Mukilteo Musings

Story in Pictures---Part 2

From the moment we moved Lucas into his dorm as a freshman at UM over three years ago, he has insisted I hike up to the "M" with him. For my readers who live in the flatter parts of our country, let me just say that at least in Montana and perhaps other places, high schools and colleges put their letter on the nearest visible hillside. When I was a kid in Helena, Mt. Helena had an "H" made with painted white rocks for Helena High School and another mountain had a "C" for Carroll College, the private Roman Catholic college. The "C" is no longer there and the "H" is disappearing for unknown reasons--perhaps because they now have two high schools or because it is city park.


The "M" on Mt. Sentinal

At any rate, the "M" in Missoula is solid cement and kept freshly painted. Since I had yet to hike up there with Lucas, Saturday was the day. Shockingly, my husband who has been plagued with knee and hip issues joined Lucas, Magali and me. In fact, he had less of a problem than I did. It takes me a few days to acclimate to higher elevations. I live at sea level, after all, and found myself a tish short of breath on the way up. Also, I refuse to admit that I am not 20 years old anymore. It was great fun with great views.


See the Switchback Trail?


On the way up, Lucas, Magali and me (in pink). See I-90 below heading straight west to Seattle.


Sitting on the "M". We made it!

Lucas is teaching me to text message in this photo. I learned how to do this new technological task over the weekend. In the process of trying to read a text message from Lucas while we were in Idaho telling us it was snowing in Missoula on Friday afternoon, we accidentally down loaded a poker game on my phone. Seriously! I am determined to figure texting out but until the moment in the photo above, I did not know how to make spaces between the words. The conversation came up because we were in disbelief that just the day before it had been snowing.


Heading Home! The Cascade Mountains in Washington.

I was driving and I love the part of the trip where you are done with Eastern Washington and Seattle is less than 100 miles away. Entering the foothills of the Cascades and beginning the ascent up Snoqualmie Pass means we are almost home. I interrupted Dave's clicking away on his lap top and made him take this photo on I-90 west bound. At this point we were about 50-70 miles east of Seattle. The clouds, as usual, were covering the very tops of the mountains and the jungle vegetation begins.