Visiting my dad & my new land-speed record

(warning: yes I am blogging in a very random order.  I always say better random than not at all!)

We left Cindy Lynn’s house Wednesday evening after hugging the baby (and Cindy Lynn) one last time. 

We spent Wednesday night at my dad’s new house in Mantua (it’s not pronounced Man-tu-uh like you might think, it’s pronounced Manna-way) to “babysit” my dad who just had a knee replacement a few weeks ago.  We arrived late due to an accident that closed the interstate.  We were pretty sobered by the 18+ police cars and other emergency response vehicles at the scene, and especially when the life flight helicopter landed. 

I was even more grateful for our safe travel later, when my sister sent me the news article about the accident and we found out that almost immediately after the traffic started moving after the first life flight helicopter left, a truck ran into the rear end of a semi and they closed down the interstate again for another helicopter to come!  The cleanup for that accident wasn’t done until 2 in the morning.  We were sure blessed to have been able to get through in that few minutes that the interstate was open.

We didn’t unload immediately when we got to my dad’s house—instead we picked him up and drove back to Brigham City so I could take some night pictures of the beautiful new Brigham City temple & also the tabernacle.

I sent the kids to bed and had a great visit with my dad. 

In the morning we ate grits, loaded up, and headed to Oregon.  I left from my Dad’s house Thursday morning about 9—I had intended to leave earlier, but realized late Wednesday night that I probably should rethink my timing so that I didn’t end up driving through Portland during rush hour.  Sleep later, miss rush hour…it was a win/win.  My day of driving included:

• 1-5 hr energy (consumed in two parts…I’m not sure why)
• 1-10 minute nap at a rest area
• 1/2 caffeine pill
• 13 hours of “Emma” on CD  (we’re so obliged…)

I thoroughly enjoyed much of the trip, though there was that moment when we crossed into Pacific Standard Time & I calculated that I still had 5 hours to go when I did feel discouraged.  I was also a little freaked out after we passed Pendleton when we saw another life flight helicopter landing, this time by an overpass.  I certainly felt aware of how watched over and blessed we have been all of our traveling in the last year…

I gassed up right before we left Idaho, knowing it was the last time I’d pump my own gas for a while.  And I still forgot when I gassed up again in Oregon and jumped out to get my own gas.

My favorite sight of the day was looking in my rearview mirror, back towards a storm that we had just passed through, and seeing the windmills so white against the blue-gray sky.  (Seriously—this picture is just as it came from my camera, not enhanced at all.)

I also loved driving into the Columbia River Gorge and seeing the interplay of the light, clouds, rain, and water.

We arrived home about 9pm, tired & hungry and glad to be done driving.  After driving for 13 hours, I slept for 12.  That felt amazing!