My Highlights of 2011

It’s the end of the year and I am reflecting on the memories we made in 2011.  I’m also using this time to look forward to our future adventures in 2012.  I see a calendar open with opportunities but not quite sure yet what’s in store.  I hope it will be as wonderful as this year was!  Below are 12 pictures capturing just a single memorable moment from each month in 2011:

January:  We rung in the New Year in San Francisco by taking in the sites around town.  The “Painted Ladies” in Alamo Square are recognizable to anyone who grew up watching Full House.

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February:  Tofino on Vancouver Island off the coast of mainland British Columbia, Canada was a great quiet escape.  Outside of Tofino, we explored the Horne Caves and ate way to many Nanaimo bars.

.March: A trip to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA.

.April:  Vancouver, BC is always a fun place to visit and only a 3-hour drive north of Seattle.  Here’s a shot of me at Siwash Rock in Stanley Park.

.May:  We camped at Lake Chelan, WA the week before Memorial Day and it was pretty quiet.  I hear it gets crowded in the summer time.

.June:  Bonfire in Auburn, NY.  The fire department even showed up!  We spent our time visiting with family and friends there in Central New York just outside of Syracuse.  This is the largest bonfire I’ve ever seen and we wouldn’t have had it if it weren’t for Shaver Brothers providing stuff to burn.

.July:  The Parliament Building in Victoria, BC.  My parents came to visit and we took them up to see the Provincial Capitol City.  I love how this building lights up at night.

.August:  Shi Shi Beach in the Olympic National Park, WA.  We backpacked into this remote beach in the northwestern corner of the park for a couple days.  The beach was littered with crab shells.  It looked like giants had a crab feast!

.September:  Machu Picchu, Peru.  Simply majestic.  Need I say more?  Why yes I can, click here.

.October: Sea lions on a boat slip in Astoria, OR.  I feel like I saw more sea lions than people in this quaint town also known as the home of The Goonies.

.November: Multnomah Falls in Oregon is over 600 feet tall with a powerful spray.  Bring a rain jacket even on a sunny day.  We hiked up to the top and saw an incredible view over the Columbia River.

.December:  The Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, CA.  This is the lowest spot in the Western Hemisphere at 282 feet below sea level.  This shot took us over 40 tries to get the timing right.  I was sore the next day from all that jumping.