Cheapness In Seattle (A 2019 PNW Trip Report - 2020 update added on 6/25

Thankfully, I had no issues moving our hotel reservations around.
You are one of the lucky ones.

We thought our logic was sound. I mean, the only thing that would stop us from seeing Vancouver and Alaska in 2020 would be something like a world-wide outbreak of a deadly virus, and what are the odds of that?

About 100% I'm afraid.

Scotty gave an impromptu press conference as well. “We believe there is absolutely no basis for concern over any deadly pandemics for at least the next 25 years…”

None at all. And I'd have believed it too.

They also got to go up in the famous “12th Man” tower. Before every Seahawks game, a lucky fan or a celebrity raises the “12th Man” flag signifying the crowd’s role in a home field advantage (a football team has 11 players on the field at any one time). This usually helps whip the crowd into a frenzy.

Such a cool tradition!! I'm not into sports at all, but this thing is pretty nifty for fans.

For extra bonus points, can anyone tell me what is on Scotty’s t-shirt?

The game plan of the aliens who will invade next week as an encore for 2020's performance so far?

This was one of the better tourist photo ops I’ve ever seen. But if you look closely, there’s both a ball in the glove and one in the background flying into the crowd. So it’s an out and a home run at the same time. Or maybe the outfielder is cheating.

Brilliant!!

But... and outfielder (team) cheating? Now what? You're gonna tell me m 401K is going to recover soon?

We also had the opportunity to give a press conference of our own. “We are fully confident in the stock market, and have zero concerns about Sarah’s college account being wiped out just 6 months before we have to start making payments for her…”

I was just getting to that. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at this.


Continued two posts down because @pkondz messed up the order.

:lmao:

Your thread is so fun to mess with, Monk. A few years ago it was me.

I felt a little bit badly. For a few minutes.

Most of their efforts didn’t pan out. Pun fully intended.

:laughing: good one!

Seattle is one of only 3 cities to have a monorail in use as a daily transit system. The others are Jacksonville, Florida and Las Vegas, NV

Didn't know that!! Interesting.

Between that and the light rail, it probably broke even between that and parking our van downtown. But I bet our way was more fun.

Of course it was!

How come they don’t have World’s Fairs anymore? I feel like I’m missing out by never having seen one. They sound like they would appeal to my nerdy side.

I have always wondered the same thing.

But this year we are having one. Attendance is pretty low though.

But my one son, Horace, wanted no part of it (name changed to protect his identity).

:lmao:
The Blue Angels had just buzzed the tower. I was late on the draw getting a photo, but…

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I'd have given a LOT to have seen that!! You have scored so many surprise bonuses on this trip!! That had to be just so, so amazing!

…that has to be in the Top 5 coolest things I’ve ever seen in my life. They seemed so close to us!

Yeah, I can see that. And wish I could have seen it!
How lucky that you got to be UP in there at that exact time. Kinda glad the line was long now? Hmm?

Unequivocally, yes. No way in h-e-double hockey sticks I could ever do this stuff.
I was pretty impressed myself. And would go back again too.
 
I'd say it's 50/50 at best.
Hope it lands on the right side of the 50...
Some days I feel really pessimistic, like we'll never leave our house again. Other days, I feel like our state governments are locking things down like they should, and we can get this under control after a couple of months and still save our summer. I guess either of those outcomes are still possible.
No one knows how this is going to play out. My money is on better meds being developed which lowers the mortality rate enough to remove the restrictions. A vaccine would be even better, but that's a long ways off.
I know the cruise/tourism industries are going to be desperate to rescue whatever income they can. So we'll see. If it's cancelled, it's going to be a pain calling around seeing if I can get deposits back.
Were the deposits for shore excursions? When we cancelled with Holland America, the shore excursions were automatically refunded too.
Football stadiums tend to be similar. The field dimensions are all the same. And many of them are newer, so there is less history in those buildings. Baseball fields are allowed to have unique dimensions, and some have quirks like Boston's Green Monster. So they are usually more unique. Fields like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field have been around for over 100 years and have tons of history. The only football field like that is Lambeau Field in Green Bay (we did tour that one).
Ah! Got it, thanks!
Close! @shjrc371 got it below.
I saw that.
I seldom watch NFL so wouldn't have gotten that.
It was reflecting off my bald head.
:laughing:
It's not so dire. Her account is down a bit, because everything is down. But the account was designed to be aggressive (investing in stocks) early and then slowly transition to more conservative investments (bonds) as she got older. With her being 18 now, it should be almost entirely conservative, and that seems to be playing out. So it's down maybe a couple thousand dollars. Which isn't ideal, but much better than it could have been.
Not bad. Could be worse and... by the time she needs it, hopefully it will have bounced back at least somewhat.
I mean... if she can't go to school because of isolation, she won't have need of the money. But if she can go to school, that would mean the isolation is over and the markets will respond in kind.

