The Emerald City
DETAILS
When — June 7th, 2O22
Where — Port Angeles, WA
Mileage — 172 miles
We rented a car - traffic was crazy!
A pink frIdge and a sky-hIgh mountain in the emerald city
By Steph Irwin, Guest Blogger
I volunteered to write a little overview of our few days in Seattle, WA, to give Kevin a short break from blogging on his Double Nickel trip. Of course it’s about a week after the fact, and Kevin is getting antsy because he wanted the post to be timely. My excuse is that because Kevin is away, I have to mow the grass for the first time in my adult life. The grass was very long when I returned, and it’s taken me awhile, which has left little time for writing. There’s also a slight incline in our front yard, which made it take even longer. This isn’t really an excuse at all, since it took me about 2 hours to complete. I just wanted to subtly complain about having to mow the grass. So…on to our Seattle adventure…
I flew into Seattle last Thursday. It’s been a long time since I’ve flown anywhere, so 5 or so hours of air travel felt a lot longer. Luckily, my thoughtful husband reserved me a seat in the exit aisle. Being willing to risk my life for everyone in the plane was worth the extra leg room! Kevin picked me up at the airport and we were off to our Airbnb in Greenwood, a very walkable city north of downtown full of coffee shops, bars, and small restaurants. Our Airbnb was sandwiched between other flat-topped homes with minimal to no yards to mow. It seems that everyone in Seattle forgoes lawns for unkempt looking flowers and plants, which I think is a brilliant idea.
Our Airbnb was nothing short of amazing, with an adorable pink vintage Big Chill refrigerator (google their appliances if you don’t know the brand!), a bidet, and a “feels like home” vibe. (That bidet was a first time experience for me, and it was life-changing and worth its own article, but that’s for another day. lol) Kevin had dinner waiting for me (he’d arrived earlier that day), and it was a great evening regrouping from a long day of travel.
Kevin and I both wanted to visit some different boxes while we were away (for you non-CrossFit people, that’s what CrossFit gyms are referred to), and there are lots of options in Seattle. We went to Riot Fitness on Friday morning, a few minutes walk from Miners Landing at Pier 57, and had a great workout. We spent the afternoon exploring the shops at the pier, and then happened upon Pike Place Market when we were searching for a place to eat. Seattle is a nesting doll kind of city; not everything is visible to the eye. We were at a cute popcorn shop and realized the famous market was beyond the building in front of us, and then suddenly there’s 9 acres of open air shops and the famous fish throwing at Pike Place Fish before us. We ate lunch at the Sound Cafe, and Kevin convinced me to ride the Great Wheel, a big ferris wheel that gives you an amazing view of the city. After, we did the obligatory visit to the Space Needle, and by then, I’d had enough dizzying heights, no matter how spectacular the views. We went back to the Airbnb and had some delicious take out food from Yanni’s Greek Restaurant in Greenwood.
Saturday morning we got up early and headed to Rocket Fitness, a gym in South Seattle known for its inclusivity and welcoming community, and we were not disappointed. We not only had a good workout, but everyone in the gym greeted us and made us feel right at home. We then began the trek to Mount Rainier National Park, about a 2 ½ hour drive. We stopped in Tacoma, or “Grit City,” to eat at the Waffle Stop, which came up on google when I searched for good brunch places. My blueberry waffle was well worth the hour wait, and with full stomachs, we continued on towards the park.
The couple mile entrance into Mount Rainier is nothing short of breathtaking, and solidified for me why Seattle is known as “The Emerald City.” Endless rows of evergreen trees lined the road, reminding me of tall guards standing at attention, hiding the mountains and astounding views behind. After a short and somewhat frustrating wait to enter (there had been an accident further in the park and the roads were blocked), we made our way in. Kevin was using an old school map to navigate on what had turned out to be a chilly, drizzly day. After some confusion about where exactly we needed to be to best see the mountain (during which I may have pouted and complained about being in the car too long), we found the visitor’s center, parked, and began our trek up the mountain.
Mount Rainier is not a well marked park. Limited signage made the proper starting point somewhat confusing, but with the help of other hikers, we found the Rampart Trail and were on our way up, which was a steady incline of about 2 ½ miles, ending at approx. 1600 feet of elevation. We stopped at a viewpoint which we thought was the mountain we had come to see (again, poor markage), took in the view, made a cute little video, and then realized it WASN’T the mountain at all thanks to an older, wiser couple who stopped after us. Apparently it was a peak, which made me google “the difference between a mountain and a peak” because I sure as hell couldn’t tell the difference. So we continued on what seemed like an endless upward climb, and then there it was…the view Kevin so wanted to see: Mount Rainier, cloud-covered and majestic, surrounded by a silence I had only read about. We spent a few minutes just taking it in, knowing that we were sharing a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was worth the climb.
Going down the mountain was a thousand times harder than going up (MY KNEES!!) and at some points felt like a descent into hell. The chill and misty rain made it more challenging, and we had to pause quite a bit to stretch the hamstrings, but we got back to the car just as it was getting dark. There was heavy rain during the drive back to Greenwood, which made for a difficult commute. Tired and hangry when we arrived “home,” we ate some leftovers from the pink fridge and called it a day.
Sunday was our last full day together, and we slept in late, had lunch at The Yard in Greenwood, then headed out for an afternoon of shopping at University Village, an open-air shopping area similar to Crocker Park in Cleveland. Kevin dropped me off for a couple hours while he ran errands to replenish his traveling supplies. After time spent in all of my favorite stores, he picked me up and back we went to the Airbnb to start cleaning and packing up. We got some tasty veggie pizza from Razzis Pizzeria, feeling those sad “vacation is coming to an end” kind of feelings while we ate.
Monday was head back to Ohio day. I got up extra early to hit a 6:30AM class at CrossFit Phinney Ridge, a gym that was within walking distance from our Airbnb. Then it was a flurry of activity as Kevin loaded up his motorcycle, prepping for the next leg on his journey. He dropped me off at the airport (in a rental car we’d been using), and we said our teary goodbyes to each other and the Emerald City. The flights home were smooth and uneventful, and gave me time to reflect on all the fun we’d had and all the memories we made.
More than anything, I’ve come back to Ohio with a heart full of gratitude. I’m thankful for the means to travel and see new places. I’m thankful for good health and the ability to climb a mountain. I’m thankful for Kevin, who planned a wonderful few days for me and who is in the midst of a badass adventure that took over a year of work and planning to make a reality. I miss him, but experiencing first hand a small part of his journey made me realize how profoundly life-changing this trip will be for him.
So for now, it’s back to my routine, the mowing (!), and my cat. I’ll meet Kevin in Columbus on July 15, which is his return date and our 33rd wedding anniversary. Until then, I wish safe travels to my husband as he continues his Double Nickel adventure. I’ll never forget that pink fridge, that tall mountain, and the time we spent together in the Emerald City.
