Snoqualmie Pass Summit
My daughter lives on the other side of Washington State, 243 miles and four and a half hours away. Four-and-a-half hours, that is, if you drive straight through. And I never drive straight through. On the trip to her house, I always stop once or twice at one of the four rest stops along the way.
Travelers’ Rest Area at Snoqualmie Pass Summit
I start my drive on the Washington coast, only a few feet above sea level. Once I’ve navigated Seattle’s heavy, unpredictable traffic, passed through a tunnel, and crossed Lake Washington, the highway starts climbing.
By the time I reach the first rest stop high in the Cascade Mountains, I’m across the street from the ski area and 3022 feet above sea level.
(My trip was in late October. There must be more snow on the mountains now–maybe even some on the road.)
Indian John Hill Rest Stop
Traveling east, I leave the cedars, firs, and thick underbrush of Western Washington behind. At the second rest stop, it’s all pines.
People stop here for several reasons:
to use the facilities,
to rest and stretch their legs, and
to get some coffee and a snack.
On most weekends, volunteers man the kiosk at the Indian John Hill Rest Stop. Since next year is an election year, the Republican Party of Kittitas County outdid themselves in providing free coffee, juice, cookies, and freshly popped popcorn. (Donations welcome, of course.)
The scenery between Cle Elem and Ellensburg is beautiful—yellow autumn leaves, rivers and ponds, mountains in the distance. Then after one last spectacular view of Ellensburg, I-82 heads up a steep mountain and into the bleak sage brush desert wilderness of the Umtanum Ridge.
For the next forty minutes it’s all white-knuckle driving at 70 miles an hour, up one steep grade and down the next with semis in both lanes, the ones who are struggling to make it up the mountain and the ones who won’t wait. And then we’re all barreling down, so fast we blow past our cruise control settings.
So when I see the “rest area” sign, I’m glad to turn off the highway and take a moment to unwind.
There aren’t any volunteers serving coffee here. Maybe the rattlesnakes keep them away.
Prosser Rest Stop
Vehicles large and small make good use of this rest stop provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation. But the Prosser Rest Stop doesn’t serve coffee either. They don’t need to. McDonalds is next door and Starbucks is just across the street.
* * *
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve been sitting too long. It’s time to get up and make a pot of tea–my writing rest stop.
Do you like to drive straight through? Do you take time out from your work for a coffee break and a stretch?
I would have another reason for stopping at the Indian John Hill rest stop; I would be there to get pine cones and pine needles. I use the cones now and then for crafts (the last time was to help some students at our alternative high school make turkeys), and I’ve learned to make baskets from the pine needles. It is remarkably easy to make simple pine needle baskets, once you know how. All it takes is pine needles, water with a little glycerine added, a large-eyed sewing needle, some waxed twine, and a inch and a half section of a drinking straw.
There are so many reasons for stopping at the beautiful Indian John Hill rest stop. Gathering pine cones and pine needles is one I hadn’t thought of. You’re so clever, Barb. I wouldn’t think of using pine needles to make a basket. You say it’s easy, but only if you know how.
My bladder never allows me to drive straight through 😛 So, it’s rest stops and rest stops and Jeez, Lani, do you have to go again? all the way…
Better safe than sorry, Lani.
I don’t drive over the pass in winter. Sometimes there are hours-long delays because of the snow. You have to have a strategy for things like that: Stop at the last rest stop before the pass, don’t drink a thing after that, and have a jar or something with you in case of the worst emergencies. Ugh!
Absolutely. Hahahaha.
I am one of the people who prefer to drive through, no matter what. This resulted that I sometimes drove straight between my home and east Germany where I went for high school in one go without any stop (550km ~4 – 4 1/2h on German highway). Though I must admit I had to run to the apartment once I arrived as I usually drink a lot of water and coffee when driving,,,
These days I have to do some stops as traveling with family everything is a bit different. Thankfully the rest stops in Germany and Finland are pretty good. Especially in Germany they got some huge rest stops and one in south Germany even got its own events and a music festival! In China matters are ..well let’s say not so nice. Once we traveled by bus to another province and the rest stops were so terrible I just wanted to hop into the bus and drive it myself away from there 🙂
It’s sounds like you’ve experienced a big variety of rest stops, Timo, from fancy German stops to those you’d rather forget in China. Yes, everything changes when you travel with family, especially with a toddler.
What lovely rest stops! (Except maybe the one with the rattlesnakes…)
The rest stop with the rattlesnake sign does have its charm. On a sunny day there’s great view from there of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams.
My parents live about 200 miles away, of which are about 190 miles of highway, and we have to pass 2 big mountains (I lived in a small town in the Alps before). When there is not much traffic and the weather is good, I can make it in 3 hours. But most of the time it takes 3 1/2.
I don’t like to make stops as I want to get back home as fast as possible, but since McDonald’s openend one of their stores at a stop we always have to stop and get somerhing for Mr.Panda. So we have to make at least one stop now. But gladly there are no deadly animals here 0_0
Oh, well. McDonald’s is known for its speed. It shouldn’t take long for Mr. Panda is get a snack, big or small.
When I gotta go . . . I gotta stop.
Florida has well maintained rest areas with bathrooms and picnic tables and . . . posted signs warning about “Venomous Snakes.”