At least that's my thought.
Drew's account, on the other hand, is taking a beating.
Meh. He has plenty of time.
Oh, like you wouldn't have made fun of me if the roles were reversed.
Of course I would. Don't be silly.
Better have good reflexes and pay attention if you're up there!
::yes:: :duck:
Then you'd be...Oblivious.
:laughing: Correct!
I dunno. It's not a very long monorail. About a mile.
That's a mile longer than any around here!
When it's our first visit to a place, sometimes I feel like we should do the cliche tourist thing, even knowing it might be a tourist trap. I can avoid it on future visits.
Oh, I do the same. There's usually a reason why they're tourist traps...
But that's one I knew I didn't need to do.
I'm generally too nice. I don't like to make a scene. Plus I know that the photo is helping kill time in line. So I just take the photo and then don't even bother to look for it at the end of the tour.
I like to make a little bit of a scene... if I'm in the mood. Which is... oh... about 10% of the time.
Once again, I'd love to say I planned it. But it was a Blind Squirrel moment.
Those are even better. :)
You have good taste, then.
Nah. That can't be it.
I think we all had a good time. The sculptures are unique enough that they grab your attention. We probably spent about an hour or so.
Good. :)
 
You are one of the lucky ones.

Usually my luck runs in the other direction.

About 100% I'm afraid.

Pretty stunning the way this year has turned out thus far.

None at all. And I'd have believed it too.

I never dreamed this was a possibility!

"You canceled your dream Alaska vacation?"

"Yep."

"What happened?"

"Some guy ate a bat."

Such a cool tradition!! I'm not into sports at all, but this thing is pretty nifty for fans.

That tower is recognizable for most sports fans, I think.

The game plan of the aliens who will invade next week as an encore for 2020's performance so far?

I can't say it would surprise me at this point.

Brilliant!!

But... and outfielder (team) cheating? Now what? You're gonna tell me m 401K is going to recover soon?

My mama told me not to tell fibs.

I was just getting to that. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at this.

Well, I think her funds are thankfully fairly protected. Down a bit, but it's more conservative at this stage so it's not as volatile

:lmao:

Your thread is so fun to mess with, Monk. A few years ago it was me.

I felt a little bit badly. For a few minutes.

Who's Monk? :p

:laughing: good one!

:thumbsup2

Didn't know that!! Interesting.

I had to research that one.

I have always wondered the same thing.

But this year we are having one. Attendance is pretty low though.

Maybe we can have a virtual one on Zoom.

I'd have given a LOT to have seen that!! You have scored so many surprise bonuses on this trip!! That had to be just so, so amazing!

The entire observation deck went, "WHOOOOAAAAA...."

Yeah, I can see that. And wish I could have seen it!
How lucky that you got to be UP in there at that exact time. Kinda glad the line was long now? Hmm?

Absolutely! Divine appointments are the best ones.

I was pretty impressed myself. And would go back again too.

I saw some photos of it lit up at night, and now I wish I'd made time to go back and see it then.

Hope it lands on the right side of the 50...

You and me both! There's still a chance.

No one knows how this is going to play out. My money is on better meds being developed which lowers the mortality rate enough to remove the restrictions. A vaccine would be even better, but that's a long ways off.

Sounds reasonable. I hope you're right. At the very least, I'm hoping the severe lockdowns will break the chain of infections.

Were the deposits for shore excursions? When we cancelled with Holland America, the shore excursions were automatically refunded too.

Some are for excursions and some for hotels. But I made them myself, not through the cruise line (cheaper that way). Some have cancellation fees, so I may have to end up eating those. I don't feel as bad about that as I normally would because I bet all of these operators are getting crushed right now.

Ah! Got it, thanks!

:thumbsup2

I saw that.
I seldom watch NFL so wouldn't have gotten that.

