Stop #8: Seattle, WA

Bet you didn't think we would make it, did you? We were going to stop in Moses Lake, but we got there around 2pm (having anticipated the mountains being more trouble than they were). Instead of taking in the dust and the casinos, we decided to make the haul all the way in, where we're getting Dad in the morning. Hotwire.com did the rest.

Washington got better, by the way.




I don't even have anything clever to say about today because we pretty much drove the entire time, and it was all so breathtaking (before and after the desert, of course). Definitely the best day of driving.

More coming from Vancouver, I suppose. Unless they deny me at the border.

Washington is, well, boring

I definitely thought that all of Washington looked like it does around Seattle, you know, green lush trees, lots of plants. But as soon as we left Idaho we entered Arizona. Seriously, Washington?




But, there are these awesome mini-tornadoes everywhere. You can't really tell from the blurry pictures, but they are these spinning columns of dust in the middle of the fields. You can see them all around across the landscape. Whats up with this stuff?




It is also hot. Dig the makeshift sun shield.

Stop #7: Coeur d'Alene, ID

Not in Idaho for long, but you know, it seemed like a nice place. Paradise, really.



LOL but seriously folks, anyone know what Coeur d'Alene means? (I'm looking at you French sympathizers out there.) Nice lake, anyway, but "lake" in Freedom is "Lac", I know that.

Through the mountains

We just made it out of Idaho... we're in Spokane so I've got some cell service, but low battery. Lots of fun squirreling through the trees.




Pictures of Coeur d'Alene later.

Stop #6: Butte, Montana

There is only one thing to say about Butte. The hotel came with an included prayer.



"We are all travelers." Word up.

Montana, the state

...you're in Montana.

To whom it may concern: it is way better to drive across Montana than all of you told me. The landscape is actually pretty nice.




Plus, the signs here are really entertaining. I even missed the shot of "Whoopup Road."





We wondered for a while why all the employees at McDonalds in Bozeman were eastern european. The next exit explained everything:



And, in the interest of full disclosure, "Butte" looks so much like "butt" that I (only half-)smiled every time it was on a sign.

Stop #5: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

OK SERIOUSLY I have been trying to do this all day. They skipped Montana when they made all those Verizon "Can you hear me now?" ads. I was all, "No." They of course didn't know, not being able to hear me, either.

Anyway this morning we hit up Teddy's park for around an hour or two and it turns out there are badlands in North Dakota.






AND there were animals. That buffalo looked at me like I might be his next meal. We moved on.



AND there was the Rain Maker. Nuff said.

Stop #4: Dickinson, ND

OK so now we have been in Dickinson, ND for a while. That's really all there is to say.

Oh, and this:


The puns aren't even the best thing about Dickinson. We had dinner at the hands of Sanford: the world's most unappetizing Italian.



The hotel has a waterslide, though. OH YEAH.


Thanks, Budi.

The Enchanted Highway

The world's largest scrap metal sculpture, you guys.





Understanding this phenomenon is hard, I know. He is a modern-day Picasso, I think. Commenting about how we see or something. That's Mom providing the small white human scale if you can't tell. Read the artist's profile:



If you can't tell, he is a retired school principal who found his calling making this (and many more like it) out of trash. On the plaque dedicated to this work, Geese In Flight, the "Friends of the Enchanted Highway" had donated a selfless $10-$25. That's like what a good steak costs! We chose to forgo the 30-mile scenic tour.

Stop #3: Bismarck, NDak

When we left, I thought that Bismarck was a landlocked city. My mistake, I guess.


But this must be why the whole "port" thing never caught on around here.

Next stop: Holiday Inn, Dickenson, ND

Amber waves of grain

Sorta makes a man want a cold beer.



And a warm gun.

Stop #2: Oops we missed Fargo

We realized we missed Fargo, so we stopped at "Fargo West"
The people at Gordy's Petrol were really friendly - gave me a cup of ice free of charge. (A)- that means Angi wrote this...

The setup

Inside the "space capsule," as I have just decided to title it.

Stop #1: Middle Spunk, MN

10:30 am:

Stopped at a rest area to peek at the bikes and make sure they were still attached (they were). It had the misfortune to be named Middle Spunk. So we took a picture. Duh.

Taking off

8:30 am or so:

We left Minneapolis for the 1,790 mile trip to Vancouver.


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As we left: