Days 15 - 17: Reba 2026 Adventure
Washington State -The Adventure Continues
There are road trips, and then there are ROAD TRIPS. Ours firmly falls in the latter category. Reba (our trusty home on wheels)
has been rolling through the Pacific Northwest, and Days 15 through 17 brought us to one of the most spectacular stops yet: Mount Rainier National Park. But first, we had some detours to make. Because that's just how we roll.
Submarines & Periscopes: The Naval Undersea Museum
En route to Rainier, we made a pit stop at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington — and honestly? It deserves its own blog post. This gem is completely FREE (yes, you read that right) and is packed with hands-on exhibits about submarines, torpedoes, deep-sea exploration, and the brave souls who serve beneath the waves.
Todd was absolutely in his element. The exhibits are incredibly well-designed — interactive, educational, and genuinely fascinating for all ages. If you're ever passing through the Puget Sound area, do NOT skip this one. Keyport, Washington. Free admission. Go.
Let's talk about boys and their toys. I'm not naming names, but someone on this trip has an inexplicable gravitational pull toward anything that runs on rails. By this point in our journey, we have made three separate stops to admire beautifully restored trains. THREE.
But the pièce de résistance? A former train line that was refurbished into a restaurant. We ate dinner in a converted rail car surrounded by railway history. And if that wasn't cool enough, you can actually book overnight lodging in the cars. How incredible is that? Sleep like a railroad baron for a night. We filed that one away for future adventures.
No matter how old they get, boys will always stop for trains. It's a universal law. I've accepted it.
Arriving at Rainier: Misty, Mighty & Magnificent
We pulled into Mount Rainier National Park around 5 PM to a classic Pacific Northwest welcome: rain. Beautiful, atmospheric, relentless rain. Rather than sulk, we did what
any seasoned road-tripper would do — took Reba on a scenic drive around the park to get the lay of the land, swung by the visitors center to map out our plan, and called it an evening.
Our grand plan had been to park Reba at a central location and bike between the various trailheads. Excellent plan. Excellent. Mother Nature, however, had a very different plan. It rained all night and was still going strong the next morning. But we are hearty Minnesotans — we don't do "weather cancellations."
Four Layers & Full Speed Ahead
I layered up like I was preparing for Arctic exploration: base layer, mid layer, fleece, rain jacket, and waterproof boots. The mountain air was cold and crisp in that delicious way that makes you feel deeply alive — or possibly hypothermic. Jury's still out.
Mount Rainier tops out at an absolutely staggering 14,410 feet above sea level. We didn't venture anywhere near the summit, but we did watch in awe as several climbing groups began their multi-day ascent up the snow-covered slopes. They looked determined, well-equipped, and just a little bit wild-eyed. Our hats — and four layers — are off to them.
The peak itself was completely hidden in a misty haze. Was the mountain even still there? Hard to say. We'll just have to take geology's word for it.
The trails we did manage to hike were stunning — ancient evergreens reaching skyward, mossy boulders draped in green, and the kind of wilderness that makes you feel delightfully small. I did my best to photograph all of it: the trees, the rocks, the fog, and...
The Black Bear That Got Away
We saw a black bear. A real, actual, wild black bear. And before I could even get my camera pointed in its direction, that incredibly camera-shy creature disappeared into the forest at a speed that frankly felt personal. Gone. Just a rustling of undergrowth and a memory. It was simultaneously thrilling and haunting — one of those wildlife encounters that remind you you're a guest in someone else's home. Safety first, always. And yes, we kept a very respectful distance.
Live Music & Cold IPAs at Basecamp
After a day of hiking in the rain, we rewarded ourselves at the Basecamp Bar & Grill, where a live band was playing outside and the vibes were absolutely mountain-town perfect. I wrapped my cold hands around a well-deserved IPA, Todd enjoyed a root beer, and we sat back and soaked it all in. The souvenir glass says it best: "Up the Mountain… Down a Beer." That's a philosophy I can get behind.
The Great Bike Lock Incident of Day 16
No major catastrophes to report from this park — which, after some of our earlier adventures, feels like a minor miracle. However, we did lose one bike lock that had not been properly secured. Before you panic on our behalf: Todd, ever the safety engineer, operates on what I have dubbed the Triple Secure Method™. Three locks per bike. Always. Non-negotiable. The remaining two locks held fast and our bikes remained safely aboard Reba, completely unaware of the near-miss. Todd: 1. Entropy: 0.
🐾 Aspen & Willow's Rave Review
Our two dogs, Aspen and Willow, have developed a very strong (negative) opinion about rumble strips. The moment Reba rolls over one of those machine-gun-sounding highway rumbles, both dogs launch themselves onto my lap simultaneously and tremble with the conviction that the world is, in fact, ending.
Mount Rainier National Park — bless it — has zero rumble strips on its roads. ZERO. As far as Aspen and Willow are concerned, this park receives a perfect 10/10, would visit again, would drag their humans back by their shoelaces if necessary. We do our best to steer clear of rumble strips on our journey, but it's not always possible — so the pups very much appreciated the break.
🌲 The Smell. Oh, The Smell.
I have to say this plainly: Mount Rainier National Park wins the award for Best Evergreen Smell of the Entire Trip. Walking through those ancient forests felt like stepping inside a Christmas tree — that clean, piney, resinous perfume that fills your lungs and makes you feel like everything is right with the world. At the end of June, surrounded by towering firs and hemlocks, it was as close to that magical Christmas-morning feeling as you can get in the heat of summer. If I could bottle it, I would. I'd call it Eau de Rainier and sell it out of Reba's side door.
Next Stop: The Coast — and Our Jonah
We're taking a brief detour from the national park circuit to travel down to the lower coast of Washington. Our youngest son, Jonah, has been working in Long Beach for his company as a civil engineer — building the kind of things that make the world run — and we don't get to see him nearly enough.
I am so looking forward to this leg of the journey. National parks are breathtaking, but there's nothing on this earth quite like seeing your kid. Stay tuned for that chapter of the Reba 2026 story.
Until next time: keep the wheels rolling, the locks tripled, and the IPA cold. 🏕️
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