It's only the greatest play in football history!

(I'm totally unbiased on this.)

Not bad. Could be worse and... by the time she needs it, hopefully it will have bounced back at least somewhat.
I mean... if she can't go to school because of isolation, she won't have need of the money. But if she can go to school, that would mean the isolation is over and the markets will respond in kind.

At least that's my thought.

That's the hope. I'm going to try and pay off my car so I can move those payments to her account. The market never bounces back as fast as it collapses, but as long as it gains over the next 4 years we'd still do ok. And we're still hoping she can find some scholarships. It'll be interesting to see how the colleges handle these lost semesters.

Meh. He has plenty of time.

That's what I thought with the older kids. And now here we are! It certainly has given me a new perspective on time.

Of course I would. Don't be silly.

I knew it!

That's a mile longer than any around here!

Excellent point.

Oh, I do the same. There's usually a reason why they're tourist traps...
But that's one I knew I didn't need to do.

I would do other famous ones. Sears (Willis) Tower in Chicago, or the CN Tower in Toronto. Empire State Building. That's all I can think of.

I like to make a little bit of a scene... if I'm in the mood. Which is... oh... about 10% of the time.

My inner introvert usually gets the better of me.

Those are even better.

::yes::

Nah. That can't be it.

Well, never mind then!
 
Sounds reasonable. I hope you're right. At the very least, I'm hoping the severe lockdowns will break the chain of infections.
It's not meant to. It's meant to slow infections so the medical system isn't overrun all at once.
Some are for excursions and some for hotels. But I made them myself, not through the cruise line (cheaper that way). Some have cancellation fees, so I may have to end up eating those. I don't feel as bad about that as I normally would because I bet all of these operators are getting crushed right now.
That's a good point. Anyone relying on tourism for income... is gonna be suffering.
It's only the greatest play in football history!

(I'm totally unbiased on this.)
Of course you are.
The market never bounces back as fast as it collapses,
That's true.
That's what I thought with the older kids. And now here we are! It certainly has given me a new perspective on time.
::yes::
Sears (Willis) Tower in Chicago, or the CN Tower in Toronto.
Done both of those...
Empire State Building.
...but never been to NYC.
 
Well, things are weird now with the whole virus outbreak going on. You might ask if it's a waste of time to keep writing up trip reports on vacations in the past when all of our current plans are on hold and we don't know what's going to happen next.

Yup. I completely get this.

On the other hand, there are no sports and no movies. So I needed something to do. And if you're stuck indoors and quarantined, you probably need something to do, too. So I'll just keep on updating if that's ok with you.

Yes. That sounds good. Although while everyone else seems bored at home, I seem to be busy as ever. Not a lot of change.

We thought our logic was sound. I mean, the only thing that would stop us from seeing Vancouver and Alaska in 2020 would be something like a world-wide outbreak of a deadly virus, and what are the odds of that?

Yeah chances are what? :confused3

In this case, the Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Seahawks play in stadiums that are literally across the street from each other. The women much prefer football to baseball, so they decided to take a tour of CenturyLink Field, where the Seahawks play. I also prefer football, but still enjoy baseball, so I went with Dave to do the T-Mobile Park tour.

I'm glad you all like sports and enjoy this. I never would have even thought about this as a tourist attraction and until I read your reports didn't even realize these places offered tours.

Continued two posts down because @pkondz messed up the order.

He does that to me too! :laughing:

The reason we had to leave the Klondike museum so quickly was because we had bought tickets with a timed entry for the Space Needle. They offered a small discount if you bought them as a package with the Chihuly Glass Museum next door (highly recommended by pkondz), so we went ahead and got the package deal.

If I go back to there I need a redo on the Needle, and I'm not sure if the Chihuly museum was there when I went. Nope. I just looked it up and it opened in 2012.

How come they don’t have World’s Fairs anymore? I feel like I’m missing out by never having seen one. They sound like they would appeal to my nerdy side.

Because I sort of have time on my hands I decided to google the question for you.

"I have lately wondered, “Why don't we have World's Fairs anymore?” The short answer is that we do. They now go by the name “Expos” (short for Expositions) and take place every 2 to 3 years. ... The innovations that have been touted in the Expos since 2000 are hardly seismic."

The 2020 Expo is supposed to be in Dubai this year.

Sorry if someone already answered this.

