We started in Kennewick, Washington, heading for Seattle, about a 3-4 hour drive. Then there was an accident which would have made the drive an additional hour. It was the final straw. We said fuck it, bailed on Seattle and headed for Portland.
The thing about road trips is that they are supposed to be flexible. The drive to Portland was about 3 and a half hours along the Columbia River. It was very pretty, and not very smoky. We listened to music in the car for the first time in a week.
Portland is neat, we got a King Suite at a Best Western. It has a tiny stove even!
We checked out this place near us called The Grotto. It's a park open to the public and run by a Catholic Church. It has two levels and is situated against a basalt cliff. It's stunning and meditative quiet. Pretty despite the religious dogma.
After that, we decided to rest. Tomorrow we'll explore Powell's City of Books, and a few other things. We want to head home early, and relax for the week, this trip has been hell on my psyche, and we miss cooking and baking terribly. I even miss doing dishes, how sad am I?
Here's my favorite picture from today. It's golden hour sun filtering through some tree leaves. It's warm and happy.