Day 7, Tuesday, August 30, 2016 - Mt. Rainier, back to Portland

Amy and I got up at 6:15 and left for the airport at 6:30 for her 8:30 flight back to New York. Fortunately there wasn't much traffic going to the airport although it was already quite heavy on the I-5 going in the opposite direction. I took a different route back to the apartment that wasn't quite as congested.

We packed up and had a nice breakfast at the Admiral Bird Cafe before heading out for good at 10am.

We planned to visit Mt. Rainier on the way back to Portland but were a but concerned that it was overcast and we wouldn't see anything. Fortunately, by the time we got to the Henry Jackson Visitor Center, the sun had come out and we were able to get spectacular views of of Mt. Rainier and surroundings. Even though it was a Tuesday, the parking lot was completely full and we had to park along the road leaving the visitor center.

After watching a movie about Mt. Rainier in the theater, we got lunch at the cafe and ate at the picnic tables outside - quite a spectacular place for lunch.

 

Christine Falls

 Narada Falls

Mt. Rainier from our picnic table

We made a wrong turn on the way out and ended up taking the longer route out the west exit to the park. It was a scenic drive but a bit nerve-wracking as the gas warning indicator came on saying we only had gas for 40 miles. By the time we got to a gas station outside the park, the car said we only had 10 more miles before empty.

The rest of the drive back to Portland was uneventful. We stayed at the same Comfort Suites near the airport and had dinner at the Portland Seafood Co. I had Alaskan razor clams which I probably wouldn't have again - they were quite chewy, as Calamari sometimes is.