We finally got into the elevator and rode to the top. I will say this: it’s a great view from up there. You can go outside on the observation deck, where nothing is separating you from a 520-foot fall except a sheet of plexiglass leaning away from you at an angle.

I might have a slight issue with this... :rolleyes1

We went back into the tower and went down one floor, where they have a rotating glass floor. Again, some of us were game to stand on that glass floor and check out the view below. But my one son, Horace, wanted no part of it (name changed to protect his identity).

I looked at the feet and Drew my own conclusions.

I did the same, but then I only saw four pair of feet. Or was I missing something?

As a reminder, the Captain Oblivious Law of Art states: if it looks like something I could do, it’s not art. Does this pass the test?

I think this is a pretty good test, and i would say yes.

Then we drove back north of the city to our hotel, stopping at a nearby Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner since we felt like having some Italian. And dinner here was…fine. Nothing to write home about. But adequate.

We used to have one of those in LA and it was a great place to host our annual band banquet. It was 15 years ago, but you could get a salad, plate of spaghetti, and spumoni/vanilla ice cream for just around $10 + tax & tip. It made planning a large event affordable. Maybe that's why they closed down. :scratchin

How was I supposed to know you were posting right away!!

Because he said he was going to go ahead and keep posting.
 


I would do other famous ones. Sears (Willis) Tower in Chicago, or the CN Tower in Toronto. Empire State Building. That's all I can think of.

Wow! I feel like I'm in a unique situation! I've done all those! There is also some kind of tower in Vancouver with a swanky restaurant on top and I've done that one too!
 
Usually my luck runs in the other direction.

As does mine. Especially with Disney buses.

Pretty stunning the way this year has turned out thus far.

I can't think of anything moreso.

I never dreamed this was a possibility!

"You canceled your dream Alaska vacation?"

"Yep."

"What happened?"

"Some guy ate a bat."

:lmao: Or a pangolin. I find it hilarious that no one even knew what that was 4 months ago.

That tower is recognizable for most sports fans, I think.

Yes, I think so!

I can't say it would surprise me at this point.

Nothing would surprise me anymore.

My mama told me not to tell fibs.

She's a good mama!

Well, I think her funds are thankfully fairly protected. Down a bit, but it's more conservative at this stage so it's not as volatile

Phew!! That is one piece of excellent news in all of this.

Who's Monk? :p

Wait! You've never watched Monk?!

I had to research that one.

Most of the drivel on my thread is Google stuff. :rolleyes:

The entire observation deck went, "WHOOOOAAAAA...."

Yeah, I can hear the collective voice of awe!

Absolutely! Divine appointments are the best ones.

Yes. Yes, they are.
 
Catching back up.....Sorry your trip to Mt Rainer was disappointing but the Blue Angels sure made up for it!

So happy to have a TR to read when we are all stuck at home and cancelling trips. Thanks for the bright spot!

Jill in CO
 
It's not meant to. It's meant to slow infections so the medical system isn't overrun all at once.

Yeah, I understand that. I still don't think every single person will get the virus, though. Maybe I'm wrong on that. But we'll see.

That's a good point. Anyone relying on tourism for income... is gonna be suffering.

They already are! Restaurants are getting killed, too.

Of course you are.

:rolleyes1

That's true.

I like to say that failure is always fast and spectacular, while progress is always incremental.

Done both of those...

...but never been to NYC.

I did the Sears Tower and Empire State as a kid. Never been to Toronto, though.

Yes. That sounds good. Although while everyone else seems bored at home, I seem to be busy as ever. Not a lot of change.

I've been working from home, and it's been surprisingly busy doing it that way.

Yeah chances are what?

One in a thousand? I'd say more like one in a million.

So you're telling me there's a chance...

I'm glad you all like sports and enjoy this. I never would have even thought about this as a tourist attraction and until I read your reports didn't even realize these places offered tours.

The boys and I really enjoy them. The girls tolerate them. But they are great for sports fans.

He does that to me too!

He's such a punk that way!

If I go back to there I need a redo on the Needle, and I'm not sure if the Chihuly museum was there when I went. Nope. I just looked it up and it opened in 2012.

I bet you'd really like it!

Because I sort of have time on my hands I decided to google the question for you.

"I have lately wondered, “Why don't we have World's Fairs anymore?” The short answer is that we do. They now go by the name “Expos” (short for Expositions) and take place every 2 to 3 years. ... The innovations that have been touted in the Expos since 2000 are hardly seismic."

