Day 2

OLIVIA:
Sooooo today was, in one word, boring. Eastern Washington was just a lot of nothing, except for the occasional irrigation system, or crop duster. Eastern Oregon was just about the same, save for the occasional strange town, roadwork, or run-down cement mill. Idaho was even worse, it was straight and hot and oh yea, did I mention that as of last night I am sick with a very bad cold. (Probably caught it from mom) So the whole car ride today my head felt like it was going to explode, and my eyes kept on watering. Anyway, it was a long, tiring trip and im glad to say it was our longest day. :)

SCOTT:
Today: 646 miles from The Potholes in Eastern Washington to Brigham City, Utah. Slow in Oregon, where the speed limit is 65, faster in Idaho and Utah where it's 75. And no state troopers in sight.
There's an area along Interstate 84 as you're heading south in Idaho and then Utah where you're about a mile high for what seems like days and at times it seems you're the only person on the road. It would be interesting to go through there during the winter, when the "severe storm area" and "beware of choking dust and sand storms that will sandblast your car in seconds down to the metal" warnings probably mean more than on a cloudless, 85-degree day in June. We wound up in Brigham City for the night. Tomorrow, it's up early and speed south through Salt Lake City to the Provo area, and then head southeast from there to Moab. After a swim in the Great Salt Lake, if we can find it through the clouds of bugs. Today's chapter for the scratch 'n sniff book is asphalt. Hot asphalt. Ahh. I didn't feel great most of the day knowing Liv was feeling bad. Tomorrow should be better, with more to see and do. Good night, Mel and Judy.

Day 1

OLIVIA :
220 miles from Woodinville to the Potholes in Eastern Washingon. The most un-scenic 220 miles I've experienced in a long time. It was pretty! but we went over Stevens Pass, and I've gone over that pass a few too many times. The most eventful thing the whole day was right when we left, first we had to go back for the paper, then we had to go back for the bills to take to the post office! I guess dad was just a little excited to get on the road. :) We left around noonish and got to Grandma's house around 5, so it was a long day. Tomorrow is our longest day.... supposedly, but it should be pretty fast and straight so we'll see how it goes. For now were gonna go get some dindin, and eat, sleep, then wake up early tomorrow morning and do it all over again. Goodnight Andrew :)

SCOTT:
Hey, Liv, you're stealing all of my lines. Hmmm. OK, another highlight of the day came in Eastern Washington between Quincy and Ephrata, where cow wafted through the car. Not just any cow. A really aromatic cow. We thought maybe we should do a book, call it "smells of the road." a scratch 'n sniff. But sales would probably stink. Liv was right about the drive, though. We've done it so many times that, while scenic and enjoyable, it rarely offers much in the way of new and exciting. There wasn't even enough snow at the top of the pass to have a snowball fight. Sigh. Tomorrow is another day, though, and a long one. Probably close to 700 miles worth of driving as far south into Utah as we can manage before we collapse. Goodnight Andrew...

tentative trip schedule...

as was the case last summer, this tentative schedule probably will change considerably as we work our way south. death valley may be out (mom says it'll be 120 degrees, there will be no on around, the car will break down, we'll run out of water, and then we'll die. that would force liv to miss her sophomore orientation. not good).
phoenix may also be out, depending on how long it takes us to see and experience all of the cool stuff in utah and northern arizona. but a dip in jack and jackie's pool would sure be nice.
that said, here's the tentative schedule:
Friday, June 26: woodinville to the potholes in eastern washington(183 miles)
Saturday, June 27: the potholes to ogden, utah (667 miles)
Sunday, June 28: ogden to moab, utah (268 miles) (canyonlands, arches, etc?)
Monday, June 29: moab to flagstaff, arizona (243 miles) (4 corners, arches, canyon de chelle?)
Tuesday, June 30: flagstaff loop back to flagstaff via the grand canyon (218 miles) (the meteor crater?) (or continue on to sedona, another 30 miles? or maybe on to montezuma's castle and well?)
Wednesday, July 1: flagstaff to phoenix via sedona (168 miles)
Thursday, July 2: phoenix to las vegas (328 miles) (hoover dam, meteor crater, lake havasu city and london bridge(!)
Friday, July 3: las vegas to santa barbara, california, via death valley (438 miles)
Saturday, July 4: what to do? where to be?
Sunday, July 5: santa barbara to monterrey (249 miles)
Monday, July 6: monterrey to mendocino (283 miles) (or san francisco?)
Tuesday, July 7: mendocino to gold beach, oregon (281 miles)
Wednesday, July 8: gold beach to cannon beach (286 miles)
Thursday, July 9: cannon beach to woodinville (221 miles)
and then it's time to start planning the next trip...