Of Rain, Snow and Sun; Of Bavarian Cities and Apple Capitals

June 18th, Day 3 -- from Skykomish to Wanatchee, WA 

We begin in the rain with an upward ascent.  This means you bear down in low gear going very little distance again and again over a long period of time.  And you are wet.  Many are in raingear of many colors: acid-orange, shrill-yellow, neon-green.  One couple ties plastic bags over their footgear.  The wet gets everywhere, soaking your socks, thickening your gloves.  My glasses need wipers.  I reach the summit and see the snow of the ski-lodges of Stevens Pass.  When I descend from that peak, I speed -- free miles in which I barely pedal.  But the acceleration makes the wet wetter and the cold colder.   When I dry, I come upon a Bavarian village -- the town of Leavenworth -- whose government leaders chose to create an Alpine tourist attraction in Washington state.  I ride past the umpapa of sound and hotels like gingerbread houses. Soon I pass the signage of Wenatchee, which makes claim to be the apple capital of Washington.   I wonder if Wanatchee apples will be crisper, wetter,and colder than the apples back east.