Lights twinkled in the distance as I descended Stevens Pass. I'd made a call to an inn about an hour back, having pulled over to the side of the road and searched my map and AAA book. I knew I had a place to stay, so I took the time to cruise into town. It didn't take long to realize I had fallen into a gingerbread storybook scene. Tiny white lights outlined an Alpine-style village. I rolled down the window and took a deep breath of the brisk mountain air. It was late enough that the shops were all closed and the streets deserted, leaving the surreal impression of having landed on a movie set.

Leavenworth, WA, was not always a Bavarian Village. This is not an immigrant-settled village, such as the Danish hamlet of Solvang, CA or the German town of Fredericksburg, TX. One of the most interesting aspects of Leavenworth is the fact that a carefully-planned community renewal was created and implemented by wise and semi-desperate townfolk. This effort has proven extremely successful, as evidenced by the two million visitors seen by the town each year.

Leavenworth occupies a small valley known originally as Icicle Flats, located along the scenic Cascade Loop, about two hours east of Seattle. Originally inhabited by the Yakima, Chinook and Wenatchi tribes, it was later settled by pioneers seeking agricultural land, furs and gold. The town grew steadily once The Great Northern Railway Company laid tracks through the area, but just as quickly plummeted when the railroad pulled out. What had grown into a successful logging town over the years became a failing community, without commerce or jobs.

Determined to save their town, the people of Leavenworth took on an immense project in the early 1960's. They designed and created a realistic Alpine village, remodeling storefronts in Bavarian style and establishing festivals and other local activities to draw visitors to the area. Restaurants offer German cuisine and many shops sell handmade crafts. Though admittedly a little touristy in appearance, the town clearly shows that dedicated, grass-roots efforts of townspeople can work.

Having arrived completely by chance, I stayed at the first inn to answer my last-minute evening phone call. The Alpen Rose Inn is not a historic building, but is peaceful and quiet and filled with Bavarian charm. Shirley, the innkeeper, was extremely helpful, having stayed late in order to accommodate my late (and impulsive) arrival. I was given an immaculately clean, upstairs room with a sitting area, gas fireplace and TV/VCR. Video tapes were available in the downstairs lobby. I settled in comfortably for the night.

Coffee was waiting outside my door in the morning. I inhaled a little, then ventured downstairs for breakfast. Surrounded by lace curtains, shelves of colorful beer steins and stately nutcrackers of every possible style, I was served french toast, sausage, fruit and juice. Details, such as a garnish of mint leaves and a small flower, made the meal even more appealing. It was one of those unexpected surprises that I seem to find on the road. And, let's face it, how often does the opportunity come along to eat breakfast while listening to yodeling? ;)

I headed into town after checking out of the inn. The quiet, sparkling scene from the evening before had been replaced with the busy activity of daylight hours. Shopkeepers propped their doors open. Restaurants displayed lunch specials.

There's far too much in this town to adequately explore in just an hour or two. But I managed to park and do a little wandering, buying some glass figurines at an outdoor crafts fair and browsing the selections at A Book for All Seasons. I was especially taken with the sculptures at The Metal Waterfall Gallery, a shop featuring the hand-crafted metal work of Ron Orcutt and his daughter, Bonnie, as well as jewelry designed by his wife, Christine Ann. I purchased a few sculpted metal leaves and enjoyed the chance to talk with Ron and Christine, who were at work creating new wares.

After enough walking to work off my breakfast, I decided to stop into one of the many German restaurants and have a bite to eat, while taking time to write up my notes. Over sauerbraten, red cabbage and spatzle, I visited with Leroy, a longtime worker of King Ludwig's Restaurant. It was here, by complete happenstance, that I was directed to my next adventure.