I have traveled to every state except Hawaii, and I have lived in 12 of those states. I loved some more than others. Sometimes I missed being close to the ocean; sometimes I missed being near mountains. However, I always found unique landscapes and interesting places to explore no matter where I landed. My favorite states? Alaska and Washington, the most recent places I explored!

I have always been intrigued by the PNW, I just never made it up here. And, if my son had not moved to Eastern Washington, I might not have spent much time here at all. Yet, I have an overwhelming sense that the Olympic Peninsula is my long-lost “place.” That is not to say I am ready to hang up my keys (nomad slang), but I certainly have found a place to call my home base. Why? Here are the top reasons for this general region:

1. Stunning landscape: mountains AND ocean
2. The Pacific Flyway runs overhead
3. Access to ferries, trains, buses, shuttles, planes. No matter what, as I age I can still travel extensively. I can also stop burning up so much gas (although planes are now considered one of the most polluting methods of travel)!
4. Liberal politics (Washington just passed a gun control measure)
5. Access to great healthcare
6. Lots of National Forest, State Parks, and other outdoor stuff
7. Quick and relatively cheap travel to Alaska

Why I love Sequim, in particular:

• National Park in my backyard
• Wildlife Refuge down the street
• Beach access a few miles away, dramatic Pacific Coast, west on HWY 101
• Winter usually above freezing
• Library with free ebooks and audiobooks, decent magazines and newspapers on site
• YMCA with a pool
• Audubon Center in town with activities and bird groups
• A large population of hummingbirds, summer and winter
• Access to kayaking
• Great stores, including two good thrift stores
• Coffee shops
• Social life! Hiking Club, Senior groups, weekly happy hour at the RV park, Thanksgiving dinner at the park
• Post office and stores within walking distance
• 6 ACA/Al-Anon meetings
• Active farmer’s market
• Small farms with farm stands selling produce.
• Really cute RV park with nice neighbors.
• Local herd of approx 100 elk

I am not alone in finding this a great location; it is known as a retirement area. In fact, 44 % of the local population is 65 or older. I have met other retired folks in the RV park or on hikes, and the only common thread I have found so far is that we all have kids/grandkids somewhere in Washington. Most are building a home here, a few are fulltime RVers like me. Otherwise, the people are from a wide geographic area that includes Minnesota and Kansas.

The Olympic Mountains are receiving lots of snow! I can see them from the window above my kitchen sink, which is wonderful. And, I am seeing a pattern to the cloud cover: it tends to be cloudiest in the AM, clearing in the afternoon. So, Tango and I set out for our longer walks later in the day.

The early nightfall is worth noting. True, with the “fall-back” last weekend, it gets dark early for most people, but up here, we are talking EARLY EARLY. It makes sense. Over the summer, the sunlight often lingers until after 10 PM. Now, the far north has more darkness than other areas. And, with the early morning cloud cover, the mornings stay darker, longer.

So, that is the update from Sequim. I feel so blessed to have stumbled on this area. I keep thinking, “pinch me”, “pinch me”.