Day 41 Leavenworth to Dad's House, Kirkland Washington 118 miles
"It has often proved true that the dream of yesterday is the hope of today, and the reality of tomorrow."
~Dr. Robert Goddard
Since we didn't get to bed until midnight, we actually slept in- an anomoly. We shifted things (happens all the time in a tent) and prepared breakfast, cold cereal. QG went to the bathroom and guess what? No water. None at the site. I hustled off to the rec center, none. "We'll have water in half an hour." After a leisurely stroll and an hour later, "We'll have water in an hour." Forget it! Load up and go. And Thousand Trails gets a raspberry award. For shame! However, after decades it was wonderful to return to a nice campground with a really nice rec center.
The rode out of Leavenworth and across highway 2 past Stevens Pass, which brings back memories of life in Seattle. Wednesday nights in the winter we would run up to the ski resort, my friend Gordie and sons Paul and Tim. Today as we rode across the frozen tudra, we again were skirted with snow. I have never seen so much snow in May and June. While the rest of the country enjoyed mild winters yet drought conditions, the Pacific Northwest got everyone's precipitation. And today we got a bit more too.
Cruising down 522 into the suburbs, traffic built and so did my stress level. Perhaps when we finish this adventure we'll live somewhere where there are no traffic lights.
We rolled into Dad's place at three. Great to see him. He's my hero, and when I grow up I want to be just like my dad. QG doubts I'll ever grow up.
Since yesterday was my birthday, he offered to buy dinner. He took us to the Big Fish Grill in Woodinville. Great food and service! I had the sampler, with shark, monk fish and pork tenderloin. Oh, my. My tastebuds did cartwheels and sang old show tunes. Dad and QG enjoyed halibut and fish 'n chips, respectively. When in Rome... got to eat fish in Seattle.
The bike got a bonus tonight as it sat in a garage for the first time since leaving.
And now...
PRODUCT REVIEW
Last week we featured high tech, the intercom. Today we review super low tech, almost no tech:
Earplugs.
When we packed for the trip, I boxed up garage things and came across a box of construction-type foam earplugs. On a hunch I threw in a half dozen pairs. That proved to be a stroke of brilliance.
A tent has nylon sides. You can hear a fly land on them. But if the sound is a train, traffic, or hundreds of birds anxiously singing about daybreak a few short hours away, earplugs make a wonderful difference. I wore them from the first night, and Quilterr Girl soon decided to give them a shot. Just roll one between finger and thumb, shove it in your ear canal and
I SAID THE SOUND GOES AWAY AND THANK YOU - oops. thank you for removing them. These things cost next to nothing. Find them at (PP!)Lowe's and your life gets quieter. Have screaming kids? No problem. Boss getting on your nerves? Plug them in, smile and nod. Wife needs to sit and talk? All right. Sit and talk. Good.
Wish I used them more when I was younger. I SAID I WISH I USED THEM MORE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER!
YOU TOO?
4 comments:
Welcome to the Great Northwet!(No, that's not a typo.) You've lived here before, so you know what I mean. Just think... if you'd left the bike out last night, it would have gotten washed. THAT'S why our state is called WASH-ington!
Seriously, thanks for taking us along on this once-in-a-lifetime journey. It's as if we're right there with you... only without the wind, rain, snow, worn-out tires, etc. :-)
I read the weather report and QG hid up all the sharp objects!
I thought foam earplugs were pink. Was it so cold out that yours turned purple? Just wondering...
The earplugs come in pink and purple. First you must be 'color draped' to see what works best with your skin tone. Next, check your pajamas to be sure they fit with your skin tone AND your bedtime emsemble, including earplugs. Horrors if you're wearing pink when purple is the perfect hue! You truly should have known.
KP
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