Crossing the Cascades!

June 21, 2010
Today was the summer solstice..."longest day of the year." For many on the tour, it may have seemed like the longest day of their lives! From the high school in Sultan, we hit the road around 7 AM, in the rain, of course. It rained for the first 20 miles or so. Once we started the long climb up toward Stevens Pass, the rain subsided. We climbed, climbed, and climbed some more. Zach, Karl, and I led the way up to the Pass- 4,061 feet above sea level. The three of us took a number of rest breaks, but still got to the pass around 12:24, nearly an hour before any of the others on the team. It was quite cold up there! Snow was not falling, but there was still plenty of snow around from the past winter. The three of us ate a hearty lunch, as the support van was there for us. Then, we gathered up some snow to build a snowman for the rest of the team as they arrived at the pass.
The descent from the pass was a different story! At speeds up to 40 mph, we descended quickly. Then, and only then, did the skies begin to clear up, and we saw significant sun for the first time since arriving in the state of Washington. This time, Mike D. joined Karl, Zach, and I as we headed toward Leavenworth. It was not all downhill, but most of it was. This time, we stopped primarily for the scenery or to remove layers of clothing. It was almost like we went from winter to summer in just about an hour!
We got Leavenworth about 4 PM. The town made itself into a Bavarian Village some 40 years ago, and it is indeed quite quaint. John Romine has graciously taken us into his home for showers and lots of food! Then, tonight we went back to the Firehouse in town for a presentation about Venture Expeditions and the human trafficking issue.
A long day, with a lot of sore bodies. Zach and I also each had a flat tire today, just to make it a bit more interesting. Thanks again to all of you for your interest and prayers!