Last summer I made it up to Seattle for a few days and on the first evening we went to Ivar’s Acres of Clams on the waterfront for dinner. We ate outside and watched the ferry’s leave out across the Puget Sound. I had visited here almost thirty years ago for my first out of town conference and had dinner here the night before I left. If felt great to be able to return for another visit. The food is great if you’re ever in the area too. The setting sun made a great backdrop for this seagull waiting for a little snack.
The best way to see the country is to turn off the interstate and get yourself lost. Bring the GPS or map so you can find your way home, but get lost. It's the scenes on the backroads that are waiting to be discovered by those with the time and curiosity. Like the backpacker that climbs the backcountry, the road less traveled is where many of the hidden gems are found. This lonely old Appalachian barn in North Carolina was sitting by the road waiting for us to discover it.