Just East of Eden : BOB WAS A ROMANTIC FELLA

Thursday, September 5, 2019

BOB WAS A ROMANTIC FELLA

People wouldn’t know that just by looking at him.

Bob was 6’2”, and a hefty man as time progressed forward; he was my gentle giant.

Bob got along with everyone – but, he was a loner: even in a crowd.

Bob was an outdoors man; more at peace with nature, than crowded elbow-to-elbow with the human rat-race.

No one looking at Bob would think he had a romantic bone in him.

BUT, with me, Bob was gentle and loving. He took the time to plan surprises for me … and got a bang out of watching my excitement when he whisked me off to enjoy his surprises ;-)

Today, 5 years ago, Bob planned a surprise "Honeymoon" roadtrip for me while I slept – we didn't have a honeymoon when we married August 27^th, 1974, because we got married in a fever; and Bob went to work as usual the following morning ;-)

This is how Bob & I felt from the get-go.

But, September 5^th, 2014, he planned a romantic getaway; and whisked me off before my eyes were even sufficiently open to welcome the new morning. LOL! He started the adventure off with a trip to Mount Baker - then we made our way back home through Sedro Wooley & Leavenworth (https://leavenworth.org/). I asked him if he wanted me to spot drive him while we were on the road, and he said, "Nope - you just sit back and relax. This trip is for you: enjoy the sights."

That roadtrip lasted a full week.

He really surprised me: I will never forget it.

I will never forget the man who lavished so much affection on me.

Entering Seattle

The land of glass giants …

The Space Needle in the distance

Puget Sound - water always caught Bob's attention ... the way the mountains always caught mine.

Our first glimpse of Mount Baker … Canada is that close: if we had thought of it, we probably would have crossed into Canada too: the boundary line was that near. But, we didn't think about it until we were back home. We went and got our passports to go into Canada - but Bob was transported to Heaven instead.

Mount Baker is the youngest volcano in the Cascade Range, and has a thermally active crater – 2^nd only to Mount St. Helens. Mount Baker’s last eruption was in 1880. Mount Baker is the 3^rd highest mountain in the State of Washington, and the 5^th highest mountain in the Cascade Range. Mount Baker is also the most heavily glaciated mountain in the Cascade Range, having 10 major glaciers documented. Mount Rainier is the only other mountain in the Cascade Range to outrank Mount Baker in snow accumulation ratio, although Mount Baker is one of the snowiest places in the world
(https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs059-00/)

Bob enjoying Picture Lake, with a view of Mount Shuksan: our Mount Baker trip, September 5th, 2014. What a guy!

Picture Lake, with a view of Mount Shuksan. This german couple said they come to this scenic spot every year from their home in Tacoma, Washington.

We were so high in elevation that tree growth was severely stunted and handicapped.

Columns of Fire basalt rock formation (https://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2012/11/18/geology-word-of-the-week-c-is-for-columnar-jointing/)

Bob

Columns of Fire basalt rock strewn around like pickup sticks

Beautiful alpine lake

Lava fields …

Mount Baker’s peak

Bob

We were very high up in elevation …

The danger here was very present – and very real

This pretty bold hued “pond” may look small, BUT that is a deceptive illusion: it was pretty large in actuality.

We were walking over that trail like billy goats: I hate heights, but for some reason, trails like this in the mountains don’t seem to bother me – or even play with my equilibrium.

I love these creamy-milky-green mountain rocks

Back off the mountainside, and nearing our truck in the parking lot, we met this couple heading up the mountainside to get married: they were starting their marriage, and my husband was surprising me with a “honeymoon” vacation 40 years later :-D We visited with them for a little bit and shared in thier happiness; and they in ours.

What a thrilling experience visiting Mount Baker was!

We traveled on, and came to a mountain community called Sedro Woolley:

I loved Sedro Woolley, too. I LIKE places like this. Sedro Woolley is an old cowboy, mining, and logging town

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedro-Woolley,_Washington).

I like the building detail …

It was a charming place to visit

Leaving Sedro Woolley, we traveled along the Skagit River; the water here was simply beautiful!

Beautiful emerald green water …

I laughed when I saw this little “church in the woods”: my mind immediately went to that old country song, ‘The Church in the Wildwood’; my mother used to sing that song with her cousin Easter – they sang in perfect harmony; in sweet voices, singing old Appalachian songs. I did manage to find a link to the song on Youtube, sung by The Browns family; and it’s not bad. I like this song.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZSGxXY3xeQ)

I’m pretty sure Jim Reeves sang the song too, but I can’t find it on Youtube by him :-(

Bob has a soft & gentle voice, like Jim reeves.

We ate here (http://www.buffaloruninn.com/).

I was interested in the building design: I like stuff like this; I always told Bob I was born out of time – I would have made a good ‘mountain woman’ ;-)

The water here was a beautiful hued glacial water; and SO clear.

I was captivated by this old steam train – told yu’all in earlier posts that I am a tomboy ;-)

(https://www.historylink.org/File/2963)

I liked the colorful rocks of this region too, and started going after some to haul home, when I saw a sign out of my peripheral vision, that stopped me in my tracks ...

