rental, we are in the process of getting another bike (we already have one) for our guests to use for free. Biking in Sequim can't get any better.

Related Articles

Stretch with Keoki at SARC
Visit Sol Duc Hot Springs
Things to do on Sequim Vacation

Tags: Sequim, Vacation, Travel, Olympic Peninsula, Biking

Tennis in Sequim

Yesterday was Fathers Day and probably the most beautiful day of the year. Not to say most every day isn’t beautiful in sunny Sequim, but yesterday the sun was out the whole day not just peeking out from behind the passing clouds.

But I wander a bit off track as this post is about tennis in Sequim and not the weather in Sequim. You see I’m a tennis player transplanted from the Big Island of Hawaii, where the sun also shines but big difference is it warms the air allowing one to run around in shorts and a t- shirt when playing tennis.

Ten months ago I had surgery on a torn meniscus and was forced to lay off tennis until this spring. The knee was feeling much better and we went back to Hawaii in April. The sun was shinning and the air was warm and tennis called. It was there I got back in the tennis groove and when we returned to Sequim I went in search of a game.

The only game in town open to the public are the courts at Sequim High School. Now these are not the best and they are not the worst courts I’ve played on but you know if you really like to play tennis then its not the courts that matter. What matters are your fellow tennis players and I can say without a doubt the group of players that show at 8 o’clock in the morning weekdays are some great guys and gals who enjoy the game. I mean you got to enjoy the game to come out there in 50 degree weather, all bundled up like you are going skiing. Sure the sun comes out and maybe you have to shed a sweatshirt but let me tell you the air isn’t going to warm up much.

That brings me back to yesterday, Fathers Day, and that beautiful day when the air did warm up and I donned my shorts and tee shirt, grabbed my tennis racquet and headed for the courts. However it being Sunday we had a different group of players than the older retired players during the week also a great bunch of people willing to take in a fellow tennis player. I had a great time and hope for more sunny days with warm air. All I can say tennis is alive and well in Sequim.

If you are coming to Sequim bring the tennis racquet and stay with us at our Bell Hill View vacation rental. We’ll go hit some balls. Hope to see you in Sequim. Keoki

Tags: Sequim, vacation, travel