I hop on the freeway and look down.. ¼ tank… that will never do. Jump off the freeway for a local station. Start to pump the fuel and look down admiring the swanky new z-rated tires thinking, Yea, this is gonna be fun.
Hop back on the freeway for some twenty minutes, ahh the off ramp I’ve been searching for. I get through the simple town and onto the back road, North Cascade’s HWY, a very old stretch of road some thirty minutes later I hit Darrington, WA. The HWY splits… damn it’s been a long time, which way to go? I take the left going on a gut feeling. Civilization is gone as is the radio and cell coverage. Sun blazing, no clouds.. windows all the way down. Smiling I reach for he new Kenwood and hit the button to take me to Sirius Satellite Radio…channel 20, Octane… music fills the car.. Smell the fresh air.. Admire all the green trees, ferns, river off to the right. It’s a perfect day.
Finally, the good curved road is coming, excitement ensues. Some unnamed band playing in the background I reach for the volume control. The song ends, and old school Pantera “Walk” comes on. I reach for the volume control.. can’t hear the wind rushing in anymore.. next turn comes, I’m in heaven! The subs banging at my very skeletal structure, mids belting out the vocals and guitars, highs begging me for more. Another smile… crystal clarity is pleasing me at this moment. Next curve comes… grabbing for third, smash the accelerator.. rubbery feeling in the ass end as the tires are getting ready to break loose. Woohoo, not a car in sight, life is good.
Thirty minutes go by during this gut-wrenching, ear-bleeding mountain back roads thrill ride. I see cars ahead thought the canyon.. pull up on the pedal… a stoppage, nOOOoo! The night prior had a mountain slide of granite come crashing down on the roadway. Heavy equipment everywhere.. one lane road for both directions…. flaggers….. brake light. I stop. I notice a bead of sweat on my forehead and an persistent tap of the toe on the floor. Man.. my body wants more.
Fifteen minutes go by, RVs, cars, and Harley’s coming. Our turn is almost here… 20 minutes, flag turns to “slow” as I think, “yea, right!” Were on the way. Crap, there is a stack of cars in front of me. No worries, I’ll pass them as I can. Last cones in sight… mash the pedal and I’m off in a riot of engine noise and squeal of tires. Passing one by one. I’m in the clear. More bends in the road, rushing air blowing across my face and neck. Snow on the mountain peaks, man it’s a good feeling I’m having.
Twenty more minutes go by, there’s the turnout. I made the target, Diablo, WA. I pull into the parking lot at the overlook saddened by the thought of the drive ending. I get out of the car noticing my ass is numb from the drive, I stretch my legs and reach for the camera thinking to myself, “That was the best tank of fuel I ever bought”. I walk away from the car smiling and thinking, Mmm the downhill trip will be even more fun.
So here are the pictures resized, but if you want any drop me a PM (since our wonderful BB has it now) and ask for the pic by file name and I’ll email it to you. The are roughly 2.3 megs each and have a resolution of 2288x1520.
This is Diablo, WA. A place pretty much built by the Seattle Public Works back in a simpler time and during the depression. The Dam itself went under construction starting in Sept of 1927, and was completed on Aug 27, 1930. The water is a milky blue-green color and is due to glacial runoff. The water is pure and tasty. Hope you enjoy the pictures, I know I enjoyed going to get them
http://stresstest.2y.net/images/diablo/diablowa.html
where's gav when u need him?
All that natural beauty and all I wanna know is what kind of car you drive. 