Bellingham and Whidbey Island, WA

So, it has been a little while since my last post...I've been in Bellingham, WA visiting my Dad for about a week now. It has been a great spot to recharge and get organized. I've been joking that I should start my own travel agent business...I've been trying to find the best flights to Costa Rica, calling the Transcanyon shuttle in Arizona to try to bribe them into leaving the South Rim earlier than scheduled, writing a running training plan for the Coastal Challenge, figuring out how I can get from Nicaragua to Belize, giving hotel advice for the Miami Man triathlon, and mapping out mountain biking routes in St. George, UT.

My brother flew out from Ft. Lauderdale to visit and has been freezing in the 68 degree temps here in Bellingham. I, on the other hand, have been suffering from heat-stroke on my training runs on the Interurban Trail that skirts the town.

Here are some fun facts I've found about Bellingham, Washington and some great photos of our trip today from Bellingham to Coupeville, WA on Whidbey Island. Fantastic day out there!

Cheers,

Kelly

Best Place To Drink Wine: Gadling.com named Bellingham “One of the 25 Greatest Cities in the World for Drinking Wine,” noting the city’s wine bars, local wine, proximity to British Columbia and laid-back pace of life. (2010)

Espresso Capital: Whatcom County holds the record for the most drive-up espresso stands per-capita in Washington. More than 50 stands dot the landscape, with such lively names as "I Wanna Moka" and "Supreme Bean".

Best Paddling Town: Outside Magazine rated Bellingham as the best paddling destination in the U.S. (August

2006)

Adventure Town USA: National Geographic Adventure named

Bellingham one of the top adventure cities in the nation. The issue, themed “Where to live and play now,” describes Bellingham as a “base camp essential to the Northwest.” (September 2004)

Best in the Continent! Frommer’s Cities Ranked & Rated (May

2007) rated Bellingham #2 as the best place to live compared to all cities in Canada or the U.S. Criteria was based upon demographics, economy and jobs, cost of living, climate, education, health and healthcare, crime, transportation, leisure, and arts and culture.