Checked into the "Beautiful Lake of the Woods Resort", just outside of Hope and near the Skagit River, Friday night.
The key supplied opened the door, but that was probably the highlight of the experience. Buddy, Keath, a corporate interior designer, was appalled. Couldn't sleep all night.
Smoke detector in our bedroom hung open from the ceiling, revealing that there was no battery included in this package deal. Might have had something to do with Keath's sleepless night.
The entire place was painted white, in and out. Our room was painted white. Cheap, white. And, that includes major parts of the floor. Might have contributed to Keath's sleepless night.
The toilet rocked when you sat upon it (yes, even I have to take care of business).
The caulking around the tub and sink appeared to have been applied by a four-year-old, high on Oreos
At check-in, the clerk seemed rather anxious for us to settle the bill for two nights accomodation, NOW. We chose to pay for one night, in the morning, and checked out.
Hit the Skagit at Sumallo Grove after a good breakfast at the Home Restaurant. Can't figure why they feel they need to serve seven pounds of hash browns with the eggs and bacon and toast, but it was good, and neccessary for the day.
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A Traditional Bags pose, smoke in hand not far from a cold beer - Photo Submitted
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Five other restaurants in Hope had found themselves listed as "health hazards" on the food inspectors web-site on Friday so that there were at least six restaurants was assuring.
Second cast with a green drake rose a heart-stopping rainbow. I didn't see all of him, but I saw enough. Must have been 4-5 inches. Deep.
I'm guessing he was 16-18 inches, maybe shorter, but deep and fat.
Spent another hour on him, but he wasn't quite as dumb as I.
Over the afternoon we picked up a few rainbows between us- all good fighting fish, up to 14-15 inches.
Keath picked up one on an ant, another on a dragon fly and another on a tiny white midge. No rhyme or reason. All mine fell to the green drake.
It's only early September, but it wasn't warm, a few showers, and Keath took a fall, backing up with a nice fish on. I wasn't sure who had who on the line, but that was resolved in seconds as the rainbow tossed the hook.
We lasted a while longer and then retired to the pub, and then resigned ourselves to the long road home, a day early.
Sometimes you just have to appear to be sane.
"There are no steelhead".
