I seriously wondered if we were nuts going to Seattle for a wee visit this past weekend. But we avoided the rain late Friday night after disembarking from Amtrak train downtown. Really cycling was tame: our folding bikes were to get us around to shopping (a few stores where I stocked up on some cycling gear that's not available in Canada at great prices, some books that would cost me to special order), farmers' market in University District, good seafood at restaurants, Pike Market and short jaunt through Olympic Art Sculpture Park. On the train back to Vancouver there was a pile of fans celebrating Sea Hawks' game win.

And I am stunned by the beautiful restoration of Seattle's Amtrak downtown King St. train station. Wow. Unlike so many train stations across North America..either purely functional or slightly run down.