Day 20: Rainy Morning, On To Seattle!

This morning I awoke to the sound of rain on the fly. While usually that pitter-patter would be a great alarm clock, I woke up in dread. I cooked oatmeal inside the fly and finished off the delicious banana bread that Teri and Steve gave me in Corvallis. Then came time to pack up. I got everything in the panniers and put them outside, then proceeded to break down the tent. Tent itself came first and required a lot of wiping down due to mud splatters. Then fly, poles, and footprint followed. Getting everything dry-ish ans clean-ish was a huge ordeal and required a little leniency on what was acceptable. I donned the rain gear and headed for Seattle.

On a lighter note, I got a confirmation email this morning that my emergency health coverage will go into effect on 6/1, which is when my former employers coverage ends. Just in time!

It didn't rain much at all on the ride today, which was a huge relief. I stopped in Puyallup mostly to charge my phone, and ended up eating at the Comfort Food Cafe. The co-owner Betty was very friendly and suggested the creamy tomato soup with the bacon and tomato grilled cheese which made for a delicious lunch. Since her and her brother have only owned the place for a few months they were still trying out recipes so she brought me a sample of their new smoked chipotle hummus. I suggested more heat but overall it was great.

I've never seen more loan shops and pawnbrokers than in Ponders. After cruising through Tacoma I hit the Interurban Trail on up through Kent and Renton. It ended up being many miles long and gave me several delightful scents such as jerky, pizza, and wort. I decided to take the long way to downtown and rode Rainier Ave to Seward Park on Lake Washington. It is a stunning lake and the bike path gave a great view the whole time. I came across a pottery studio in the park that was getting ready for a spring sale, much like my San Mateo studio is doing as well! A chat with a spunky woman there who is an enthusiastic biker has me convinced to take Hwy 2 through the rest of WA instead of I-90. I might go back to the opening night of the sale tomorrow night.

My first stop in Seattle was at Elysian Brewing Co down by the Seahawks stadium. A taster set found me pleased with the ESB and the porter, and a pint of the pumpkin ale was fantastic. Topped off with a BBQ half chicken, baked beans, and coleslaw and I was almost set. Only thing left was dessert. I looked up a couple places in downtown and rode around looking. I was shocked to find most places close by 6, and I just barely missed a couple that close at 8. Regardless, it was a fun way to get acquainted with the downtown area so I know how to navigate the next couple days. I ended up going into an Indian restaurant and ordering some mango mousse to go!

I met Steph's friend Katrina when she got off work at 10 and we went to Cyberdogs for vegan hot dogs. I got the "Bandito", which isn't on the menu, and scarfed it down. Try riding a couple miles after that dish, not easy my friends.

Katrina works for Environment Washington and their current efforts are aimed at getting measures on the ballot to ban plastic bags. The energy and excitement of the team was a breath of fresh air. Katrina's will be my home base for my stay here as I explore what promises to be a great city!