Concert at the Gorge (George, WA)

I really like the Dave Matthews Band; I have from the first time I heard them. I would say that Erik LOVES the Dave Matthews Band. So much that at times I’ve thought “Enough, I’m going to go crazy if I have to listen to one more DMB song!” It turns out that the band loves to spend Labor Day weekend in the practically nonexistent town of George, Washington (ha ha) playing three consecutive concerts at the Gorge Amphitheatre. With Erik’s birthday on September 4 (usually over the Labor Day weekend), what a great gift but tickets to one of the shows! Even better, old friends, Fred and Kim are now living in Eastern Washington so they got tickets too and met us there. Here is a photo of the Gorge that I found online so you can see what a cool venue it is:

It was about a three and a half hour drive from Port Orchard (where we left the kids with Erik’s parents). Once we crossed the mountains the weather was beautiful and sunny! We got passes for the campground and waited for Fred and Kim. Once we could drive in together our quest for a camping spot began. The place was a complete and utter zoo! There were plenty of people left over from the Friday show and there was zero order (park in rows? Don’t be ridiculous!). We finally found a spot near the back cow field which was actually close to one of the few remaining road-sized paths in the humongous field used for camping. Lots of hanging out, drinking, snacking, talking, etc.

Finally it was time to head over to the concert. Silly me, I was just following Erik and Fred as Kim and I chit chatted almost the entire hike over to the amphitheater. Also realize that at this time 1) it is still light out and 2) everyone is migrating to the same location. This will become important later. At the show we parted ways because Erik and I had tickets in a different section. AWESOME tickets I might add—the fourteenth row! I could see everyone on stage with my own eyes! Totally clearly, it was great. I was so bummed though because I realized that they didn’t care if you brought small cameras. I don’t know if that is the band’s policy, or all concerts are like that because they have given up trying to keep cameras out. I remember reading the rules and seeing “no professional cameras” which made me wonder if that meant you could take small cameras, but I wasn’t going to risk getting my camera confiscated. So I was kicking myself as everyone around me whipped out their cameras for cool shots. And they are all lazy because I can’t find ANY of those photos on the web yet. I stole a few shots from the DMB fan site; they are from concerts earlier this summer:


Before the show began they played some old Beastie Boys. I was laughing and asking Erik, “I wonder how many people here are too young to know what this music is?” Then I about died when, during the concert, they performed a cover of “Sledgehammer”! One of my least favorite Peter Gabriel songs, but they did a great cover of it. Again though, how many people didn’t know what that song was? It also seemed very fitting since the last really great concert we went to happened to be Peter Gabriel, so we had been reminiscing a little about that earlier in the evening.

The show was simply incredible. I thought I liked DMB before, but they are so much better live! I can see why they have such a following. However, I don’t see how people AFFORD to follow them, those tickets weren’t cheap! There was a couple sitting behind us who had flown in from Minnesota and were going to all three nights. Wow! It would be kind of cool though because they perform completely different shows each night of the weekend. It amazes me how much good material they have to choose from. Here is the set list from our show (again, thanks to the DMB fan site):

08/30/2008
Dave Matthews Band
Gorge Amphitheatre
George, WA

Dreaming Tree *
One Sweet World *
Stay Or Leave *
Two Step *
The Song That Jane Likes *
Grey Street *
Louisiana Bayou *
Out Of My Hands +
Sugar Will *
Jimi Thing *
Sledgehammer *
Pantala Naga Pampa *
Rapunzel *
Stolen Away On 55th & 3rd *
Crush *
So Much To Say *
Anyone Seen The Bridge *
Too Much *

Encore:
Sister ~
Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)
Stay (Wasting Time) *

Special Guests:
* Jeff Coffin
+ No Horns, Dave on piano
~ Dave, Tim, Carter and Rashawn

