Passing by Seattle, Washington
Space Needle
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, a landmark of the Pacific Northwest, and a symbol of Seattle. It was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors, when nearly 20,000 people a day used its elevators.
Once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, it is 605 ft (184 m) high, 138 ft (42 m) wide, and weighs 9,550 tons. It is built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour (89 m/s) and earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. It also has 25 lightning rods.
It has an observation deck at 520 ft (160 m) and a gift shop with the rotating SkyCity restaurant at 500 ft. From the top of the Needle, one can see not only the downtown Seattle skyline but also the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay, and surrounding islands. Photographs of the Seattle skyline often show the Space Needle prominently, above the rest of the skyscrapers and Mount Rainier.
Visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle by elevators that travel at 10 miles per hour (4.5 m/s). The trip takes 41 seconds, and some tourists wait in hour-long lines. On windy days, the elevators slow to 5 miles per hour (2.2 m/s). On April 19, 1999, the city's Landmarks Preservation Board designated it an historic landmark.
The architecture of the Space Needle is the result of a compromise between the designs of two men, Edward E. Carlson and John Graham, Jr. The two leading ideas for the World Fair involved businessman Edward Carlson's sketch of a giant balloon tethered to the ground (see the gently sloping base) and architect John Graham's concept of a flying saucer (see the halo that houses the restaurant and observation deck). Victor Steinbrueck introduced the hourglass profile of the tower. The Space Needle was built to withstand wind speeds of 200 mph, double the requirements in the building code of 1962. An earthquake registering 6.8 on the Richter Scale jolted the Needle enough in 2001 for water to slosh out of the toilets in the restrooms. The Space Needle can endure serious structural damage during earthquakes of magnitudes below 9. Also made to withstand Category 5 hurricane-force winds, the Space Needle sways only 1 inch per 10 mph (16 mm per 10 km/h) of wind speed.
For decades, the "hovering disk" of the Space Needle was home to two restaurants 500 ft (150 m) above the ground: the Space Needle Restaurant, which was originally named Eye of the Needle, and Emerald Suite. These were closed in 2000 to make way for SkyCity, a larger restaurant that features Pacific Northwest cuisine. It rotates 360 degrees in exactly forty-seven minutes. In 1993, the elevators were replaced with new computerized versions. The new elevators descend at a rate of 10 miles per hour (4.5 m/s).
On December 31, 1999 (New Year's Eve), a powerful beam of light was unveiled for the first time. Called the Legacy Light or Skybeam, it is powered by lamps that total 85 million candela shining skyward from the top of the Space Needle to honor national holidays and special occasions in Seattle. The concept of this beam was derived from the official 1962 World's Fair poster, which depicted such a light source although none was incorporated into the original design. It is somewhat controversial because of the light pollution it creates. Originally planned to be turned on 75 nights per year, it has generally been used fewer than a dozen times per year. It did remain lit for eleven days in a row from September 11, 2001, to September 22, 2001, in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The same 1962 World's Fair original poster showed a grand spiral entryway leading to the elevator, but this, too, was omitted from the final building plans. This stairway was added as part of the Pavilion and Spacebase addition/remodel in June 2000. The main stairwell (generally emergency access) has 848 steps in all from the basement to the top of the observation deck. At approximately 605 ft (184 m), the Space Needle was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at the time it was built by Howard S. Wright Construction Co., but is now dwarfed by other structures along the Seattle skyline, among them the Columbia Center, at 967 ft. Unlike many other similar structures, such as the CN Tower in Toronto, the Space Needle is not used for broadcasting purposes.
History
Edward E. Carlson, chairman of the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle, originally had an idea for erecting a tower with a restaurant at the World's Fair. Carlson was then president of a hotel company and not previously known for art or design, but he was inspired by a recent visit to the Stuttgart Tower of Germany.
John Graham, an architect who had won praise for designing Northgate Mall in Seattle soon became involved. Graham's first move was to make the restaurant featured in the plans revolve, in the same manner as a tower he had previously designed for the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu.
