Day 2: Omak, WA to Portland, OR

Farmer, Washington. 

Omak, WA to Portland, OR
392 miles

We enjoyed a quiet night in Omak except for the local mill that emits a pulsating hum all night.  It was like someone had a leaf blower or a vacuum cleaner going.  Once you are sleeping it was not too bad.

This morning we followed the Garmin GSP along some secondary roads which we happened along last year.  Slower but very beautiful.  No cars in sight.

We encountered rain around lunch time which made for some tiring driving as the day wore on. Tonight we are at Pheasant Ridge RV park in Wilsonvile which is just south of Portland.  Note to self - Portland during rush hour on a Friday is an excellent exercise in calm breathing and character building as you roll along for an hour with hundreds of your closest friends.

After our spaghetti  we donned our PJ's and turned on a season of Corner Gas. All is well!

Random thoughts:

• Boys are smelling and silly.
• Pour over coffee beats hauling a coffee machine any day.
• It is OK to let the creature sleep in a bit - morning quiet time is a precious thing
• When the forecast is for an overnight low of zero use the furnace.
• Garmin GPS picks the best route through Farmer, WA - where the twin silos are at the end of the road.  
• The Garmin DOES NOT pick the best route south of Portland during rush hour. We are not talking about that. 
• Roads that go up will come down and then up and then down again.  We crossed many rolling mountain ranges today. 

Quote of the day:

• Alex: "You know, Mama, we could live in the trailer full time."  We will see what you are saying a few weeks from now, Alex. 

How to amused yourself in the truck:

• Spotting animals - dead and alive:  racoon, deer, horses high up in the hills, lambs feeding on hay far too close to the road, 
• Large white satellite dish field, Army trucks, three dams, big hay truck, wind turbine fields
• Listen to CBC Radio One to learn about how having a spin bike in elementary classrooms helps various behavioural issues as students learn to self-regulate. Educational.
• Dominic hums along to the Jazz channel and impersonates a saxophone.  Ear plugs?!
• Craning your neck to see the waterfall as you whiz by at 60 mph is a suitable alternative to actually stopping when it is pouring rain and we don't want to get out. 

Who knew that the drain makes the perfect coffee holder!?

Morning office time as the sun rises on Omak.

I always appreciate a fine 'token' guard rail.




Moses Coulee Road, Washington.

The air hose was located by the phone booth. 

Nice. 

We'll just thread the needle and get the Gypsy Wagon crammed in there. 

So many yards with derelict vehicles . . . 

Lunch stop near Yakima, WA.  It would have been nice to see these two
mountains; however, with the rain and low cloud it was not happening.












Rush hour in Portland.  Good practice for our drive through LA.
Just after this shot we hit the lines. 

In for the night in Wilsonvile, Oregon just south of Portland.