Day 10: Vancouver to Seattle (Via Mt Baker)

I wake up at 7 am.  Bummer, I had planned to be on the road so I could get to Mt. Baker when it opened at 9.  Oh well, I pack and check out and hit the road at about 8.  It is snowing.  So traffic is going extra slow.  I get on the highway and go to change into the middle lane.  The guy on the far side of the highway has the same idea.  Luckily, I had my coffee this morning and see him coming and avoid an accident.  I drive across a bridge and notice there is road construction on a new bridge adjacent.  That is exciting!  I admire it the best I can while still driving safely.

My GPS instructs me to turn off of the highway before reaching the border.  I take the scenic back route through farmlands to the border.  Customs is a tiny, 2 lane place again.  Only one of the lanes is open.  Ahh, just like home!  The officer asks me what state my plates are from.  They are plastered in snow and unreadable.  He then asks me where I am coming from and where I am going to and why.  I give him my standard answer.  He asks if I bought anything.  I tell him I purchased a hair clip.  He looks at me and waves me through.  Wow.  That was easy.  

I cruise through more farmlands and back roads.  It is still snowing.  People are driving around 20 mph in the 50 zone. I am about to go crazy.  I finally make it to Mt. Baker highway and the traffic dies down.  By this time it is 10.  Well past my target arrival.  I drive along a beautiful switchback mountain road and finally arrive at the lodge.  I park in a spot that I hope is a legal spot, grab my gear, and head to the lodge for tickets.  I then go inside to tie my boots on.  My fingers won't work because it is so cold.  It's not cold so much, but very windy.  I warm up and head to the only lift I see.  It is labeled "advanced only".  I can handle that and I hop on. 

Bridge Construction!

Tree Tunnel!  I think I liked the one in Hawaii better though.

Riding down the canyon!

It turns out that I can't handle it as a warm up ride on my board.  I almost immediately fall over.  What is this stuff, power?!?!?  I get up and keep going.  I find myself on the edge of a 20 foot drop through trees.  I decide this would be a good idea to unstrap myself from the board.  I pull one foot out and try to hop up the slope.  I slide down the snow, closer to the drop.  This calls for extreme measures.  I fully unstrap the board from me.  The thought that I might drop my board and then have to walk to the bottom crossed my mind.  I hung on tight and made it to more manageable ground.  I decide my next run is going to be an easy one. I make it to another lift and pick a blue route. The visibility is rather poor from all the snow. I see a hill that I need speed to climb in front of me so I gather speed to make it to the top.  The top is a kicker (a jump that propels you into the air whether you want to or not) and I got airborne.  I look down and see an ice landing.  I somehow land, extremely off balance.  I am then immediately propelled over another kicker.  I eat it.  I get up and continue on my journey down the hill and fall over on a flat spot in front of a bunch of little kids.  Great.  I make it to the bottom, happy to be done with that run.  From there, the runs get better.  I work my way up to the advanced runs and find some nice powder spots.  At 3, they close most of the lifts. (the lifts are interesting here.  There are a few that you load midway on and one that you ride from two sides, if that makes any sense) I decide to do one more run (last call on the lift!) and start to head back to the lodge.


The way back to the lodge requires riding several lifts.  The last lift stops. For a long time while I am standing in the take off position.  At least I am not stuck on the lift.  Ski patrol has to come do an emergency start on it.  It finally starts moving again and I make it to the parking lot.  I walk to my truck.  It's not there.  Maybe I am confused.  I walk back to the lodge.  No, it isn't this far up.  Maybe it got towed.  Great, who do I talk to about that?  Who would want to tow it all the way down this icy switchback road anyway?  I walk back down the parking lot.  No, I definitely did not park this far away.  And this looks all wrong.  I walk back toward the lodge again.  I walk past the lodge and see that the parking lot goes up.  I start walking and see T Rex waiting for me.  I take off my gear and throw it in the bed.

I had intended to leave early enough to beat the crowd since there is only one road to and from the mountain. My parking issue ruined this plan.  I find myself going a nice 15 mph down the road in a long line of cars.  It takes 3 hours to get to Seattle and my truck is making weird sounds the whole way.  Great.  I will have to check it out tomorrow.  I think it might be something to do with the 4wd.  Maybe the hubs are not all the way locked.  I drive through snow and rain and some clear areas.  I finally arrive at what I think my destination is. I call Dana, "uhhh, parking? where?"  I drive around for a while and finally find a spot on the street.  I do a beautiful parallel parking job.  First try, right next to the curb, a nice 2.5 feet between me and both cars.  I call Dana again, "uhhhh, how do I find you?"  I make my way to the door of the apartment complex and she is not there.  She was walking around trying to find me while I was parking.  I wait and she shows up.  It's nice to see her again after 6 years!

We go upstairs and talk for a bit.  She tells me how to get on the internet so I decide to log on and write this.  I type in the password information and then a weird box about a network pops up.   I click ok.  I log onto Facebook.  Next thing I know, "uhhhh Anna, what did you do to my internet?"  Shit.  I should not have clicked ok.  I have hijacked her internet and renamed it (after myself).  She is locked out.  Great I haven't been here an hour and I am already causing problems.  She pulls out the directions and sets everything back to normal a few minutes later.  Excellent!

Anyway I am now chillin on a super super comfy couch.  I just heard a really loud crash of glass outside in the general vicinity of T Rex.  I hope no one has done anything to him :(.  I didn't leave anything valuable looking laying around.  I have a hat and some dirty laundry in plain sight.....  However, my big black truck with my pink big dipper and personalized plates does not exactly fit in around here. Oh well. 

There was not much visibility today.  But here's a few pictures.  Oh, I put them in the middle by accident. Oh well!