Article: Valley highs: fresh air and golden hills in Washington's Methow Valley.(Three-Day Weekend)

At the Mazama Store in Washington's Methow Valley, locals gather to gossip over lattes and homemade apricot-cashew bread before heading out to spend the day hiking the Cascades. Among these locals, and blending right into the crowd, are Laura McCabe and Leslic Thompson Hall, both former Olympic nordic ski champions.

"They call Mazama 'Lycra Land' because everyone's so athletic," says Terry Larson, who lives in nearby Twisp, where he and his wife. Melissa, own the Methow Valley Inn and the Confluence Gallery & Art Center. "Everyone's in love with the outdoors. It's the common denominator here." It's no wonder. Tucked away in the eastern shadow of the Cascades about 200 ...

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