Nomad Life - Day 128

Unlike yesterday, I needed my alarm to wake me at 0430 so I could start teleworking.  I took a break for breakfast in the lobby of the EconoLodge (Edmonds) at 0715.  A bit later, Mollie called and we talked briefly.  After that, I went back to work.  Meanwhile, it was misty and foggy (almost raining) for most of the morning , with cool (30s) temperatures to boot.  By the time I was ready for my (late) checkout from the hotel, though, the temps had risen above 40 degrees and the sun had made an appearance.  At the seven hour mark of my telework day (1200), I departed from the hotel and drove a short distance to a nearby Chick-fil-A, where I used one of the gift cards that Erin & Austin had sent me for Christmas.  The restaurant was a "drive through only" establishment so I ate the food (chicken sandwich and waffle fries) in my car as I drove east around the north end of Lake Washington.  Before long, I was on WA-522 and passed through the towns of Kenmore and Bothell.  Along the way, I listened to audiobooks.  Sadly, I encountered more red light cameras...  Eventually, I got on I-405 and drove south, passing through Bellevue, and then got on I-90 (headed east).  I got off the Interstate at the first Issaquah exit and drove around the southwestern side of Lake Sammamish so I could access the eponymous State Park (1300).  After parking near Sunrise Beach, I walked around (weather still beautiful) while birding - I found lots of good places for photos and solitude.  I watched a kayaker on the lake (practicing roll drills) and noticed a little girl feeding a huge crowd of hungry mallard ducks - that image was very cute.  During my explorations of the park, I repositioned my car two different times and, in the end, managed to log more than four miles over about 90 minutes.  Afterwards (1440), I made my way towards my hotel (Motel 6 in Issaquah) but passed it accidentally.  This error put me on a road that crossed under I-5 and into a major traffic area.  There were lots of interesting stores but the place was so busy I did my best to extricate myself.  In the end, it took nearly 20 minutes to get back to the hotel.  Fortunately, I was able to check in when I arrived (1500).  I got in my room quickly and completed my last hour of telework for the year at 1600.  About 10 minutes later, I departed hotel so I could check out another nearby commercial area that Google Maps indicated was the Costco World Headquarters.  That place was even busier than the one I'd visited before but I explored all the streets nearby.  There was a vibe that reminded me of my visits to Bentonville, AR (Walmart) and Redwood City, CA (Oracle) - I guess corporate HQ towns are all similar...  There were lots of people shopping at an actual Costco store and others getting fuel.  This latter observation was a small wonder because the average cost nearby was over $4 and Costco's price was a major discount.  While driving, I noticed a restaurant near the center of the "Costco Campus" called "Masthi Bar and Grill".  Feeling hungry and seeking an authentic Indian meal, I went inside - within seconds, I noted that I was the only person who had no blood from the Subcontinent.  Thinking that boded well for the quality of the food, I ordered (through the Toast website) my dinner: I had Cheese Naan, Tandoori Chicken (medium spice) and Rasmalai (Tres leche cake).  Everything was excellent and I truly enjoyed my meal.  The staff told me they were having a huge NYE celebration (starting at 2000 and lasting until 0100).  That sounded really fun but I was full of food and the event hadn't even started...  At 1730, I said goodbye and made my way back towards my hotel - it took a while to get out of the Campus.  Arriving at the Motel 6 again, I closed out the year with messages, blogging, reading, puzzles, etc. Along the way, I also planned for my departure (i.e., packed) on the next day.  Bedtime was at 2215.  Happy New Year!!!!