Washington's Alps: The Beautiful Cascades

This may be the prettiest place I've ever seen...and the best picture I've ever taken. Washington State's beautiful Cascade Mountains. 

Today started with a wake up in my luxurious suite in the motor lodge in Coulee City. The red, retro-look microwave was interesting...

Or, now that I think about it...maybe that was the TV. 

The red coffee maker was cool.

As was the red micro-fridge. 

But NOTHING was as cool as the pulsating, multi-colored, neon, disco effect shower head. Righteous! 

Looked around town for breakfast, but none was to be had. Tiny Coulee City seems to be slowly dying. This is the main street.

A sad thing, because apparently back in the day, before the Civil War, Coulee City was a thriving cow town. 

Alas, no more. 

I headed west across the high plains where I met a mix of endless wheat fields as far as they eye could see, and where no wheat was planted, it was endless, sagebrush covered desert.

And deep canyons with flat mesas.

I passed through Waterville, a farming town where they still have a hotel from the last century.

From there, it was west to Leavenworth...or should I say, "Alpine" Leavenworth?

Helen, Georgia has nothing on these folks. The town is huge, and is obviously "all in" regarding the alpine motif.

I ducked into a German restaurant and it was like being back in Frankfurt. 

And the Jägerschnitzel was fantastisch! 

But the thing that was even more fantastic was the natural beauty of the Cascades. 

I found this old mining rail trestle to use as the vantage point for this picture...

Just beautiful! 

On to Seattle. God bless!