The proposed Space Needle had no land on which to be built. Since it was not financed by the city, land had to be purchased that was within the fairgrounds. The investors thought that there would be no land available to build a tower and the search for a site was nearly dead when, in 1961, they discovered a plot, 120 by 120 ft (37 by 37 m), containing switching equipment for the fire and police alarm systems. The land sold for $75,000. At this point, only one year remained before the World's Fair would begin.
It was privately built and financed by the "Pentagram Corporation" which consisted of Bagley Wright, contractor Howard S. Wright, architect John Graham, Ned Skinner, and Norton Clapp. In 1977 Bagley, Skinner and Clapp sold their interest to Howard Wright who now controls it under the name of Space Needle Corporation.
The earthquake stability of the Space Needle was ensured when a hole was dug 30 ft (9.1 m) deep and 120 ft (37 m) across, and 467 concrete trucks took one full day to fill it. The foundation weighs 5850 tons (including 250 tons of reinforcing steel), the same as the above-ground structure. The structure is bolted to the foundation with 72 bolts, each one 30 ft (9.1 m) long.
With time an issue, the construction team worked around the clock. The domed top, housing the top five levels (including the restaurants and observation deck), was perfectly balanced so that the restaurant could rotate with the help of one tiny electric motor, originally 0.8 kilowatts (1.1 hp), later replaced with a 1.1 kilowatts (1.5 hp) motor. With paint colors named Orbital Olive for the body, Astronaut White for the legs, Re-entry Red for the saucer, and Galaxy Gold for the roof, the Space Needle was finished in less than one year. It was completed in April 1962 at a cost of $4.5 million. The last elevator car was installed the day before the Fair opened on April 21. During the course of the Fair nearly 20,000 people a day rode the elevators to the Observation Deck. The 20,000 mark was never reached, missed by fewer than 50 people one day. At the time of construction, it was the tallest building in the West, taking the title from the Smith Tower across town that had held that title since 1914.
During the World's Fair, an imitation carillon was installed in the Space Needle, and played several times a day. The carillon recreated the tones of a total of 538 bells, and was built by the Schulmerich Company under the name "Carillon Americana". The operator's console was located in the base of the Space Needle, completely enclosed in glass to allow observation of the musician playing the instrument. It was also capable of being played from a roll, just as a player piano would be. The stentors of the carillon were located in the bottom part of the disc, and were audible over the entire fairgrounds, and beyond.
In 1974, author Stephen Cosgrove's children's book Wheedle on the Needle postulated a furry creature called a Wheedle who lived on top of the Space Needle and caused its light to flash. Its closing quatrain is: There's a Wheedle on the Needle/I know just what you're thinking/But if you look up late at night/You'll see his red nose blinking. The Wheedle had since become a fixture of Seattle, becoming for a time the mascot of the Seattle SuperSonics who played in nearby KeyArena (originally The Coliseum), before departing for Oklahoma City.
In 1982, the SkyLine level was added at a height of 100 ft (30 m). While this level had been depicted in the original plans for the Space Needle, it was not built until this time. Today, the SkyLine Banquet Facility can accommodate groups of 20–360 people.
Renovations were completed in 2000 that cost approximately the same as the original construction price ($21 million in current currency). Renovations between 1999 and 2000 included the SkyCity restaurant, SpaceBase retail store, Skybeam installation, Observation Deck overhaul, lighting additions and repainting.
In 2000, celebrations and a fireworks show were canceled because of perceived terror threats against the structure.
On May 19, 2007, the Space Needle welcomed its 45 millionth visitor. The guest, Greg Novoa of San Francisco, received a free trip for two to Paris which included a VIP dinner at the Eiffel Tower.
Every year on New Year's Eve, the Space Needle celebrates with a fireworks show at midnight that is synchronized to music. The 2007/2008 show stopped, restarted, then stopped again with the rest of the pyrotechnics needing to be ignited by hand. The pyrotechnics crew blamed the problem on a corrupted file in the customized software they use to control the timed ignitions.
In May 2008, the Space Needle received its first professional cleaning since the opening of the 1962 World's Fair. The monument was pressure washed by Kärcher with water at a pressure of 20,000 kilopascals (2,900 psi) and a temperature of 90 °C (194 °F). No detergents were used in consideration of the Seattle Center and the EMP building.
