Day 6 - Seattle's Locals Ben & Missi

This morning we took our time getting up and getting out. When we did get out, we zipped down the I-5 to Boeing field and the Museum of Flight. When we checked it out online, they had Harrison Ford narrate their preview, so we thought it couldn't be that bad. Turns out we were right. In fact, it was pretty amazing. The kids wanted to go through it so fast that Faith and I took turns looking at and photographing displays for later reference since we didn't have much time to read plackards.

We saw information on the space program, old and new, and Micah attempted to land the lunar lander. I succeeded on the most difficult setting first try. I know, I'm so modest. I think it was a gimmick to hook people - or all of those video game playing days finally paid off on something else equally as useless. They had some pretty cool stuff there, including a training model that they are now assembling of the space shuttle in its own hangar.



We also walked through the Concord, an older Air Force One, saw a B-17 bomber and a Boeing 747, the Blackbird, and several other very cool aircraft. Funny - there was no mention of the Avro Arrow debacle (why would there be here, the Americans got some of our best engineers out of the deal who primarily designed both the shuttle and the lunar lander).

They had a great display of the original Boeing manufacturing hangar located here and named the "Red Barn" and so many WWI and II displays. My favorite part of it all was reading about the Tuskegee Airmen. I should tell you about them sometime. They also did justice to famous pilots, including people like Billy Bishop of Canada. And how can you not mention the Red Baron...

We ate a late lunch at Red Robin following that (with planes mounted overhead in the restaurant coupled with - carousel figures?) and brought everyone back to the hotel for a rest. Micah and I stayed up, but everyone else slept hard for the next hour and a bit. We had called up Ben and Missi Zimmer to join us and go to the beach at 4 pm, so they were on our doorstep promptly at 4. I think Ben was a little bored waiting for his work visa, which he interviewed for yesterday (yay!). Anyway...

We decided to go somewhere Ben had never been before. Discovery Park. Our first discovery was that we were off the known trails and into the Pacific Rainforest in a hurry. It was fun and funny. We eventually found our way to the North Beach where we rested before heading on to the lighthouse. A few injuries happened along the way as children tired and tripped. They sure had a good time with Ben and Missi though. So did we. I'm sure we walked more than 3 miles. My feet are a little bit sensitive right now, especially after all the walking yesterday and the museum this morning. To end the day, we drove past the troll and three billy goats gruff under the toll bridge on our way to Dick's Drive-In. Greasy-good burgers at greasy-good prices. It was a fun experience. From here we wished Ben and Missi the best and headed back to our hotel where we packed what we could for tomorrow's journey and prepared ourselves for what lies ahead.

Four nights in the U.S. ...and home to Canada tomorrow.

- Mark