The word is more photos less babble...
I will try, but getting photos onto this blog from the 5 different camera sources is a bit of a hassle. having real WiFi access this morning may help.
First a quick note on car maintenance - Wow, what a difference $13 in spark plugs makes - plus a tune by ear check on the timing, and no more missing. Smooth motoring all day.
As you know, we set out early yesterday, but not without a good breakfast. Mac's Diner across the parking lot from our Motel in Shady Cove - best diner yet as far as theme and location.
The food was average, but the place with the river view and the theme was GREAT.
After breakfast, we fueled up the car, loaded the cooler with fresh drinks and hit the road for Crater Lake as you saw in the quick post yesterday. It was a brief visit, and that place could easily deserve a full day visit, but that was not in the plan for this day or this trip.
As the day went on, I was increasingly aware of the miles we needed to make for the day - Bainbridge Island was 6 hours from Crater Lake and that required Interstate Travel - yes, we broke our rule again today. But also, the fact that we are 2+ weeks into this 3+week trip and still getting farther away from home, not yet heading back. Monday it is time to head back east for real, but not before we visit what is left of the Seattle World Fair - Space Needle, Mono Rail and a few of the remaining exhibits kept as mini museums.
We have not done as much college visit activity as we had anticipated, so as we passed through Portland, we made a stop and did a self guided walking tour of Lewis and Clark - Joe quickly honed in on the Gallery attached to the library, but unfortunately it was closed, so we continued our loop around campus and then back to the car.
Luckily, I took a took another look at the map as we approached Seattle and realized no only could we get off the Interstate, but also reduce our travel time if we took 101 our on the peninsula. So, we will be taking the ferry from the island to the Seattle today rather than the other way around.
Joe and I both did a lot of driving today, but it was worth it when we arrived at Jane and Pete's place in the woods on the island. Waiting for us was cold beer, chips and salsa followed by a wonderful meal including fresh corn on the cob and of course WA cherries for dessert.
Great conversation over dinner from backpacking gear to road trip memories and some car-talk as well. I was pleased to hear that Pete still had the Triumph Spitfire that he had loaded in the moving van in Boston when I saw them off on there move west 22 years ago. However, I was little disappointed to find that it was in the same state of restoration - still not on the road, but there were signs of progress on the end table -
Pete - maybe another 22 years, and you will have an engine to puts those beauties on...
After dinner we discussed routes for leaving Seattle the next day. After just a few hours on the Interstate vs. the mountain roads and coastal twisties, we are determined to stay off them as much as possible even if that extends each day by a few hours. I have found I can drive all day without fatigue or boredom on the 2 to 4 lane state routes and US routes, but just and hour on the Interstate, ad I get groggy, but also stressed as we cruse along at 70, and are passed left and right by cars and trucks doing 85!
The evening discussion wound down with a Google search on the shelf life of Maple Syrup, as Jane suggested pancakes for breakfast, but the maple syrup can in the cabinet was of unknown origin and age -
Pete suggested this came from a friends house and could be as much as 15 years old. We looked up the company online and may call them this morning to decode the date code on the bottom. The seal was still intact. Maybe there is a market for vintage maple Syrup, and we should not open this, but put it on eBay?
Mileage Check - ODO = 39,887, total miles = 5,480 - looks like our estimate of 8,000 for the trip may by a little low.
The sticker collection is coming along nicely
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