From Locks and Omelets...

Day 28: July 24, 2009 – Seattle, WA to Northern Cascade National Park
To Peaks and Rain

Evan and Kate pointed us toward Salmon Bay Café this morning. It’s where all the fishermen go to fill their bellies for a fair price. So, we made like fishermen and ate the Salmon Bay Café. It was delicious and up to now, the biggest meal we have enjoyed during the morning hours. With full bellies we made our way to the Locks where we would be able to watch the boats go out to sea by “elevator” and spot some fish from the fish ladder viewing window. The area leading to the locks is an English style garden with some beautiful trees and flowers that made the short walk to the Locks even more enjoyable. We watched a few fish swimming around in the ladder, saw a blue heron and watched a dozen or so boats make their way out to sea. A good way to say good-bye to Seattle and ultimately, to the coast.

From the Locks we made our way east toward the Northern Cascades where we hoped to camp and enjoy a hike or two. The drive into the Cascades was wonderful as the road is very well maintained and the mountains are absolutely splendid. Trees surrounded us on either side and often left us feeling as though we were driving through a tunnel. Before reaching the Park boundary we took the opportunity to stop at a winery on the side of the road and continue our wine education. We sampled four of the wines manufactured, from grape to bottle, at this particular winery and concluded that one of them fit our sweet loving personalities so well that we ought to make a purchase.

On the road again, we quickly approached the Park entry. We made our way to the Visitor Center to get our National Parks Passport stamp and grab some information on hikes in the area before heading out to find a campsite. Half-way through the park, as the rain began to drizzle down, we found a walk-in campsite that suited our needs for the night and we promptly set up and paid our fee. Having a place to sleep we were able to prepare a small pot of soup which fit the rainy weather perfectly. Bellies satisfied we made our way into the tent where sleep awaited our tired bodies.