Day 7 of “30 Days of Bicycling” found me craving some carbs after 20-some miles of fighting a stiff breeze blowing over the Cascade foothills.
The Hobart General Store and post office loomed ahead and I pulled in for a snack.
This is always a great place to stop for a number of reasons.
First, there’s a welcome blue port-a-potty next to the road. It’s brand name is “Headquarters.”
Second, they are always well-stocked with all varieties energy foods — from Power Bars to Fig Newtons to toaster pastries to candy bars. And energy drinks — Gatorade, Vitamin water, just plain water, chocolate milk, juices and soda.
Third, a well-used community bulletin board is posted outside so you can read some local announcements while you munch and quaff. (Man, they got a lot of lost pets around here.)
Fourth, just about everything is downhill from here.
Fifth, there are a number of good views of Mt. Rainier from this area. Here’s one below from a small ranch just west of Hobart.
Here’s another one from outside a sand and gravel pit nearby on Lake Francis Road.
The Hobart General Store serves the community of the same name. The area looks like it had a rich agricultural history, but it’s getting gentrified with new homes sitting on ranchettes.
Wikipedia census data bears that out. The population has remained stable at about 6,200 over the past 10 years. The per capita income of $32,067 makes Hobart the 31st wealthiest of of 522 such areas in the state.
(What’s the wealthiest? Mercer Island (home of Luther Burbank Park), with a per capita income of $123,900.)
Having nothing to do with bicycling, Hobart was named for Garret Hobart, elected vice president on a ticket with William McKinley in 1896. Hobart died in office, and Theodore Roosevelt was elected VP for McKinley’s second term. Of course, McKinley was assassinated and TR became president.
Here’s a group of cyclists wearing University of Washington jerseys riding along May Valley Road. Just one of several groups of cyclists I stumbled across today.
30 Days of Biking
Total days — 7/7
Total miles — 101 miles
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