We left Cascade Locks on July 23 and headed north up I-5 toward Seattle/Tacoma area. On the way we made a short side trip to the Mount St. Helen's Visitor's Center at Castle Rock, WA. We were over 50 miles from the mountain, so all I could do is get my passport stamped and buy postcards and a magnet. Then back on the road toward Seattle.
Our destination was the Seattle/Tacoma KOA in Kent, WA. We were so packed in that campground that peas in a pod have more room than we did! Our $50.00 site came with the bare essentials - water, electricity and sewer hook up. No cable or wi-fi. Bummer. We called Jack's cousin Ron at 5, and by 6:30 he and Linda were at the campground with a bag of Rainier cherries and street maps of Tacoma and Seattle. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday visiting with Ron and Linda and they very graciously gave us a tour of Tacoma and on Wednesday there was a mini reunion of Jack's first cousins (Ron's brother and sister and their spouses) at Ron and Linda's lake home near Olympia, WA. Beautiful!
On July 26 we woke to heavy clouds, but had planned to go to Mt. Rainier National Park, so packed up and headed the 60+ miles hoping to at least get a glimpse of the Mountain! As we got closer, the sky cleared and it turned into a beautiful day after all. We went as far as the Paradise Visitor's Center where we saw a movie and exhibits and enjoyed the alpine flowers and the views of the mountain's glaciers. We took pictures of waterfalls, glacial rivers, and ate lunch at the Visitor's Center.
July 27 we drove up to the Boeing airplane factory for an 11 a.m. tour. After a 6 minute "propaganda" film on Boeing airplanes (If it isn't a Boeing, I ain't going) we boarded two tour buses and headed out to the hangars to watch them building planes. It was a 1/3 mile fast hike to the elevators taking us to the first gallery to watch the building of the 747's, and 777's and then back down the elevators and another 1/3 mile hike to the buses for the trip to see the very newest Boeing planes being built, the huge 787's. The lighting is changed, the overhead compartments are larger, and the improved circulation systems ensure that you don't leave the plane with your neighbor's illnesses. The very first US carrier to buy a 787 is United Airlines. We also saw several new planes take off on their initial inspection flights. Exciting!
Our next adventure was back in Tacoma, where we toured the huge LeMay car museum. Donnie Pearce, I was thinking of you on this one! Four floors plus 8 ramps of cars, trucks, muscle cars, roadsters, English cars, custom made limos and motorcycles! If that wasn't enough, there were more outside that were there for a local car show! They had a Delaurian gull wing and a Tucker car on display - first I'd seen. For entertainment there was a barbershop quartet on the main concourse, and on the lowest level a very loud rock band! My poor eardrums!
Next stop, Burlington WA!
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