Bellevue

Give me isolated wilderness, or give me a thriving urban scene.  Suburbs, on the other hand, give me the heebie-jeebies.  However, an afternoon in Bellevue, across Lake Washington from Seattle, opened my eyes to a geography of suburban parks with great trails.

We parked at a fruit stand (unfortunately it was closed) and headed north on the 10 mile Lake to Lake Trail and Greenway.   Historically an area of blueberry fields, the 10 mile greenway trail connects nine parks between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish.  The trail is surfaced with hard-packed gravel and in good condition.  It winds through second-growth forests, fields of grasses and birds, and fenced-in blueberry fields.

Lake to Lake Trail and Greenway connecting Lakes Washington and Sammamish in Bellevue, WA

The most amazing find was a small blueberry field that was not fenced in.  A moment of post-Catholic guilt (is it really ok to eat these berries?) was followed by continuous mumbling of disbelief (why was nobody else going crazy?).  After a passing dog-walker assured me that the berries could be eaten by the public, and with her "permission," the blueberry-gorging commenced.  Luckily, the berries were high-bush blueberries, so I could stay in my chair to pick.  Over a half of an hour later, with a full stomach and full cup holders on my fanny pack (the only containers I had), we headed back to the car.  I'm pretty sure my tongue was purple.  I know my face had a huge smile.   I still don't understand why there weren't a ton of people there, but what good fortune for me!

Blueberry fields forever