Thursday: July 22, 1999

Rise and Shine! And off North to Sunrise, another beautiful but treacherous drive. From Sunrise point, we could see the Cascade mountains, all the way to Mt. Baker. Turn around, and there stood beautiful Mt. Adams. Rumor had it that we could also see Mt. St. Helens ( or what was left of her), but we were ujnable to verify this alledged siting. Mom felt that we should also be able to see Mt. Hood in Oregon, but either it wasn't clear enough, or it was hiding behind another peak.

From the Sunrise Visitor Center, Steve and I, with a sulky teen in tow, headed off for a 4.5 -> 6 mile (depending on the guide book consulted) trek to the Mt. Freemont lookout tower. Years ago, Steve and I had attempted this same hike, but turned back because of freezing rain and poor visual conditions. Not so today! Conditions couldn't have been better. The only discernable cloud hung over Nathan's head. I think he wanted to limit his hiking experience to snowy trails. Those hikes however were highly dangerous in this area - requiring ice axes and crampons. (Shucks! I left mine at home.) The hike was longer than expected and for Steve, not quite up to expectation, but I think it was better than any hike we could possibly take around our house.

Afterward, we had a deliciously greasy and overpriced lunch at the Sunrise snack bar, then off to Chinook Pass and Tipoco Lake at the Eastern entrance to the park. Everything but the road was icy and snow covered, thus there was no hiking to be done.

Instead, we headed down to the Grove of the Patriarchs, where we enjoyed a stroll through a forest of perhaps the largest cedar trees I had ever seen. Being the environmentalists that we are, we contributed to the natural food chain by offering our well fed bodies to the grove's vampire misquitos. (Steve forgot to bring the insect repelant).

Thankfully, we were able to turn in early that night, with Nathan and I actually watching a little TV. Dr. Strangelove was a hoot (Slim Pickens riding that bomb - a classic Hollywood image). But then came the 1st 20 minutes (all we could stand) of 2001, A Space Odessey. Sleep seemed to come easily.

Thus we spent our final night in a strange bed (but not our final night on the road).

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