The 2020 Expo is supposed to be in Dubai this year.

Sorry if someone already answered this.

Nope, that's the first I've seen. But it still doesn't answer the question of why they aren't a big deal anymore. At some point, companies just stopped investing in them, I guess. Seems a shame.

I might have a slight issue with this..

Some in my family did as well.

I did the same, but then I only saw four pair of feet. Or was I missing something?

Drew actually went out with little fuss. Someone else struggled with it.

I think this is a pretty good test, and i would say yes.

Thanks! And I agree.

We used to have one of those in LA and it was a great place to host our annual band banquet. It was 15 years ago, but you could get a salad, plate of spaghetti, and spumoni/vanilla ice cream for just around $10 + tax & tip. It made planning a large event affordable. Maybe that's why they closed down.

That's not a bad deal at all. I liked the one I went to in Indianapolis years ago. This one was just meh.

Because he said he was going to go ahead and keep posting.

Exactly! This isn't rocket surgery.

Hey!

Only 'cause I love both of yous!

You've got a strange way of showing affection.

You think I read what he posts???????

What who posts? Oh, right.

Wow! I feel like I'm in a unique situation! I've done all those! There is also some kind of tower in Vancouver with a swanky restaurant on top and I've done that one too!

Nice! I'll have to check it out if I ever make it to Vancouver.
 
As does mine. Especially with Disney buses.

I wish I knew @pkondz 's secret with the buses.

:lmao: Or a pangolin. I find it hilarious that no one even knew what that was 4 months ago.

You can count me among that crowd.

Nothing would surprise me anymore.

Don't say that! We can't risk another jinx.

She's a good mama!

::yes::

Phew!! That is one piece of excellent news in all of this.

I still wouldn't mind a little recovery here, though!

Wait! You've never watched Monk?!

Actually, no. Never seen an episode.

Most of the drivel on my thread is Google stuff.

That's the only way to make my TR's interesting.

Yeah, I can hear the collective voice of awe!

So cool!

Catching back up.....Sorry your trip to Mt Rainer was disappointing but the Blue Angels sure made up for it!

That was an awesome consolation prize, for sure!

So happy to have a TR to read when we are all stuck at home and cancelling trips. Thanks for the bright spot!

Thanks, Jill. I appreciate you sticking with me.
 
Chapter 11: Driving Through A Hiking Park

We had a lazy morning with another big breakfast. Lazy breakfasts are underrated. It’s a luxury to be able to sit and sip your coffee (or beverage of choice) and eat a nice meal. Way better than a rushed bowl of cereal.

We headed north of Seattle, driving for a couple of hours and then making a right at Rt. 20 in Sedro-Woolley and heading on east to North Cascades National Park.

485053

North Cascades National Park was established in 1968 and is almost entirely a “wilderness” park, meaning it has been preserved to prevent man from encroaching on its natural features. Rt. 20 is the only road that travels across the park.

There’s a small visitor center outside the park in Sedro-Woolley, and we stopped there for a bathroom break as well as a chance to pick up a park map and get a Junior Ranger book for Drew. That way he could get a head start by working in the car as we drove.

We arrived at the park and drove to the main visitor center, just off the road. This isn’t the largest or most-visited national park, so the visitor center is proportionate in size. They have a small room with a few exhibits, a gift shop, and a short trail to an overlook with a view of a glacier.

Still, it does afford you the opportunity to ride on a slug.

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They also had a table where you could arrange random words into whatever poem or beautiful expression you wished as a reaction to the gorgeous views in the park. Someone had already taken it upon themselves to offer this snippet of conversation as a truly profound document worthy of meditation.

485055

We took the boardwalk path behind the visitor center to get our first actual view of the Cascade Range.

485056

After farting around in the visitor center for an hour or so, we put together our PB&J sandwiches in the parking lot and scarfed them down with a nutritious side of Fritos corn chips and Oreos. The Lunch of Champions.

We drove a couple of miles further east and stopped at a gravel parking lot next to the Gorge Dam, which helps form the man-made Gorge Lake (and is near Gorge Creek Falls, if you’re sensing a trend here). You can see the greenish color to the water, suggesting glacier activity in the area.

