Week 4: There is something special about National Parks! Our trip to Mt Rainier National Park
I hope you are still hanging with me because there are some good pictures in this entry! On Saturday we visited a new National Park for both of us! Rainier National Park and it was absolutely beautiful! I know, I know! What National Park isn't beautiful? Hard to find one that isn't!
We had a pretty busy weekend! Saturday we got up and visited a small town called Witlock and participated in their 100th Egg Day! The town is known for their 'good poultry' and when the last road was completed to connected their city with another city they had a huge celebration! To this day it is called 'Egg Day' We got there a little after the parade started but found a nice grassy spot on a hill and watched the madness!
There were people dressed as chickens, horses with sparkles on their flanks, the KFC man dancing around, mayors driving toy tanks, and everything in between! You'd have to see it with your own eyes! There are some videos of the madness on my Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok page if you'd like to check it out! When you are traveling and visiting the big destinations don't miss out on these small town activities! That is where you find the real soul of a location!
Of course the town was a 25 minute drive from us and after catching candy, visiting the vendor booths, and sweating our butts off we headed back to the RV to check on Charlie. She was fine! She has her air conditioning, her bed, television, food, and water. She basically lives a all inclusive life! Then, we were off to Mt Rainier.
Oh real quick I have to tell you a funny story! We got to a view point...and this was my first close view of Mt. Rainier! Ha, can you believe that! Clouds! So, I asked Gregory to take a picture of me with it...
Do you see a mountain anywhere? Ha! Me either! It was so bright outside and with his sunglasses and the camera screen he couldn't see anything! So this is my first picture with Mt Rainier! I love you Gregory. :) The next view was better! Not 5 minutes after driving again...we found a spot to stop. I could see a path down to the river! So we stopped and ran into the forest! Like literally ran. I don't know what happens to me when I enter these places. My inner child comes out and I am just on a high! When we broke through the forest the view was incredible but I needed more. I could see the raging icy waters, the blue sky, and colorful stones but I wanted to touch them!
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| Our view through the forest |
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| A amazing root that I tripped over. :) We walked through so much greenery and plants that seemed larger than life. Like we were in Jurassic Park! Check out this picture below of the trail. |
Pretty in its own way, right?
It just took a moment of leaping over fallen trees, stumbling on roots, and trying not to disturb the shrubbery to much! When we finally broke free of the forest and the greenery it's like we entered into a entirely new world. A world that was so pure and natural almost like we shouldn't even be there. The sky was a never ending blue that reflected in the icy water. The water wasn't clear, and it wasn't baby blue...it was electric! Like ice was flowing through it! You could feel the breeze from the rapids and just amerce yourself in the power of the current. It's hard to comprehend that this is water flowing off this amazing mountain...24/7. Her beauty and strength never stops or takes a break! The stones are colorful and rounded from the constant flow of melted snow and ice.
When I finally comprehended what I was looking at I took a look to my left and there she was. Mt. Rainier in all her glory! Covered in pure untouched snow, a massive glacier just shifting, melting, and evolving right in front of us! I am not sure what happened to me but I felt a release! A release of every emotion I have ever felt just came out of my body. I fought it for a second and just let it go. I just started crying. Writing this now and looking back on this view...I am crying. I don't know how to explain it or why these places make me emotional. But, they have a special spot in my soul. It's like my soul is meeting an old friend that my soul thought was lost forever. And yet here they are. Stronger and safer than ever.
I think I cried for a few moments before I could control the tears. It just felt like these emotions needed to come out. It's hard to realize the meaning of life. And maybe what you thought the meaning of life was...just isn't. Like how do we as humans consume ourselves with our daily hourly chores, we think our 401Ks, making it to every special event, or losing out on a discount is so important. Our world revolves around this narrative we have told generation after generation...that we have created. Imagine being consumed in all of that and then stumbling upon this view! What is life to a mountain? What is life to the stream and the valleys? They just are! This in no way is meant to put down my life, your life, or humans. It's just an interesting thing to feel. Like what is the point of all of this? I felt so small, so insignificant next to these amazing natural wonders...and I am thankful! I felt safe and I felt hope at the same time. Like damn, my problems, insecurities, worries...are nothing. I release all emotions and give them to you.
It was a spiritual day. I felt absolutely no panic, anxiety, or fear. Just...fuck...I'm so grateful to be on the same rock with these beautiful landscapes. Maybe that is why I like National Parks. It feels like home, like I am free, and like everything is possible. I could have stayed in this spot the rest of the day. Just sat and cried and observed. Like a round rock on the beach, listening to the birds, feeling the water on my round surface, and just hang out for another million years. But, unfortunately, I do not have a million years...so we took mental snap shots and physical ones with our minds and cameras and eventually moved on.
For our next water fall we hiked just a little bit. You had the choice of squeezing past the fence post and the 3 foot snow bank or you could stand on top of the snow bank and take your chances with slipping ff. I took the safe route on the way to the waterfall and got more adventurous on the way back! 
It was a great feeling to stand against the edge of the trail and feel the mist from the tumbling water! If you could stand there for at least 2 minutes you would be completely soaked by the waterfall! And it felt great in the middle of June! Then, we had to make the icy trip back to the parking lot!
Totally worth it and I would do this all over again! My only regret is that we only had a few hours to spend here. I am sure there are some amazing hikes and other pieces of the park we didn't even touch! The main reason we had to leave after a few hours was our gas tank! Believe it or not! We left the RV Park with only a quarter tank of gas and of course it took 65 miles to just get in the park...and no gas stations. I was getting a little nervous at the end...like dang we might not make it out of the National Park and to the next gas station! But, Gregory was right and we made it! We still had a beautiful 25 mile drive out of the park, found a DELICIOUS burger spot on the way home!
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