They paved Paradise

Saturday - We head south to Mount Rainier National Park, taking diesel at Auburn off the highway on 164 to Enumclaw. A pitstop at 7-11: "Every Cup Code could win the Big Gulp Chopper" built by the stars of American Chopper, a dysfunctional family, from the hit TV series. We pass White River Amphitheatre where Motley Crue are appearing later in the day.
Listening to Herman's Hermits "Henry the Eighth" on the radio - "second verse same as the first!" We follow a Porsche 914/6 for miles on the highway. Into Mount Rainier (say it Ran-ear) National Park. Just short of Paradise, WA we stop for a picnic in the pine forest enjoying the peace and quiet. A raven is calling insistently from a tall tree, and changes tone on getting a reply.
We are advised: "if you are near a river and notice a rapid rise in river level, feel a prolonged shaking of the gound, and/or hear a roaring sound coming from upvalley - often described as the sound made by a fast-moving freight train - move quickly to higher ground!" You run out of superlatives to describe the scenery.
On arrival in Paradise we see that it is a great big parking lot with hundreds of cars so we pass swiftly by. On exiting the park we are just in time to see the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad steam train departing. We run back to town, past Boeing Field, and end up in the city of Seattle by accident but manage a short visit to Starbucks HQ, another export from this bustling place.
To Alki beach to join our hosts for a fish supper - the container ships are coming and going in the sound - the locals are going nuts over the smart as we cruise the strip.