Darn it! I really wanted some of those rocks to take home >;-(

We were still real high up in elevation:

And the waters were still so vibrantly colorful, they could be seen real well from a distance ...

Bob walking out on the sky walk to view The Gorge Dam waterflow. He was always a dare devil – heights never bothered him. Ever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagit_River_Hydroelectric_Project

Bob took this waterfall picture for me to view later on … there was NO WAY I was going to follow him out there for a viewing!

This is s side view he shot on the way back to me: I was more than content to see it later on.

I love wild places like this. And the color of the water! I will never get over it – it was breath taking: these pictures do NOT do it justice.

But, I DON’T like the dangers that go with the wild places … we really were taking serious and real risks on this adventure.

Bob looking out over Diablo Lake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_Lake)

The color of the lake was a different hue at different angle … but it was always that beautiful turquoise color.

The minerals here turn the waters here pretty hues. You will leave this region with happy eyes :-D

Further up the road, we started a snaky trip over the mountain range to Leavenworth:

We stopped here to stretch our legs on this long trip, and gawked at the awesomeness of the Cascade Mountain Range – the sheer force of nature that it took to create the range is mind boggling. When I read, a few years following our trip, that a family had stopped here and defaced the rocky outcropping with graffiti WHILE THE FATHER RECORDED THE ACTION AND POSTED IT ONLINE!, I was furious. The stupidity of both actions was inexcusable. I think they were later tacked down, and fined – and rightly so!

Twisp, Washington. I really LIKE old towns like this. Bob did good planning this surprise trip for me :-D (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisp,_Washington)

Leaving Twisp, modern day life slapped me back into reality like a splash of cold water in the face ...

Lake Chelan. We didn’t stay in this area very long – the people were snotty and snarky: this is the ‘rich man’ playground. I didn’t care for it much.

And THEN, we were entering Leavenworth – and WHAT A SIGHT it was!

This is the Bavarian Lodge - the fanciest place to stay in Leavenworth. Bob booked us a room here – we stayed in the room next to the tower: 2nd floor; it was perfect!

Bob laughed when he saw this picture on the room wall – it SO describes me ... and our marriage, which we pretty much spent in the mountains ;-) I am a snowbaby and gotta HAVE my snow fixes. Thankfully, Bob understood that: Bob was a GREAT guy.

A gas fireplace, but it was a romantic illusion that fit the vaca ;-)

Pretty painted elevator doors …

I was partial to the red one; so that is the one we used: it was “our elevator” LOL

The view directly across the street from out room. We crossed the street to eat Supper in the underground german restaurant there. My Grandpa Brockway was german, so I grew up with a germanic background when we lived in Minnesota - but the german fare here in Leavenworth was new to Bob. He liked it too.

A nice, warm welcome ;-)

I LOVED the headboard! I really am so simple to please …

The whole room setting couldn’t have pleased me more – Bob did good :-D

Sitting on our balcony, relaxing after that hearty and heavy German Supper, I liked looking at the window boxes across the way. I like window boxes; I had window boxes on our front windows back home (the home we had then in Lexington/Kelso, Wa. – before we sold and bought the one I live in now), but I didn’t have them planted with foliage and flowers like these boxes were:

Our room balcony

A direct view from our room balcony: so pretty

All of Leavenworth "downtown" is like this ... some even fancier. I LOVED IT! Our financial advisor kinda had us on a tight leash, but we bought that Toyota Tundra luxury ride anyway ;-) We figured that Bob had WORKED HARD for his $$$$$, and if stock brokers got a hefty share of it, SO SHOULD BOB. I don't regret the money spent on that truck. We enjoyed spending many miles, every month, in it.

A little back street we found and strolled, when we crossed the main highway

There were other accommodations in Leavenworth, but they paled next to ours ;-)

The restaurant we ate at: Frontal appeal

The restaurant is actually underground: SO European ;-)

Doesn't look like much, does it? BUT this is the entrance to a lovely German Restaurant where we ate. There was live music at Suppertime, and the food was excellent - not too healthy by American standards - BUT it was delish! The entire atmosphere was german in nature. Bob enjoyed it too.

I enjoyed how much Bob was loving me with this trip: he wasn’t just telling me he loved me ... HE WAS SHOWING IT; he really indulged me ...

The next morning, we parked here while we walked; and I gawked along the other side of Main Street: across from the Bavarian Lodge, on the main highway, where we stayed. Bob was so patient. I knew we'd never get back this way - and I didn't want to miss a thing: I wanted THIS imprinted on my memory like a branding iron. LOL

Humans were not the only walkers and gawkers in Leavenworth. LMAO

The colorful, artistic murals were fun to look at, too.

Leavenworth was the end of our week long, belated-honeymoon-vaca.

Leaving our cozy hideaway in the mountains, on our way out of Leavenworth (on our way home through Liberty, Cle Elum, Snoqualmie Pass, Hwy 18; and eventually down the freeway – I don’t remember exactly WHERE Bob decided to take the freeway along Hwy 18), we stopped at ‘The Alps’ Candy Shoppe, because I wanted some peanut brittle and fudge to snack on (SO YUMMY!), on the way home ;-)