We got a late start on Friday because the people we intended to drive with were delayed until 6pm. We arrived after dark in the rural town 40 minutes from Wenatchee. The last part of the drive was treacherous, and we had to stop when we reached a large stream flowing over the rocky dirt road. The people we were following drove an SUV, and agreed to come back to get us once they had unloaded their stuff. After waiting for over an hour, we gathered up the courage to drive across the water ourselves. It was a scary moment, but we were ecstatic when we made it across. Our rejoicing was soon squelched when we came across the second stream... and the third... and the fourth. Due to luck, and Ian's skillful driving, we made it across all obstacles. I was very proud of my little car's performance on its first off-roading trip. Once we arrived and found a good camping spot, we assembled the tent, and I quickly got into my sleeping bag to get some rest.
Because we traveled the night before the party, we had all day to hike and enjoy the scenery. Ian and I spent most of the day walking around and exploring the area. Here are some of the photos we took.
There were a lot of cool insects in the area.
Checkerspot Butterfly
Checkerspot Butterfly
Blue Copper Butterfly
Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly
The party itself was disappointing. Ian and I spent most of the night at our camp site. It is unfortunate that the event wasn't what we expected, but we had fun anyway.
On Sunday morning, we packed up and got ready for the drive back to Seattle. I was afraid of crossing the streams again, but we had no choice. The first ones went fine, but the last major water crossing (also the longest) gave us trouble. As we were trucking through the muddy water, unaware of the placement of rocks below, something pinched my back right tire.
Luckily there was a spare and a scissor jack in my trunk. Ian saved the day an replaced the tire.
Here are two photos of the stream that took my tire's life.
Overall, I had a great time. A trip like this is never complete without a few challenges. I have lots of good memories, and I look forward to the next adventure. Here is one last picture of Ian and myself on our hike.
