More than halfway!

Our first night driving since leaving Walla Walla. We're approaching Minooka, which is a town outside of Chicago where we'll stay for a few days with friends. Looking forward to not being in a tent!

Lunch

Sweet potato fries and a burger with brisket and onion rings. #winning

Halfway there!

A view of a stretch of the Iowa country side at the point halfway between Lynnwood, WA and Bar Harbor, ME along our chosen route.

Just another trip to Walla Walla

Our Maine-ward journey began with a familiar trip across the mountains to Walla Walla. The only difference this time around was the addition of the Jeep, which I brought across to deliver to Skye in Palouse. We made our usual stop at the Ellensburg Starbucks (the best Starbucks that I have yet visited, by the way—somehow they just do coffee better). On the way out, we stopped at the neighboring gas station. Ashli paid in cash, and received the following back as change:

A newly minted Maine quarter, complete with engraved image of Acadia National Park! We took this as a good omen. Pirt Daor—patron god of automotive travel and inverted text—was watching over us.

We spent the next few days catching up with the Walla Walla crowd—playing games, delivering birthday and Christmas gifts (it had been a while), sharing favorite bottles of wine, and making pregnancy jokes at Erica’s—or more often Nick’s—expense. 

 

Nick and I took Doppler to the park, where the Dop had a great time. We got a few good drives in with the new golf-driver/tennis ball thrower (a parting gift from Scott, Steph, Juliet, and Goose). Not only did Doppler manage to lose both a tennis ball and a baseball in the local creek, he pulled his now-tired act and sprained his tail again. Not sure how he did it this time, but he remained without his usual standard for a few days thereafter. 

Still, he did not want to leave the park, as usual.

During our stay in Walla Walla, most of Eastern Washington and Idaho caught fire (not us this time, we swear!). We walked into a store in Richland with clear skies, and walked out to a heavy haze from horizon to horizon.

For those of you primarily reading to get your fix of the rapidly departing Doppler, we are including a new segment: here is your Dop-of-the-Day!

2000!

We are now likely past the half way point of total driving distance if you include side trips. The geographic halfway point will be sometime later today in southwestern Iowa.

Real camping dinner

Ponca,  NE is the first place they have let us build a campfire. With a good portion of eastern Washington and Idaho already in flames,  I guess I don't blame them.

Less flat