The Getaway

For our anniversary, Moose booked a guesthouse in Buckley, WA. Now, Buckley is just as it sounds--country. But purdy country! We wanted to see what ordinary life was like out that way--investigating it for possible territory to move to. We travelled around the area a bit and found some pretty neat things, so i thought i'd share. The pictures are a little off, because it was a dark and rainy day last Saturday--nice weather if you're a duck.


The best part of the whole trip was that Cookie Monster communed with horses. She is such a horse girl. We pray that someday we are able to oblige her.

Cookie having a heart-to-heart with Prince, the Friesian

Cookie riding Buckey, the Mustang


The area we visited is nestled in the NW foothills of Mount Rainier.


The most interesting part of this area is that it was founded back in the territorial days before Washington was a state.


As you can imagine, it's not as gorgeous as an old European city, as we in America here tend not to value our history or previous accomplishments. However, some of these cities aren't completely lacking some of their old charms. And thankfully, enough tax money has flowed into places like Buckley and Enumclaw that they are able to use the historical not-for-profits to save their history and label it for the sightseers.

This is an old bank building in downtown Buckley. Sadly, it seems empty now, but let's hope some business springs up in it soon to make use of such an amazing building!

Just down the street from the bank is this beautiful house.

Buckley's one of those communities in transtition right now. We visited a couple years ago and there was nothing but a bar, a shabby thrift/dollar combo, and a dentist's office. Thankfully, city folk have been moving out there and the increase of services are required now. Not that the downtown is a "destination" yet, but if you lived here in Buckley town proper, you'd have within walking distant a coffee shop, druggist, quilt shop, investment manager, and a post office and a few restuarants. All while living in a quiet setting and not-so-busy neighbourhood. In most of these towns out here, kid are even playing in the streets like it was 1948!!

Next up on route 165 was the Town of Wilkeson, WA.

Believe it or not, they have a coffee roaster in town.

Wilkeson's better days were back when the timber was harvested. Now most of that kind of activity in our state is dead, and so go this way the towns too. Really, 50 miles is rather far for someone to live from Seattle, considering that it would easily take you 2 hours to get to work. They are also high enough out here to see snow often.

Their downtown, although not much, has some amazing old brick buildings. They're built on a slant, and sit across from one another on the highway.

I am very fond of the Carlson Block.

I think it's because of this green door.

Sure, the arched windows and the roofline are gorgeous, but the green door.

I just can't get past it. Maybe because it reminds me of the doors in Ireland.

My friend and i are dreaming of the day we have our own businesses. I'd love to have a food stand and she would love to make speciality desert items. For some reason i can't help but think that behind this door we could have an awesome shop, her and i. First off, it would totally be like Mr. Hooper's Store! Sadly, the area isn't as busy as a neighbourhood block in NYC. :)

What's your guess on these building here?

1900's era brothels?

The style is still better than anything we have today in our area.

(Unless you consider a concrete box an architectual beauty.)

Wilkeson Town Hall is located behind the old Northern Pacific line through town...

but it doesn't look old enough to be the old rail station or maybe a receiving building for timber logs to be shipped down the hills by rail.

Here is the Wilkeson Elementary School!

Isn't it a delight?

Thankfully it's in beautiful shape on the outside. We're hoping the inside is just as beautiful. What lucky children that get to attend this school!

We travelled through Wilkeson, on up Hwy 165 to Carbonado, WA.

The town consisted of cabins along the main drag, that may have been charming way back before the people started moving out there and sprucing them up. Bright yellow trim on a redwood stain cabin just doesn't look authentic, you know? There is tons of signage for the Carbonado Saloon, so when we drove past i was expecting to see something like i remember from Tombstone, AZ....or heck, even something like those brothel-looking buildings back in Wilkeson, four miles away. Alas, *thee* Carbonado Saloon looked like a school portable. Only saloonyish thing about it was that it was painted maroon. Such a let down, we didn't even stop for a picture. Which turned out to be a good thing, because we had enough light to get a photo when we saw this...

It's the second cemetary of its kind we saw on our adventure.

Wilkeson has one just like it outside of town.

Now, Carbonado is the last civilisation outside of ranger stations beyond here.

On our way up Hwy 165 to the Carbon Glacier trailhead, we crossed the Carbon River on this one-lane steel bridge. The bridge is 494 ft long across the gorge and is extremely high above the river. Now would be the time to visit and get out and look over the side (since it was dusk, we decided against it.) In the summer, i imagine this is pretty busy.

Especially because there is an old ghosttown to explore nearby.

Once you see this sign, the end is near.

At milepost 0.0 on 165 you'll see the Carbon River, a ranger station, and

a bridge that is amazingly perched over an entire raging river that is sourced by a glaicer! With the large bits of debris that travel down the river, i am amazed that this bridge is in tact--or for that matter allowed.

I am not sure, but this looks like this might be a pretty important piece to something with that perfect notch cut out of it. I wonder where the river carried it from? It was a beautiful trip...took about an hour and half with all the stopping.

Definitely an area to go back and explore on a sunny day.

Wilkeson has some beautiful late 19th century homes that are in need of a little love, but still fascinating enough to photograph.