The Big Pigs: Big Pig 4: West Coast Boog-A-Loo 3

Ok, ok, so it's been a loooooong time since I rapped at ya. I know. Anywho, long one short, we're at it again on the West Coast, this time in the Pacific Northwest to see friends, sample brews, scale mountains, and ward off all manner of whining and toy-begging coming from the backseat. It's Monday night and we're in a Best Western in Mt. Vernon, WA. To the action!

We landed very late Friday night in Seattle and headed straight for Lynette and Tom Baisch's home on the north side of the city. They had graciously offered us space in their lovely home back when Molly was supposed to join us for a portion of our trip, but she and Mark high-tailed it to Paris for her 40th birthday. Lynette stepped up and kept her end of the bargain (not really a bargain for her, I guess).

Seattle on Saturday and Sunday were a blast. Sunday night we went out with Lynette and Tom to a decidedly fancy-pants small plates place. Highlights from Saturday include:

Pike Place Market (sleepy James), before the VAST HOARDS descended on it

The famous and disgusting "gum wall"

On the ferry to Bainbridge Island, where we ate ice cream and visited the kiddie museum (the ferry was the best part)

The stupid first Starbucks

I gotta hand it to Pike Place market in particular. I was convinced it was going to be a Bubba Gump Shirmp Co. type place, with lots of little crappy boutiques selling shot glasses that say "Seattle" on them or Space Needle tshirts. But it was actually very awesome! As in, legit old school food stalls, craft vendors, and weirdo novelty junk shops.

Sunday was mostly focused around the MoPop museum (formerly the Experience Music Project). They had a Jim Henson exhibit which James got pretty into, in additon to their regular collections of rock and roll memorabilia, sound labs (where you can jam on instruments), and movie and television props.

It is actually kind of spooky even though you know they don't have legs

Luke Skywalker's actual light saber and severed hand props

Indiana Jones' hat and jacket, and the Staff of Ra from Raiders of the Last Arc

All the Star Trek costumers were there, but these dudes are my favs

Today we got up very early and made the long drive up to Paradise, on the slopes of Mt. Rainier. The mountain had been hiding in the forest fire smoke all weekend, so we didn't even actually get to see it until we were within the park's boundaries. But once up there, she did not disappoint.

I packed James in the kid carrier (he's pushing the upper weight limit now), and we walked up about 4 miles, until we were above the tree line and the snow got too slick and dangerous for us to continue.