Exploring Washington: Part I

"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:00 • Filed to: None

Recently moved to Washington. Thought I’d share some pictures and stories because it’s fun here.

The above picture and below pictures (2) were taken somewhere between Rimrock lake and White Pass on Highway 12 on a random evening trip after work.

There were hardly any Shells in between Illinois and Washington, but thankfully there’s a really nice one in town. WA only has 92 though, whereas IL had 93.

I forgot where these flowers were from.

Fancy Tacoma parked outside a Target in the Tri-Cities

I’ve come to understand that e verybody in Washington has either a:

Subaru WRX/STI

Toyota 4-Runner/Tacoma

...that’s it.

Out first big adventure was the Enchantments up by Leavenworth. I think it was something like a 13 mile / 6 hour hike or something from the Snow Lakes trailhead . Being from Illinois, we didn’t exactly know what to do when we came across this mountain goat in our path. Afraid it was going to ram us, w e stayed away until a local came by and asked for their help. He picked up a big stick, smacked it on the ground, and got the goat to gently meander off the path to go chew some other green stuff a few feet away. Eventually made it to the snow lakes which were quite stunning.

Last weekend we went to go explore Deception Pass. This was much busier than I expected. But we found a cool beach which was not busy at all (that we I don’t think were supposed to be on; private property or someth ing ) with what I think is coral (?) everywhere.

The red crab was found partially dismembered laying out on the deception pass state park beach.

On our way back we stopped by Rainier NP and did some hiking there; started on the Grove of the Patriarchs , but abandoned due to crowds and tried not-at-all busy trail. Was too cloudy to see the mountain .

DISCUSSION (23)

lone_liberal > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:10

If you ever get the chance you might try taking SR20 all the way over Sherman Pass to Lake Roosevelt. It gets a little boring in the middle section through Omak but the combination of the North Cascades Highway and Sherman Pass makes a pretty entertaining drive.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:10

I really miss coming south. WA is a stunning State

fintail > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:12

Nice pics. Summer doesn’t really start here until July 5th, so brighter skies are ahead. You’ll only be able to avoid the crowds if you arrive very early - people here love their outdoor scenery.

Those cars hold true for some areas. On the west side of the mountains, categories also include overcompensating brotrucks, plumper Subarus, Prius and family, Suburbans hauling 1.5 kids, and neglected dirty late model leased car (can be a Corolla or a Maserati) with curbed wheels and bumper scrapes.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:14

Great pictures, thank you for sharing!

I’d never been west of Texas until about 2 years ago, now I travel semi-regularly to Seattle and parts of Alaska, and I love it. I just wish I had more time when I was out there to explore.

Spaceball-Two > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:19

Welcome! I promise the weather gets better.

RPM esq. > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:22

Hey man, where do you get off... I have a C63 AMG, not a WRX/STI. Uh, a nd a 4Runner. And my dad has a Tacoma. Hmm , c arry on.

Mid Engine > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:24

I’m quite biased, take the time to explore Wallace Falls State park. It’s much more than the three waterfalls, the hiking can be as demanding as you’d like.

I do have a Tacoma, however we also own a Miata and a Cayman. Makes us outliers I guess?

Saracen > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 14:32

I hope to get moved to WA soon. Can’t wait to explore!

Mid Engine > Spaceball-Two
06/24/2020 at 14:38

Except on weekends. 2020

Spaceball-Two > Mid Engine
06/24/2020 at 14:40

Seriously!

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Snuze: Needs another Swede
06/24/2020 at 14:54

I really want to drive up to Alaska and wander, but I think I’ll have to wait until we can get into Canada again. Also think I want to go up there in a truck.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Mid Engine
06/24/2020 at 14:58

I’m actually looking at adding a truck to the stable for winter and offroad reasons. It makes sense.

Mid Engine > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 15:33

In my case I own 7 acres and will be building an additional house and shop later this year. I need a truck. Others use them to go to the mall *shrug*

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 15:35

I go to the south-eastern part of Alaska, which is fairly mild, but a t ru ck might be a good idea as you head north.

wafflesnfalafel > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/24/2020 at 16:17

hwy 12 is gorgeous -

can confirm subies and toyotas all over - metro Seattle in particular

If you are looking for other nice drives, the entire Columbia Gorge is worth driving - 14 on the WA side is 2 lane, hwy84 on the south in OR is more interstate and also hwy 17 north from Moses Lake up through the glacial scab lands is pretty darn impressive too.

RPM esq. > fintail
06/24/2020 at 17:27

That list rings true for the suburbs ...I would have come up with a pretty different list for Seattle proper. Very few Suburbans, bro trucks, or leased Maseratis; way more small Japanese crossovers (Rav4, CRV, CX-5 ) for the 1.5-children set and entry-level yuppie Euro stuff like BMWs/Audis/Volvos downtown . Still plenty of Subarus and Pr ii though.

fintail > RPM esq.
06/24/2020 at 17:33

I’m in Bellevue, it has tainted me.

