November 2, 20107
Wrap up time! Sorry for the long delay - lots going on. We are back in Hoquiam as of October 27th, staying at Hoquiam RV Park, space #19. We will be here for the winter.
So let me catch up with "the rest of the story":
Sept 19-24: Great visit with Casey and Sabrina. More kayaking, trip to Charlotte, got Baxter groomed again, Oil change for the motor home, great fun just relaxing and enjoying the visit. More "Sequnce", more cooking (and eating!), still warm so got to enjoy the pool more.
Sept 25: On the road for Washington by 8:15. Running the freeways to make time. N orthbound I-77 to I-64 in West Virginia, in order to avoide the Devil's Tail on I-40 in North Carolina (a TERRIBLE chunk of steep, twisty, windy road). Saw lots of Asplundh trucks returning from the hurricane in Florida. Travelled thru North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. Drove a portion of the Appalachian mountains - leaves were starting to turn and scenery was beautiful. First time in West Virginia - very pretty state. Overnight at the Walmart RV Park in Louisville, Kentucky.
Sept 26: Happy 94th Birthday, Mom! On the road at 8 AM, westbound I-64 into Ind!iana, then Ohio (crossed the Ohio River). Louisville is a pretty town - saw the Louisville Slugger HUGE bat at their factory (from the freeway - missed getting a picture).Drove through Illinois, and changed time zones from Eastern to Central, so gained an hour. Crossed the Mississippi (always think of my Dad teaching me to spell Mississippi - "M, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, humpback, humpback, I") Then crossed the "wide Missouri" into Kansas. Overnight at Topeka, KS Walmart, dinner at Chik Fil 'A. Never ate there before - was OK.
Sept 27: On the road at 8 AM. Gas in Topeka, 62 degrees already! Westbound I-70. Drove the first 8 miles of the interstate highway system (milep-osts 341-389) established by President Eisenhower - pretty cool! Gray skies today, thunderstorms predicted for the Great Plains. Drove by Fort Riley, KS - home of The Big Red One!. There is a Buffalo Soldier museum as well as a US Cavalry museum and the Dwight D. Eisenhower museum and library (in Abilene). Saw oil wells, the Russell Stover candy factory (HUGE!). Mike was disappointed - no buffalo herds, Indians, or cattle herds and chuckwagons!! Lots of windmill farms, windmills pumping water for stock tanks, saw a few longhorms (really long horns!!) - definitely cattle country and flat! Also saw stone fence posts - pioneers were ingenious and used the resources available - not many trees there. Rest stop near Grainfield, KS for tomato sandwiches - Yum! Crossed into Mountain time zone. Into Colorado and Denver at 4:45 pm. Elevation 5,280 feet - the Mile High City. Temperature 59 degrees - getting colder.... Turned northbound onto I-25. Overnight at a Walmart in Tinmath, Co (near Fort Collins) - a long day...
Sept 28: On the road at 8:15 - raining and 53 degrees this morning. Will get the bugs washed off the front of the motor home! Into Wyoming, saw lots of coal-fired power plants in KS, CO and WY. Good and terrible sections of roadway, speed limit is 80! Seeing lots of antelope. Lunch at rest stop in Kaycee, WY - Baxter got to meet a pot-bellied pig in a pasture next to the rest area - he didn't like the pig much! Temp warmed up to 66 and sunny. Crossed into Montana at 3:30. Turned westbound I-90 and saw a cow overpass over the freeway just past the state line! Crossed the Continenal Divide at 9:45 PM. Drove as far as the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar and Casino just west of the Idaho/Montana state line -got there at 1:25 am!!! Cold outside!
Sept 29: Foggy and cool. On the road at 9:40. 44 degrees this morning. Westbound I-90, crossed into Idaho and changed time zone back to Pacific time. Stopped at the Costco in Post Falls for supplies and gas, the on to Gallangers in Colville - arrived at 2:45. Stopped in Colville to dump the holding tanks and fill up with water.
Sept 29 0 Oct 18th - fun and games with Gallangers! Mike and Al went deer hunting (black powder) and Mike got a huge 3x2 Mulie. I canned 12 quarts of meat to share with Al, and the rest went to steaks and hamburgers. Lots of Sequence games, Mike went elk hunting but didn't get anything. Fun Trip to Spokane for a Dr. appointment for Susan - lunch at Mongolian Grill (a "must-do" when we are there). /Did our annual "Jesse Stone/Tom Selleck" marathon. Good times!
Oct 19th: On the road to Wintrhop via North Cascades Highway. Gas in Colville, prop0ane in Republic, arrived at Pearrygin Lake State Park (outside Wintrhop) at 4:30. Gray and overcast, but the leaves have turned and the color was dazzling!
Oct 20th: Headed for Mount Vernon, more amazing fall color. A lot of snow had already fallen on Washington Pass, but the roadway was clear. Always such a beautiful drive. Got to Mount Vernon and had dinner with Mark and Kathy Feiro at a local pub. Good conversation and beer!
Oct 21st: Lazy morning, then to the Pumpkin Patch with Kathy and Charlie (Eric and Amanda's little guy) and Juanita and Sloan (Jaimie and Michael's little girl). Really cute kids - so lots of fun. Dinner at Kathy and Marks that night - "chili-getti" - yum! Will have to add tht dish to my collection!
Oct 22nd: On to Fort Casey, on Whidbey Island. Got a campsite right on the beach, and had beautiful weather, but getting cold now. Saw sea lions, lots of wild bunnies and sea birds, lots of ships, regular ferry crossings, etc. Hot dogs and S'Mores for dinner. Nice walk with Baxter.
Oct 23rd: Back to Oak Harbor to check out the Marlette mobile homes at a dealership there. Back to the motorhome, a nice walk, and early to bed.
Oct 24th: On the 1145 ferry to Port Townsend and Fort Worden. A nice ride, and much cheaper than driving around thru Seattle - $60 for the motorhome and Jeep. 1st in line to board the ferry, so a nice view of the water from the deck of the ferry. Another beautiful sunny day. Settled into Fort Worden and took a nice long walk with Baxter. They have done a lot of brush clearing and really opened up the trails, bunkers and views - very nice!
Oct 25th: Mike was up at 4:30 AM fpr a walk with Warren. Glennis kept the bed warm! Lunch with Chris and Warren Walvatne at their son Dan's house (they are house sitting for him). Very disappoint3e4d we were unable to see the Northern Lights the past two nights - a little too much low cloud cover on the Straits....
Oct 26th: Mike did the 4:30 walk with Warren again - a 4 mile route around Port Townsend! Back on the road, headed for Hoquiam at noon. Quick stop at Costco in Sequim, and also left a note for Jeff Monroe, the foundation guy, at this shop in Sequim. Met up with Dan and Rose Baker-Monaghan in Forks and had pizze and a good fisit. Back in Hoquiam at the Hoquiam River RV Park at 9:40 PM, and the end of our big adventure. Total mileage for the trip was12,720 miles!
