USA 2023, Day 10 – July 8
“Updated in May 2026 with new information about the trip preparation.”
The temptation to head home
That day, JP and I had a conversation any traveler knows well. We were relatively close to Seattle. We could have taken the highway and been home that same afternoon. JP was homesick, he admitted as much himself. He missed his house, his family, his routine.
But we stuck to the plan.
Thank goodness.
Highway 20: one lane, two worlds
Highway 20 running along the Canadian border is one of those roads you don’t forget. One lane each way, pines and firs as far as the eye can see, and a silence broken only by the engine of your bike. A real treat.
The route runs through Ross Lake National Park and North Cascades National Park, two parks smaller than what the United States usually offers, but no less spectacular for it. We didn’t stop for any hiking — that would have meant parking the bikes and walking several kilometers — but the beauty of the scenery from the road alone was breathtaking.
“Severe Windy Conditions”: no joke
At two points along the route we came across signs warning: severe windy conditions and motorists drive with extreme caution. You look at them and think, well, how bad can it really be?
Really bad.
There were two short stretches, through canyons and over a viaduct, where the wind hit us from every angle without warning. I rode down the middle of the lane, unable to predict which direction the next gust would come from. JP, riding ahead, would signal by raising his hand whenever the wind eased up. A simple signal, but worth its weight in gold at that moment.
We made it through. Short but intense.
The Mt. Baker Hotel: the surprise of the trip
We arrived in Concrete and at the Mt. Baker Hotel. And here we need to stop for a moment.
Aside from the cabin in Stevensville, this was the best lodging of the entire trip, and that’s technically a motel we’re talking about. Second floor, bikes parked right below in plain sight, entryway with a sitting area, fridge, brand-new bathroom, great bed. We had nothing to complain about.
While JP slogged away editing and posting his Instagram story, I went down to chat with the guy at the front desk. The building was practically brand new — it had been many things before, and now it was a hotel again, renovated from top to bottom.
The odyssey of finding dinner in Concrete
The receptionist, a nice guy, gave us a list of six restaurants. Not bad for a town of 700 people.
We called them one by one. Closed. On vacation. Don’t open Saturdays in July. One after another.
One hope remained: Annie’s Pizza. The line kept coming back busy, but at least that meant the place actually existed. And the town’s General Store stayed open until 8pm, so we’d find something to eat one way or another. Sticking to our routine, we went out for a walk down the town’s one straight street. A few meters along, a woman was walking into a shop. We asked her. Her boss ran a restaurant, but he’d gone on vacation. Another place further down might be open. The one that would definitely be open was Annie’s Pizza.
We walked to the restaurant that might be open. It was closed. The town’s economy was in rough shape.
So we headed for Annie’s Pizza: two kilometers on foot, in the heat, but our caps kept us going. We got there and found two employees running at 110% capacity. We grabbed the menus. They looked at us.
“At least an hour and a half wait.”
JP and I looked at each other. Everything closed, and a line at the one place that was open.
We ordered anyway.
JP tried to talk the girl serving us into moving us up: we’d walked two kilometers, we hadn’t taken the bike, we’d have to walk back for the pizzas too so it’d be six kilometers in total… He almost had her convinced. But there was a line behind us, and it didn’t fly. Still, she gave us her phone number to call when they were ready. That’s when JP realized the phone had been off the hook the whole time. That’s why nobody had been answering it.
Unbelievable.
Beers on the terrace, and a wait well spent
We went to the General Store, bought some beers and something to snack on, and sat down on Annie’s terrace — if you can call it that — to chat and wait. An hour later, the pizzas were ready. JP’s turned out fine. My mozzarella salad was an absolute disaster. We walked back to the hotel. A nice stroll.
Theater from the balcony
We headed up to the second floor with the Oban, the ice, and the sparkling water JP had bought, and sat on the railing to watch the street. What followed was better than any TV show.
First a tow truck showed up. The driver was trying to get it going, and from what we could tell, he was pretty drunk. It stalled. He couldn’t get it started again. He just stayed inside. Didn’t come out. We figured he’d fallen asleep.
Picture the scene: someone out there had called a tow truck, and the tow truck driver, who was hammered, couldn’t get the tow truck to start.
After a while an old, lone car pulled up. Out stepped a guy walking oddly, a bit disabled. He hooked up jumper cables between the two vehicles. Got it started. They said their goodbyes. Everyone drove off. In what state, we have no idea.
And just when we thought the show was over, a group of young people showed up — with girls sipping drinks as they walked — pushing a car down the road. They turned the corner and disappeared.
We watched it all like from a theater box seat.
Tomorrow we’d reach Seattle.
📍 Resources and recommendations
🏔️ Ross Lake National Park — Spectacular scenery right from the road. If you have time, the trails are well worth it.
🏔️ North Cascades National Park — Washington Pass, a 52 km climb between lakes. Not to be missed.
🏨 Mt. Baker Hotel, Concrete — The surprise of the trip. New, comfortable and well located.
🍕 Annie’s Pizza, Concrete — The only place open on a Saturday in July. Call ahead. And be patient.
Route from Seattle to Yellowstone and Glacier Park
- 2022 USA, a dream trip … failed!
- USA, a dream trip 2, we did it!
- Seattle (WA) to Walla Walla (WA)
- Walla Walla (WA) to Lochsa Lodge (ID)
- Lochsa Lodge (ID) to Gardiner (MT)
- Yellowstone & Bear Tooth Pass (WY)
- Yellowstone (WY) to Idaho – Irwin (ID)
- Idaho via Salmon on the way to Missoula – Stevensville (ID)
- Idaho to Montana, to Glacier Park – Kalispell (MT)
- Going to the Sun – Glacier National Park (MT)
- Glacier Park (MT) to Colville (MT), riding along the Canadian border
- Highway 20 Along the Canadian Border, heading to Concrete (WA)