THE WHEELS ON THE TRUCK GO ROUND AND ROUND

We left Gallup, New Mexico early Sunday morning determined to get as many miles under us as we could to make our deadline into Kent, Washington. That stay in Pharr, Texas put a cramp in our style and we knew we would have to put in 11-12 hours a day driving. We quickly left New Mexico behind, for a few brief moments in Colorado, but it was amazing how quickly the terrain changed. It did not take long and we were into Utah.

Just north of the city of Monticello, (the name reminded me of our old home), we were driving in canyon lands.






With names such as Church Rock, Wilson Arch, Looking Glass Rock, and Hole ‘n the Rock, they caught our attention. It truly was beautiful driving through and among the canyons and wondering what tales they could tell if they could talk.

As we got toward the city of Price, Utah the terrain reminded me of how the old west must have looked to the first settlers. Price River meandered along cutting a patch that criss crossed back and forth along the highway.



We were a bit worried about making our next fuel stop with enough fuel to get us there, so we were thankful when we arrived in Springville to fill up our now empty tank. Even more thankful that we did not have to pay the hefty fuel bill.

With a full tank of gas, we hit the road again driving through Provo, Orem and Salt Lake City. This was the only shot I was able to get of the Great Salt Lake as we drove by it near Brigham City. With just under 600 miles under us, it left 740 more to get us to Kent by Tuesday morning.


Leaving once again early Monday morning we were into Idaho before I had time to wipe the sleep from my eyes. Into Boise for our fuel stop for the day and then quickly crossing the border into Oregon. We came across the Snake River and I was able to capture just a glimpse of it.




We were happy to start seeing green lush scenery again after our two weeks of being in the desert. What was also noticeable was a change in the weather. We stopped at a rest area for a bathroom break and it was so nice to climb down off the truck and not be hit with stifeling heat, in fact, it was on the cool side with a nice gentle breeze.




As we crossed into Washington State from Oregon, we came upon the Umatilla Dam, which is on the Columbia River.



In Washington, it became apparent that agriculture was part of their economy with the apple orchards


Grape vineyards



And berry vines abundant throughout this region of the state



We settled in at the Gear Jammer Truck Stop in Union Gap, Washington, leaving us just 140 miles to our final destination in Kent. The 140 miles into Kent, proved to me that Washington is the state I want to reside in when the time comes. This area of the Snoqualmie Pass is, and I know I use this adjective numerous time, but it was gorgeous.



We arrived at the boat dealership in Kent, or should I say we somehow passed it by and ended up on a very small dead end street. Oh my, you do not realize how big this truck and trailer are until you are presented with a dilemma like that. However, MacGyver was present again. He jumped out of the truck and surveyed the area making careful calculations in his big head, I mean big brain. He noticed an escape route via a dirt road and with my expert hand signals, (no not those kind), helping him to back up, we were able to get ourselves out of a jam.

Safely at the dealership, we proved to be quite a team unloading and unassembling the framing for six boats. By the time the last boat was lifted off, all but a few pieces of equipment needed to be put away. With signed paperwork in hand we put in an empty call and waited for our next assignment, and waited some more. You would not think that summer time would be a slow season for boats, but it is. We were directed to a truck stop 30 miles away to wait for further instructions.

Come to find out it was slow for most companies this day, as the truck stop was completely filled at 2pm in the afternoon. We circled the lot like a frantic shopper on Christmas Eve at the mall. Round and round we went for over 30 minutes before we were able to find a spot. Nevertheless, with all that circling there was an unseen benefit, a little coffee shack in the corner of the parking lot. Going through Starbucks withdrawal, I was very excited to see it and know my caffeine fix was only moments away. Therefore, with my triple iced latte in hand, I was more than happy to sit and wait it out for our next assignment.