485057

We followed a short hike over a bridge and behind the dam building, to a short waterfall. A cascade, if you will. I don’t have a great photo of it and, frankly, we’d seen better waterfalls elsewhere, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

We followed Rt. 20 east through the park, pulling over at a couple of overlooks and enjoying the mountain views. There wasn’t much that really blew us away as compared to, say, Glacier or Yosemite, but we enjoyed the scenery. After reaching the eastern border of the park, we turned around and re-traced our steps back west. We stopped at the Diablo Lake Vista Overlook, and I think everyone agreed this was the most beautiful view we could find from the park road. Look at that glacial water!

485058

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That was certainly my favorite spot in the park. I had a nice panoramic photo there, but the DIS won’t let me post it that way. Just trust me when I say it’s a great view.

That was about all we could reach from the road. We learned that North Cascades is a park primarily made for hikers. It’s meant to be explored on foot, especially those who don’t mind spending a week hiking and camping in the outdoors. For those simply driving through, it’s a couple of hours at most.

We drove back to the visitor center so Drew could finish up the Junior Ranger book and earn his badge. This proved to be a very special swearing-in ceremony, as the Park Ranger on duty told Drew that if he was going to become a ranger, he needed to wear the hat.

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Continued Next Post
 
With our newly sworn-in VIP in tow, we hopped in the van and drove back the way we had come. Unfortunately, the drive took most of our afternoon. There was a bad accident on I-5, so we ended up driving on a lot of back roads before rejoining the interstate somewhere around the city of Everett. We drove through the city and down south to the town of Puyallup (another one that’s fun to say). I had scrapped my plans to stay near the Canada border and switched to the Hampton Inn of Puyallup so that we’d get another crack at Mt. Rainier in the morning.

After checking in, we drove into downtown Puyallup (a bustling metropolis, to be sure) and found a little unassuming concrete-block sort-of-dump of a building. We would never had stopped here in a million years if it hadn’t been featured on Diner’s, Drive-ins and Dives. But a look at the menu for Crockett’s Public House told us this place had the kind of nutritious rabbit food we tend to seek out on our vacations.

After a wait to be seated, we settled in and gorged on some lovely salads. I ordered a salad and substituted fried chicken and waffles for the lettuce and vegetables. I used maple syrup as the dressing.

485063

And Julie chose to trade in her lettuce for French fries and used a grilled cheese sandwich (with bacon) as the croutons. Her dressing was classic tomato soup.

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Since we had ordered healthy salads for dinner, we felt we had earned a treat for dessert, so we ordered up a giant apple turnover/pie thingy.

485065

Every single thing we ate here was awesome. This place and Frank’s Diner in Spokane were my two favorite meals of the trip. So, Crockett’s Public House also earns a Drooling Homer Award.

485066

I have spoken.

Coming Up Next: Take 2 with Mount Rainier. Maybe there will actually be a mountain there this time.
 
It’s a luxury to be able to sit and sip your coffee (or beverage of choice) and eat a nice meal. Way better than a rushed bowl of cereal.
::yes::
That's very profound. I think few people actually think about that.
North Cascades National Park was established in 1968 and is almost entirely a “wilderness” park, meaning it has been preserved to prevent man from encroaching on its natural features. Rt. 20 is the only road that travels across the park.
Don't you mean Rt. 20 encroaches on the park?
Still, it does afford you the opportunity to ride on a slug.
This is something everyone should do at least once in their lifetime.
Someone had already taken it upon themselves to offer this snippet of conversation as a truly profound document worthy of meditation.
Profound.
No Profound.
We took the boardwalk path behind the visitor center to get our first actual view of the Cascade Range.
I'm surprised at how jagged they are in the distance.
After farting around in the visitor center for an hour or so,
… the place smelled so bad, we ate in the parking lot.
we put together our PB&J sandwiches in the parking lot
Yuss...
We drove a couple of miles further east and stopped at a gravel parking lot next to the Gorge Dam, which helps form the man-made Gorge Lake (and is near Gorge Creek Falls, if you’re sensing a trend here).
Nope. Not seeing it.
You can see the greenish color to the water, suggesting glacier activity in the area.
I thought it suggested algae.
We followed a short hike over a bridge and behind the dam building, to a short waterfall.
Dam short walk to a dam short waterfall.
Wow, that's pretty!
Drew.... lol.
This proved to be a very special swearing-in ceremony, as the Park Ranger on duty told Drew that if he was going to become a ranger, he needed to wear the hat.
Awwww. :)
Unfortunately, the drive took most of our afternoon. There was a bad accident on I-5, so we ended up driving on a lot of back roads before rejoining the interstate somewhere around the city of Everett.
Ugh. Been there a few times. Never fun.
the town of Puyallup (another one that’s fun to say)
:laughing: I had to say it (and not sure I'm saying it right.)
I had scrapped my plans to stay near the Canada border
hmph.
found a little unassuming concrete-block sort-of-dump of a building. We would never had stopped here in a million years if it hadn’t been featured on Diner’s, Drive-ins and Dives.
::yes::
I've done that a few times too.
Had some really good food... and some mediocre food.
we settled in and gorged on some lovely salads.
Wait. We're back at Gorge Dam???
I ordered a salad and substituted fried chicken and waffles for the lettuce and vegetables. I used maple syrup as the dressing.
:laughing:
Holy crap!
Every single thing we ate here was awesome. This place and Frank’s Diner in Spokane were my two favorite meals of the trip. So, Crockett’s Public House also earns a Drooling Homer Award.
High praise indeed!
 
