Mount Rainier National Park

Portland to Bellingham

May 28, 2017

Miles Driven: 402

Sunrise (Portland): 5:28am / Sunset (Bellingham): 9:01pm

Latitude: 45.38N to 48.75N

Sites Visited: 1

I write to you tonight from an adorably sketchy hotel, well, at least that's how I have termed it. Most of you know that I'm a glass-half-full kinda gal. It has no amenities - no hair dryer, no shampoo or conditioner, no room fridge, no complementary breakfast, and no free wifi. One of the beds is pushed up against the ac unit, simply because there is barely room for two beds. Of course, compared to the hotel last night, having marginally functioning ac is a big win, even if you have to shield yourself from its blustering billows. Nevertheless, our bellies are full and we've room-temperature local Giant Pacific Octopus beer to cap this day off. Did I mention we've no fridge? Oh yes, where was I...

We got off to a late start this morning. It is, after all, GenCon ticket day and one must participate in the frenzy of event ordering. Its craze is only bested by the lodging lottery epic. I didn't get into everything I wanted, but I did get into the Glass Cannon Podcast game. Clearly, my priorities were set correctly. Then Saga of the Bins came to an abrupt end. Nicole decided to buy one of those roof-top containers. Thus, the saga became a haiku. I have composed one to honor this brief road trip hazard:

Pants, shirts, sweaters, socks
Bins duct tapped, tarped, strapped wobbly
Got a RocketBox

And so, with this newfangled contraption attached to the roof with Mount Hood and Mount St. Helen's rising in the distance, Nicole and I fearlessly forged forward towards the main attraction for the day - Mount Rainier National Park. I must admit it took a lot longer to get there than I had anticipated. Garage sales littered the road and a major festival of sorts clogged the Hwy 12 route. But once there, a cool breeze blew down across the snow-swept mountain and whispered a greeting to us through the boughs of evergreens. Impromptu waterfalls rained down on the car as it twisted along the cliffs. A crystal blue sky stretched across all vistas.

And then after many perilous switchbacks and lakes covered in blankets of snow, we found the Paradise. Somehow, I'd have thought paradise would be much less crowded? Nicole tossed me out of the car as she circled the visitor center; I made a mad dash for a postcard, pin and stamp. We slowly made our way out the west wedged amidst other tourists. A beautiful glacial wash tumbles down that western side too. Pausing briefly for crisp, clean water in Longmire, we continued out of the park. I can see why so many love this magical place. I can hardly imagine what it must be like when the snows melt and alpine flowers flood the meadows. Well, sleep calls. And with the cool air conditioned breeze drifting across my bed, perhaps I will dream of nights spent in the healthful respite of glaciers, just like John Muir.

Until tomorrow from 100 Mile House, BC…

Safe Travels!

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Alaska Bound Home

Next: Day 3 - Into the Wilds!