Well, if you can get past that explosion of ethnic hair on Rahmat, we'll meander into a few details of our weekend. (And, if you are still intrigued by the hair, I'll just add that George and I unwittingly present the catastrophe that happens when love knows no geographical boundaries. Offspring are beset with genetic data that dates back to pre-historic times. Asia and Africa and Europe all collide in Rahmat's hair.) 
When Rahmat was walking with George along the trails up on Mt. Rainier, he seemed to come out of a time warp, shoulders hunched forward like a cave man. I thought he looked like the men in that movie "Quest For Fire". But, his gait was definitely post-modern. He sauntered up the trails at Paradise with an audio player in his pocket, earphones attached. Snow blanketed the meadows, and fog and clouds drifted through the trees creating a chiarsocuro effect. This made everything look quite dark, as if it was very late in the day.
It was really quite hushed and lovely. 
While George and Rahmat walked up the trail I listened to the sounds of little streams, and watched water gurgle and drain under the ice on the trail. I lagged behind, taking my time, careful of my steps as the trails had some very slippery areas packed into hard ice by other hikers.As we descended into lower alpine valleys, the last colors of fall covered the mountainsides. We noticed that two little foxes waited for hand-outs near the visitor center, and the ranger was cautioning everyone not to feed them.
There is a $60.00 fine for feeding any animals in the park - even birds, chipmunks, and marmots. It interferes with their natural foraging instincts and causes them to become dependent on humans for their survival. This little fox came up to me as I squatted down to video-tape her, and that was not a good thing. She may not last through the winter. Speaking of food, I only packed trail-mix and fruit leather for snacks, so before we did our two hikes up on Mt Rainier (Paradise and the Wonderland Trail at Longmire) we fueled up on Scaleburgers at Elbe, fifteen miles from the park.
We've stopped here a number of times, and they make the best burgers and home-fries. We spent the afternoon exploring and 'power-walking' through the cedar forests at Paradise and on the Wonderland Trail. I call it that because it was all I could do to keep up with George and Rahmat on this last hike. They wanted a workout, whereas I had to stop and examine mushrooms and moss, and generally enjoy the peace and beauty of the ancient old forest. We had dinner at the Copper Creek Inn just outside the park. As we drove by I noticed the lights coming from the window, and told George that it looked so welcoming and warm. So, we stopped.
The interior is rustic, with broad wooden floors, wooden tables and chairs, all hand-made. A little gift shop was tucked in a front corner, and a bakery in the back. Homemade breads and huckleberry pies are for sale. As we sat down, I noticed that most of the customers were other hikers, dressed in warm vests and hiking boots. A couple of rangers were having dinner at a table nearby. The chatter was lively and good natured, creating the most congenial atmosphere. The food here was exceptionally good and prepared to perfection. Homemade breads, fragrant salads, and prime rib that was an inch thick. I ordered lightly breaded halibut that was deep fried and lightly golden. The guys wanted prime rib.
This was Rahmat's first experience with horseradish, and it was amusing to see him sample it, with no great appreciation. The little salad here came with the meal. When my halibut arrived, I entirely forgot about snapping a photo. All of us certainly enjoyed our hearty meal, bringing home three boxes of left-overs for the next day.
