Seattle – September 7 – 10
Excited to finally be on my way to Seattle, I spoiled myself with a delicious breakfast at the Leavenworth Golf Club before hitting the road. The trip to Seattle was a blissfully short one, with just one stop at a place called Deception Falls, and I arrived around 1:30 PM. Deception Falls runs directly under…
Leavenworth, Washington – A Pleasant Surprise
When I last left you, readers, I was cranky because I woke up in Steamboat Rock State Park believing I would end the day in Seattle. I was tired of cold food (due to the campfire restrictions caused by the wildfires) and ready for a couple days of no driving. But instead, I needed to…
September 5, Part 2; The Most Extreme Grilled Cheese
After spending an hour amongst the Buddhas, I continued west to my first real taste of mountain driving in the tiny stretch of Idaho between Montana and Washington. I suppose I’d been meandering up in elevation without too much thought, but as soon as the “Welcome to Idaho” sign appeared, it was straight downhill along…
September 5 – Part 1; Garden of One Thousand Buddhas
September 5th was a long day. I wasn’t going to leave the area without going to the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas, an hour north of Missoula. I found my breakfast spot through some research, Paul’s Pancake Parlor in Tremper’s Shopping Center in Missoula. The decor amused me, all decked out in Jamaican colors. If…
Missoula, Montana
Before leaving the Towsend / Canyon Ferry Lake KOA, my new friend recommended I stop at the Avon Family Cafe on my way to Missoula. She said they took good care of her, and the food was delicious. A warm home-cooked breakfast seemed like just the right thing since this is what I woke up…
Yellowstone on Labor Day Weekend
I woke up the morning of September 3rd to my first chilly morning. It was 50 degrees when I woke up, and I was delighted to have packed warm sleepwear. On the day’s agenda was a drive back through the Grand Tetons into Yellowstone to see Old Faithful. When you’ve been on the road for…
Thermopolis, Wyoming and Hot Springs State Park
When I initially planned The Great Roadtrip, Thermopolis, WY was not on the list of destinations. As a matter of fact, I expected to drive down from South Dakota to Colorado and Utah. However, once I got to Iowa, I knew I needed to make some changes to my route. On that first leg of the…
Jo-Bawb’s and Bighorns
August 30th was a relatively uneventful day. Thermopolis was a two-day drive, so I set out from the Blue Bell Campground to make my way into Wyoming. I stopped at a Walmart in Gillette, WY to buy a 14″ charcoal grill to replace the propane grill I’d all but given up on. Thanks to my…
The City of Angels, Time to Head East
I took today off. I had breakfast, and I made an appointment for a neck and shoulder massage at my hotel (known as the tech massage). No plans for site seeing today. I saw quite a bit of LA yesterday, it was great. So it’s time to start heading east, back toward home. Am I…
The Pacific Coast; Washington and Oregon
One thing I neglected to mention in my previous post, about my spot at the Kalaloch Campground, was just how close it was to US-101. When I pulled into the site, I noticed a little opening that looked perfect for the tent. As I went to inspect it, I realized it was maybe 100 feet…
Seattle… Where the Smoke Broke and the Clouds Hung Low
Around 4,500 miles, over 44 different sights, 3 weeks of driving, and two days ago, I arrived in Seattle, WA. First things first, after being on the road that long, the most fantastic discovery was my “hotel” was actually an apartment building, and my apartment had all the amenities of a home including a washer…
A Little Rough Around the Edges
It’s been almost two weeks since I left home. It will take a long time to describe all the beautiful things I’ve seen since my last post. I’ve driven through the flatlands of Iowa and eastern South Dakota. I camped in the Badlands and traveled 200 feet underground in the Wind Cave. I navigated hairpin…