After we left there, we went to check in and I covered that in my previous post. We woke early to the sun rising over the snow covered mountain in the distance. I had left the drapes drawn so we'd have a natural alarm clock. It worked better than chickens. I love staying in small privately owned hotels and that is much easier up here as you see far less commercial businesses. Think local is in this places soul.
We left the SUV on Anacortes and took the ferry over to Friday Harbor. Parking is too limited there. Friday Harbor is a small community that is rich in personality and there is no other method to reach it than the ferry. Every brick, board, gallon of fuel, hamburger patty and bottle of wine is hauled over. We had bought Regan a pint of cherries at a road side stand as they are in season. She made a comment that she could lie a stem in a know with her tongue. I saw she was eating a group of three cherries and told her than if she could tie the three stems together without breaking them off the main group in 5 minutes, I'd give her $20. I fell like I was taken by a pool shark! I'm still dumbfounded!
We checked in with the folks who we had chartered out trip with and were soon on our way.
We ran out top the Canadian Border and found a group of two pods who had been spending some time there. To be honest, I wasn't that interested in the trip and almost didn't go but once there found that these big playful things couldn't be ignored. They really so seem to have a great time I'm happy to have had a chance to see them.
When we finished the tour, we came back to Friday harbor and had an hour or so before the ferry was going to leave for Anacores and the truck so we took the time to have a few drinks and some great food.
To say that is all for that day is silly since it was an amazingly fulfilling day. We all had a blast and the last thing we had to do was to drive 2.5 hours to get to our jump off hotel for the next days romp! We were about 10 minutes from our room and I saw blue lights behind me! I puled over and the police asked me for all the pertinent info and told me I was doing 52 in a 35. I told him I thought it was a 50 speed zone. He came back and was totally nice. He admitted that he was parked at the start of a 35 zone because the locals had not been slowing down since they had added the new speed limit through that section. I pointed at my gps where it showed it as a 50 mph zone. He said no problem. Take care and have a great vacation. Whew!!! What a great opportunity for him to show a visitor how nice you are and he did well.
END OF DAY
START OF DAY
Ok, the hotel we stayed at last night was pretty cheap and I can attest that none of the small money was spent on mattresses. Wow, I could have slept better on a park bench! It's ok, adapt and conquer.
We started off for My Rainier and the Grove of the Patriarchates.
When you enter the Mt Rainier park system you have access to some of the great old growth up in this part of the world. Much of this area was cut years ago but some was help back and protected.
Standing beside these behemoths you fell so small and that is no easy task for me.
That short 1.5 miles hike hike actually helped my knee. It fells pretty good right now and I hope this continues. Now off to Mt Rainier. The sad thing is that as I look up at this mountain, you have to realize that there are many bodies up there of climbers that have never been found. Rainier is used as a practice climb for folks working tword Everest.
It's been a heat wave up here and I find it odd standing in snow when it is almost 90 out.
So on the way back to Sam's in Portland, he called and asked for our ETA. Turns out he cooked a wonderful shrinp and chicken pasta with salad and desert that I still have yet to try. For now, I'd like to say thank you for checking out my trip blog. I will try and do better and not skip a day. Tomorrow, we are heading onto Portland Downtown for all those things that it has to show up. Come back and see me then!
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