That elusive mountain

Yesterday we took Mark’s Chinese friend, Dawei, to Pike’s Place Market in downtown Seattle. It was clear and sunny and bright (and cold) and we thought for sure we could see Mt. Rainier from downtown. It was there – sort of floating in the distance – but not really the standout I was hoping for.

In the market you see all kinds of photos and drawings and watercolors of the Seattle skyline with this most beautiful of mountains in the background – and I keep expecting to have that sort of day – so we can get that sort of picture. Ha! Of course, to actually get that sort of picture, you’d have to be in an airplane or hot air balloon or something, floating over the Sound – not exactly likely for us.

Elusive mountain. Uncooperative weather. Wrong place at the wrong time. The picture will never happen, but I am fascinated, nevertheless.

Geologists predict that Mt. Rainier (the Indian name is Tahoma, and that is how it is referred to – like Mt. McKinley, in Alaska, is really Denali) will erupt catastrophically again in ‘near’ geologic time. And when it does, it will wipe out most of Seattle, supposedly. It figures. Just when we get here. It is really many miles (100+?) from Seattle – but is so large (14,000 ft. from Seattle’s sea level elevation!) that it looms on Seattle’s horizon anyway. Even the distance isn’t expected to save Seattle – too much of a blast is anticipated, or too much lava flow? No one seems to take it very seriously though – as people tend not to do.

Maybe in the summer, when some of the snow is gone, I’ll get the picture I want. Perhaps from the deck of the Bainbridge ferry, or the bluffs of Discovery Park or some other yet-unidentified site I’ll have just the right vantage point. I’ll keep trying.

In the meantime, we enjoyed our visit, enjoyed Dawei’s company – learned about McDonald’s restaurants in China, among other things – and, of course, enjoyed another dinner at Ivar’s. (Maybe we should invest in them?)