RE: Washington rules??
BY: Jessica Edwards to Alinda Harrison on Mon Jul 01 1996 16:57:19
 > Took the kids to wapato one wednesday.  Was surprised not to see
 > anyone for parking fees.  However, I DO know Spanaway charges :(.
 > been kinda busy here so still haven't taken the kids to the one on
 > Portland and 90th. I hope the pool is open by now!!
There's a park at 90th and Portland? That makes three on Porland then. Swan
Creek is just off 56th behind McIllveigh school, and Potland Avenue park is
just north of 38th St. It's right on the busline.
Yea, I know Spanaway charges...too much! That's why I don't go there any more
:-/
I know the wading pools are all open in the Tacoma Parks...as well as the
crafts and activities. The summer activity and free lunch program should be 
n
full swing right now.
 >  AH> including parking. Dash Point State Park does charge for camping
 >  AH> though...
 >  AH> Point Defiance only charges for parking during special events.
 > 
 > This sounds good.  Gonna need directions and a day of planning
 > ahead.  They do allow swimming don't they??
Both parks have salt water beaches and allow some swimming, although I've 
never
been much for salt water swimming. Usually the kids and I wade and look for
animals and shells.
Pt Defiance has Owens beach which is rockier than Dash Point. I like to go 
og
hopping at Owens beach. To get to Pt Defiance, take hwy 16W to the 6th avenue
exit, then turn left and then right onto Pearl (follow the signs). The park 
s
at the end of Pearl street. By bus, go downtown and transfer to the Pt 
Defiance
bus. I think it's route 11. It'll drop you off at the boat dock/ ferry area.
There's a trail that goes from there to the beach...or you can sit and watch
the seagulls on the docks.
Dash Point is a little more complicated...I'll have to break out a map to 
ive
you street names...let's see...Pacific downtown to 13th street, turn right,
then left on A st. Two blocks down head east on 11th (right turn over the
bridge). Take 11th st to the end, then turn left and follow it around and up
the hill and round a couple bends past the turn off to Brown's Point (another
park) and a shopping center and back around a bend again (you're still on the
same road -whatever it's called) and up till you nearly creast another hill 
and
the day use park is on the left hand side. Camping's on the right. Lost? It
sounds complicated, but just remember that once you turn off 11th street, you
are staying on the same street the whole way. I think it changes names a 
couple
times...and it twists and turns, but just stay on that main road and you'll
come to it.
I took the kids to fly kites and talk about the wind last week. We had some
pretty good wind - until we tried flying the kites :-/ It just died 
abruptly...
in protest perhaps? It definitley wasn't co-operating. We ended up with a
lesson on the beach and how it was formed. Ah, well...we had fun.
Today we picniced in the 5 mile drive area of Pt Defiance followed by a short
hike. We found wild raspberries, salmon berries, salal, and hazel nuts all
growing wild. Only the raspberries were ripe, and there were only a few. We
also saw several good examples of "nurse" logs with plants growing out of 
them.
I also introduced them to rabonicci (sp?) numbers and natural patterns. The
most common we found were 3 and 5 and several good spiral examples.
All in all, we had a productive day from a homeschool perspective :)
I hope the park info I gave you helps. If you have any questions, I have a 
ot
of park info here, as well as the bus schedules. Just ask.
Till later...
                           ...peace...
                           Alinda Sue...
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