Washington Vay-Cay: Wilderness Edition

Home again, home again. I had such an AMAZING time on my little vacation, I really didn't want it to end. Of course no one ever really wants vacation to end, but this trip took me by surprise... I actually loved the wilderness part way more than the city of Seattle. Who would have ever seen that coming? Not me. I want to tell you every story & show you every photo but there's just not time for all that so let's try it this way & you can scroll through whichever photo you want in the galleries...

Where?

I stayed in the "town" (& I use that term very loosely) of Diablo, WA out in the North Cascades mountains. We're talking REMOTE. Wilderness isn't an exaggeration in the least. But it was soooo gorgeous.  There was a moment where I walked outside to sit & read on my first day, I literally STOPPED in my tracks & couldn't move, it was that breathtaking!

Who?

I was visiting my old college buddy / sorority sister / former co-worker Brandi (aka B-Stew... no matter how much she fights it, that will always be her name). She's out there for school & wants to be a park ranger. I've missed her SO much & it was wonderful to get to hang out, make fun of each other, talk men & be ridiculous!

What?

B-Stew took it easy on me & I really appreciated that, it would suck to come home from vacation & be too sore to move. We hiked a little mountain, drove up a really big mountain, swam in a river, sun bathed by a lake of that CRAZY BLUE water, made memosas, canoed, had a camp fire, went to the national park, & rocked out to a drunken Glee dance party. It was the BEST.

I may have teased her the whole time, called her a hippie, asked way too many questions about wild animals, & embarrassed her by singing to a deer... but I really did love it out there. Was I out of place? Completely. (I'm a rolling suitcase matching set in a world of hiking backpacks) But sometimes you need to get a little out of your element.