Yes, I admit, that one of the best things about the trip was the 75 mph speed limit most of the way! Yeah, considering the detour to see the Bonneville Salt Flats, I'm sure you're not surprised.
And I admit, I did the "tourist thing" all the way out, as well as all the way back. Leaving lady_karelia's, there were tears... a very drama moment.... At least until I realized my overhead light was not going out and after trying to turn it off, saw the "passenger door ajar" light on my dash and had to ask lady_karelia to reshut the door, the idea being it saved me from getting back out.
Rrrright...
Cause I started to pull out again and the "trunk ajar" light came on so there I am getting out to shut the trunk again. So much for a serious dramatic and sad good bye.
At least it kept me from sobbing as I made my way to the busy interstate and through Portland during the latter part of rush hour!
I had wanted to take a short side trip to Mt. Hood but the scenic byway did not prove as helpful as it showed on the map and, while I did get to see Mt Hood, never did find a good spot for photos.
Back on the interstate and I went on a way before stopping for Multnomah Falls. Amazing. Breathtaking. Beautiful.
From there, I continued on until I reached Bonneville Dam and stopped to visit.
Pulling up to the gate, the guard gives directions to the visitor center and then advises you that he must look in your trunk... Uhm yeah...
For those wondering, the cream canvas bag is clothes, the black bag is extra things for laptop, rest? Hey, one must be sure they have enough crochet/knit projects when traveling, right? :D
To get to the visitor center, you actually drove across the first power plant
Looking back at what I had just driven across
and the dam itself
Couldn't resist stopping a bit further down the road at a view area to take some pictures of the Columbia River Gorge and Cascade Mountains
And there is crossing the 45th Parallel, equal distance between pole and equator!
Once into Idaho, the plan was to continue on... Yeah that was the plan. Unfortunately, about 8:30 pm in Boise, I was pulled over by a sheriff who wanted to ask if I knew my right tear tire was flat *insert headdesking here*
Getting out, I walked around the back of the car to find:
The business end of a phillips screwdriver sticking out of my bumper. Apparently, it had come off of some truck and my tire caught it, punctured the tire then kicked up into my bumper. Fortunately, the officer had been behind me, saw the tire go down and alerted me right then.
Which leads me to Day 18's gratitude - Thankful not only for all the beauty I saw traveling but Ford Emergency Road Service! Spare donut on, I made my way to the nearest Walmart and spent the night till they opened at 7 a.m. and they could fix it and I was on my way again.
And that's where I spotted this!
Darth Tater Lives!
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