The Cadillac Ride
by Deb Thorlakson, horseback rider
My favorite memories of the North Cascades are from what we like to call "The Cadillac Ride." This adventure was started by myself and three girlfriends several years ago. They are all horseback riders, but we were getting a bit older and were reluctant to take an overnight ride and have to sleep on the ground. So we came up with an alternative plan that laid us in the lap of luxury, hence the name of the ride.
The first day of the ride, we headed out from our home on Cub Creek, north of Winthrop. We followed the Methow Valley Sports Trail Association cross country ski trails and United States Forest Service roads up through the Rendezvous.
It was in the fall and the aspen trees were starting to turn gold. We wound through forests of Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir and up to Rendezvous Pass at an elevation of 4,000 feet with beautiful views of Mt. Gardner and Silver Star Mountain. Lunch was eaten at one of the Rendezvous Huts, then down the hill and into the tiny town of Mazama. The first day took us about 30 kilometers - a good day's ride. Instead of pitching a tent, we spent a cozy night at the Mazama Country Inn. We were greeted with beautiful rooms with nice, soft beds. Later on that night, we had a delicious dinner in the dining room with a good bottle of wine. Then it was out to the hot tub to soothe tired muscles and gaze at the stars.
The next morning we were up and off along the Methow River on the Methow Community Trail. Winding along the river through groves of Cottonwood and Aspen trees, a brief rain squall appeared, but we were able to take cover in a neighboring hay barn and have lunch. The clouds parted, the sun came out and we were off again. We headed up the hill to Sun Mountain Lodge, at an elevation of 3,000 feet with beautiful views out over the Methow Valley, the North Cascades mountains and the trails we had just ridden. Our stay at Sun Mountain Lodge treated us to beautiful rooms, another outstanding dinner and a hot tub - sure beats sleeping on the ground! And on the third day we rode around Patterson Mountain, down to the valley floor, across the Methow River and up through the lower Rendezvous back to my home on Cub Creek.
This itinerary continued for many years, with many different friends, different lodging in Mazama, including the Freestone Inn and the Mazama Ranch House and many varied forms of locomotion. And we were was always treated to an amazing time in the North Cascades.
