Cicely Alaska | Conscious Engagement

Anyone who watched the show as often as me, will instantly recognize this image from the opening credits of the TV show Northern Exposure.

This October Columbus Day was a most brilliant day to journey into the mountains of Washington state. My goal is to hit the trail head first thing in the morning and make my annual solo back packing trip into the mountains. But first! I simply had to make the most of the serendipitous location of the trailhead: Leavenworth, Washington. And on the way: the town of Roslyn.

I am a BIG fan of the television program Northern Exposure, and watched it religiously while it was on the air from 1990-95. I have also watched it again, via Netflix, exposing Tara to this quirky make-believe world of Cicely, Alaska. I still quote from the series, when the situation calls for it, and I can still hear the hawk scream right before the program starts (the hawk isn’t in the Netflix versions, btw). Once I saw that the highway to Leavenworth passed within 5 miles of Roslyn, it was a no-brainer that I had to stop.

Do not try this at home. Bravely snapping photos while driving. I couldn’t help myself.

Just look at the scenery I drove through today. What a gorgeous state in a gorgeous month.

My morning went really well – the house is somewhat put into order so that a friend can house-sit for me. For those of you who read insearchofitall, my house sitter is aka Tech Support. Let’s all give a collective Good Luck and Thank You! to TS for taking on the chickens and Racecar for me in my absence.

The weather was so wonderful today. A little cloudy up to Seattle, a couple raindrops over Snoqualmie Pass, and then sunshine and 70 degrees in the mountains. After all the rain and cool temps in the Portland area, I am grateful for such an auspicious omen to begin my journey.

I had a splendid time wandering around the town of Roslyn. I highly recommend it to anyone who gets the chance to stop and look. It’s absolutely darling, and there are interesting things for people who are not fans of Northern Exposure. For example, there are several information stations, a monument, and a museum dedicated to Roslyn’s coal mining history. Coal was discovered here in 1886 and mined for 35 years. Northern Pacific Railroad actively solicited immigrants to move to the US to work in the mines, and people came from 26 different nations. Then the railroad brought up a bunch of African Americans as strikebreakers. So this tiny mountain town was truly international from it’s inception.

Maggie’s Pantry, named after one of the main characters in the TV show Northern Exposure.

Look at how darn cute this town is!

Fans of Northern Exposure will also recognize The Brick.

“Dr. Joel Fleishman” is still painted in the window of the building that was his doctor’s office in the show.

KBHR (pronounced Kay Bear) studios is not only evident from the outside…

…but lovingly maintained on the inside. Complete with an open book, true to “Chris in the Morning’s” style on the show.

A little train of coal cars outside the museum, filled with actual coal.

A mural at a park downtown.

Random Roslyn resident I spotted while eating lunch.

I ate at the Roslyn Cafe, with a view of Fleishmann's office.

I ate at the Roslyn Cafe, with a view of Fleishman’s office.

I wonder if the foreign miners are the background to the town of Leavenworth. I have been here before, but the place never stops delighting me. Block after block is filled with buildings constructed in a Bavarian theme. How amazed I am at the compliance of nearly every single building to fit the theme of a Bavarian mountain town. Safeway looks half-timbered, Wells Fargo has carved wood shutters and flowers under the windowsills, and even the hospital is themed. The place is remarkable. And beautiful.