Started at 7:00. In the lobby and we loaded the van. Started off on the right foot by chucking a left over 6 pack from CPW into the drinks esky (cooler). The weather was less than pleasant as we drove to Mt Rainier National Park. We were supposed to stay here a night but there was too much spring snow. We went for a hike up to Carter Falls just to get our legs into gear and blow out the cobwebs. The hike was extremely green and very moist. Posed for the first of our group photos at the waterfall. Had to cross some sus looking logs to get over the river.
We had lunch and had the rules explained in this little picnic area. It was a good feeling to be seeing your breath at lunchtime. Then we filed back into the van and travelled up to Paradise. We got there and today it was no paradise. It was brass monkeys and you could only see 100 ft. There was snow everywhere, as it normally happens someone had to throw the first snow ball hmm....Gordon.
We sat inside and several of us fell asleep in a movie presentation about the park. Maybe because it was dry and warm.
Then we were on the road again. We stopped off to buy supplies. Of course we bought food and equally important, beer. Several people also bought some other surprise which was kept from me.
Arrived at the campground at Yakima (a little east of Mt Rainier) "ah grass". It even had music in the bathrooms. It was a beautiful campground with a little lake and ducks. We got our tents (Ben and I got our tent called "the swamp", all we needed was the still.), lessons on how to pitch them and set up for dinner. Dave cooked up a treat, Spaghetti and sauce. We had our first night talk which sort of outlaid our plans and basically to be prepared to expect anything.
Then I was surprised, as it was my birthday they had somehow smuggled a cake aboard when we were at the supermarket. It even had Happy Birthday Neil on it. I was very happily surprised and grateful. If you can count them there is 28 candles. Not quite your average birthday, being so far away from home, but I really liked it. We started drinking and played "Bunny-oops" a name game around the fire. "I'm a dork, I'm a dork, I'm a big fat dork was heard many a time, but we all knew each others names come bedtime.
Back to NorthWest Page or on to Day 2.