Trip to Washington, Summer 2012, Part 1: On the Road

A couple of weekends ago C and I drove up to Washington to spend time in some of our favorite places and visit our friends and family back there (who we've missed dearly).  It's a long drive.  But we almost always do it one shot.  We've done the drive (round trip) four times now.  We're starting to have traditions.  There's a Starbucks where 680 meets 80 that we usually hit for coffee and breakfast sandwiches on our way up.  On the way back, we like to get burgers at the In 'N Out in Redding (although this time we hit Redding a little too early for dinner).  We make the same jokes or recall old stories when we pass certain places and when we get to Oregon, we try to drive through it without stopping for gas.

When we're on the road, we usually alternate between listening to Podcasts for a couple of hours and listening to music.  The passenger plays DJ--choosing new albums or returning to some of our favorite artists (The National, Modest Mouse, Bon Iver, Death Cab, Wilco, Horse Feather ... Taylor Swift...) or just taking it song by song.  We talk and make each other laugh and entertain ideas and make plans.  C naps and sometimes I doze but mostly I just close my eyes and wish I was better at napping.

Towards the end of the drive we're both very ready to be done.  But even though we have to leave at 4 in the morning and drive all day and end up with sore butts after all that sitting and feel a little crazy for the last hundred miles or so, I still love doing it.  It’s just me and him and hours to fill with songs and facts and stories and conversation and silence and open spaces and towns we've visited before and towns we've just passed through and junk food and photos taken through windows and getting to watch a whole entire day unfold from dawn until dusk.

Parts of the trip are boring (I-5 can just go on and on and on) but it never stays boring because you're moving and scenery changes and soon you're in a new place.  I always love watching the landscape as it gradually transforms around us.  If I had all the time in the world, it would take me days and days to get to Washington because there are so many things I would want to stop and take photos of and so many places I'd want to poke around in and explore.  For now though, I have to settle for photos taken through windows and the possibility that someday, I could come back.

Below are some photos I took on the road to Washington (and back):

Sunrise on I-80

Morning rest stop

I-5, somewhere north of Weed, California

Buckwheat on his first road trip, riding in his bed

Return trip, Sunrise along Highway 97 in Washington

Passenger seat views along Highway 97 in Southern, Washington

Wind turbines along Highway 97 near the Washington-Oregon border

Passenger seat views, Highway 97, Northern Oregon

Passenger seat views, Highway 97, Northern Oregon

Views of Mount Shasta from Highway 97 near Weed, California

Views of Mount Shasta from Highway 97 near Weed, California

Black Butte from I-5 just south of Weed, California

This time around we passed the miles with podcasts of Freakonomics, some 2012 favorites (Shovels and Ropes, the Lumineers, You Won't, Damien Jurado), several new and old playlists and, on a friend's recommendation, we listened to Miranda Lambert and then followed that with a little Patsy Cline . . . And there were Hi-Chews and energy drinks and trail mix and chips. 

This was also the first time we made the trip with our dog, Buckwheat and despite the gruelling length of the drive, he made an excellent passenger (I think he just likes being wherever we are whether it's in our condo or in a car or on top of a peak).  He passed the miles curled up in the backseat on his bed or, when he got too hot, between his bed and the cooler.  At times he straddled the backseat and the center console and looked longingly at my lap . . . And sometimes I caved and he snoozed in various positions across my legs.  We walked him at gas stations and rest stops, Subway and Taco Time and Wendy's (it'd been a long time since I'd had spicy chicken sandwich).  And when we finally made it up to my parents place at Whidbey, he leaped and bounded and shook his butt and sniffed and was happy.  And we were happy to be there and to get to share the places we love with our new little dog and our new little dog with the people we love back in Washington.