![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.rubschlager.com\/matt\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2011\/06\/Day-1-Map1.jpg\" "\\"Day")
<\/a>After finally getting our ducks in a row we headed off for a late lunch at Chipotle<\/a> in Issaquah.\u00a0 After eating the inaugural meal of the trip we headed up to US Route 2 and through Stevens Pass.\u00a0 This is my third time over the Cascades, and each time it is amazing.\u00a0 There were still large drifts of snow on the sides of the road.\u00a0 The temperature dropped easily by ten to fifteen degrees depending on which side of the mountain you’re counting from.\u00a0 I doubt that traversing mountain ranges will ever get old.<\/p>\nSpeaking of woodland creatures, on our way down the eastern side of the Cascades they came out in force.\u00a0 The usual suspects reared their heads:\u00a0 deer, snakes, the free range cow (OK barely a woodland creature).\u00a0 The one that I swear we saw last year, but is yet again the focus of our sleuthing is a black bird with what appears to be white stripes on either side on the wings.\u00a0 Maybe after I’m done writing I’ll look it up.<\/p>\n
The best parts of the trip today were:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Rapids along Wenatchee River along US Route 2.\u00a0 It was swollen to the banks with powdery water from the snow melt.\u00a0 The amount of water coursing through the river made the rapids the most frothy I’d ever seen.\u00a0 A boiling cauldron would pale in comparison.<\/li>\n
- WA Route 821 along the Yakima River in the canyon between Ellensburg and Selah.\u00a0 Talk about a serene ride.\u00a0 The winding road and train tracks following the course of the river.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n