Dilema:  Needed some down time this weekend and didn't want to deal too much with holiday traffic, but have new pop top, Hmm.  We came up with a suitable plan:   Saturday we were down for the count, then took off late Sunday up The 542 (Mt. Baker Hwy.)  for an overnighter shake out trip with the new outfit.

FIrst stop was Twin Lakes.  My first time and Jen hadn't been in years.  Easy drive up with a couple tighter switchbacks.  Noted an overgrown two tracker to hit on the way down.  About 10 vehicles at the top, not too bad for a holiday weekend.  We went for a brisk hike. 

Decided we were looking for a touch more solitude so we took off for Wells Crk Rd.  We followed it into the night and reached the top just shy of a very chilly 9pm.  Tired from our tuff half day of travelling and hiking (he he he) we decided it was too frikin cold outside, so we would cook inside.  WIth the new pop top, I had taken  out my Guacho couch and we thought we would try  using just the back seat for this trip.  It left a lot of space in the middle of the van for living area.  The little blue roll-up  table fit nicely, so we cooked a quick dinner and went upstairs to bed. 

Had to jump down in the middle of the c,c,c,cold nite to g,g,g,go.  Easy climb down, and Lord was it cold out. Noticed frost dust in the air and on the needles of the trees.

Awoke to these views that my camera couldn't quite capture.  A hunter with two very happy Golden Labs and a first gen 4Runner actually saw the views before we did.  Warmer morning temps brought many mosquitos, so we decided coffee was a "to go" order  and checked out all the spurs off the main road as we descended.  Good views on the ay down.

Pulled off the road onto the big shoulder at Bar Creek for brunch and a photo op.

Later went into Glacier for Fish Tacos at Grahams (our fav) then headed out FS 37 for a short ways until we found an out house signifying a free camp spot.  Drove into the campground and it had cool spots on the Nooksack.  We pulled into a site right next to the river.  Walked around the area.  Jen jumped back in the van, and with the door curled up on the back seat with a wool blanket and fell asleep to the symphony of the Nooksack with a mild cool breeze .

Same with me, Nate.  And Brian, too, I'm sure. There seem to be no loops up there, just "out and backs" , or spurs.   I've got some work aquiantances that grew up there and still reside there.  They know places.  I have ways of making them talk.

BTW, we followed that little two tracker just below the campstation on the way up Twin Lakes Rd.  It's a little overgrown, and ends about a qtr mile in at a creek.  There was a camp tarp set up and some towels drying so we didn't get in for a closer look.  Could be a good little spot.