Oh yeah the cloned CUVs, even here those are a plague. Those entry Euros are also likely to be leased/neglected/curbed, here anyway. A Ghibli is their equivalent but with more bling.

A lso forgot y uppie Jeeps decked out with 10K of questionable accessories for that rough RTC parking area.

RPM esq. > fintail
06/24/2020 at 18:05

Oh yeah, can’t forget the mall-crawler Jeeps. I think the entry-level Euros on the Seattle side are more frequently CPO/used purchases than leased, just because I think they tend to be a couple years older, which is funny because the same people probably should be in leases—people with stable incomes who want a nice-ish car to commute in without having to think too much about it , want to replace it every few years with minimal hassle , and would benefit from a warranty and service plan to minimize thought, effort, and unforeseen expenses.

fintail > RPM esq.
06/24/2020 at 18:29

I’ve had a few friends like that, buying late model used Audi and BMWs . I think they all ended up being maintenance chores, to the point where leasing would have been a lot easier and more pleasant - not to mention that by the end of the term, the car won’t have much value anyway. Come to think of it, I recall a guy with a final run W203 that was also a pain in the butt. I recall he learned the lesson though, and actually did lease the next car. Another guy had an E90 that started aging poorly, so he dumped it for an Infiniti M which bored him, so he dumped it for an S5. Good luck!

In my neighborhood, a few other special demographics - the Range Rover/G-Wagen trust fund/dirty money set, Tesla cultists, RX and similar bracket shouty parent Stepfords who are probably just like CUV people but with their noses in the air, etc.

RPM esq. > fintail
06/24/2020 at 22:25

The part of my neighborhood right by the lake has a few of those categories...some Teslas and lots of Audi and BMW crossovers, which aren’t too out of place here . One that is: a newly moved in household consists of a matte-black G63, a matte-gray Gladiator, and a poorly contained (albeit seemingly friendly) dog with an aggressive name like Thor or Aries. Nearby is my favorite, a street-parked Ferrari 458. His other car is the plug-in version of the Fiat 500 in the same color scheme as the Ferrari. I like that guy’s style—just a local business owner with non-horrible opinions (based on the numerous political signs out front) who treats his Ferrari like it’s a Miata.

fintail > RPM esq.
06/24/2020 at 22:50

I bet it can be fun in some of the waterfront areas of Bellevue. When I see a kid driving a late model Ferrari or new style G, I don’t want to know more .

I have a friend who’s dad started with some money and made more money with it, and lives in one of the 7 figure condos near the water in Kirkland. My friend jokes that everyone there is a clone, and drives a Q5 - there are tons of them in the development visible when I visit - maybe an SQ5 if someone is daring. My friend’s dad, however, isn’t into any of that, and drives a new style Ranger of all things.

Rare but fun spots in Bellevue are what I call “old money” - senior citizens in older Porsches or MBs usually. When I see a guy who looks like he is in his 70s in a nice 70s 911, or grandma in a pristine 80s MB, I have some admiration - some people know how to operate with a little class and taste. 458 guy might be like that too. Before the crisis, I saw an FF in downtown Bellevue all the time, apparently being used as a commuter - doing something right.

RPM esq. > fintail
06/24/2020 at 23:13

For sure. Lots of old people around here with older Caddies, MBs, etc. A couple of 80- and 100-series Land Cruisers/LX450s too. Of course, where I live is a nice quiet neighborhood full of old people who moved here before everything got expensive, so it’s only the stretch right on the water that’s at all extravagant. For example, my neighbor is a retired county employee with a pristine ‘90s Ranger, and his wife drives an equally pristine ‘90s Honda Prelude. I would bet they bought them both new. My other neighbor is the widow of a Seattle firefighter, and a son and granddaughter who take care of her. There’s one younger guy down the street with an older g-wagen that looks like a mild overlanding rig that actually gets used...I feel like I could be friends with that guy much more easily than the G63/Gladiator couple.

fintail > RPM esq.
06/24/2020 at 23:44

That’s another fun local demographic, the lucky ones who bought back when normal people could do so. You could still get ordinary old houses for 100K in 98004 a mere 30 years ago, hell, a friend’s parents built a new house in Kirkland, west of Market, 2 blocks from the water, for 125K in 1985 - new house and lot combined. I can’t even imagine. In now-tony areas you’ll see the people you mention in their immaculate 1995 Accords and 1999 RAV4s.

Y eah there’s definitely a difference between a non-bling G and a new AMG model, in vehicle and owner both.