So Saturday we decided to ride to Yakima to visit her Mother and retrieve our Starbucks Ceramic Double Walled 12 oz coffee cups we left after our last visit.
We leave home at 9:30 a wife happy departure time. Here is our route.
Before we leave I check the state web cams to find the cloud deck was at about 2000’ feet. Good news for it would warm up a bit as we cross the 4700' Cayuse Pass.
On the road at 9:30 it is about 55 degrees. We drive through Enumclaw and climb to the plateau near Mud Mountain dam where Hwy 410 follows the White River toward Mt. Rainier.
As expected the clouds begin to give way to clear skies near Greenwater.
Greenwater Washington home of Whapiti Woolies where you can buy latte’s and ski hats. Established in 1974, Whapiti Woolies has been making the finest hats available anywhere in the world.
Happy Humpers ski hat. Ah mating Elk!
I still have my happy humper ski hat and used to wear it proudly when I skied.
Crystal Mountain ski area, the best ski hill in Washington, is nearby. Driving through Greenwater and along the White River all you see is a hall of trees, not Mt. Rainier or the ski hill, no sight of recreational opportunities one would expect and usually no snow even is season. This must leave visitors confused with thoughts of feeling lost - where all all these wonderful places? Imagine driving in a Canyon and your car is surrounded by trees following the road along a river bed. The road starts to climb out of the river bed just after entering Mt. Rainier National Park. Just after the road to Sunrise is this spectacular view of Mt. Rainier, of the most photographed spot in Washington.
Mt. Rainier and the White River. Steamboat Prow is the peak between the river and Mt. Rainier in the background.
After White Pass I whip out the camera along the Tieton River. The river is running fast and I can see Oak trees alongside the road. It reminds me of California.
Tieton River along Hwy 12
The Wife
Tieton River along Hwy 12
We arrive in Yakima to visit with Linda’s mom. After a sandwhich and cheese cake I take a nap in the chair. Before leaving I help install an arbor on a fence and dig a hole for planting a Clematis. Thankfully the soil was soft. A shovel was the only tool I needed to dig the hole.
We ride back home heading west with the sun facing us the entire way. This makes for lousy photography so I decided to leave the camera in my pocket. I notice there is a lot less snow at Chinook Pass compared to last week and Tipsoo Lake is beginning to thaw out.
The End
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