Day 15: Service Again

Good news! No bears or dogs visited me last night 😉. So I was rested and up at 0500. I wanted to get one of my pictures before my service appointment at 0900, so by 0545 I was rolling west towards Mount Rainier.

60 miles later, I was taking the photo with half frozen hands. I was still dressed for 100°F weather, not 50° with lower wind chill 🥶. Anyway, I survived the cold and made it back to Apple State HD around 0815.

One thing I didn't mention yesterday, and it happened again this morning. You know you're in some crazy weather when it's 100°F and you pass a snow plow 🤯.

This morning was also a good day to see animals, living ones. The first was a herd of big horn sheep crossing the road. Then I went though about 30 elk about 3 miles from the photo stop...which meant I had to go back through them on the way out 🤣. They pretty much just looked at me.

HD finished up my service around 1130, so the rest of the day was a physical and mental fight against heat, dehydration, twisty roads, and exhaustion. I had a really rough time starting about 1500, having to stop a lot, chew caffeinated gum, and drink Gatorade and water. I never got enough liquid in me, and by 1900 I was done for the day.

My last photo stop was in the town of Okanogan, and my next one is at the other side of North Cascades National Park. No way was I going through those twisty roads this tired and in the dusk/dark. So I set up camp at the American Legion Park in town. There's not much breeze, but at least it's cooled off some. And there are toilets here! 😁!

Out ✌️

Miles: 506.3Read more