We have four days off from workamping, so we drive to Yakima. US Highway 12 follows the valleys between Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier, through the little towns of Salkum and Mossyrock, and past Lake Mayfield and (huge) Lake Riffe. We passed the old logging town of Morton, and stopped in Packwood to fix a snack for the road. From Packwood, the road climbs into the mountains, mostly high up on the valley walls. Beautiful views of the forest, the patchwork of planted stands, and mossy old-growth trees of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The forest changes names, to Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
At White Pass, there are ski lifts, and ski runs wind down the mountain to the edge of road. There's another mountain lake, just before a little town called Rimrock. The road goes on down to the dry grass valley, to Naches, the first of the fruit producing towns. We stopped at Thompson's Farm Stand, to check out the cherries. There are also apricots, nectarines, blueberries, blackberries, melons, onions, and a few other vegetables. Howard took a taste of a blackberry, and decides not to get any. We figure we will stop on the way back to Castle Rock.
We arrive at the Yakima Elks Lodge, grassy sites just off the driving range of the golf course. And just as we are setting up, a train goes by. Fortunately, it's the only one we hear the whole night!
