Day 16. July 10th
My Dad picked the four of us up in Skykomish. It was a two hour drive to Snoqualime Pass to pick up resupply packages shipped there and another fours hours to Cascade Locks, Oregon. Fortunately we had washed all the trail stink off and done laundry, sparing permanent odor damage to the car.
It was a bittersweet trip. I was bummed to have quit the trail. But leaving the snow was the right choice. In particular I hoped Brad, Josh, and Cole would experience the best parts of backpacking.
We crossed over into central Washington, entering the dry open lands. We stopped in Yakima and went to a Walmart. Going to a Walmart after backpacking can lead to several bad food purchases. I bought two single servings of Spam lite, among other things. I’m not proud of that.
We crossed the Columbia River. My Dad stopped to refuel. He went inside and the four of us stretched out and bought gas for the car. A middle aged woman came up to me and said “Excuse me. You don’t look dangerous. Could you help me with my car?” She simply wanted to know if the tire pressure sensor warning lights on her Mercedes were something to be alarmed about. Although my knowledge of cars is limited to fueling, park, reverse, and drive, Cole and I assured her the minor pressure decline was fine for the remaining 20 miles of her trip. Nevertheless, the phrase “you don’t look dangerous” would be used on me several times over the next few days.
We arrived in Cascade Locks and checked in to our hotel. We were concerned there were so few dining choices and almost panicked to learn only one was still open, but just for another 20 minutes. We grabbed dinner sitting outside along the Columbia River as the sun went down. It was a great night and felt like an appropriate transition to closing out Washington across the river and beginning anew in Oregon
I said goodbye to my Dad. I wasn’t sure when I would see him again.
backpacking over the hill 