After the show Erik and I waited in line to buy shirts and then started our trek back to the campground. Note to self: take a flashlight next time you go to the Gorge. It is DARK out there! And once you get to the campground it is extra dark and everything looks the same. And it’s huge. I was with Erik and he has an amazing sense of direction. But I remember stifling a feeling of panic as we seemed to roam endlessly around searching for our campsite! We finally got back around 12:30. I saw a lantern out and yelled “We’re here!” But no one else was there. Hum. To make a long story short (oops, too late), Fred and Kim had decided to race each other back to the campsite. Unfortunately Kim took a wrong turn and got lost! Of course she didn’t have her cell phone on her. I waited at the campsite in case she arrived there while Fred and Erik went on the hunt. Amazingly enough, they found her! Praise the Lord for cell phones! I can’t imagine how completely frightening that must have been. I know I would have lost it—they didn’t get back to the campsite until 1:30.

After a freezing night with bad camping gear (ergo, hardly any sleep) we packed up bright and early to start our trek back to Port Orchard. On the way out we stopped at the scenic overlook to get a photo (self-portrait). I was thinking if we had been smart we would have stopped on the way there—I must have looked better twenty hours earlier.Hopefully we'll be heading back to the Gorge again, it was great.

Woodland Park Zoo and Green Lake

This week Erik worked on Thursday and had Friday off—giving us a nice three-day weekend. We decided to take the kids to the zoo (better to go on a weekday than during the weekend). After scoping out the prices we opted to buy a family membership online the night before (cost to get in for one day = $40 + parking, annual family membership at the gate = $110, family membership online = $95 and you can park for free). I figured we would be back at the zoo a few times in the coming year. Unfortunately I am spoiled, spoiled, SPOILED when it comes to zoos. There isn’t much out there that can hold a candle to the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. Luckily my kids don’t know any better (yet) and were perfectly content with Seattle’s zoo. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, it’s just kind of small and dated. For example, when you enter by the north gate you have to walk a long time before you even see any animals. That’s kind of a bummer. And the penguins are gone because they are building a new habitat for them that won’t open until next year.But, we had a beautiful day, we weren’t in any hurry and the crowd was minimal. I think both kids had a great time. Obviously Audrey was more expressive about her excitement. The best part was probably the gorillas. When we got there some were eating and some were sleeping. Audrey was standing right at the glass when the HUMONGOUS silverback male walked RIGHT TOWARD HER! I can not believe she didn’t freak out. I was squatting down next to her, so on her level and I could feel my heart start to race a little. He was just so big—it was really amazing. I wish I could have gotten a picture when he was so close to her, but I was too busy watching. I got a photo later when he strolled away.Other big hits were the giraffes, the elephants, the monkeys and the hippos. Hunter was too cute waving to the monkeys saying “hiiii”. Unfortunately the hippo habitat is completely insufficient and rather pungent. When you ask Audrey about her trip to the zoo the first thing she will tell you, and rather loudly, is “Zoo hippos are STINKY!” Then she cracks up—what a nut.

The zoo also has a very cool restored antique carousel. This was Audrey’s first ever carousel ride and she loved it. I think I’m going to have to let her ride every time we return. Her horse even had a name, “Pride and Joy”. I had Stevie Ray Vaughn running through my head the entire ride.We took a picnic lunch to the zoo and were there for about two hours. It seemed much longer though. After we left we went over to Green Lake. This is a beautiful area with a fabulous park and lots of great shops and restaurants. We went by a bike shop (I’m on the quest of a bike), got some ice cream and then let the kids play in the park for awhile. Once we all got loaded into the van and back on the road it was three o’clock. The kids were officially exhausted and passed out for most of the trip back to Mount Vernon. It was a wonderful day.

