As we rode up the mountain, the temperature dropped to 50°F, 10°C by the time we got to the Visitor Centre at Paradise Inn. Mount Rainier was meant to tower above us from this point. Clearly it was hiding or does it only exist on number plates? There were other jagged peaks but, Mount Rainier? We asked the young lady at the information desk to show us a picture on her screen - after all we had not come all that way for nothing. She swivelled her screen and showed us what we would normally see through the window from where we were standing. Satisfied, we had a hot soup and rode back down the mountain.
Seattle was a bit tough as far as riding was concerned. Lots of traffic at a standstill and we are not allowed to go between lines of traffic here on a motorbike; only in California. We were staying with the daughter and her husband of one of Paul's cousins. We (Françoise) normally 'mother' young people when they stay with us. Here, Sarah and Jon were intent on mothering us despite us being over twice their age and us having shown that we are not totally incapable yet by having ridden 25,000 miles to get to them! Nonetheless we had a very good stay with them!
Whilst staying with Sarah and Jon we profited by going into Seattle to see the Chihuly Museum and Garden - think of the chandelier hanging above the entrance desk at the Victoria and Albert in London. Very impressive and just about the only thing we had time to see whilst there.
We then moved on to Preston. Not Preston, Lancashire near where Paul comes from but Preston Washington State near Seattle. Whilst kneeling at the window of the Migracion on the Ecuador Colombia border we met Donn and Deby from Preston (Washington State) who were travelling in the opposite direction. We started chatting and exchanged details and headed in opposite directions but stayed in touch. They have been a mine of information for us as to suggesting routes and things we might visit on our way and always said that if ever we were in Washington State...
Donn and Deby have a beautiful house and we enjoyed morning walks in the woods around their house - bears must have been sleeping. They showed us photos of bears on their terrace trying to get to the bird food before the birds, and squirrels. Puts our Greenwich foxes into perspective. They also took us to the 8th annual Ripfest Music Festival - tickets not necessary and you didn't need a stamp on the back of your hand or one of those bracelets. It was in somebody's garden in North Bend - five bands, bring your own beer and deck chairs and free tacos from the TacoVan out front. And Donn played bass in the jam session at the end. One hell of a Sunday to be honest.
Seattle marked nine months on the road for us and 25,000 miles - 40,000km. Originally we had said six months before we set about doing our outline planning. Our planning said eight months. We are now nine, still in the USA; Canada and Alaska on the horizon. And still enjoying every minute of it.
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