To The North!

 
We are officially in the Northwest! I think Jimmy has been looking forward to this leg of the trip the most, and today certainly did not disappoint. We drove through the North Cascades in Washington state. I was expecting the staggering mountain peaks. I was NOT expecting so many waterfalls, raging rapids and pristine lakes. Those were icing on the snow-covered-cascading-cake.

A little side story about the picture above: We stopped by this sign so I could snap a quick picture. I just rolled down my window, expecting to get what I needed without having to get out of the car. But Jimmy pointed out the mountain in view just beyond the trees (you can sort of see it just to the left of the sign, where the trees part) and said I should try to get it in the shot. I sat there in the car trying to get it, until Jimmy lovingly said (and I quote), "You may have to get out of the car you lazy bum." -- And there you have insight into our process in capturing the parks in pictures. :)

See the white in the lower right? That's a waterfall. No big.

 

Jimmy found some snow.

 

These sorts of things are just sitting on the side of the road.

 

Another one right on the side of the road.

 

Lower right again - another waterfall!!

I HATED how may people were driving by
when Jimmy made me do this.

The road that goes through the park is a scenic byway, so some people were just driving through to get from point A to point B. We were surprised by how many people were so clearly impatient and didn't even slow down when a new mountain peak or waterfall appeared around a bend (they also didn't care for us too much when we would slow down for such things). If I lived in the area I'd probably be right there with them, which just reminded me of how unique this opportunity is for us. Our normal lives are on hold and all we can do is simply be in the moment, soaking up our surroundings, having (I pray...) eyes to see, really see, all there is to see in the present -- something I think we desperately need to get better at. So, as we pulled off the road again and again to let the locals speed past, I was thankful that we didn't have to speed through such an incredible place. I hope that when life becomes normal again, that I won't revert back into that mentality of speeding through the present just to get to what's next.