RV Travels With Huggy

Saturday, May 6th I participated in my first actual event with my new Club Miata NW, a run called the Deception Pass Run. A run is different from a rally like I was on a couple of weeks ago with the MG club in that here we are just following the leader, out on a drive through the country side, rather than having to follow written directions and, on some rallies, maintaining specified average speeds.

Son M went with me on this one which gave us a chance to spend a few hours together. The weather was threatening to rain and the temperature was cool so we left the top up on the whole trip although some of the braver souls took their tops down (on the cars!) I had bought a new citizens band (CB) radio specifically to use on trips like this and we had it operating. It added to the fun to be able to chatter back and fourth between the cars and listen in on all of that. We met at a truck stop, Donna's, at Marysville about 24 miles south of my town of Mt. Vernon, where we could fill the gas tanks ($3.059/gal!) and pick up a mocha to fuel the people, from the mocha stand near where we were parked. This first photo shows part of the group gathered for a driver's meeting before we hit the road:


It was a beautiful drive northward toward Skagit County. Our first stop was at the Rexville General Store, between Mt. Vernon and LaConner, and kind of a local must-see type place. Here are a few of the thirteen Miatas that participated parked in the area near the front of the store:


We are nearly past the blooming season for tulips but there was a nice group of them around a tree, with Miatas in the background, so I took this photo. It also includes Oatie, the mascot who rides on the trunk (boot) of the Miata of our leader:


We took a side trip up a road that would be great for a hill climb race, if you didn't have to worry about other cars, especially those coming down the hill. This is called a mountain although it is probably not over 2000 feet in altitude. Here are a few of the group enjoying part of the view from the top of Mt. Erie, looking out over a part of Puget Sound:


We have a lot of evergreen fir trees in the northwest and here in a park like Mt. Erie there are some good examples. These were just below the viewpoint where the previous photo was taken, but looking a bit closer to where we were standing:


I think these events usually end at a place where the group can order a meal and have a chance to discuss the trip. This one ended at a small restaurant called Deception Cafe & Grill, where this photo was taken:


Deception Pass is the waterway between the mainland and Whidbey Island. It was named by Capt. Vancouver when he originally explored the area way back when as he thought it went someplace else. He eventually discovered that the land mass on one side was a large island. I think Whidbey Is. is second only to Long Island in New York for size of an island within the US. There is a bridge connecting the island to the mainland and the water below moves with very fast currents as the tide changes. It is not a good place to be with a sail boat!

We enjoyed the trip even though the weather could have cooperated a bit better. It is always fun to get out and go on something like this. I hope the price of gasoline doesn't force cutbacks on this type of activity. At least Miatas do get pretty good mileage.