Snakes are scarey, but the only person I know who’s had an encounter with anything other than a little garden snake is my youngest daughter. One day when she was living in Nashville, she found a large black snake looking her in the eye from the top of the stereo in the living room. She called her husband, who drove home while she kept track of the snake. The rest of the story was more Keystone Cops than Snakes on the Plane. But then, that funny tale is hers to tell.
Ack! A snake in the house = no bueno!
I made 4 trips from Pullman to Seattle and back in the month of September (we really need better medical care available on this side of the state)! We usually don’t stop at all because we just want to GET THERE!
OMG, Susan. That is such a long trip. I hope you won’t have to make it during the winter with snow and ice on the pass. I’m surprised Spokane and the Tri-Cities don’t have the medical care you need. That’s really too bad.
The Traffic Bureau in Spain recommends stopping every 2 hours to refresh a little bit. I tend to do it, or at least every 3 hours. Safety first!
A good idea, especially when you’re driving at night. When your eyes start to droop, it’s so hard to keep them open. And a few seconds of sleep can be disastrous.
Three of us drove from Denver to Grand Junction, CO for a marathon a few years ago. We took our time on the way back to Denver, stopping to hike a little and see some of the sights. We drove into the mountains right into a snow storm, then back out. We had a wonderful drive.
A hike after a marathon. I’m not surprised, Geralyn, that you made good use of your drive back.
Oh, rattlesnakes, I wouldn’t stop there. How beautiful having the mountains so close. Wonderful views! Thank you for sharing your road trip,
My pleasure, Janice. Living between the mountains and ocean is one to the joys of life in Western Washington. It’s all a day trip away. Traveling rather fast, I saw many beautiful sights from the road but failed to photograph anything except what I could see from the rest stops.
I couldn’t travel without rest stops. Thank goodness for rest stops!
I’m with you, Michelle.
I don’t stop unless I have to. I like to get to my destination. At work, I never take a break…I like to get it done and move on.
Wow, Jill, you’re amazing. You either have lots of energy or a good strong will.
I love road trips. On my own I would stop more often but my husband is more of “let be done with.” We still stop and also leave the highway whenever something interesting is within reasonable distance. All interesting things are really off the highway and sometimes still really close. I agree, though, that some rest areas are especially pleasant. I was amazed by the ones I found in the south last summer. Louisiana had even coffee for visitors! I love your photos and the little coffee booth.
That same rest stop with the coffee booth also has a pleasant picnic area. In the summer we’ve packed a lunch to eat there. The kids bring out their balls and frisbees.
This brings back memories of several cross-country road trips I’ve taken over the last five years. Either my bladder or my aching butt tell me when it’s time to stop. Most rest stops are clean and some even offer interesting info about the history of the area. Then there are others that are downright scary ~ the risks of the road.
Something else I appreciate about rest stops is seeing the people who’ve been driving beside me. After a while they seem to be nothing more than heartless cars wanting to pass me or block my way. It’s nice to see the humans inside, my fellow travelers.
Yes, it almost feels like a little study in sociology.
Right. And we’re all at our most natural at a rest stop.
This brings vicarious pleasure to the senses. I used to do a lot of hill walking once. For various reasons including language barrier, poor public transport and work loads, I have yet to visit another city in Turkey although a trip to Istanbul is imminent (I hope I will be allow to stay for at least a day).
We have rattle snakes in the UK but I have never seen or heard it rattled.
I think it’s a good idea to take a rest stop, soak in the scenery and exercise mindfulness. Too often, we spent our lives rushing around and being weighed down by responsibilities etc.
The United States is a good place for road trips. We have lots of space and roads that are generally good. When we lived in the small island nation of Vanuatu, there wasn’t much opportunity for road trips. It was a great place for swimming and taking walks, though.
I hope you have a chance to stay more than a day in Istanbul.
It’s hard to get me in a car for longer than two hours. My butt starts to hurt. I start to say, “Are we there yet” and driving makes me hungry. I’m waiting for Scotty to beam me up!
Ah, yes. When will we be able to tell Scotty to beam us up? On the other hand, it’s nice to get the feel of the land while driving through it–as long as the trip isn’t too long or the traffic too bad.
I’m like you, I brake for rest stops! Each is unique (as are the facilities available). I appreciate the ones with info boards that share local/regional history and topographical maps since I’m a sucker for maps.
Maps are fun. I do like to get oriented. As you well now, people in our state are usually tuned in to where north, south, east, and west are.
I’m objective oriented! I want to get there as soon as possible, as efficiently as possible. Which means stopping as infrequently as possible.
My passengers have been known to threaten me to get me to stop.
Ah, Autumn, you’re in thatcamp–the drive-straight-through people. I occupy the middle ground between your group and those who want to stop and look at every little point of possible interest.
Rattlesnakes?! I would be wary about stopping there. Did you wind up stopping?
On one 18-hour drive from Houston to Chicago (yes I was speeding), I made use of the rest areas. We usually stop while driving through Illinois heading south.
As for work, I probably take too many rest breaks! 😀
I’ve stopped at that rest stop several times. My theory is that rattlesnakes either hide between big rocks or sun themselves on top of them. So I stay away from big rocks. I hope I’m right. On sunny days that rest stop has a fantastic view of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. Not to be missed.