As part of the celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Needle was painted "Galaxy Gold" in April 2012, the same color used when the needle was originally constructed for the 1962 World's Fair. This temporary makeover, intended to last through the summer, is not the Needle's first: it had the University of Washington Huskies football team logo after the team won the 1992 Rose Bowl, appeared as a giant "Wheel of Fortune" in the late 1990s, was painted crimson after Washington State won the Apple Cup, and has been seen in Seattle SuperSonics colors.
Seattle Sky Line
Mt Rainier
Name
Mount Rainier was first known by the Native Americans as Talol, or Tacoma or Tahoma, from the Lushootseed word [təqʷúʔbəʔ] ("mother of waters") spoken by the Puyallup. Another interpretation is that "Tacoma" means "larger than Mount Baker". This comes from the Skagit "Ta", larger, plus "Koma (Kulshan)", Mount Baker. The current name was given by George Vancouver, who named it in honor of his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier. The map of Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806 refers to it as "Mt. Regniere".
Although "Rainier" had been considered the official name of the mountain, Theodore Winthrop, in his posthumously published 1862 travel book The Canoe and the Saddle, referred to the mountain as "Tacoma" and for a time, both names were used interchangeably, although "Mt. Tacoma" was preferred in the city of Tacoma.
In 1890, the United States Board on Geographic Names declared that the mountain would be known as "Rainier". Following this in 1897, the Pacific Forest Reserve became the Mount Rainier Forest Reserve, and the national park was established three years later. Despite this, there was still a movement to change the mountain's name to "Tacoma" and Congress was still considering a resolution to change the name as late as 1924.
In the excitement leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII John Hickenlooper, Governor of Colorado, named 53 mountains after the 53 members of the Denver Broncos. In response the Washington State Senate passed a resolution on Friday January 31, 2014 temporarily renaming the mountain Mount Seattle Seahawks. The resolution expired on midnight Monday, February 3 2014.
On To Oregon Where We Had A Great Time
Visiting Nicole & Tom!
Visiting Tillamook Cheese Factory!
We Had A Great Time!
Their Ice Cream Is The BEST!
Cowing Around!
A Peak Inside The Factory
That's A Lot Of Cheese!
We visited Cartlandia
A bike-centric food cart super pod with over 28 international food carts.
And
Had Voodoo Donuts!
Voodoo Doughnut is an independent doughnut shop based in Portland, Oregon, known for its unusual doughnuts, eclectic decor, and iconic pink boxes featuring the company logo and illustrations of voodoo priests. In addition to two shops in Portland and one in Eugene, Voodoo recently expanded to Denver, Colorado.
Company
The company has about 20 employees and $600,000 in annual revenue. Unusually, the business only accepts cash payments (no debit, credit, or checks), though they do host ATMs. Voodoo Doughnut offers legal wedding services, complete with doughnuts and coffee for the reception. The Los Angeles Times noted that Voodoo is an international tourist attraction.
There are four locations. The original location opened in 2003 at 22 SW 3rd Avenue, just south of the Burnside Bridge, around the corner from Dan and Louis Oyster Bar, and next door to The Paris Theater, a historic adult movie house. Another location is just over a mile away at 1501 NE Davis Street which opened in June 2008, and one in Eugene, Oregon, that opened officially in June 2010. The flagship shop closed in April 2011 for an extensive remodeling, which utilized part of Berbati's Pan, the now-closed nightclub next door. It expanded from 750 square feet (70 m2) to 2,300 sq ft (210 m2) and reopened in June 2011.
In December 2013, the company opened its first location outside of Oregon on Colfax Avenue in Denver on Friday the 13th.
Doughnuts
In addition to the examples below, vegan doughnuts are also featured along with a rotating and frequently changing menu of specialty doughnuts and unusual variations on traditional varieties. The company offers over 100 varieties, in total. Unconventional ingredients include Cap'n Crunch, grape flavored Tang, M&M's, Oreo cookies, and marshmallows.