We stopped at the Diablo Lake Vista Overlook, and I think everyone agreed this was the most beautiful view we could find from the park road. Look at that glacial water!

Wow!! That water is amazing! Doesn't even look real!!

Since we had ordered healthy salads for dinner, we felt we had earned a treat for dessert, so we ordered up a giant apple turnover/pie thingy.

That looked so good!! As did all the food! I love that show (Diners :) and would go anywhere he recommends!
 
Much better views today! Drew makes quite a cute Ranger! Love the hat!

That meal looks very balanced....definitely approved!

Jill in CO
 
I still wouldn't mind a little recovery here, though!

Hear, hear!!

Actually, no. Never seen an episode.

I think you'd enjoy them. Good, clean family-friendly and funny.

We had a lazy morning with another big breakfast. Lazy breakfasts are underrated. It’s a luxury to be able to sit and sip your coffee (or beverage of choice) and eat a nice meal. Way better than a rushed bowl of cereal.

...unless you're trying to get to DHS for a Boarding Group. Then all bets are off.

Still, it does afford you the opportunity to ride on a slug.

485054

He'll be a PNW'er in no time!
Someone had already taken it upon themselves to offer this snippet of conversation as a truly profound document worthy of meditation.

485055

:lmao:
After farting around in the visitor center for an hour or so,

Phew! (or should that be pew?) I thought was the only one that did that.

PB&J sandwiches in the parking lot and scarfed them down with a nutritious side of Fritos corn chips and Oreos.

That actually sounds good right now. But I'm getting so fat sitting around at home I have to go back to eating rabbit food for a while.
We followed a short hike over a bridge and behind the dam building,

What did it do to offend you?

Awwww!
There was a bad accident on I-5
Welcome to your regularly scheduled bad accident on I-5.
 
That's very profound. I think few people actually think about that.

I've been thinking about things like this more since the quarantine started. There are a lot of little things we all take for granted.

Don't you mean Rt. 20 encroaches on the park?

It blasts right through the park!

This is something everyone should do at least once in their lifetime.

I dunno, it's almost a cliche at this point.

Profound.
No Profound.

Yin. Yang.

I'm surprised at how jagged they are in the distance.

I guess erosion will do that.

… the place smelled so bad, we ate in the parking lot.

Heh! That'll teach 'em!

Nope. Not seeing it.

Keep at it. I have faith in you.

I thought it suggested algae.

It could. That's a different shade of green.

Dam short walk to a dam short waterfall.

Dam right!

Wow, that's pretty!

Extremely! I was glad we got that view.

Drew.... lol.

That's my boy.


It was cool of the ranger to do that.

Ugh. Been there a few times. Never fun.

I doubt we saved any time, but I always prefer to at least moving.

I had to say it (and not sure I'm saying it right.)

I think it works best with a Texan accent.


Hey, I was guaranteed to be back in summer 2020! What could go wrong?

I've done that a few times too.
Had some really good food... and some mediocre food.

Nobody bats 1.000, but it usually works well for us.

Wait. We're back at Gorge Dam???

See? I knew you could get it!

Holy crap!

::yes::

High praise indeed!

Well, you saw the pie.
 

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