Sunday Loop

With gorgeous weather on Sunday afternoon, we saddled up the Honda and went for a drive. Once we were out of the valley, sharing ice tea to wash away the excellent but lingering flavors from pesto pasta and veggies, the weather cooled enough to be perfect. We ignored the looming thunderheads that danced along ridge tops.

Plan 1 was to head to Randle on HWY 12, going over White Pass. Plan 2 was to avoid hitting deer or elk. Kevin's plan 3 was for people to stop tailgating our Sunday drive.

Plan 4 was a change from the same return trip, instead going on HWY 123, connecting with HWY 410, and looping back over Chinook Pass and heading into Yakima from that direction.

Our first stop was at the Butter Butt Coffeeshop in Randle. We had to go, just because of the name! We split a delicious (pricey) bacon, cheese, green onion scone. We took our iced lattes to-go and hit the road after the Kevster confirmed the HWY number for connecting to HWY 410, as we did not have a map.

Beautiful weather. Refreshing trees. Lack of bugs. Tons of traffic. Great minds think alike? I adore the smell of pine forests. Wearing a helmet with the vents open kept me deep breathing most of the trip. If only I could capture that and bring it home. Canned pine is not good.

Helmet hair

We stopped at a creek bridge to finish our coffee. It IS possible to have a drink with a helmet on, but challenging. And the back seat person at times gets sprayed with what doesn't make the mouth.

Chinook Pass furnished scintillating alpine spring colors and scenes. We were over the pass about 2 weeks ago, and Tipsoe Lake was totally snowed and iced over on that chilly day. On Sunday, large swathes of icy water and thousands of flowers were on display. As evidenced by the lots full of traffic, travelers, cameras, and pedestrians. Mt. Rainier shone splendidly with a racing clouds and blue sky backdrop.

Most of my photos where shot as we traveled. It's a bit of a challenge, with the helmet mask in the way, and Kevin's head blocking 45 degrees of vision, but all I do it point in the general direction and click. I check for success when we get home.

As we came down 410, the clouds certainly seemed darker but theatrical. Not much later, we hit a light rain. We stopped at the Bumping Lake cut off, contemplated the side trip to the end of the lake, and considered the darkening clouds and sprinkles of rain. We quickly tucked away and camera and saved that adventure for a different day.

Just in time. Within a few miles, we hit real rain. The first real rain we've encountered on the bike. Enough to soak our socks and the front halves of our bodies. Kevin caught most of it while what missed him soaked me. We got chilly enough that I decided to make hot soup for dinner as soon as we got home. No pictures of the rain.

Once we hit Naches, poof. Oven and hot fan back on. Ugh. Yes, we dried up quickly. Except for the socks. But I do prefer the cool mountain air and evergreen freshness.

We had soup for dinner. Kale, hominy, black bean spicy soup with multi-grain chips. Mmmmm.

This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)

Where shall we go next Sunday?