The Senior Scene

Life is so short, and most of us are at an age where we are losing those close to us. In the not-too-distant past, I have lost a couple of 102-year-olds, but I am attending a birthday party for a 109-year-old. They all have had wonderful stories to tell of the things they have done and the places they have traveled. The one thing that keeps coming up in conversations is “don’t hold back.” As long as you can get around, keep on going. You may not be able to travel alone any more, but you certainly can in a group where there is someone to keep an eye on you and help out when you are in need. A roommate can be found for you so that you are not alone and are not paying that extra amount for a single supplement.

Recently we have done a few short things like the beautiful Skagit Valley for a look at the tulips. The 5th Avenue Theater has kept a steady group entertained, and we have even included lunch in Seattle to go along with these excursions. We look forward to more activities now that the weather is better. Get on the e-mail list to find out about them, as they may come up with very short notice.

Those things which take a longer planning time need to be thought about now. We have mentioned the ALASKA CRUISE on Aug. 18 and still have both a male and a female looking for a roommate. This may be just the thing for you to add to your memories. It is an easy cruise, as it goes right out of downtown Seattle, so there is no need for airline flights.

Iceland seems to be the latest hot-spot destination, and we have space with Collette Tours on July 14.  Flights go non-stop from Seattle to this country full of dramatic contrasts. See steaming lava fields and massive glaciers, thundering waterfalls and plunging fjords.

Our South America group keeps growing, so why not join in the fun? This is a Princess cruise which includes a rare four days in Antarctica. Fly to Santiago for the 16-day adventure, returning home from Buenos Aires. Just think of the stories you could tell from this. Strike another continent off your bucket list.

Should we think even further out?  How long has it been since you have thought about China, Vietnam, Hong Kong? Perhaps we should look into that direction.

For further information, reservations or questions, get in touch with Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or e-mail to linda.finch@gmail.com.

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Trailhead Direct – the weekend and holiday transit-to-trails service of King County Metro and King County Parks – returned April 20 with more routes connecting hikers to more backcountry trails.

For the second full season of the service, more pickup sites have been added – including the Tukwila International Boulevard Station – with trips to more trailheads, including Little Si near North Bend and the Sky Country Trailhead in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Hikers will again be able to take Trailhead Direct to some of King County’s most popular trails, including Mount Si and Mailbox Peak.

“We’re bringing back Trailhead Direct with more routes to more trails in more communities,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Our popular transit-to-trails service has succeeded in many different ways. We have made our spectacular mountain forests accessible to more people, reduced dangerous overcrowding at popular trailheads, and made it easy to hike without having to drive or park.”

Hikers will be able to board Trailhead Direct services at four Sound Transit Link light rail stations–Tukwila, University Street, Mount Baker, and Capitol Hill. All four routes are connected to transit hubs, including the Issaquah Transit Center, the Eastgate Freeway Station in Bellevue, and the North Bend Park-and-Ride.

Trailhead Direct started in 2017 as a single-route pilot project and expanded in 2018 with additional funding from the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Benefit District. Other sponsors included REI Co-op and Cliff Bar, which helped fund outreach and promotion.

The pilot project was in response to dangerous overcrowding at popular trailhead parking lots, which frequently exceed their capacity during spring and summer weekends and holidays.

The service also makes the region’s mountain forests accessible to more people who either prefer to take transit or do not have access otherwise. Starting a new route in Tukwila addresses community feedback from south King County residents and makes backcountry trails more accessible to residents who live in some of the nation’s most racially diverse communities, officials said.

Hikers who take Trailhead Direct from downtown Seattle and Tukwila will arrive at trailheads in less than an hour, Metro officials said.

The newest route offers service to the Sky Country Trailhead in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, starting at Sound Transit’s Tukwila International Boulevard Station with stops at Renton Transit Center and Renton Highland. Passengers have the option to continue to the Issaquah Transit Center, where they can transfer to Trailhead Direct routes to additional hikes in the Issaquah Alps, or east to Little Si, Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe, and Mailbox Peak.

At Little Si, the state Department of Natural Resources worked with King County Parks and Metro to build a new drop-off and pickup location for Trailhead Direct service.

The Trailhead Direct vehicles are 13, 17, 19 and 27-seaters. Each vehicle has a rack for two or three bikes. Passengers pay Metro’s standard $2.75 fare. Passengers can pay with an ORCA card, Transit Go Mobile ticket, or cash with exact change.

Dogs may ride at the discretion of the operator under Metro’s guidelines. Passengers with larger, non-service dogs may need to pay an additional fare.

Winter seemed to be something that was never coming, and then it hit anew and with a little fury.  Our area is just not used to it, so school and businesses close for a day or two, and those of us who can kind of just hole up at home with a warm drink, hot soup and a good book.  Some of us, however, just head south to get out of it.

A few of us did just that and ran away to Baja California Sur, the tip of the Baja peninsula. We boarded Alaska Airlines and in under four hours were in the land of sun and beaches. Our journey took us to the Grand Mayan Resort in San Jose del Cabo. This was our base for a luxurious two weeks. Everything was at our disposal, from pools with swim-up bars to miles of sandy beaches. We had art projects, cooking schools, and mixology classes. We read books and played cards. You didn’t need to leave the resort unless you wanted to. But it wouldn’t be much of an adventure if you didn’t get out and away from it all.

The town of San Jose is really not that large. It is walking distance to the center of town (or a short taxi ride). Here you find amazing art galleries, small shops, and wonderful restaurants. A little Spanish gets you a long way with a pleasant smile and a bit of patience. We found artwork, pottery, glassworks, jewelry, leather bags, tourist junk and everything in between. Hours can be spent ambling the streets and poking into shops.

We also took a day trip north about 90 miles to the capitol city of La Paz, founded in 1596. The roads to this area are beautiful freeways through the desert landscape, over auroras that are just dust streams until a quick flash flood hits, at which time they become raging rivers, and up hills with spectacular views of the Pacific. We tried whale watching but didn’t manage to see anything. The city itself is not for the resort-minded, but the Malecon promenade did show off the beaches and many sculptures. Here there are restaurants overlooking the water, small shops selling souvenirs, and miles of beaches. Our lady of Peace Cathedral sits in the center of the city. The mission was founded by the Jesuits in the early 18th Century.

Our second outing was to the wonderfully fun city of Todos Santos. This artist village sits with the Sierra de la Laguana mountain range at its back.  It is about 50 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, and so it is easy to drive up for lunch and exploration. The first place that everyone wants to go is the Hotel California, some say made famous by the Eagles song of the same name. There is some controversy about that, but the mystique will always be there.  Here you can go from artist to artist looking at paintings and sculptures, talking with those who make it all work.  Restaurants abound, and of course there are many places to rest with a margarita, a cervesa, or simply a soda and just watch the tourists having fun.

In the end, you go back to your resort, put your feet up on the balcony, and watch the sun fade into the hills. We had brilliant sunrises off our balcony and then looked forward to the burning sky coming from behind us for an evening sunset. It was then time for some dinner in our condos and a few hands of cards before starting a new day.

Adventure keeps us young and alert. Come along with us another time. Currently, I have both a male and a female looking for a roommate on the South America cruise in January of 2020, including the Antarctica. There is also a male looking for a roommate on the Alaska cruise in August. Space is still available for Iceland in July and Egypt in May. Contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or linda.finch@gmail.com for further information on any of these trips. Or, if planning your own cruise or tour vacation, let Linda handle the arrangements for you.

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