Mt. Rainier looked very majestic from Seattle, but closer up, it felt more like other peaks I had seen back in California. Even here, it was warm, though I could see plenty of snow still on the ground.
Here is a waterfall within Mt. Rainier National Park, near the Paradise Visitor Center.
I spent the evening again with the Perretz-Rosales family, to take part in the Fourth of July dinner party. Here is the family cat.
The family's tradition every Fourth of July: a watermelon-eating contest. Contestants must eat all pink parts of a slice of watermelon. In case of any doubts, Bob's decision is final.
I couldn't hit Mt. St. Helens due to its distance from Seattle. I had to suffice with this view from my flight, as I returned home today. With the north slopes completely demolished from the 1980 eruption, it was very easy to recognize.
I took a nap, then woke up to this view of the California Delta in the center, with Stockton in the foreground. To the left of the delta is Mt. Diablo, and beyond it is the fog shrouding the San Francisco Bay Area. Seeing my novel character Sarah's hometown (albeit hidden in fog), from one of her planes, was quite an experience.Another 45 minutes later, I was flying the traffic patterns over Santa Monica, before landing in Los Angeles. And that was the end.
