May 30th: The Day started out chilly, but was warming up nicely as the joy juice in my coffee mug was dwindling. While I drank, I watched a little squirrel jet across the grass and scurry up the big evergreen tree at the edge of our front yard, here. A shirt while later, that yellow-stripe cat came trolling through. The squirrel sat atop the birdhouse, watching, as I watched the little morning drama play itself out:
Rinsing my mug out, I got to thinking of a Saturday drive. So, I got dressed and said to Holland that I was going for a drive to relax my body & refresh my joy infill with a nature infusion - and told him where I would be heading, saying, "I'm going to go for a drive & I'll try to be home before it gets dark. I know you don't think you need to know where I am going, but you need to know where I am going in case nighttime arrives, and I do not. If you want to come … you can; if you want to stay home, you need a general direction to point the Calvary to, in which they can start scouting for me if I do not return in a reasonable timeframe. I'm going up the Toutle towards Bear Creek." He thought a minute, and said, "The mountain?" I answered, "Not quite, but in that general area. There's a turnout viewpoint in that vicinity. It's a beautiful day, so it will be a relaxing drive; I'll probably turn around there and come back; I have my inhaler if I need it at the high elevations & I'm dressed light, so I won't be hiking - I'm even wearing my open-toe sandals." He said, "Okay. You should be home before dark. Going off by yourself is a good thing; you need to get familiar with Betsy." I agreed that I needed to familiarize myself with how Betsy handled on a long drive - and off I went.
Driving past Silver Lake, I saw that the river was busy with fishermen, fishing along the roadside & in boats, among the lily pads. Yellow Flag Lilies lined the lake's edges - I had never noticed them before, but they sure made an impression today.
The Day was perfect for a long, relaxing drive. I love the sound of road hum under the tires as they ate up mile after mile of blacktop.
Betsy is a powerful beast, & a couple times she gave me a hard time (she doesn't turn very easy - she's wide, long, and bulky); but I put a firm upper-hand to her; thanking Elohim profusely for those muscle building upper body workouts, and got to where I wanted to get to. She pulled those steep uphill climbs easy-peasy.
When I spotted Mt. St. Helens on the horizon, I pulled over to snap a picture - not a very good picture, I agree: what's left of her upper edges was shrouded in clouds; but she grabs your attention and dominates the scenery.
A couple gorge bridges later, I arrived at the Mt. St. Helens Forest Learning Center.
I knew I would visit the Gift Shop and go home with 2 Bigfoot mugs. I also knew I'd be watching cheesy Bigfoot movies later on, tonight. I've lived in WA State most of my Life, & I've heard the legendary stories of sightings in the lowland regions - apparently he walks all over the State & not just at higher elevations.
Several states across our great nation have stories about their own Bigfoot - even states without high altitude mountainous areas. Several countries around the globe, have stories about their own Bigfoot.
Mr. Bigfoot is a popular guy & a favorite topic.
When I parked Betsy in a space in the spacious parking lot & stepped outside her cab, I shivered - the atmosphere was windy & c.o.l.d. Even though the sunshine was evident, I was immediately wishing I had had the foresight to grab a coat before I left home. I quickly walked across the parking lot and scooted inside the building; making my way to the gift shop and buying 2 coffee mugs with Bigfoot's image on them: the mysterious big fella is popular with us, too.
As I was slipping a CD disc into the player & readying to pull out of the parking space … a mini tour bus parked alongside me with a logo I couldn't resist snagging:
I thought, "Why not?" The Day still had plenty of daylight hours to play out.
And I wanted to understand Betsy's operation modes better.
So, instead of turning left - I turned right. Curious about how open the road was towards the the cloud shrouded maw of Helen's open throat.
Wild purple lupine was everywhere along the roadsides. Traffic flowed smoothly, coming and going. The tunes filling Betsy's cab was music I don't get to hear unless I'm driving solo lobo. Today is self-care day of relaxation. Even my brain was relaxed & didn't have to think too much - I know this drive by rote.
The Johnston Ridge Observatory road was still closed:
{{Rebuilding SR 504 and reconnecting visitors to Mount St. Helens
Permanent repairs begin three years after landslide destroyed Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge
April 10, 2026~Sarah Hannon-Nein, Communications, 360-989-7589
TOUTLE – Three years after a landslide cut off access to the upper stretch of State Route 504, also known as Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, work is set to restore a key connection to one of Washington’s most scenic destinations: Mount St. Helens.
Starting Monday, April 27, Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews will begin work to permanently replace the SR 504 Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge and restore access to the Johnston Ridge Observatory in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, east of Toutle.
“This is more than a bridge restoration project,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Pedro Reyes. “It’s about reconnecting people to Mount St. Helens. We’re building a long-term solution that will fully restore safe access and ensure reliability for years to come.”
What to expect
Crews will build a new two-lane roadway and bridge designed for the area’s challenging terrain and changing conditions. The new bridge will be similar in width to the original structure, but longer and built to last.
What happened
Shortly after 9 p.m. on Mother’s Day, May 14, 2023, more than 300,000 cubic yards of debris slid about 2,000 feet down a hillside above SR 504 near milepost 49. The slide buried the highway in rock, mud, ice and water and destroyed the 85-foot Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge.
Within two months, crews cleared the debris and built a temporary bypass road so vehicles stranded at Johnston Ridge Observatory could be recovered.
The unstable landscape and harsh winter weather conditions caused the temporary structure to fail after four months due to erosion, water flow and shifting ground.
To ensure safety, WSDOT removed the failed structure and materials until a permanent solution could be built.
Looking ahead
Work is expected to be complete in Fall 2026. After construction, the U.S. Forest Service will begin work to restore Johnston Ridge Observatory, including power and other essential repairs, before it can reopen to the public. Once finished, travelers will again be able to drive the full length of SR 504 and visit the observatory to experience the dramatic landscape shaped by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
https://wsdot.wa.gov/about/news/2026/rebuilding-sr-504-and-reconnecting-visitors-mount-st-helens }}
But, the Hummocks Trail parking lot was packed with every type of travel vehicle imaginable; If I had come prepared, today would have been a good day to be hiking - there would be plenty of people on the trail to keep wild animals at bay, and to give aid if needed. But, I didn't arrive prepared, so this being the end of the road for today's drive … I just headed back home.
Some people had placed their camp chairs directly in the way of traffic routes. It would be another hour's drive home & there was no cell service available. I could afford to wait the inconsiderate oafs out & I didn't want Holland to be worried about me because people wanted to drink beer & eat tailgate hotdogs in the center of a public parking lot; so, I inched Betsy forward & they moved. Betsy is a formidable beast when she's on the move - and I can morph into a formidable Beast, too, when necessary.
At home, I made a quick supper of steamed veggies & bacon. Then I washed the coffee mugs I'd bought:
And I finished up the simple doorway swags I made for the upcoming July 4th ~ 250th American Freedom holiday, while watching a star-studded retro Bigfoot movie.
My simplistic door swags add a bit of color. A bit of color in my immediate space adds a joy vibe. Joy is not in the thing itself; but the thing stirs up the joy within us, striking a happy note. That is how it works with me.
And I finally finished the Cussler 'Gray Ghost' novel & started another. The Gray Ghost was a trial to get through; it was so boring. Hopefully this new read will grab my attention and keep it engaged.
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