Crossed the state twice this past weekend with Bruce. Long long time to sit on a motorcycle. Trip #1 started Friday evening. We stopped at a little place called Cow Creek Mercantile for dinner. Little deli place inside a gift store. We got there at the worst possible time--15 minutes before closing. The lady was friendly though, and said to come on it. "She'll cook whatever I tell her to, she's my daughter," she said when I asked if the cook had already cleaned the grill. Food was good, we sat outside in a little garden area and watched the praying mantises hunt moths in the sign lights. (
http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Cow.Creek.Mercantile.509-659-0490)
Kicked around Tacoma, hung out with
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insaneraven and his beautiful wife and cute kid. Had lunch at the Rock Pasta with
khiril. Good pizza, and excellent brown sugar mozzarella bread! Went back to
insaneraven's for dinner; you're right,
julzerator, he makes a mean brisket!
Drove home Sunday, started early so we could meander and be silly. Took the long way home, across 2. Stopped at the Reptile Zoo in Monroe (
http://www.yelp.com/biz/reptile-zoo-monroe), which was sorta mixed good and bad. The critters were fascinating, of course, but some of the habitats left somewhat to be desired. Staff was friendly though. As a side note, it's best to not leave the bike key turned on while you wander around. Got a jump start from a nice gent in the parking lot, and continued up the hill.
Hit the custom knives place at the top of the pass, and The Alps candy store above Leavenworth. Didn't buy anything. Knives were really pretty (but expensive, as expected). The Alps was neat, and had a ton of stuff, but I was disappointed that all the fudge was pre-packaged, so you we couldn't get just a small amount. Buying very much wasn't a good option, for fear it would melt and/or smash in the saddle bags, so no sugary goodness for me there.
Going through Wenatchee was horrible. Too hot to breathe, even on the bike with a 60+ wind chill. Weather.com says it was 105F there yesterday, but it felt even hotter.
Stopped for dinner in Coulee City at a place called Steamboat Rock Restaraunt.
(
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=steamboat+rock,+coulee+city&fb=1&view=text&latlng=9203843340315552548) Got the absolute worst service possible without the waitress outright insulting and mocking us. Walked in, didn't see anyone at the counter, so we grabbed a table. There was only one other group of people there. After a few minutes of nobody coming out, I went and got us menus. Woman eventually comes over, says "Hi. The special today is chicken fried steak." and walks off. Does not look up, does not even glancingly make eye contact. Didn't ask if we wanted drinks, or were ready to order.
She comes back after a bit and sets two TINY glasses of water on the table and walks off again. AGAIN without eye contact or asking if we wanted anything. Eventually she comes back to ask if we want anything to drink, and Bruce asks for a pitcher of water, since it's blazingly hot out, and we've already emptied the glasses she brought us. She refuses to give us a pitcher, says "I'll bring you more water" and leaves without taking our order. Comes back, fills the water, walks away without asking for our order or looking up from the table.
Seriously considered at that point just walking out, but decided that the bar across the street was unlikely to have milkshakes, and dammit, it was hot out.
We end up asking again for water refills when she finally comes back to take our order, and twice more during dinner. (Please mind that even though she's the only server, there are still only 2 tables to tend to!) At 6:30 she comes by and flips all the open signs to closed, even though the sign on the door says they're open until 7. When we are finished with dinner (food was decent, but nothing spectacular), she walks up and sets the bill on the table. Doesn't ask if we're done, or if we want dessert, or if we need anything. STILL has never made eye contact with me, though Bruce has managed to get her attention once or twice. So I stop her, and ask about dessert. She manages to fairly rapidly hide the pained look, picks the bill back up, and goes to get us a cinnamon roll, and brings back the altered bill with the roll.
AFTER we are ready to go, have put money on the table, and are walking out, she starts smiling and trying to chat with us; asking where we're headed, how the ride's been. Don't know what was with the sudden mood swing, but it was much too late to salvage a tip.
I'll let Bruce do the ranting about stupid other drivers and people trying to kill us.
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