Well, Seattle went 30 days with no rain. It’s been per.fect. Just amazing weather for May & June. Which means we are in for a killer late June and potentially agonizing early July. What did the Lpod decide to do? Well, we decided if we booked a camping trip the rains would come back. We were right!
We found a camp site just north of Seattle on the Skagit River at Rasar State Park, which is home to hundreds of bald eagles in the winter months. For reference, the Skagit Valley is where the tulip fields are in April!
scott dreaming about his wishful dinner
On Saturday morning we made a yummy breakfast with coffee (I am married to Scott, the coffee master) and then went for a walk around the 3 mile loop around the campground. Much of the trail wraps around the Skagit River. We found a beach and hung out for a short while deciding what else we would do during the day.
beach on the skagit river
The rest of the campground is surrounded by “hay fields” which were first logging territory turned farmland turned state park. Mixed in each of these fields are fun volleyball courts and picnic grounds.
farm house on the skirt of the camp ground
Scott decided that since the weather was scheduled to turn (toward rain) that afternoon, it would be a perfect chance to try to catch a trout for dinner. The weather didn’t change, he caught some logs and enjoyed casting. I read and relaxed in the shade. Perfect relaxation.
relaxing by the river side
Back to the campsite, Scott got the fire going and I started in on dinner. I made grilled andouille sausages over a bed of sauteed chard and goat cheese polenta. Yeah, go ahead and laugh at me. I like cooking, okay?
chard and polenta cooking away
The finished dinner by the campfire was delicious. If you didn’t laugh at me, I’ll invite you camping with us next time.
stop laughing at me
Sunday morning we woke up to rain so we made a quick breakfast, broke camp, and headed out on to the North Cascades Scenic Highway. Oh, dear. This is by far the most spectacular drive I’ve seen to date. The views are unbelievable. It’s a pretty short stretch of highway that is open only a few months out of the year. I HIGHLY recommend everyone make this drive some time in their life. Breathtaking. And only about 1.5-2 hours from our front door.
the early part of north cascades national park
The rocks in the picture below just looked fake to us. The pictures really don’t capture just how clear the water was and smooth…almost silky…the rocks looked.
silky granite
I loved all of the moss and mysterious fog.
look how clear the water is below
We stopped off to check out a dam along the Skagit. Maybe this one was the Ross Dam?
forgot to write down where i was, it was too cold for chacos
Many of the peaks were still snow capped – and many of them getting snow while we visited. It was chilly!
peak shrouded in clouds
My favorite view point of the drive was at the Ross Lake overlook. The color of the water was a crystal clear aqua blue. So beautiful. Scott decided our next camping trip would be on that island. I protested, how would we get the stove there for me to cook gourmet campfire meals?
my favorite view point - ross lake
We met some new friends. One of them is a little spike.
our friend spike and his lady friend
Sometimes I couldn’t tell if I was looking at a river or a lake, but all of it was either a clear aqua or a shimmery green (cloudy from the glacier silt). It was really hard to stop posting pictures. I hope you caught a glimmer of what the park is like!
the long and windy river...
All in all, it was a very peaceful weekend…especially since for most of the trip the cell phone worked and I could keep getting and giving updates on the sweet little princess Piper. Welcome to our world little girl. Cannot wait to come meet you!
the killer blog of the L-pod 
Oh, you make me heartsick… how I want to walk in your footsteps in those mountains. What beautiful country. You are blessed to be there.
Oh, and I did laugh at (& kinda envy) your campfire meal. Camping with my hubby is a whole different animal… he is the backpack nazi who insists on every camper dumping the contents of his/her backpack at his feet at base camp to be carefully inspected… and he doesn’t miss even a tube of lipstick or baby powder scented deodorant, both of which are deemed contraband on his camping trips. oh me… he’s got it in for him now with a wife and two little girls… 🙂
O my gosh, when did you move to heaven?
Gorgeous scenery, Kim. If I promise that I didn’t laugh, will you make ME your campfire meal (you are an amazing cook/I’m surprised Scott doesn’t weigh 300 lbs!!)
piper looked at this post with me…..she cannot wait to come to camp lpod!!! she wants kim to teach her how to cook and scott to teach her how to fish for logs. she also wishes it were fleece weather in in tx!!! not 106. ):
Are you kidding me Kim?! Okay, the list of envy…first, I want to walk in that place and camp there – forever! Its amazing! Second, I SO want to know how to cook like you! That is your camping meal…seriously?! So impressed! Third, I can feel that weather in my bones just by looking at your pics – loving it as opposed to the scorcher here in Texas! Congrats on being an Aunt again! Great post!