Discovery Park Trip and an unexpected gift from an Uber ride

I saw all the typical touristy stuff in Seattle, like the Needle, Starbucks, Pikes Place, museums, the aquarium, a ferry ride, etc. But I knew I needed to explore the outdoors on my short trip. Discovery Park was a perfect place to explore since I could Uber there since I didn’t rent a car. Discovery Park is about 5 miles from downtown Seattle or a 20-25 min Uber ride. I hiked the Discovery Park and Lighthouse Loop trail, about 4.4 miles.

Before I go in-depth about this hike, I wanted to share my experience with my Uber driver on my first full day in Seattle. I got an Uber from Kerry Park to the Space Needle. He was a middle-aged guy, very quiet, and you could tell he was reserved. He asked if I lived in Seattle or visiting; I responded back by saying I am visiting. He asked if I had a boyfriend or friends I was visiting, and I told him I was traveling solo. He proceeded to ask, why am I traveling solo? Why don’t I have a boyfriend and friends? My heart sank a little since I was escaping to heal a broken heart. In a confident and slightly annoyed tone, I told him that I like to travel solo and how much I can see and do while traveling solo. He didn’t like that answer and thought something was wrong with me. 

This leads me back to Discovery Park….

My Uber ride was in the early morning; gotta love the jet lag and the three-hour difference! I arrived at the parking lot before 8 am and thought, where the hell does one go from here? Luckily, some runners there pointed me in the right direction to the trail. As I was hiking, I couldn’t help to stop every 30 seconds (at least that’s what it felt like) to stop and go in a circle, soaking up every second of the sounds of the birds, the smells of the forest, and the vibrant, lush greenery surrounding me. I had never been to a place like this before. I felt like I was alone in a jungle. For most of the hike, I was pretty much alone; occasionally, a runner would pass me, but it felt like I was the only one in the forest.

The first section was all forest vibes, with massive trees and greenery around me while hiking. Then I hit a clearing; that’s when I saw Puget Sound. In this section, you see some boats and ferries on the Sound. It was overcast with shades of greys and blues, and you couldn’t see the Cascades and the Olympic Mountain ranges in the distance. This was by far my favorite part of the hike, coming from the lush green to the open clearing of the Sound, even though the mountains were behind the clouds.  Also, I saw more people on the trail returning from the beach.

I continued into the trees, hiking my way to the lighthouse. Since it was February, these trees were not in full bloom, so as you were hiking, you saw specks of the Sound to your left. There was a section or two where steps led you down the Magnolia Bluff. Finally, I hit the point where I got to the beach. The sand was this whiteish color filled with shells, rock, and driftwood. The wind picked up as I got to the beach, and it was freezing. I finally got to the lighthouse and had this proud moment of Yes, I made it! It wasn’t because I thought I was lost or tired but because I finally reached my goal. When I hike, I get slightly impatient getting to where I am trying to hike. I know the saying embrace the journey, not the destination, but I can’t help it.

I saw some people hiking on the beach, heading to and from the lighthouse. The actual lighthouse's name is West Point Light Station; it sits on the tip of the park with the Sound surrounding it. West Point Light Station was built in 1881, and in 1977, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Interior announced the ownership of the West Point Light Station would be transferred to the Seattle Parks and Rec Department.

As I was getting closer to the lighthouse, I saw these two older women in front of me. I was watching them explore and climb on rocks getting pictures. I asked if they could take a picture of me, and they obliged. After that, they kept exploring while I sat on the rocks watching the waves hit the shoreline. It was such a peaceful few minutes sitting here and listening to the waves. It was still this greyish sky, and you couldn’t see the mountains. I watched a boat pass and decided to leave since the wind picked up more. 

I started to head back to the beach, watching more and more people heading my way; the beach was beginning to become alive with people. I headed back the same way I came, through the trees with the Sound to my right this time. I finally returned to that clearing I referred to earlier; that’s when some magic happened! The Sound was behind me as I was hiking into the clearing and heading back to the jungle. That’s when the sun came out! I turned around to check the Sound, and there were the mountains that had been hiding earlier. I was so giddy with joy; you could have sworn I was a kid. I didn’t want to leave since my two favorite things were right in front of me: the water and the mountains. I just wanted to stay and soak up every minute. A few minutes later, the sun disappeared, and I returned to the city with another Uber driver.

This Uber driver I had was and still is my favorite driver. As I mentioned, I had a rather judgy Uber driver on my first day. I told this Uber driver about my adventures in Discovery Park and Seattle, and he could not be more excited for me. He told me, “Keep doing this, keep traveling solo, and adventuring. What you are doing is beyond fantastic, and I wish more people had the mindset you had.” He told me he was an extensive traveler with his daughter, and he wants her to see the world and hopes she will do what I do. Man, this Uber ride was so uplifting, I felt like I had a cheerleader, and it boosted my confidence level, which was severely diminished. I even told him about the Uber driver from the other day. He laughed and gave me another pick-me-up to talk about.

He dropped me off at my next stop, an underground tour of Seattle; he fist-bumped me, wished me well, and told me again, keep doing what you are doing. I couldn’t stop smiling. I felt like my old self in those 30 minutes. As I mentioned in my first blog post and my heartbreak one, a community of travelers will look out for you and give you the boost you need. I didn’t realize this happened on most of my travels until the past two years. Sometimes we need to play in nature, see the wonders of the earth, and have a random stranger give us a boost to start bringing us back to ourselves.

Tell me if a random stranger helped give you a boost in confidence while traveling. How did that affect you? What did they say or do? I would love to hear your stories!!          

Keep having adventures, date yourself, and be the cheerleader for others!