As we are getting past the Labor Day long weekend and into September, it’s time again to post about the all the shenanigans I’ve been up to for the past season. My adventures over summer of 2025 consisted of a work trip to New York City, and lots of hiking in the Pacific Northwest. Here are the highlights:
Back in the Big Apple. The office view in Manhattan is pretty nice.
New York City
My only fly-out trip for the summer was a work trip to New York City. I haven’t been to the Big Apple since 2017, so it’s been a while. The first two days of the trip was during a heat wave where it was 100 degrees F outside, so it was hot. Thankfully the offices and hotels had pretty good air conditioning. While I was there mainly for work, I was able to do some few touristy activities, such as going to Brooklyn for the first time and taking the cruise to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Overall it was an enjoyable trip, and I’m glad to visit NYC once again.
Went to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Broadway show. Was pretty entertaining.
First time I’ve been in Brooklyn. Took a day trip to wander around. Went to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Dumbo, Coney Island and the 8th Ave Chinatown.
Statue of Liberty, front and center
Highlights of the Liberty Island cruise. I’ve been to NYC a few times before but this is the first time I’ve taken the cruise.
… And The Rest
The rest of the summer I spent in the typical PNW fashion, which is getting out for weekend hiking whenever the weather was decent. I feel like I hiked more this year than every years except for 2019. Here are highlights:
Seaside hiking at Sharpe Park near Anacortes, WA
Views of Metro Vancouver from Dog Mountain in Mount Seymour Provincial Park
Wildflowers, Kachess Lake, and Mount Rainier in the distance from the top of Thorp Mountain. My first tougher hike of the season
Wildflowers and view into Greater Seattle from the top of West Tiger.
Alpine lakes and wild flowers galore at Rampart Lakes. Also a galore of mosquitos on this hike.
Lots of huffing and puffing to get up to Gothic Basin, but the view was worth it.
Made it up to Foggy Lake from the Gothic Basin Trail. Hardest hike I’ve done in 3 years.
Easy-ish hike up to Green Mountain on the Kitsap Peninsula
Back in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park. Hiked this time to the 2nd Burroughs in addition to Fremont Lookout. Getting up close to the big volcano.
In addition to hiking, I also did some crabbing and clamming, and also harvesting from my parents’ backyard vegetable garden.
Summer party on the waters. We were on the same boat that I was on 6 years ago with my previous employer.
Pulling up two keeper red rock crabs from the local marina.
Another year of shucking oysters in the tidelands of Washington State.
Very nice gardens at the Washington State Capitol grounds
Took the free walking tour inside the Washington State Capitol building. The interior is really nice with tons of marble.
Picking prickly chayote from the backyard
That’s all for my summer of 2025. As the weather transitions into fall, I’ll try to get some fall hikes in before the grey and drizzle returns to the PNW. I don’t have any big trips planned for the autumn, since I’ll probably have bigger trips in the winter. Also I need to get a medical procedure done, which is a hassle. Thank you for reading.
