Day 25: Gresham, OR ~ Grants Pass, OR
Miles Driven: 260
Highways: 205, 5, 199
Weather: 55 degrees, heavy and continuous rain for 240 miles, sunny & partly Cloudy in GP
Highest Elevation: 2000 feet at Sexton Pass
I was looking forward to getting home after almost a 4-week absence. I had a wonderful adventure, visiting with friends, teaching classes, seeing National Parks and National Historic Sites, eating great food, meeting unusual and interesting people, and shopping for fabric, yarn, and beads. Unfortunately, I missed out on seeing my cousin, Karin in Leavenworth due to weather and her illness, plus missed a stop to visit my niece, Caprice and her family due to timing. I'm planning on visiting them in the Spring.
Lots of rain on the way home increased the joy of the sun breaking out over Grants Pass as I came down the hill. I made a much needed stop at the grocery store for food to fill my empty larder, and made it home in the late afternoon. It's good to be home.
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| Home Sweet Home |
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Day 24: Whidbey Island, WA ~ Lacey, WA ~ Gresham, OR
Miles Driven: 225
Highways: 525, Clinton-Mukiteo Ferry, 5, 405, 5, 205
Weather: 55 degrees, rain, grey skies
Highest Elevation: 250 feet
With a goodbye to my friend, Brooke, I departed her home in Greenbank on Whidbey Island for Clinton, WA to catch a car ferry to the mainland. I headed south and east to the east side of the island. Cars queue for space on either of the two ferries that continually cross back and forth between Clinton and Mukiteo on the half hour. I had to wait about an hour before boarding the 11:30 ferry ride of about 25 minutes to the mainland.
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| The Tokitae Ferry |
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| The view from the front of the ferry, looking towards Mukiteo |
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| Looking back at Whidbey Island ~ note the returning ferry near upper left of pic |
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| Possibly Mt. Baker, view from the rear of the boat |
As I headed for my last stop, an overnight visit with the Merg family in Gresham, OR, I made a planned side trip to the Mecca of all bead stores: Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, WA.
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| Mecca! |
I use beads in many of my crafts including embellishment of quilts, inclusion in knitting projects, and making jewelry. They claim they are the 'World's Largest Bead Store', and I would not challenge that. There is 22,000 feet of showroom space! OMGoddess! They have every type of bead, crystal, stone, and pearl known to man, plus jewelry-making supplies, books, videos, classes, charms, and a knowledgeable staff. Below are a couple of showroom photos to give you a taste of what it is like to walk inside this place.
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| This aisle is 40 rows long |
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| Every wall, nook, and cranny is utilized for product display |
I managed to drop a few peso here, but luckily ( for my pocketbook) it was necessary for me to head south towards Portland early enough to miss the commuter traffic. I hit the road just as a tremendous downpour did the same; thus, a really wet drive for the last 125 miles.
However, I had a delightful visit with my friends, the Mergs, who recently relocated from Ashland, OR to Gresham, OR, a town just east of Portland. Andrea is currently working on her Ph.D. in Psychology, Brian was looking to advance his nursing career, and overall there were increased educational opportunities for their four children: identical twins Olivia and Alex, Gabrielle, and Brian the Younger. We shared a delicious meal and great conversation.
