Day 1 - April 17, 2003 - Monument, CO to Flagstaff, AZ We got up this morning at 5 AM MDT and we were out of the garage at 5:57. It was a gray, with ground fog as we drove out of Monument and got on I-25 going south. As we got to Colorado Springs, the full moon was shining directly over Pikes Peak. It was an eerie sight. By the time we got to Pueblo we were out of the work traffic ...
Read Day 1!
Day 2 - April 18, 2003 - Flagstaff, AZ to Pauma Valley, CA We woke at 6:10, much before we had planned, and I had a chance to clean the car a little bit. The air temperature was about freezing so I had to use warm water to clean the windows and some dust that had accumulated. We were out of our room to have breakfast by 7 AM. The Quality Inn provided its guests a hot breakfast of ...
Read Day 2!
Day 3 - April 19, 2003 - Pauma Valley, CA to Escondido, CA We woke up at 6:45, showered, organized our things to be ready to leave for the day. We knew that Tom and Sue were going to be with their friends for Easter. We looked out the window and we could see all the mountains and vegetation that surround them. The sky was clear and blue and the temperature was in the cool 60s. ...
Read Day 3!
Day 4 - April 20, 2003 - Escondido, CA to Carpinteria, CA We left the Quality Inn at Escondido at 7:55 and with the top down, we drove south on I-15 then onto I-805 through San Diego to the US-Mexico border. We almost had the road to ourselves as it was early on Easter morning. As we got closer to the border we picked up more traffic. The security at the border is very tight now so ...
Read Day 4!
Day 5 - April 21, 2003 - Carpinteria, CA to Santa Cruz, CA We were on the road by 8:20 after a good continental breakfast of juice, coffee, bagels, English muffins, and yogurt. The sky had a high overcast and the temperature was in the 50s. We tried to get gas at the ARCO at Carpinteria but they would only take cash!!! So we drove to Santa Barbara and it was 10 cents cheaper per ...
Read Day 5!
Day 6 - April 22, 2003 - Santa Cruz, CA to Ukiah, CA We had rain during the night so after I showered and dressed, I went out and wiped the car down to get the rain and a little of the road dirt off the car. We had breakfast. The coffee was undrinkable! Gennie filed out a comment card - to make it simple - for many reasons the Comfort Inn in Santa Cruz is not on our recommend list. ...
Read Day 6!
Day 7 - April 23, 2003 - Ukiah, CA to Bandon, OR The word for the day is RAIN!!! The continental breakfast did not have much of a selection so I had some coffee and we left the Rodeway at 7:45. It was 43 degrees, couldy, misty with fog in the foothills. It was not long and we had driven out of the wine grape and fruit area and into the forest area. The road is now called the ...
Read Day 7!
Day 8 - April 24, 2003 - Bandon, OR to Astoria, OR At 7 AM this morning it was sunny. There was coffee in the room but no breakfast. We checked out and told the person at the desk about the dirty room and the unrequested wake-up call at 6 AM. “Sorry” was the response. Maybe we will avoid Best Westerns... Today was a day for showers, I took one this morning and this evening. In ...
Read Day 8!
Day 9 - April 25, 2003 - Astoria, OR to Mercer Island, WA We left the hotel at 8:15, it was sunny and 46 degrees, a great day to travel in the Northwest. The big news of the day was that there were two earthquakes today, one in Portland and one in Seattle. On the way out of Astoria, we found a car wash and got some of the dirt, grime and sand from the dunes from the car. We traveled ...
Read Day 9!
Day 10 - April 26, 2003 - Mercer Island, WA to Mercer Island, WA We got up at 8 AM, took a shower and went upstairs to find Chef Ted in the kitchen cooking bacon and eggs for all of us. The wonderful Yukon blend of Starbucks Coffee was all ready and aromatic. The kids were already off to swim practice so early - what dedication. We played with Hope and Elvis, a special breed of ...
Read Day 10!
Day 11 - April 27, 2003 - Mercer Island, WA to Pendleton, OR Ted made breakfast again, this time french toast and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the dining room. We packed the car, said our thank yous and left Mercer Island at 10:10. We went west on I-90 to I-5 and then north toward the Canadian border. There was a lot of traffic leaving Seattle on this Sunday morning. There ...
Read Day 11!
Day 12 - April 28, 2003 - Pendleton, OR to Ogden, UT We were out of the hotel at 7:45. This was a super Best Western with a great variety on the Continental Breakfast. It was partly cloudy but the desk clerk promised a nice day - already 45 degrees. Following the Oregon Trail, I-84 is a good road with four lanes and in the mountain areas an extra lane was provided for the large ...
Read Day 12!
Day 13 - April 29, 2003 - Ogden, UT to Monument, CO We left our hotel at 8:05 after a light breakfast after packing the Honda for the last morning. The sky was mostly sunny, it was 42 degrees and the trees in Ogden were just beginning to leaf out. Ogden is a railroad distribution center so all along the city the rail lines go in and out. As we drove south on I-15 and then went east ...
Read Day 13!