Skagit Valley Highland Games and Celtic Festival

This was actually one thing I had planned to do! And it was amazing that Erik didn’t have call this weekend. So we got to go check out the Highland Games at Edgewater Park. Yes, I took my camera. I realized on my way home that I failed to take a single photo with anything Scottish in it! Oh well, going to a festival with a one and three year old is kind of difficult. If it was me I would have parked myself down by the Games area with a frosty beverage and enjoyed the day. But the kids weren’t interested, it was a sunny and hot day and they wanted to keep moving (which only made them hotter and more tired). And we all know what happens with hot and tired children—meltdown. But before the meltdowns, it was still really cool.

The festival had your typical vendors and food booths. As we walked up there was a solo bagpipe competition. Unfortunately that meant about twenty pipers all playing different things at the same time, thus sounding a lot like racket. And I really like bagpipes! Unfortunately a lot of what I was interested in was slated for the afternoon (i.e. nap time). So I didn’t get to watch the Sheepdog trials or the Pipe band competition. I did get to hear some of the bands practicing though and that was enjoyable.

A little review for anyone who might be in the area and want to attend; I would totally recommend this festival. It wasn’t huge, but it also wasn’t jam-packed. There were several things going on and it has a very nice setting. Check out our photo of Mount Baker (and the Mount Vernon tulip tower) from the festival grounds. Sometimes I forget what a beautiful place we live in! There were a few tents with kid activities and they even had kids’ games (haggis toss anyone?). I think that will be a riot in a few years.
Now for the family firsts: Let’s begin with the best five dollars I ever spent…Pony Ride!!! I was worried because you know how Audrey will often freak out around animals. But she was all over the pony ride—I think it was the time of her [short] life! I couldn’t believe the smiles, the laughs, and the independence. She must have gotten a small dose of horse-love from Grandma R. Lord knows it isn’t from me. When I told her she could ride all she wanted at Grandma and Grandpa’s, she said “Let’s go right now!” Hunter was a little leery about the whole thing, but he warmed up near the end.


Our next first was a shared ice cream cone. My kids have certainly had ice cream, but never in cone form. It was a huge hit, and I was amazed at how well Hunter caught on. I shouldn’t be though; when it comes to eating I think he is an idiot savant. Since I was sitting next to Hunter I had to hold the cone for him so I didn’t get any photos. I wish I could have though, he was a crack up!

Boating in Seattle

For those of you who don’t know, my home, Mount Vernon, is about an hour to Seattle. I love Seattle. I haven’t gotten to do much there, but every trip has been great. It makes me wish I had more time and money to do more there. Well yesterday the family got a huge treat…

Erik’s nurse, Judy, and her husband Bob have a boat on Lake Union. From Lake Union, which is right next to the University of Washington, you can go through the locks and get out to Puget Sound, or you can got through “the cut” and get to Lake Washington. We got there around noon and had lunch as we cruised Lakes Union and Washington.
First for Lake Union—gorgeous sites of Seattle: UW, the boat houses (including the “Sleepless in Seattle” houseboat), restaurants, parks, the city skyline, the barges where they would shoot off an amazing Fourth of July fireworks show that evening, and tons of boats! Now I know most people don’t know a sole who owns a boat on Lake Union, but you can get a taste of the action if you visit Seattle. Check out “Ride the Ducks Seattle”. These are amphibious tour cars so you get a drive around the city as well as some boating on the lake. I haven’t done it myself, but I was impressed seeing all the “Ducks” on the lake. I think it would be a great tour! I’m sure I’ll be dragging future visitors on one…

Now for Lake Washington. This lake is next to Bellevue. Don’t know Bellevue? Think Microsoft, think Bill Gates (is he still the wealthiest man on the planet?)—he lives there. On the lake. The amazing thing…you can’t tell which house is his. It is miles and miles of mansion after mansion after mansion. I’m kicking myself for not dragging my camera out to take photos, but I was basically mesmerized. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my life. How it is even possible that there are that many people, THAT wealthy in one place? It boggles the mind.
In summary, it was a beautiful day full of beautiful sites. I can’t wait for our next invitation!