Two of their doughnuts, the NyQuil Glazed doughnut and the Vanilla Pepto Crushed Tums doughnut, are no longer available due to order of local health officials. According to one of the co-owners, "the NyQuil one was kind of a lark, but that’s the one that got the most famous. With the Pepto doughnut, I honestly thought if you had that shot of tequila you shouldn’t have at 2:00 a.m., and then you got sugar, bread, Pepto, and Tums, you’d either feel better or puke your ass off and then feel better because you got it out of your system. So it was a win-win either way."
On December 24, 2008, Voodoo's "Portland Creme" was designated as Portland's "Official City Doughnut" by a resolution introduced by Portland Mayor Tom Potter and passed by city commissioners the same night. The resolution also expressed Portlanders' "deepest gratitude to Voodoo Doughnut management for its dedication in the face of these stringent economic times in providing employment opportunities... and above all, creating and naming a doughnut after our beloved city that leaves a lasting taste and fond memories on its customers near and far away." Later, mayor Tom Potter and mayoral candidate Sam Adams attended a regular midnight doughnut-eating contest.
Voodoo Doughnut Too
To celebrate their fifth anniversary, Voodoo Doughnut opened a second location at 1501 NE Davis Street. The store began a "soft opening" on Friday, May 30, 2008 with limited hours. The official opening occurred in June 2008 and was rung in with a parade that led from the original location to the new one.
Voodoo Doughnut Tres
In their first foray outside of Portland, Voodoo Doughnut opened a third location in Eugene, Oregon, at the corner of Broadway and Willamette in downtown Eugene. The store began a "soft opening" on Friday, May 7, 2010 with limited hours. The official opening occurred on June 5, 2010. This location also contains the chain's traditionally whimsical decor, in addition to a piano in the seating area and a velvet painting of a crying Conan O'Brien with animated tear drops. For the 2010 edition of "Best Of Eugene Weekly", Voodoo Tres won "Best New Addition To Eugene" and "Best Downtown Business."
Television
The "Captain My Captain" doughnut, featuring vanilla frosting and Cap'n Crunch cereal
Voodoo Doughnut has been featured on the Travel Channel's series by Anthony Bourdain No Reservations, Man v. Food, Doughnut Paradise, and G4's Attack of the Show, as well as the Pacific Northwest edition of Globe Trekker. It was a destination in the season finale of the 13th season of The Amazing Race.
In 2010, television documentary The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice! featured a segment in which filmmaker Morgan Spurlock paid a visit to the Voodoo Doughnut Too location.
Jay Leno included Voodoo Doughnut in a Tonight Show opening monologue: "Did you hear about the doughnut shop in Portland, Oregon, that has caffeinated doughnuts? Yeah, I guess you can stay awake during your bypass surgery." Voodoo Doughnut would later be mentioned again when Amanda Seyfried appeared on the show in support of her 2012 film, Gone.
The shop's doughnuts, including the distinctive box, appeared in a fourth-season episode of the TNT drama series Leverage. This episode of the show, which films in Portland, was the first actually set in that city. Additionally, the pink box has appeared in the second episode of season one of Grimm and the episode "Like a Virgin" of Supernatural.
While on The Coast We Stayed At -
We Saw Mt Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about 50 miles (80 km) east-southeast of Portland, on the border between Clackamas and Hood River counties. In addition to being Oregon's highest mountain, it is one of the loftiest mountains in the nation based on its prominence.
The height assigned to Mount Hood's snow-covered peak has varied over its history. Modern sources point to three different heights: 11,249 feet (3,429 m), a 1991 measurement by the U.S. National Geodetic Survey (NGS), 11,240 feet (3,426 m) based on a 1993 scientific expedition, and 11,239 feet (3,426 m) of slightly older origin. The peak is home to 12 named glaciers and snowfields. It is the highest point in Oregon and the fourth highest in the Cascade Range. Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt, though based on its history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. Still, the odds of an eruption in the next 30 years are estimated at between 3 and 7 percent, so the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) characterizes it as "potentially active", but the mountain is informally considered dormant.
It Was A Blast!
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