The Wild Brown Yonder, Circa 2012
"What about some vacation?" queried Mrs. Gumbo, apparently getting a little restless with her Summer off.
"How are you coming on scheduling those July and August meetings?" asked my client.
Deja vu.
We seem to have settled upon at least two primary Vacation Quality Objectives (go ahead: VQOs) over the last few years. We each subscribe to both of them on some level as far as I can tell, but there is no question that we can differ on the priorities at times. And these objectives, like many such targets, are often not entirely compatible, assuring that our travels do involve the occasional spark or even flare-up.
As I careen into the age of adulthood, at least from what they tell me, I am more and more inclined to select routes and even sometimes destinations that require or at least allow for minimal use of major highways (freeways in particular to be avoided). My preferences tend to involve somewhat out-of-the-way or even occasionally obscure backroads and crossroads with names unfamiliar to most folks I know.
So that would be VQO #1. Number 2 involves the imperative to greet the day with a big cuppa Starbucks (the Blond, not the Bold!).
You can perhaps sense how this might lead to some interesting dynamics. In my experience burgs like Baird, Impach, and Wellpinit (all transited on our trip though not all consciously noted in our passing through) and their Beyond-Woebegone kin do on occasion fall short when it comes to shrines to that slightly titillating green-and-black mermaid.
Alas for my original naive planning, the reservations my scheduler-partner came up with for her preferred choice among my several options of primary destination were towards the end of my allotted time off. My original program had us lingering over some intriguingly obscure and sketchy routes in and out of our Shangri-la, already a bit off the path of most Proper Tourists.
But I sucked it up and went back to the maps, seeking alternative obscurities and vaguely unreliable byways (paving useful, but not absolutely required), a certain allowance for free-lancing as circumstances presented themselves, and the delectable possibility of getting lost or stranded on the way. Why call it Vacation otherwise!
Originally I had us routed through Enumclaw and Mt. Rainier, with a hike to Mt. Fremont a priority, followed by leisurely multi-day exploration of secondary and tertiary (quaternary!) roads for several days from there. But with the new sequencing I settled on Leavenworth, a bit of a tangent from our eventual destination, for our first night. The over-the-top focus on tourism of the town can be a little aggravating, but Mrs. G had never seen Icicle Creek, and our visit to said creek was pretty redeeming given the 90F+ temp. It was surprisingly tough to find a place where we could just pull over and dangle feet. But images document the glorious creek and our eventual success.
Beyond Leavenworth, my route involved filling a couple gaps from prior vacations, nagging at least to me. More on that later!
"How are you coming on scheduling those July and August meetings?" asked my client.
Deja vu.
We seem to have settled upon at least two primary Vacation Quality Objectives (go ahead: VQOs) over the last few years. We each subscribe to both of them on some level as far as I can tell, but there is no question that we can differ on the priorities at times. And these objectives, like many such targets, are often not entirely compatible, assuring that our travels do involve the occasional spark or even flare-up.
As I careen into the age of adulthood, at least from what they tell me, I am more and more inclined to select routes and even sometimes destinations that require or at least allow for minimal use of major highways (freeways in particular to be avoided). My preferences tend to involve somewhat out-of-the-way or even occasionally obscure backroads and crossroads with names unfamiliar to most folks I know.
So that would be VQO #1. Number 2 involves the imperative to greet the day with a big cuppa Starbucks (the Blond, not the Bold!).
You can perhaps sense how this might lead to some interesting dynamics. In my experience burgs like Baird, Impach, and Wellpinit (all transited on our trip though not all consciously noted in our passing through) and their Beyond-Woebegone kin do on occasion fall short when it comes to shrines to that slightly titillating green-and-black mermaid.
Alas for my original naive planning, the reservations my scheduler-partner came up with for her preferred choice among my several options of primary destination were towards the end of my allotted time off. My original program had us lingering over some intriguingly obscure and sketchy routes in and out of our Shangri-la, already a bit off the path of most Proper Tourists.
But I sucked it up and went back to the maps, seeking alternative obscurities and vaguely unreliable byways (paving useful, but not absolutely required), a certain allowance for free-lancing as circumstances presented themselves, and the delectable possibility of getting lost or stranded on the way. Why call it Vacation otherwise!Originally I had us routed through Enumclaw and Mt. Rainier, with a hike to Mt. Fremont a priority, followed by leisurely multi-day exploration of secondary and tertiary (quaternary!) roads for several days from there. But with the new sequencing I settled on Leavenworth, a bit of a tangent from our eventual destination, for our first night. The over-the-top focus on tourism of the town can be a little aggravating, but Mrs. G had never seen Icicle Creek, and our visit to said creek was pretty redeeming given the 90F+ temp. It was surprisingly tough to find a place where we could just pull over and dangle feet. But images document the glorious creek and our eventual success.
Beyond Leavenworth, my route involved filling a couple gaps from prior vacations, nagging at least to me. More on that later!
posted by Sir Gumbo at 10:44 PM
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