The Road Nearly Home

We made the most of our last full day on the road. We took our time at the hotel, then one last stop in Winthrop. Ed enjoyed his usual Saturday morning cinnamon bun while I did a little more shopping.
Simon and Garfunkel, our troubadours of travel, on the IPOD,
Homeward Bound, I wish I was homeward bound
Today was going to be amazing.
Our drive today was through northern Washington on the North Cascades Scenic Highway. The trip is only 126 km from Winthrop to the Skagit Valley but it took us 3 hours. We were amazed at the beauty along the highway. It is incredibly scenic and we would stop almost wherever there was a viewpoint. On the plains and the prairies the sky was the highlight, here the emerald green forests and slate mountain peaks capped with snow are breathtaking. We stopped at the lookout over Diablo Lake and the colour is the same turquoise blue as Lake Louise. Once again we see how the ice age glacial melts helped to shape the land. The force and power of nature is amazing.
We were amazed at how many cyclists were on the road toady. It has been another Tour de Mountain. We lost count of the number of cyclists we saw making the climb. We assumed that they had escort vehicles with them as they were not carrying a pannier. One exception was a young fellow that happened to stop at the same point of interest that we were at. He was from North Bend, Indiana, cycling coast to coast. He was giving himself two months to cycle from Anacortes, Washington to Maine.
We have been amazed at the number of folks traveling across the country on big motor bikes, mostly Harley Davidson’s. This is the new way for the middle-aged to travel. One couple that I spoke with at a rest stop in Wyoming were on their way home to Arkansas from Alaska. Over the past 3 years, they have ridden in all 50 states, with the exception of Hawaii, which they did in ’93.
We have also been amazed at the number and size of the motor homes we have seen along the highway and at the RV parks. These are not just campers; these are small houses on wheels complete with the car in the backyard. We wondered, what recession? Ed and I felt like poor relations with our borrowed tent which we had set-up down in the holler.
Our lunch break today was in Newhalem. It is a company town, with the employees working for Seattle City Light. We bought our sandwich from the general store and had our lunch in the park. The temperature was 27C with a gentle breeze to keep us comfortable. Ed and I have re-discovered the joys of a picnic lunch. Subway sandwiches may not be everyone’s choice for lunch, but when you have been driving for 300 kilometres, it is amazing how good a simple sandwich can taste, especially when you are sitting next to the one you love and have the most amazing view in front of you.
We never did find a Factory Outlet mall today, but we did pull into a familiar Pacific Northwest landmark, Bellis Fair Mall. I managed to find a pair of capris and a new battery for my watch. Time has stood still for us, literally and figuratively. Each day we would have to make a note of the day and date.
For dinner, we made the urban safari into the food court. I was true to my healthy eating program – fresh veggie and seafood stir-fry, brown rice and ice water. Ed decided to have the salmon chowder, calamari, fries and diet coke from Ivar’s Acres of Clams. (All I can say is that it is a good thing that Ed is naturally thin. He will be having his cholesterol levels checked in October.)
There were no waits crossing the border back into Canada. The Officer asked us where we had been, how much we spent and then sent us on our way. That was amazing. We were happy to be in familiar surroundings, driving along Highway 99. To my right I could see the north shore mountains and to my left, just a short distance away, Vancouver Island. We are spending our last night on the road at Club Ed in Richmond.
Tomorrow we will take the morning off from driving then one last time we will hit the road and head for the ferry. This time tomorrow night, we will be home.
Time it was, and what a time it was