Starting up the road to Harts Pass out of Mazama, WA.  This road eventually gets to 7,488 ft making it the highest road in Washington State.  Not high by Colorado standards, but plenty high. 

Harts Pass is also a "back way" into Whatcom County, where Bellingham is.  The only way to get there, by road, is from Okanogan County.  The road dead ends just inside the Whatcom County line near the top of the divide.

Felt like I was on top of the world.  A ranger pulled up beside me, in his truck, and explained that he didn't want to ruin all the work I had done to get to this point by telling me that the road was closed.  He said, "go on to the top, I think you will be okay."  "After you started, many hours ago, we had to close the road back down at the bottom of the hill because there is a big forest fire we are fighting."  The fire was on the Canadian side of the border, but they were fueling some smoke jumping helicopters in the meadow.  The ranger said, "you will be okay and we don't want to ruin your trip, but don't be surprised if you pass a road closed sign on your way down."  I continued.

At Slate Peak lookout, I felt like I had "gotten there."  It was time to go back before something bad might happen.  Actually, everything was okay, but it felt sort of spooky and a long ways from civilization.  It was a lonely feeling place.  I rode back down the long road and was eventually back in a pizza parlor in Winthrop.  People, food, music and the campground not far away felt like being home again.

Slate Peak Lookout.