Day 37

Not every day on the road can be filled with adventure. Today was, due to energy and circumstance, quite tame. I woke up with the sun and finished the drive to Mount Rainier, intending to spend some time in the nearby hamlet of Paradise. The desert had ceded to thick, looming forests by the time I arrived at the park’s southeastern border. I took the turn westward toward Paradise and almost ran into the sign: ROAD CONSTRUCTION. NO THRU TRAFFIC MON—THURS. I trudged north to the next-best option, the Sunrise region. I pulled into the visitor center ready to refill my water jug and head out on a day hike—and, of course, the visitor center had closed for the season. Without sufficient water for the backcountry, I resigned myself to the safety of the nature trail.

Mount Rainier is the most “topographically prominent” mountain in the Lower Forty-Eight, which means that while it’s not the highest in elevation, it is the tallest from bottom to top. It’s considered one of the sixteen or so most dangerous volcanoes in the world; due to the glacial ice on its peak, it would likely produce giant muddy cascades called lahars during an eruption. Lastly, it is incredibly beautiful. I caught it on a good day, with no localized weather clouding my view.

I traded my initial plans for some pragmatic activities. I found a fountain to refill my water jug, and went sock shopping. I watched them with the tenacity of an overcaffeinated parent last time I did laundry, but at least two pairs somehow escaped and ran off to Sock Utopia in the vents. It has been helpful, though, to take my foot off the literal and proverbial gas pedal. I’m still figuring out the ideal balance of exploration and self-care. Tomorrow’s journey, luckily will be both—and it’s THEMED!