Fidelio

Last weekend, 7&8 July, whilst out shopping near here on Rainier avenue, I saw an official-looking person in a watch-out-for-me dayglo green vest with the logo of the STP run. I managed to miss this 200 mile trek this year (Phew!)
Anyway, it reminded me to get the bike out for it's first run since I had it fixed.

So yesterday, I took Fidelio, (My 1965 Puegeot bicycle, not Beethoven's opera about his mother) out for an inaugural trip.
I went a little too far and ended up in Auburn.
I had only intended to check out the Interurban trail to where it met tne Green river trail, but I missed the juncture and swooped onward.
On the way back, I found the Green river, but got lost at one of the detours and went about 3 miles out of my way.
It was thirty five miles for the whole trip.
At least, I know how to hook up with the Green Valley road, which goes to Flaming Geyser park. From Flaming Geyser, I already know how to get to the Cedar river trail which runs to Renton and Rainier avenue and home, making a 60-mile loop that I plan to ride sometime soon.

Sorta also reminded me of another trip I've been meaning to tell you about.
I don't remember what month it was, but what difference does it really make, anyway?
We left on a friday. We headed south for the Mt Rainier passes, couldn't get through on the Ohanapecosh side so we backed up and went counter-clockwise past the Paradise side., and ended up staying in a nice little rustic cabin at Trout Creek, on the way to whatchacallit, that city that you go over White pass to get to. (Yakima!)
Saturday, had trout for breakfast and headed out to whatchacallit.
Ended up in Spray, after passing through Shamico, or maybe we stopped in Shamico on our way through Spray. No, we had ice cream cones in Shamico and stopped in Spray.
Ate in a grocery store next to the motel. Great twisty windy roads out of Shamico, I bet the motorcyclists had fun touring there. Wish I had my '54 Porsche speedster,
Sunday we strolled through the John Day fossil beds and looked at stuff and ended up in Baker City and walked around and ate in a fancy hotel.
Sunday, we ended up in Union and the fabulous Union Hotel. We stayed in the Annie Oakley room, which was all done up in purple and had various memoribilia and pictures of Annie. Got a flat tire.
Monday, we had the tire fixed and headed out to try to get to a mountain loop road in the north east corner of the state (Oregon)
Tuesday, On the road 8:30 drive till 4:30, long day,
Ended up in Mt. Vernon.
Wednesday, Lava dome, wind, snow, mount Batchelor, up to the lodge, too much snow, had enough driving in the snow, back to highway 58 to Water falls creek, big drop, it takes a snowball over four seconds to hit the river below. ended up in Bend. and the Deschutes Ale House.
Thursday, On to the high desert museum and Salem.
Friday, Coffee and doughnuts at Safeway store, new wiper blades and on to Oregon Gardens, nice place, volunteer run, if they had the money, it could rival The Buchart. Then on to Silver falls and a few pictures from under the falls. Sleep in Sublimity very near the highway. Wrote a few tunes for the trombone concerto.
Which concerto I'm rather pleased with.
Saturday, back in Washington again. Stay at the Sou'wester lodge in Seaview. Love that place.
Sunday, back to Seattle again.

Somewhere in all that we saw the worlds largest gold dredge and all the busted rock it left behind. I don't remember where it was.