The biggest event of the day had to simply be getting everything into the car, including the children, most of which my sister managed to do while I was showering. I don't know how I could have done it with out her! Actually, I doubt I would have, nor would I want to.
We were amazed with the changing landscape from the enormous rocky hillsides of the Gorge, to the beauty of the Columbia river, to the vastness of the high plateau, and even atop Blue Mountain, residual snow! We wondered about what it must have been like to be among the first European explorers to the region, not realizing, but always hoping, that you are a mere 150 miles from the Pacific Ocean. We dug into one of the library books about the Oregon Trail and started to discover what most native Oregonians probably learned in the 4th grade, but we found much more interesting than any 4th grade history lesson. It was also an amazing sight to see all the green-energy sources in action - the hydro dams along the Columbia with a deluge rushing out and the ginormous wind-mills along the tops of so many hills.
Upon arriving in Idaho, we cooked our spagehetti in the hotel loby microwave and enjoyed a quick dinner in our room before heading down to the pool. Noah showed that he had not lost his gills from last summer and Zak and Hannah both were convinced that they had them as well.... and fortunately Aunt Liz caught them before any damage was done.
Today's tally's:
Departure Time - 10:25 AM, arrived at hotel 7:40 Mountain time
License Plate Game - 25 + 2 Canadian
Toilet Tally - Mom - 1, Maggy 2 (but one was just because she'd gotten sand in her diaper), Zak 1 (which was on the side of an on-ramp, seemingly deseperate after Maggy's diaper change, so he stripped and pee'd next to the car... he's 3, get away with it while you can!)
Wild life sighted:
Crows, Hawks, Deer, Eagle, Large unidentified bird (I think it looked like a Golden Eagle, but Liz wasn't so sure), ducks, a HUGE goose, squirrels, maybe a mountain goat, and lots and lots of cows, but I tried to assure Noah that they weren't wild. Then Aunt Liz started telling him they had fangs and ate their young....
Ooooh! What a great update!
ReplyDeleteI made a big deal on your husbands facebook status about you doing this trip w/o him, but of COURSE you have your sister! Yay! I have short-term memory loss, apparently because I had JUST read your blog that day where you talk about your sister!
Anyway, love the first update. It's full of good deatial and fun pictures. Keep 'em coming.
What a perfect way to make this a homeschooling event. You're awesome.