Back on the North Cascade Highway

It was close to 3pm when we left the resort and drove back to the highway. When we left we saw several Porsche's pull into the lot and more coming when we were driving out to the highway. Still more coming west on the highway. Evidently it was a group rally or club trip with an overnight at the lodge. We must have seen 25 overall, and I was thinking it was a grand day and a great highway to cruise in a sports car. Along the rest of our trip we were treated to sensational views, brilliant colored leaves, and a relaxing drive. It was a lot of miles to cover in one day and if we do the drive again we will stay overnight. Probably at Sun Mountain as it was very picturesque and is really close to the town of Winthrop, which is done in a old western town motif and worth a couple of hours of sightseeing. As it was, we got back home at 7:30 pm, so we didn't have much time for a lot of pictures or sightseeing in Winthrop. Maybe next time! I'm sure we will do it again, the scenery was too spectacular not to see again.

More of the Sun Mountain Resort

The pool was open and the spa was sending up plumes of steam as the temperature was about 40 degrees due to the cold day and the altitude of the resort.

Lunch at the Sun Mountain Resort

By By 1pm we were getting hungry and the restaurant possibilities were somewhat limited. We decided to take a quick job off the route and have lunch at the Sun Mountain Lodge. We had heard of it but never seen it before. it was about a 15 mile winding drive to the top of the mountain to get there. Very scenic, and the resort location was well chosen, allowing you to look for miles in several directions. You look down on everything and the houses and ranches below look like tiny little Monopoly pieces from that height. The resort itself looks like a billionaires hunting lodge. Log style buildings, sweeping decks, hunting trophy heads hung on walls, big fireplaces, and comfy furniture. We were thinking it would be a great place to visit in the snow season. We ate in the lounge, french dip sandwiches, and enjoyed the ambiance of the place. Nice to relax for lunch and stretch our legs afterward.

The North Cascades Highway

We had talked about taking a fall drive over the North Cascades Highway before we leave for California and since Saturday was forecast to be a beautiful sunny day we decided it was the time to go. We took the Sebring convertible and although the weather was crystal clear with bright sunshine, the temperature never got to 50 degrees all afternoon so the top stayed up.

We left at 8:30am, it was to be a 500 mile drive, gassed the car and got breakfast to go at MacDonald's and headed up I-5 on our way to Auburn. We took Highway 18 to I-90 and drove east over Snoquamie Pass. It was a very pretty drive, but there was little snow on the mountains and mostly evergreen trees so the colors were what we were used to and nothing spectacular. We turned off I-90 North onto Blewett Pass and dropped down into Wenatchee, and all its apple orchards. We drove by Lake Chelan and headed north toward Twisp and Winthrop. We stopped along the way and bought a selection of apples, pears, and plumbs.

Anniversay Day

We had a nice drive home from Seattle with the top down on the Sebring in the warm sun.
Monday we did some errands. And Tuesday we took in a movie at the new theater in Gig Harbor. We saw "Love Happens" with Aaron Ekhart and Jennifer Aniston. A little corny but we both like romantic comedies. For dinner Susan cooked lobster tails and we drank a bottle of champagne with them. This has become our celebration dinner over the years and was much cheaper than having both at a restaurant.

Saturday Night and Sunday Afternoon

After walking around downtown we went back to our room, relaxed, and then decided to go down to F.X. McRory's and watch the Washington Husky game in the large bar. Another Seattle sports institution than we been going to since our Seahawks season ticket days...23 years of them, so it seemed like home. The Dawgs lost but a good time was had by all.

Sunday morning we had breakfast at a French cafe, Campagne, before walking to Quest Field for the Seahawks game. We had poached eggs over crouton bread with a wine sauce and pearl onions. Very very good. It was another warm day as we entered the stadium. We sat in the "Hawks Nest" area above the north end zone and had a really good view. The beer was cold, the sun was hot, and the game was close, two points spread, and wasn't decided until the clock ticked out. Another lose! Da Bears won...and had a lot of followers there. The crowd was crazy loud as always so Da Bears fans were drowned out in the din...thank god.

The Classic Pike Street Market Fish Toss

Clam chowder at Ivar's a Seattle institution since 1938

A good place to people watch

We call this guy "The Balloon Man" for obvious reasons. The market is loaded with artists, musicians, etc. My favorite is a group of African American guys who sing a kind of Gospel, harmony doo-wop. They are usually here on Saturdays.

Nice view and good restaurants

We watched the boat traffic from the upstairs restaurant as we nibbled on deep fried shrimp and cold beer.

We been coming here for most of our 36 years together.

Just a great place to shop

Walking the Pike Street Market

We put our things in the room then across the street to visit the Pike Street Market and have lunch.

Updating the blogsite

We are now only a month away from heading south so I am getting the blogsite up and running again. I was posting pictures to Facebook but it was to restrictive so from now on I will post short notes on Facebook along with the entrance to this blogsite. We still want to use this as our journal to remind us where we went and what we did. We will post pictures here in quantity and if anyone is interested they are welcome to our site.

Our 36th Wedding Anniversary was Tuesday, September 29th and we decided to make it a four day celebration to include the weekend. We took the convertible to Seattle on a beautiful sunny day and checked into a nice room on the third floor of the Inn At The Market just across a narrow street from the Pike Street Market. It was a corner room with a water view, with the Public Market sign in prominent view.