July 1

After a fine-dining dinner at Michael’s restaurant and plentiful night’s sleep, the group reconvened at seven thirty this morning for breakfast.  As usual, breakfast consisted of bacon and eggs for some and pancakes with syrup for others.  All in all the group was satisfied as we departed from Bob’s cafe in Moses Lake, Washington and embarked on the day’s journey. 
        On the road, many members of the group expressed their excitement to see the volcanoes of the Cascade Mountain Range.  For this reason, the 171-mile drive seemed to zip by quite quickly, especially because of the scenery along the way.  One such sight that sparked some conversation was the field of some fifty-plus giant wind turbines.  In addition, the towering peak of Mt. Rainier stood in plain sight as the interstate approached such a ponderous volcano.  As some members of the group took note of the signs that marked the interstate at over 2,000 feet above sea level, it was clear that today we would be standing atop some serious elevation. 
        Just before we reached the base of Mt. Rainier, the group stopped at a fruit vendor in the famous Naches Valley.  Well known for their verdant vegetation and luscious fruit selection, the Naches Valley provided an excellent venue for shopping as members of the group purchased a variety of exotic fruit products.  As our vehicles ascended the mountain that overlooked Rainier, the first point of interest was Sunrise Point. This particular location checked in at 6,100 feet above sea level.  Although our caravan went slightly further than Sunrise Point, most of the attractions we encountered were closed.  Unfortunately, we were just shy of the open season that lasts from July 3rd until September 7th. However, the group was not deterred from enjoying themselves as we spent some time at Sunrise Point. 
        After taking a windy descending road down the mountain, our group decided to stop for lunch.  Today we enjoyed a do-it-yourself picnic.  The following ingredients were served: Turkey & Cheese sandwiches on French bread, a variety of salads including macaroni, potato, tropical chicken, and assorted lettuce, peanut-butter as well as strawberries, bananas and watermelons.  Between the abundance of food and our choice of prime picnic location, the group was incredibly satisfied with the lunch experience. 
        However, the group ran into some difficulties after the picnic.  Because of road closures, our caravan was unable to get very close in proximity to Mt. Saint Helens.  Instead we stopped at a place called Bear Meadow, which overlooked the volcano.  From Bear Meadow, Doctor Lemaire gave a short lecture on the eruption that occurred there in 1980.  Afterwards, the group enjoyed another quick stop that overlooked Gifford Pinchot National Forrest before our final drive towards Hood River, Oregon. 
        All in all, today was filled with plenty of education facts on volcanoes and plenty of time spent traveling in the vans.