I did the loop

 

Map Of The Legendary Cascade Loop

Coming out of the north Cascade highway 20 I had to do some serious maneuvering to avoid the parking lot that is I 5 and Seattle. Fortunately, highway 530 skirts the interstate at Arlington, bypasses Marysville, skirts Everett, and kicks you out of the major cities at Snohomish. Then it’s on to Monroe, and before you start climbing up to Stevens Pass, and the major ski resort there, you get to the best part of this side of the cascades, the town of Skykomish.

Now Skykomish would be cool enough just because of the Great Northern Railroads mascot “Rocky”

Great Northern's Rocky 

But Skykomish is home to Sky River Coffee, and that’s where I get my espresso beverage whenever I am in town.

The proper multi pierced, and tattooed Barista, new exactly what I wanted when I ordered a double Doppio

The Place For Coffee In Washington

She also convinced me I needed a scone or a  muffin. I elected for the muffin blueberries included. I settled into a chair to enjoy my beverage and listened to the assembled locals who had all the gossip on the double stacker that derailed, and how the containers were being picked up by trucks, even as they spoke. But besides all that, as if on cue my Barista went out, the front door stood for maybe a minute and then the Amtrack train came into view and as it was blowing its horn she was waving madly at the train and all the passengers. I thought that is something I would do, and who knew Amtrack ever ran on time.

Amtrak Blasting Through Town

Back on the road not much was happening at the huge Stevens Pass ski area. Guess they are waiting for snow., and this southern part of the loop is not as scenic and is more populated than the northern.

On my map I eyed Lake Wenatchee and turned off highway 2 onto a newly paved road and discovered another almost abandoned state park. This one did have a “On Duty Host” so I stopped into to ask about camping.

Smokie Lake Wenatchee

The little lady was nice and gave me a card with an 800 number to call.

I called the number and the message said that the wait would be 3 days 14 hours, 13 minutes, and 21 seconds, to talk to a human. 

There was also a web address on the card so I pulled that up and attempted to make a reservation, that was complicated  by not having my password book, forgetting my password, getting a link to reset my password, then creating a new password that contains a number a Uppercase letter and a pound sign # or something like that for good measure. And then starting over from the beginning after you have logged in using your new password.

Picnic Time 

This reservation system is also different in each state, and the National Parks have their own reservation.gov

The good thing about doing this is that so far everyplace I have stayed I have had a phone signal , and I like that, but it sure was easier when you pulled up to the park, and a human in the little gate house set it all up for you took your money, and told you not to break the rules.

Maybe someday amerikans will figure out that just  supporting the rich ain’t working out to good for us.