Experience the fascination of a tourist; Feel the comfort of the local
Our last full day with family was a day of errands. Our trusty air mattress had popped a rib at Viento State Park and I needed to pick up some of Uncle John’s flour, so my mother- and sister-in-law and I drove back to Spokane while the guys hung out at the lake. We picked …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 24 – Another relaxing dayRead More
The day before had been a much-needed respite. We didn’t sightsee; we didn’t hike. We napped. Napping is glorious. Napping on a cushioned swing at the shores of a lake while water softly laps the pebbled beach is glorious with whipped cream on top. It’s enough to make you never want to leave. So, we …
One of my dreams is to own a cabin on the side of a mountain by a lake. Alternatively, I suppose I could marry a man whose family owns a cabin on the side of a mountain by a lake. Then we can simply show up in the middle of a month-long road trip and …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 21 – Spokane, WashingtonRead More
With a few exceptions, we hadn’t been tied to the clock on this trip. But this day, we were seeing someone special who was expecting us at a certain time. Because we had to backtrack a bit for our first stop, we made sure we were up and out early. That’s easier when you don’t …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 20 – Walla Walla to Loon LakeRead More
Never ever ever ever EVER camp by railroad tracks. EVER. I know this. Any camper – any non-camper – knows this, but when you’re driving along the Columbia River and need a campsite, there’s no choice BUT to camp by railroad tracks. When I booked Viento State Park I knew train tracks would border the …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 19 – Columbia River Gorge to Walla WallaRead More
“Ugh.” “Foot?” “Growler.” We were now communicating with grunts and one-syllable words. In case you don’t speak Jim and Theresa, my foot had been cramping a little, so Jim thought it was giving me fits. Instead, the growler had fallen over. The upside of our last-minute campground find was that, like the day before, we …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 18 – Oregon Coast to Columbia River GorgeRead More
I’m sitting in a crappy motel listening to crappy traffic and drinking crappy coffee that I had to get from the crappy office – and I’m loving it.” So began Day 17. Geographically we were at the halfway point, but in actuality it was a buffer zone. That day we were driving north. The next …
Fog shrouded the lake. It was quiet. I felt like a thrashing giant as I walked up the hill to the bathrooms. The walk back down wasn’t quite as loud, and I began to see details through the dissipating mist. Gradually, I glimpsed Mount Bailey across the water. In the short time it took to …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 16 – Diamond Lake to the Oregon CoastRead More
I have come to the conclusion that I am a living example of B. F. Skinner’s operant conditioning theory, especially of positive reinforcement. That’s the only way to explain my new-found comfort in chaos, lack of-planning, and ability to throw all caution into the dumpster. Wait – is that why this trip began in front …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 15 – Bend to Diamond LakeRead More
We pitched our tent in their yard, so of course I was up before dawn. My cold was now officially gone. I said good morning to the horsies and watched as a couple of the foals romped. Cheryl joined me and I helped her feed them breakfast. She left early for work and we shared …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 2: Day 14 – Near Boise to Bend, OregonRead More
Jim hates me. When Jim gets a cold, it’s a beast. It’s a nearly apocalyptic event that never ends. It goes on, and on, for days. If he’s only ill for a week, it’s a short one. When I get a cold, it sticks around for one day, three at the most. This cold was …
