Impromtu Road Trip, Part 1

I am a creature of habit, I readily admit it. Every Saturday morning you can find me sorting clothes and getting ready for the morning chores of washing, wiping, and watering (clothes, counters, and plants respectively). Somehow though, on the spur of the moment, I said, "YES" to Andy's spontaneous-style road trip to "Somewhere over the mountains." I think it had something to do with the fact that I'll be celebrating my 34th birthday come next Wednesday...Am I really that boring and set in my ways already? This has twinges of what that mid-life nonsense must be like...

Anyway, I've lived in Washington state for going on 2 years, and yet the closest I'd been to crossing the Cascades was another spur of the moment trip to Skyhomish over a year before...so, checking out the towns on the other side of the hill sounded like fun. Besides, with the weather having been so nice lately, what could go wrong?

(A, yup, that there would be some foreshadowing...)

We got a super late start, having decided food before the trip would be best (we're really really good at starving ourselves unnecessarily...I blame my penniless college years, I'm not sure where Andy gets it from).

First pee stop, Bavarian style Leavenworth:
Right, so I actually was much more interested in the bathroom than the scenery...we were supposed to pass through again on our way home, so I thought nothing of not taking any better shots than this cropped photo of me that Andy took--okay, I cropped it. My head started somewhere below that building. But isn't that architecture great? It's all over the town. My trivial fact for you: There is no reason other than steady tourist dollars for turning sleepy little Leavenworth into Bavarian Leavenworth. The city council just up and did it and it is awesome!

They have Starbucks and McD's and rhymes with Bells Cargo, but absolutely NONE of the architecture varies from what you see here. You really want a grande latte you better practice your literacy skills cuz the signage is not very recognizable. And I love it!

Sadly, this was pretty much the last bastion of civilization for the duration of the trip. No, really:
Some dam in the Columbia River next to ALT route---um, something...97 comes to mind, they kinda all looked the same.

See:

Dam #2. Yeah, I know, looks a lot like the first one.

The apple orchards were just sad to take pictures of, as were the cherry trees...they just looked so dead and barren. Instead:

Stack of Hay #1

And yep, Stack of Hay #2.

There were these little towns in between all this lonesome barrenness. If I looked on a map I could list them for you. One really stands out for me though, Lake Chelan. I need to do some research about this lake town, seriously, not only was there a house for sale for the BARGAIN price of just over a million USD, but lookie:

SUPER Wallie World! Living the high life!

I leave you with what can be yours for a cool 1.3 mil.:

A 'yup, this beauty's first floor was JUST remodeled in 1974 (yes, the year I was born) and has a top floor that's unfinished but ready for you to make it your own. REALLY.

I just can't make this stuff up. We grabbed a flier and it's still in Andy's car as we were just amazed--no flabbergasted. We were so dumbfounded actually that we almost got lost here. We surmised the entire thing must be lined with gold or something. Or maybe the lake is filled with champagne? I dunno, it is right on the lake and, right next to you? That's right folks, public beach area! Just what I want, people peeing in my back yard after I've just gone in debt for the rest of my life...or something.

Next: Sunsets in the middle of nowhere, pee breaks in amazing places, and the weather becomes a fickle mistress...