Wed morning Aug 19th, I got up about 7 and wasn’t really sure I was going anywhere or what I wanted to do. It was forecast to be hot, upper 80’s here at home so I decided it would be too hot to hike. I sat down at the computer and updated this blog for the 18th, and did some other computer things, then thought about going to the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Hood River, OR. I went to their website to check upcoming events and mistakenly took the Sept 19th Model A event as Aug 19 and thought that would be worth scrambling down to see. So I turned everything off and packed up a few things, planning on spending the night in Oregon. It was 945 when I drove out the driveway.
Stopped for gas, the van got 25 mpg from the trip to Dungeness Spit and back. I headed straight down I-5, no traffic problems, just normal heavy traffic most of the way. I kept it at 60, forcing a handful of truckers to go around me, and had the a/c on nearly the whole time as it was very much warming up. Got off I-5 about 1230 and took the 205 across the river into OR and then I-84 east. Got to Hood River about 230. Had quite a tailwind all along I-84, which should help with MPGs.
There were hardly any cars at the museum so I knew I must have read something wrong on their website, no Model A’s anywhere to be seen. Inside they said it was Sept 19. Silly me. Oh well, I like it there anyway so I spent 2 hours going thru the whole place. It was 95 and windy outside, but inside very comfortable.
Pictures posted at https://picasaweb.google.com/113536361040306340213/2015_0819WAAAMHoodRiverOR
Video posted at http://youtu.be/zYy0cRPIxSY
At 430 I left to go find a place to spend the night. I decided to head for The Dalles and stay there. Got there at 515 and decided to try the Motel 6, first place off the freeway. They had room and it was very reasonable $65 so I checked in. Then went down the street to Denny’s for dinner(with AARP 15% discount).
Back in the room, I struggled with getting connected to their Wi-Fi, and when I did it was extremely slow. But checked some things at work, and email at home, then went to bed about 930. Slept fine until 130 then tossed and turned. Finally got up at 330 and went back online figuring no one else would be, but no change, still slow. At 4 I decided to just hit the road, so packed up and checked out by 430, and drove back across the river into WA and north on 97 towards Yakima. Let me tell you, at 430-5 in the morning, what a quiet pleasant drive that is! No traffic, no reason to hurry, I didn’t go over 55 the whole way to Yakima. Stopped for breakfast at McD in Toppenish, saw gas at 2.64 next door, but figured I would find equally cheap gas in Yakima. No. I didn’t see anything under 2.99 so kept going. Took the Canyon Road to Ellensburg, and was treated to a short train heading north. Just two engines actually. Moved along about 35-40 I estimated.
I found gas in Ellensburg for more reasonable 2.69, and that Oregon tailwind and my slower speed really helped as the van got 30+mpg. I then went thru town and the old hwy to Cle Elum, again just doing 50-55. A little bit of a headwind going west. It was nice and clear east of Cle Elum but slowly clouded up as I got toward Snoqualmie pass where it was drizzly. Got home about 930. So here I am enjoying the rest of my day, although that early get up seems to be catching up to me now.