Van Life Travelogue

​As another glorious Pacific Northwest summer draws to a close, we decided to squeeze in one last road trip. We packed up our imported Japanese RV and headed East on Highway 2 for a weekend of good hikes and delicious food. First mission: Lunch

With windows rolled down and Cat Stevens coming through the speakers, we rolled into the small town of Sultan around lunchtime on Saturday.

Our stomachs were rumbling as we pulled into Sultan Bakery, a favorite among locals and hikers for their fresh pastries, donuts, and sandwiches made with homemade bread. After fueling up with a tuna melt and a French dip, we were ready to continue our adventure.

Sultan Farmers Market

Our next stop was the Sultan Farmers Market, which runs on Saturdays in summer from 10 AM to 2 PM. Sadly, the eggs were sold out (if you’ve ever tasted a farm-fresh egg, you know why they go quickly), but we grabbed a few nectarines from a local farm and hit the road again in search of a good hike.

Shaky Knees on Heybrook Lookout

After some short detours to the local thrift store and a few yard sales, we pulled off Highway 2 to the Heybrook Lookout trailhead. A short but steep 1.3 miles to the top, the hike got our hearts pumping and our calves burning.

Be warned, climbing the stairs to the top of the lookout tower is not for the faint of heart. Our knees were shaking, but the sweeping views of the Cascades were worth it. Just don’t look down.

Snack Time at Zeke’s

After the hike, our hunger again guided our next move. Heading back West on Highway 2, we stopped at Zeke’s Drive-In, a roadside burger joint open since 1968. We must have been determined to negate the benefits of our workout because we decided on corn dogs and a strawberry-rhubarb shake for our snack (I am compelled to order anything rhubarb that I see on a menu. I can’t be stopped).

Summerwind and Pad Thai

After our snack of champions, we drove to Summerwind, the private campsite we booked on Hipcamp. Our host, Carly, met us at the campsite on her property overlooking the Skykomish Valley and showed us the amenities, which included water, firewood, and even a hot tub!

As the sun set over the Skykomish Valley, we hopped back in the RV and drove to Sultan, where we ordered takeout dinner from Sultan Thai. Back at Summerwind, we built a campfire and dug into our Pad Thai and Garlic Delight with the sounds of birds, crickets, and the faint rumble of Highway 2 in the distance.

One Last Hike

After a restful night at Summerwind, we woke up the following day ready for more good eats and one last hike. We stopped at Windmill Espresso for iced lattes and their delicious three-dollar biscuits and gravy before heading to Wallace Falls State Park.

The parking lot was busy, but we found some solitude along the 2.1-mile trail to the Middle Falls viewpoint. The trail meanders through mossy forest and was a welcome escape from the late summer heat.

Bubba’s and the Hawks

We were (surprise, surprise) hungry again after our hike to the falls. As we passed back through Sultan, we stopped at Bubba’s Roadhouse to catch the end of the Seahawks game and refuel from our hike. Cold beer and Bubba’s finest game-day snacks (nachos, wings, and bacon-wrapped jalapeños) lessened the pain of watching the Hawks suffer a crushing loss.

And so we drank one more Rainier in honor of the Hawks, filled up the gas tank one last time, and hopped back on the road home.

Hannah Miller

Hannah Miller