Mount Rainier

My Blip for Wednesday is now on Tuesday as I’ve got in a time difference muddle, but this was Thursday, which seems to be posting correctly,

We had no internet for a while as we stayed in a lodge near Mount Rainier National Park, then drove through the park on our way to Seattle. At 14411 feet Mount Rainier is the most topographicallly prominent peak in the lower states and a very active volcano. The drive through the park is stunning, although it was a little hazy, we drove around precipitous roads and switchbacks never knowing when the mountain would show us its glaciers around the next corner. The park is also full of amazing waterfalls, lakes, gorges and valleys - it was really lovely - and also not unbearably hot early in the day.

It’s a shy mountain, a bit like Denali, we met a couple who were in the park for the third time and had not seen Rainier either previous time - it’s so enormous that the scale doesn’t translate in a photo and it’s hard to imagine not seeing it. This shot was taken from the car so excuse the bug splatter!

After the drive around the park we headed back to civilisation and were thrilled to pass a McDonald’s - burgers all round! We are now in Seattle, we’ve had lovely Italian food to counteract the junk food and are in a very luxurious hotel as a final treat.

This is our 6th two week US driving tour in 7 years and will be our last while dear old Lizzie is still with us - I have absolutely hated leaving her for so long and she is an old lady now. Sarah and I are coming to Orlando for a week of Disney overload next year though!

Space Needle today with its newly installed revolving glass floor - gulp.