Empty Nesters

Son #1 has flown the coop, working a full-time job and living in his own apartment. Son #2 is back at school for his junior year at UCLA. What are two empty nesters to do?! Go on vacation, of course!

Back in May, I started researching a couple different options. One possibility was going to New England or Acadia National Park for some fall color. But finding a cheap airfare ($178 roundtrip) to Seattle sealed the deal for a road trip thru the Pacific Northwest!

Our LAX-SEA flight landed just before 1:00PM. After getting our bags, we waited in a long line for a shuttle to the rental car facility. With Five Star status at Hertz, all we had to do was pick out our vehicle, so we were on the road in no time. We grabbed a quick lunch from Ezell's in Factoria on the way. The reviews were spot-on - tasty fried chicken and yummy fresh-baked rolls!

Snoqualmie Falls was our next destination. With both M and J in civil engineering, this point of interest was as much for the hydroelectric plant constructed in 1899 as the scenic waterfall.

1910 Hydroturbine

This was our second visit to Snoqualmie Falls. The first was during our vacation for our one-year wedding anniversary.

Look at those young'uns!

Then we continued east on I-90, getting stuck in bad traffic on the other side of the Snoqualmie Pass. At least we had great scenery (so green!) to look at while not moving. By the time we turned north on US-97, the air had gotten hazy from the wildfires in the region. We arrived in Wenatchee around 6:30PM. 

160 miles (3 hours)

After checking in to our hotel, R and I ventured back out for dinner at Sweetwood BBQ. Yum!

Pulled pork, brisket, potato salad, and cornbread

After dinner, we went to Safeway to pick up groceries and snacks for the next couple days. Our good friends from college, RH and C, are going with us to Stehekin tomorrow, which is pretty remote. The lodge where we are staying recommended bringing food with us because dining options are limited due to staffing issues, as well as it being near the end of the tourist season.

RH and C joined us at the hotel around 9:30PM, so we spent the rest of the evening catching up. Just like old times!