Mar 22, 2023 (Wed)
8:00 am Pendleton, OR
Holy Sweet Mother of Pearl! It’s 32° here in Sub-Polar Pendleton. Fortunately, it’s not very humid, so there’s no frost, but our blood is slowly freezing.
Robert braves the icy temperatures to empty our black tank (since we plan to be home today, we really don’t want to let it’s contents stand in the tank for a month or more). Since we’ve owned Harvey, we spend a lot more time contemplating our bodily functions.
Morning in Pendleton, OR
9:00 am Pendleton, OR
It is relentlessly sunny (and, as previously mentioned, deadly cold) and we decide to head out to breakfast for our last morning in Harvey. We end up at a place called Roosters, which makes a pretty average breakfast—and sells T-shirts! (See image)
We decided to get one of these for grandson Wylder. Fortunately, his parents don’t read the blog so they will be surprised when he shows up at school with this on. We’ll make a rebel out of him, yet!
10:00 am Pendleton, OR
Robert sees another dinosaur gas station and decides to pull over. He hops out and starts the process and this guy comes over, “Hey, how ya doing? Nice rig!”
He keeps up the chit-chat for a minute or so, and Robert is thinking, What’s the deal, creep? He asks the guy, “Do you work here?” and the guy says he sure does. Robert is waiting for the hustle (you know, the “I just need $20 to replace my water pump” scam). What kind of criminal is this guy??
He’s about ready to ask the guy if there’s something he can do for him, when it dawns on him: We’re in Oregon. (In case you don’t know, it’s against the law to pump your own gas in Oregon. An attendant has to do it, just in case you decide to cover your car in gasoline and set fire to it, like they do in the other 49 states.)
Robert apologizes, the guy asks if he can wash our windshield, and Robert tips him because he’s pretty embarrassed about thinking the guy was a criminal when he was just a hard-working guy.
12:50 pm Union Gap, WA
After several hours of hustling down the road, we decide to take a break at a local park in Union Gap. This is a lovely park, and we watch a trio (threesome? we’re not clear on golf terminology) play a round of Frisbee Golf (like golf only less hazardous to bystanders). It seems like it has the same benefits as regular golf, except lots cheaper. Our lunch (leftover pizza and fruit) is pretty tasty, too.
This is a Frisbee Golf “hole.” You try to get your Frisbee to hit the chains and fall in.
2:00 pm Ellensburg, WA
At one point (well before Gini met Robert), there was a guy from Ellensburg, who had played football at Stanford, who lived in her apartment complex in Costa Mesa, and who asked Gini to marry him. Gini has never been to Ellensburg, so we (Robert & Gini) decide to head to Ellensburg to see its most famous attraction (in Robert’s mind): The Ellensburg Bull (in Gini’s mind a lot of BS…)
Gini and the Ellensburg Bull
The bull is life-size, and we are told that it’s anatomically correct (Gini doesn’t look). It’s by the same guy who did the sculpture “Waiting for the Interurban” in Fremont, Seattle. The local merchants didn’t care for it at first, but then they realized how many people like Robert there are—people who will travel miles out of their way to sit next to a giant bull and then buy a beer or a painting.
It’s now their favorite bull!
3:30 pm Cascade Mountains, WA
Washington state is on its best behavior today. Skies are clear and clean, the sun is shining, the temperature is in the 60’s, the mountains are looming very impressively. Ah, we are happy to be back in our home state!
Robert enjoys a view of the Cascades
5:30 pm Woodinville, WA
We’re pretty toasted after driving all day, but we manage to stagger into a local grocery store and buy enough food for tonight and tomorrow and then bring Harvey home. He’s pretty happy plugged into his regular spot.
We’re pretty happy being home. So is Frankie the cat.
“Hi! Remember me?”
Progress on our goal
We made it! Yay! This is the last Trip Log until our next trip (scheduled for May: The California Autoharp Gathering).
Whew! We’re glad we did this, but we’re also glad we’re home. It’ll take a while to get used to having this much space—so far, we’re mostly huddled in the back office (only slightly larger than Harvey) as we slowly adjust.
Thanks for joining us!
Map
Wednesday Travel
Gini & Robert
Harvey Staff