SEATTLE and thru the CASCADE MOUNTAINS, WA

Sunday Evening - Issaquah, outside Seattle - 9/7/14

Rex

We arrive at Jack and Sarah's around 5:30 p.m.  Rex the dog greets us with excited enthusiasm and we are sure he remembers us.  A welcoming dinner is ready and waiting for us:  slow cooked pork ribs, fresh corn cut off the cob, homemade coleslaw, and green corn muffins.  All of which is topped off with an apple strudel-type dessert with apricot glaze and a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream.  I mean really, does it get any better than this?

For the evening's entertainment, Jack introduces us to Season One of Boardwalk Empire.  Of course, now we are hooked and have to rent Season Two.

Fall colors are popping.

Monday - Seattle/Issaquah -9/8/14

Today is our traditional lunch at Jade Garden in Chinatown.  This is a veritable treasure trove of delectable delights pushed around on little carts.  Each cart is piled high with savory treats stacked in metal and bamboo steam baskets.  The baskets contain shrimp, pork, tofu, chicken, barbeque beef and vegetables in various forms of wraps, puff pastries, wontons, steamed or fried.  We leave happily content and fully satisfied.

Jade Garden

In the afternoon we take in MOHI, the Museum of History and Industry.  This is an innovative museum featuring the creative minds of iconic Seattle success stories:  Microsoft, Starbucks, Costco, and Amazon to name just a few.  And lots and lots more about the history of Seattle.  After a few hours our minds are overloaded and we save some of the history for our next visit to Seattle.

Carved Sculpture

What kind of truck is this?

For Delaney

In the evening we grill hamburgers, watch a few more episodes of Boardwalk Empire and turn in for the night.  In the morning we will leave for the Cascade Mountains.

Tuesday- 9/9/14

We pack up and head out of town, but not without having lunch at one of our favorite Mexican food places in Bellevue.  Sorry, but I can't remember the name.  We say our goodbyes to Jack and Rex and are bummed we didn't get to say goodbye to Sarah before she headed to work early in the morning.

We head north on Highway 5 for the Cascade Mountains and find a nice campground at Skagit County Park.  It's very pretty and well maintained and much more "park-like" than "camp-like".  There are open spaces with lots of neatly mowed grass and the Skagit River is nearby. 

Jack has given us a tub of his tangy sweet homemade mustard and we are lucky enough to find some Kilbasa at the little gas station mini market (with an expiration date of Dec. 2014!!!) to go with our tasty mustard.  Life is good.

Wednesday - 9/10/14

We are surprised to learn that this lovely park is the site of the Bald Eagle Festival held in January each year.  When the rivers to the north have frozen over, migrating Bald Eagles fly southward October thru January for the warmer climate of the Skagit Valley where they can feast on the Coho and Chum salmon that return to the river to spawn. 

Looking for eagles' nests.

The Skagit River is one of the most important rivers for spawning salmon and is the only large river system in Washington State that contains all five native salmon species, including Coho, Chinook, Sockeye, Chum and Pink Salmon.  Skagit means "place of sanctuary" in the Lushootseed ancestral native language.

Skagit River

We are curious to see the many eagles' nests that line the river bank so we hike for an hour along the clearly marked river trail.  Fred finally sees something in a large tree on the other side of the river that he wants to believe is an eagle's nest.  With our curiosity satisfied and the trail beginning to become less clearly marked, we return to the campground.

Skagit River

We decide to relax most of the day, which quite honestly we hardly ever do, and finally leave the campground at 3:15.  We are on the North Cascade Highway as we enter North Cascades National Park and stop into the visitor's center. 

 We are given a few tips on things to see and trails to hike, but it is getting late and we have just enough time to take in the Ladder Creek Falls behind the Gorge Powerhouse in upper Newhalem.  The Gorge Powerhouse was built in 1921 for $13 million. 
 

Suspension bridge to the power plant & falls.

Gorge Power Plant

After crossing a suspension bridge to the powerhouse, we walk a loop to the falls.  I think it is one of the prettiest falls we have ever seen on our travels, but Fred disagrees.  So there ya go.  Evidently there is a light show on the falls at night be we have to head down the road and will miss it.

Ladder Creek Falls

Tonight we want to camp in the forest and find the perfect spot at Colonial Campground.  We had hoped to be by the river, but all those sites are taken.  But, that's ok because we are in lush forest and it's quiet and cozy.  We eat some leftover ribs from Jack and Sarah's and grill a peach for dessert.  We are happy campers.

Thursday Morning - 9/11/14

We are ready to get on the road and see what lies ahead.  Our first stop of the morning is Diablo Lake overview.  One of three dams on the Skagit River, the Diablo Dam creates is an indescribable blue lake that hopefully shows up in my photos.  The surrounding area has all been orchestrate by mother nature and her fascination for glaciers and volcanoes.

Diablo Lake Overlook

Next stop along the highway is Gorge Creek.  Gorge Creek drops 242 feet in a "breathtaking plunge" per the guide book.  We walk out to the view point and snap some photos.  Like most of the region, the falls appear to be only a glimmer of previous glory as the dry years have taken its toll as it has in so many other rivers and streams we've passed on this trip.  Admittedly not as dry as California, one can still see Washington is dealing with their own water issues as lakes and streams appear much lower than normal.

Gorge Falls

We are leaving North Cascades National Park with a final stop at the Washington Pass view point.  Here are some of the most majestic peaks in the park, jutting high into the blue morning sky.  From here we will wind our way down from the higher elevations to the outer valley below.

Washington Pass

We head down the pass, looking forward to our time in the Palouse area of Washington.

Next:  Cascades to the Palouse area of Washington