With only 40 miles separating us from Seattle, we woke up early but lounged around Colby’s grandparents’ comfortable home. Colby stopped by in the morning to take us to Starbucks for breakfast. We haven’t had food from chain restaurants (besides Dairy Queen) in so long that I forgot my favorite drink and how the sizes work. I guess that’s what two months in practically the middle of nowhere does to you.
The forecast warned of rain and clouds all day, exactly what we would expect from Seattle. Rather than take the direct route of State Route 522, we opted for back roads figuring that our last few days should be quiet and stress-free. Yesterday’s ride was one of our most beautiful of the entire trip. We gently weaved beneath the canopy of firs, cedars, and birches noticing the moss to our side and the steep ascents that we have missed on highways. The forest lining the road was so dense that we felt hugged by nature and secluded from the nearby highways. With only a few days left riding, at my dad’s recommendation I am focusing on taking in and appreciating every moment. It was tough, but I even tried to enjoy some of the 10% grade hills we rode up.
With approximately 20 miles left in the ride, we reached the Sammamish River Trail. The trail was stunning and paved, and the rain made the leaves glisten around us. The Sammamish River Trail led into the similarly exquisite Burke Gilman Trail, which lines the coast of Lake Washington. We rode casually, reflecting on how far we have come from the days when I was running into posts on the GAP Trail, a poignant reminder of our naivety.
Charlie admired the rain and dreamt up future lazy Sunday scenarios. As you all know, I hate gray skies, so I was not feeling the rain or the dullness of the sky. However, the assurance of Seattle and the coast lying in the near future and a new environment was enough to bring me joy. Eventually the rain picked up, so our socks smushed and our shirts stuck to our skin. Charlie’s lazy Sunday bubble bursted, and we began to pick up the pace to reach our destination.
The ending of the ride was not as lovely because we had to cut through city streets and hop on gravel, soaked park paths. I will not go too in depth here; focusing on the positive😊.
Matt Wallack, an integral advisor to the trip and mentor to Charlie, introduced us to his son, Doug. We are staying with Doug here in Seattle. We spent most of last night appreciating music on Doug’s incredible sound system in his living room. Hearing music via a high quality amp beats listening to anything on a singular air pod as trucks roar by on the road.
We concluded the night with ice cream from Molly Moon. I had sea salt caramel and capitol hill crunch; the sea salt caramel was the most sophisticated bite I’ve had on this trip. Though we loved our time venturing through small towns, the food options in a big city are tough to beat (I can’t even tell you how many burgers we have consumed). Charlie and I researched the top restaurants in Seattle and drooled over the Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Hawaiian, and other diverse options. We cannot wait to explore Seattle after hitting the coast.
So close!!!
-Maddie
cool tunnel we rode through :)
