I’d had a trip through the North Cascades in the back of my mind since April, so when the call went out last Saturday for a few good men to ride the loop around Highway 20 and back via Highway 2, I volunteered to do my part.
Three of us met at Tressa’s Bakery in Duvall, making certain to start the day with a blueberry scone.
When I was a kid, a trip to the Puyallup Fair was made most memorable by a visit to Fisher’s booth to get a scone. I have really fond memories of those scones and regret having tarnished them permanently the last time I went to the fair (several years ago) by having one. Blech. Either they were never as good as I remember them being, or else the quality has declined in the decades since. Tressa’s scones, on the other hand? Yum.
The weather was just right throughout the day: dry, with a few clouds to make the sky interesting. The late‐morning temperature at Washington Pass was 38° — explaining perfectly the dusting of snow on the peaks above Spire Gulch. The changing season attracted a number of painters to the overlook off the highway, which is where we stopped to eat lunch.
The ride between Winthrop and Wenatchee is always good for blowing carbon off the plugs, and it was great to see the Methow River
one more time before the year comes to an end. Leavenworth was a traffic jam full of Oktoberfest
celebrants; a stop in their midst for some caffeine at Good Mood Food
, then we were on our way up Stevens Pass.
Day’s end found everyone safely at home, looking forward to next year
when we can take a lap around the mountains once again.