On Saturday, I…

February 28th, 2008

… woke up to find 2″ of snow on top of the ice in the hotel parking lot. That was a definite “glad I’m driving a Subaru!” moment.
… wondered if the gifted “lucky bamboo” on the passenger side floorboards froze irretrievably overnight — and decided not to even think about the printer’s ink cartridges in the trunk.
… got to drive through the Wasatch in (no kidding!) “ice fog”. It was dark, visibility was awful, and I was grateful for a couple of truckers who obviously knew the road and weren’t too annoyed by my following their tail lights.
… sang “Here We Have Idaho!” (silver and gold in the sunlight blaze) when crossing from Utah into my natal state.
… was reminded by my dad not to bother stopping in Pendleton, OR since they’ve moved the factory store across the river.
… realized that I don’t know the words to Oregon’s state song, though I did sing “Washington, My Home!” (this is my land, my native land) as soon as I saw WA across the Columbia.
… teared up a little when driving the Columbia Gorge. I truly feel like things — including the landscape — make sense again.
… landed in Portland. (Yay, hooray!)

I’m in a cute little studio apartment in an extended-stay hotel. I’ve got a fridge, microwave, two-burner cook top (no oven), a toaster, coffee pot, dishes and silverware for two, a saucepan, frying pan, and ironing board and iron. They come in once a week to change sheets and towels! I’ve been to the grocery store, so have a salad and salmon steamer thingie for dinner, and breakfast stuff. (Tomorrow I’ll find Trader Joe’s.)

Thank you all for your prayers, good thoughts, and general companionship on this jaunt!

All best,
Jen (ta-done!)

(originally posted 23 Feb 08)

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On Friday, I…

February 28th, 2008
… decided to quit early. I’m on the far west end of Wyoming, in Evanston, and have been on the road for 12 hours (in spite of a 40-mile goof — more about which in a moment). Moreover, I’ve driven slightly more than three-quarters of my cross-country miles in three days, which means I should actually, factually, barring unforeseen incidents, be in Portland tomorrow night.
… crossed the Continental Divide (which, as Dad pointed out, unfortunately doesn’t make the rest of the trip “down hill”!)
… gained another time zone.
… talked (whilst paused for lunch) to Janet’s realtor friend — he’s going to start looking at house possibilities, and I’ve got an appointment to see him on Monday.
… did some thinking about side trips and stops — and the lack of them — in spite of the fact that I’ve waved as I’ve passed by folks and their quilt store suggestions.
When I drove across the country moving east, I stopped at museums, monuments, national parks, and occasional oddities that struck my fancy. I haven’t made ANY side trips this time, and have only vaguely been tempted by the Danish Museum in Iowa, and the original Pony Express Station in Nebraska, or Fort Bridger in Wyoming. Any/all of those — never mind swap buddies! — would have caused me to stop and spend half a day, last trip.
There are two differences this time, I think. One is winter, the other is weather and, while they’re related, they’re not the same difference. Lots of monuments/museums/parks are just plain closed in the winter and I’m just not willing to wait around for something to open for winter-limited hours. And the weather has been amazing. I’ve been blessed with outstanding travel weather and I don’t want to jeopardize my zooming window. So far, storms have been in front of me, behind me, south of me… but not where I am. I’ve had a few snow flurries, but for the most part I’ve had dry roads and clear sailing.
Oh, the 40-mile goof? I stopped in Ogallala, NE for gas this morning. About 12 miles later, I noticed that my wallet was still on the passenger seat, which meant that I hadn’t put my debit card back. (I’m a creature of habit, which is why it’s rare that I lose things. Wallet out of handbag? Debit card hasn’t gone back into wallet.) I check my pocket (debit card goes in parka’s chest pocket when removed from the pay-at-pump thingie) and don’t find the card. Check other pockets and floorboards… no card. I decided to go back to the gas station. (Of course, it was another eight miles before I could turn around!)No one had turned a card in. I decided to look around near the pump I’d used… and there it was, magnetic strip up, on the ground behind the tire of the truck currently at the pump. When I went back inside to show that I’d found the card, the guy who’d almost driven over my card said, “Clean living!” to which the woman behind the counter added, “Miracles still happen!”
So I re-drove the 20 miles I’d just un-driven, and got back on the westward trail. I’m in the big, western states now — it’s a bit intimidating to see 400 miles to a state’s border instead of a polite, eastern 150 miles!
Tomorrow I have to pay attention. I haven’t deviated from I-80 since its beginning but, in 33 miles, I turn north on I-84 which will eventually land me in Portland. (Oh, man! I just noticed that I’ll go through Pendleton. There’s a tempting stop!)
In the mean time, I’m going to go get some dinner!
All best,
Jen (still channeling Willie Nelson)
(actual date 22 feb 08)

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On Thursday, I…

February 28th, 2008

… finally got out of the vowel states! (Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa) (Okay, I actually got out of Ohio yesterday. Barely. I ended up in Angola, Indiana for the night.)
… heard a lot about a wreck on I-80 that closed the turnpike for five (or seven, depending on who told the story) hours on Tuesday. Yay, timing!
… discovered that there’s a Danish Museum in Iowa (right next to the Danish Windmill, apparently) — not that I stopped, but that didn’t reduce my amusement.
… discovered that there’s a town called “Extra” in Iowa. There are too many possible jokes; I’m not going to try.
… passed, near York, Nebraska (outside temp 19F-7C), a semi pulling a trailer that proclaimed in Large Florid Letters “Las Cruces, NM!” I have no idea what that was about, but was thoroughly amused. (Okay, so I’m easily amused. You’re surprised?)
… have landed at a Holiday Inn Express (will I be able to do brain surgery tomorrow?) in Grand Island (island?!? it’s Nebraska!) for the evening.
… had to clear cache and grumble muchly to get wireless to work — last night’s hotel’s login kept over-riding tonight’s hotel’s login! (As my sister and I said earlier today, “In the olden days, we didn’t worry if someone wasn’t in contact for a couple of days. Now we worry if we go to the grocery store without a cell phone!”

All best,
Jen (in a new time zone!)

(actual date of posting was 21 Feb 08)

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On Wednesday, I…

February 28th, 2008

drove through:

… 2 1/3 tanks of gas,

… 4 states (NY, NJ, PA, OH) and have landed in a fifth (IN),
… (over) the highest point on I-80 east of the Mississippi (2550′, I think. whee.)
… multiple snow flurries, though nothing worth bothering to flinch,
… 12 hours, and
… waved at Linda and Ellen as I passed through…
and I’m still in the same flippin’ time zone! SHEESH!
Tomorrow I’ll drive s’more and won’t wait until 9:30 before I eat my dinner sammich (yay, Panera!)
All best,
asleep! (aka Jen)
(actual date was 20 Feb 08)

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