Last Tango in Entiat--Oct 2

One day I will repent of all of my short comings. I have lots, so the list is long, and it will take me a while to get through the list. Perhaps I should enter some 12 step program for those addicted to making-hay-while-the-sunshines. Perhaps not.

In any case, Tim and I played hooky again over conference weekend and went walk-about--this time in the Cascade Mountains. Although the color in the pass hadn't erupted yet, we did enjoy our trip over Steven's Pass.

A beauty shot of the Wenatchee river that runs along the road near Leavenworth

We took this picture of me alongside the river. Tim was leaning over one side of the guard rail and I climbed over and posed myself on the closest rock (it was steep there); this is the result...not bad. There was some color in the trees but not much.

We were on a road trip and just kept going past Leavenworth and the Oktoberfest party there (crowds tend not to be our thing anymore) and Tim took me to a place that he had cycled up to years ago while riding in the Wenatchee Apple Century. The kids and I accompanied him to Wenatchee that year, camping and riding bikes around Confluence State Park and enjoying the local farmer's market while he road a 100 miles in the hot sun. Part of that particular ride took him up a small canyon along the Entiat River which he liked a lot. Ten years later, we went back to take a closer look.

First of all, wow. So much camping right there along a beautiful river --and I am not talking about camping along the Columbia! We found 5 nice campgrounds, cheap too ($5 and $7)! We chose one that was out in the sun, set up camp and cooked dinner with no utensils and some matches from a gas station. While still in Wenatchee we purchased dinner and decided to camp. Fortunately, we had a tent and some bags or it would have been pretty crazy without them...or we would have stayed in a hotel? I dunno. ( I will take a moment here to mention that this sweet previa has 327,000+ miles on it--no, that is not a typo--and is still going strong!)

Anyway, we had no cooking gear, so we improvised--who needs a stinking propane stove! The wood was wet from a rainstorm, but my uber mountain man husband got a cozy fire going! We found some sticks and we cooked our dinner.

It got dark pretty fast, so as it often happens when you camp, you go to bed early-ish. Next morning we enjoyed our continental breakfast and went out to explore our surroundings. We found these berries everywhere and wondered if they are the Elderberries that Tim's dad makes jam out of for us each Christmas (Peggy always imagined Elderberries were red, since the jelly is red?...)

We found ourselves turning up dirt roads to see where they led. We found this box canyon that the Entiat River flows through. This was a cool spot where the water pooled up and then disappeared, only to reappear at the bottom of the drop below. The pictures kind of show it.

Here's a close up of the "disappearing" water...

We are standing on an overhang just like this one, only on the opposite side of the river. It was all fenced off so you couldn't jump off. But it was up there. (see the video below)

Another dirt road took us to Entiat Falls. It was a really pretty spot with a great swimming hole right behind were Tim is standing. If it had been a warmer day.... :)

Tim decided to climb up to the top of the falls for a photo op. Originally, he was going to go stand out on that timber over the top of the falls (see the video at the bottom), but it turns out that was kind of scary. So he stopped there for me to take a picture.

Peggy by the swimming hole... We drove to the very end of the dirt road, past several other camping areas to the trail head that goes up to the Entiat River Valley. Tim informs me that we will be hiking up it next year when I can hike again (yes, with physical therapy, my foot is getting better--slowly, and yes I had an X-ray...) So with daylight a-waste'n we turned the Previa around and headed on out. Next stop....

Cowboy town...Winthrop. This was one of stops on the famous Montana trip that we took as a family and a stop on the camping trip that we passed a raging forest fire along the way back to camp. We have been to Winthrop a couple of times. I totally recommend it...always a fun stop.

It is kind of like Poulsbo but with cowboy stuff instead of Norwegian stuff! The cops (or security guards) are dressed as Sheriffs with tin stars even.

Here's a shot of main street. Popular place when you can get there. In the winter the pass over the North Cascades is closed and you can't get there easily.

On down the road we stopped for some fuel at this place in Mazama. First of all, Mazama looks like it is really popular with the REI crowd. Matter of fact, you would swear you were at a photo shoot for the catalog. EVERYONE was decked out with the latest outfits. Inside this store were all of the latest organic foods and $100 hand knitted hats....ya. And then Tim noticed this: A blue bag drop is were you put your "human waste" after a long trip in the "wilderness". Classy? Thought I was in Oregon for a minute. :)

This outpost looked to be particularly popular with the cross country skill people. The steps up the back were made to drop snow off your boots. The steps were welded bits and pieces designed to scruff the snow off your boots in winter. Kind of cool art--especially for steps.

This one was welded rebar in a triangle pattern...

On down the road we went once we had some fuel, over Washington Pass. Tim road this far on his bike on our Montana trip 1998 (?). It was hot and the road was torn up and he said he was done messing with it all at the end of that particular day. It was ridiculous how bad the roads were that year. This picture is taken from a rest stop near the top...

We noticed this sign and Tim was super excited to see it! He so wants to hike the PCT!

We are nearing another place that Tim and Marc have paddled two 50 milers: Lake Ross is peeking around the corner. This is the lake where you paddle up to the dam, then pay some $ and get portage to the next level above the dam and can paddle north into Canada.

It was a fun road trip; We always enjoy our time together even after 30+ years. It felt like we were having our last dance with summer. Soon the rain and snow will come and put a "pause" to our adventures. We'll be home bound and dancing to the oldies, but goodies. Good thing we have pictures of our summer fun to keep us company for a while!

Enjoy the videos!

Love Mom and Dad

PS. You're welcome Gina: such pressure!