end of vacation

[eimarra]

Time with Val was awesome. We walked with Brody. T-Bug got up in the morning and helped pick raspberries, which we had in pancakes for breakfast. We went to the Creston Valley Wildlife Centre, where the mosquitos tried to suck us dry. T-Bug complained the most about it, but when I woke up the next day, I had my share of red welts up and down my legs. I also saw red dragonflies! It was a short visit, but lots of fun. Next time, we'll stay longer, I hope.

From Creston, we crossed the border back into the States. (As we drove through Creston to get to Val's house, we noticed that at every intersection, there was a sign indicating we should turn left to get to the USA -- an indication of exactly how close they are to the border.) Northern Idaho was still rather pretty, but the traffic was horrendous. That night, we stopped in Spokane, where one of my husband's high school friends lives. We spent the next day (August 1, if you're keeping track) with her and her family, visiting Riverfront Park, where the kids enjoyed running through the fountains and riding the carnival-style rides (bumper cars, Tilt-a-Whirl, etc.).

As we left, the heat wave on the West Coast was finally breaking. We arrived in Seattle for dinner with another high school friend, and the high was "only" 88 (as opposed to the 103 that it had been the day before). From there, we drove down to Longview, where we were spending two nights, so we could visit Mt. St. Helens during the day on the 3rd. (There was an interesting article about the volcano and the preservation of the area this week in the New York Times: Clash Over Rebirth of Mt. St. Helens.) The volcano and its devastation were still really impressive, almost 30 years after the explosion. What most impressed me, however, was Coldwater Lake, which was created by that same explosion, and within five years had an ecological system indistinguishable from lakes that had been around for hundreds of years.

From there, we drove down through Oregon, stopping for lunch with my older brother and his girlfriend before spending the night in Klamath Falls. On the 5th, we drove down through the Central Valley (passing by Mt. Shasta, another impressive volcano) and ended up in Grass Valley, where my in-laws live. We had lots of fun with family, and crossed over to spend a couple days with my mom in Reno, then stopped in Sutter Creek to visit some of my husband's cousins on the way back to Grass Valley, where we checked out the Nevada County Fair with the in-laws and got ready for the homeward journey.

On the 13th, we drove up to Pocatello, to visit my husband's other aunt and cousins. His aunt has a farm with several animals (goats, chickens, barn cats, horses), and T-Bug was thrilled to help collect eggs, feed goats, and ride a horse for the first time in his life. (At one point, the horse must have been bit by a fly, as it bucked, which was briefly exciting.)

After that, it was all driving. The 15th, we stopped in western Nebraska; the 16th, Iowa; the 17th, Ohio; and the 18th, at home. We changed our minds about the route a bit, so we only hit 17 states total: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Nebraska, Iowa, and West Virginia (tiny sliver between Ohio and Pennsylvania on the southern end of the border).

Now we're home, and I just have to catch up on life and get everyone ready for the start of school. For me -- well, seeing everyone's homes along the way gave me more incentive to do something about this office, and according to an article in the NY Times, it's easier to get out of a rut after a break that helps remove stress, so maybe I can do something about it better now than I could before I left. (See Brain Is a Co-Conspirator in a Vicious Stress Loop) Other changes: I cut my hair off (It was below my waist; now it's in a pixie cut.), and I plan to get a couple of kittens or cats. (Bit of an ethical dilemma there: do I go to a no-kill shelter because I support their policies, or do I go to the Humane Society that does kill because those animals face death if not adopted?)

Writing and editing will come soon enough.

Comments

[marfisk]

Sounds like a great trip, Erin. And wow, I hadn't realized your hair was quite so long. More dramatic a change than mine which was only mid-back.

Hugs on the dilemma. If it helps, there's another factor. For every one adopted out of the no-kill shelters, it opens up a space for an animal that would otherwise go to the kill shelter. But yeah, it's a hard choice.

[hoshikaze.livejournal.com]

I've enjoyed reading about the various places on your trip, it sounds like it was a blast. I'd love to do a cross-country road (or train) trip someday.

Good luck with the dilemma, that can be a tough one.