ROAD TRIP DAY #1 Seattle to Spokane

 Yes, the long awaited road trip has finally begun! "Blue" (my car, I'm not very creative!) and I drove over the West Seattle Bridge at 11:15 this morning. I did take a big swallow and say to myself "Karol, are you really doing this?!!!?? Driving across the country? Yep! My first flexible and adjustment to my POD was instead of driving I90 to Spokane, I made a quick adjustment to keep to my original plan of drive two lane roads across the country. I drove over the pass and took the exit for Blewett Pass, over to Hiway 2 and took 2 all the way to Spokane!  Spur of the moment change of plans was a good one! Driving a road I have never driven before it was a beautiful drive.  Here were some of my observations through the day:

• Very glad I was not in the miles of back up heading West on I90! Back up began EAST of Cle Elum somewhere and went to the climb of Snoqualmie Pass! I was singing hymns and praising Jesus that I was NOT in the miles and miles of back up.
• I chose Blewett Pass as it is one of my favorite passes, was reminded as I drove it why it was a favorite!
• First stop was the Riverside Park just east of Cashmere, the park was empty so I got out and stretched my legs with a 20 minute walk and snack lunch of Rainier cherries, crackers and beef stick...then it was back on the road.
• Saw every kind of terrain today with the many colors of green going through the mountains, to the rock formations of the gorge, the wheat fields blowing in the wind, newly tilled fields that covered miles and miles of land, orchards, many dilapidated barns and houses barely standing (would love to know the stories they could tell).
• Heading from Wenatchee to Waterville it seemed every other vehicle was towing either a boat or a trailer, but mostly boats...either heading for vacation or returning home.
• Temperature arriving Spokane at 5pm hit 100 degrees! If you know me at all you know I do not like the heat! Good thing for me the air conditioning was working just fine! About 30 minutes out of Spokane the temperature was 97 degrees, 8 minutes later it was 63 degrees and raining hard! Wasn't long before it was up to 100!

Staying with Janet Miller former West Side member, church secretary and The Good News editor for so many years and mostly dear friend. Janet moved to Spokane 3 years ago in October so you might say we had a little bit of catching up to do. Wonderful evening of sweet fellowship...blesses my heart! Good thing we have tomorrow to share more words!

Just wanted to check in and let you know I got off, AND arrived at my first destination.  Thanks for the sweet send off for those of you that gave me your blessing as I walked out of church this morning! I think the whole neighborhood heard you!