In which Ashlan gets to meet Ichiro face to face.
Carl & I got around 10 miles today. I say around because I have not measured the actual distance yet. I had planned a route that was about 10 miles, and we actually took our first steps along that route.
But then bacon came in to play. That is Bacon-man, on the side of the new Archie McPhee’s store. Said store was not along my originally planned route, so we modified. This was fairly near the start and could lead us to Fremont, just following a different path. So off we modified.
Now just before the new McPhees is the Blue Star Cafe. Since neither of us had found coffee yet this morning, we decided to stop for coffee and breakfast. Carl had an omelet, I had a scone and fruit and Bacon. Then on to the pictures with Bacon Man. And off down the hill to Fremont.
Along the way we tried to give directions to a kind man who said his GPS had died. Now we knew where it was, but not the names of all of the streets in between. So we gave him a reasonable start and then said – just stay on this side of the water (ship canal) and go west.
In Fremont we paused to take some more pictures with the Waiting for the Interurban sculpture, and to use the friendly corner coffee shop for a potty stop. (Coffee at the Blue Star and all.)
Across the Fremont bridge and Queen Anne beckoned. Queen Anne is a hill and your choices are 1) Follow Westlake (along the lake) for quite a ways, and then find a hill to climb, 2) Follow Dexter up an incline for quite a ways and then find about 178 steps to climb, 3) Go straight up 4th Avenue (I do mean straight UP), 4) go west and then eventually south and up a big hill.
We chose 3) Go straight up 4th Avenue. Except, just as we were starting up the hill there appeared some steps to our right – so we took them instead – about 86 I believe. Then we continued going up residential streets until we were back at 4th Avenue, about 1/2 of the way up the straight UP hill, and went up the rest of the way. We continued to wind our way around Queen Anne – always UP, until we turned at Galer and went down – about 68 steps.
Followed a few more streets down to Kerry Park, which looks out over the Puget Sound and downtown Seattle. So we took a few more pictures. Then walked down about 50 steps to the lower park, which had a different name like Kinnear, across the street and down a hill next to Franklin Park, and continuing down hill.
And then – Rain. Big drops at first, and then harder. So since I was the only one with a real rain coat, we found a bar and stepped in for more coffee and breakfast. French toast (shared) this time, and the rain slowed and then essentially stopped.
Back out and continued mostly down into downtown Seattle, eventually making the waterfront and south to Safeco Field.
Ashlan drove.
Ashlan also sat at our regular seats. Carl and I were sitting in the 3rd deck in line with first base. Not too bad, and they had been purchased for $1 each – so not complaining at all.
Our regular seats are front row in Right-Center field. Ashlan was sitting with a friend – Mark.
Game on …. (you can look up the box score if you want real details here).
Roof had been closed when we arrived, but they opened it as the game started.
In the 6th inning Mariners are up 3-2 and they bring in a new pitcher (Batista).
Nelson Cruz is the hitter – BOOM – home run – right over Ashlan and Mark – I mean right over.
So close that Mark was trying to catch it, Ashlan (eating fries, mitt on the ground) stood up (and ducked at the same time – try it). She said she looked back and the ball had hit a child (child was OK – got the ball and a bunch of things from the Mariners to go with her ice-pack).
When Ashlan turned back around she was face to face with Ichiro, who had climbed the wall.
Check out this link and watch it until the end (for the close-up). It might take a moment to load. Ashlan has on a brown tank top – she’s in the front row – behind Ichiro.
The Mariners did come back and win the game. Ashlan did give Carl & I (and Mark) a ride home.
And the rain has returned, now with thunder.
Raincharm's Weblog 