Made it!
We had a great time in Portland. I have a couple good friends there and it was great seeing them before getting back on the road again. I essentially got to debrief our time in Washington. I’ll be thinking about that place for a long time.
We hit the road at 0400 and pushed on to Lindon, UT. We are staying with a friend of mine from my first duty station. I had planned on showing up, going to sleep and hanging out a bit the next day before departing for Colorado Springs. We ended up sitting up until 1 AM talking about our kids and looking at old souvenirs from Okinawa.
Before leaving Portland I had a weight distributing hitch and sway bar installed for the trailer. It took a little bit of custom fabrication since my trailer is made of “I” beam instead of box beam or “c” channel. The trailer pulls with almost no swag or sway. Awesome!!
We averaged right at 8 MPG for the drive yesterday. Part of me wants to blame my transmission and have it looked it, the other part wants to be proud since I am pulling such a heavy load up and down some pretty intense mountains.
Speaking of mountains…
Jessica and the kids were asleep for the majority of the drive from Portland to Boardman. The road we were on follows the Columbia River as it borders Washington and Oregon. It was very quiet and peaceful while the kids slept and the sunrise painted the sky as I drove east along the river. So amazing.
It finally started to set in that I am leaving the Pacific Northwest. I’m really going to miss Bremerton. I’m really going to miss the people that I got involved with while living up there.
Several friends have let us know how much they miss us and love us. I can hear the ache deep within their hearts as they express their love for me and my family. I identify with them completely. I have that same ache for them and for my little corner of Washington State.
What is really cool for me is that I have felt that same kind of ache for so long for the family that developed for me in North Carolina. For the better part of 5 years now, I have had a deep longing and a squelched affection for my family in North Carolina… as well as Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
As I drive down this road, my heart breaks for the people we are leaving while simultaneously erupting with great joy that I will finally be able to see the other side of my family again.
I am a torn man!
I do not regret having lived in Washington. On the contrary I am so very glad that I had the opportunity.
I do not regret leaving Washington. I am happy to have made the friends I made and have had the opportunity to leave a bit of my life behind with them.
I guess this is just one of the bags the vagabond carries.
Washington (and my people there)… I will miss you dearly.
Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, DC, and Maryland (and my people there)… Stand by!! I’m en route!!
To my unknown friends in Connecticut… Brace for impact!!
(The kids wanted pictures with our crowns)
I feel your pain with the fuel economy. I get 8 around town and 12 on the highway. Needless to say I only drive it to work.
No too bad on mileage with the mountains. That is a lot to pull. I bet the kids will remember this trip for their whole life. I envy the sights you get to see and also seeing friends and family. You are a lucky man. Love UNCLE JIM