On the Road and Back Home - Oregon or Bust Part IV

After our wonderful cross-country train trip we rented a car and drove north. The original purpose for the trip was so I could be in my dear friend's wedding to take place just outside of Seattle.

Shortly after leaving Portland, we saw Mt. St. Helens. When I was ten the volcano blew and so much ash fell on the ground where I lived in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, that we did not go the school for several days. (I still have a big jug of the ash.)

The drive was lovely and I was reminded of how much I enjoyed life in the Pacific Northwest.

After spending the night at Kitsap Navy Lodge, we headed out to Stevens Pass. Tiny coffee huts dotted the roadside leading to the pass. The pass, with towering evergreens and patches of snow, led us to Leavenworth, a quaint Bavarian town. The food and shopping were a pleasure as was the stunning drive back over the pass.

The next few days were a whirlwind of wedding arrangements, the joy of participating in such a love-filled event and packing up to head south of Portland to visit family. It was a long, but lovely drive down Highway 101.
What a good time we had with my brother and his family! Whether we were geocaching at the Newport beach, where Aidan and I were soaked by the waves, or just hanging out, we all appreciated the warmth of family ties and good friends.

After several days, it was time to head back home. Again, we drove on Highway 101 north then over to Portland, with a stop over at the Tillamook Cheese factory for fun. My husband, Rob, had left a few days earlier, so the boys and I flew home on our own. They are such good little travelers, making the time pass by drawing till their heart's content.

Now we have been home for 3 weeks and have more travel adventures to tell...

Arrival - Oregon or Bust, Part III

On our final day of the big train ride, we woke just as we arrived in the Columbia River Gorge. The photos speak of the beauty that greeted us that morning.

Mount Hood was beautiful in the early light.

When we got off at Portland's Union Station, our train ride across the country was done. The boys were glad to run in circles instead of the straight lines of a rail car. I was a little sad for the scenic trip to be over.

However, we all looked forward to the rest of our vacation.

Next on the agenda, get the rental car and start the road trip north...

Through the Midwest - Oregon or Bust, Part II

On the third day of our train trip, we woke early and saw the sun rise in the midwest heartland sky. Throughout the morning, the song "Home on the Range" kept musing it's way into my thoughts. Silly, I know. Blame it on the antelope we saw. (I tried to teach it to Aidan, but he just couldn't understand what a range was & insisted our home is in PA.)

Throughout the day we were reminded of just how big "Big Sky Country" is.

For miles and miles we saw old phone lines torn down & new ones erected. The old ones still had the glass insulators on them.

As evening came, we saw many windmills harnessing the power of the wind.

The Big Train Trip - Oregon or Bust, Part I

Yesterday, we returned from a 2-week vacation in the Pacific Northwest that included a long train trip, a wedding, family and friends, and a plane ride home.

I want to share some of the fun we had, so I will begin with the train ride.

With 2 young boys who love trains and few time constraints, we couldn't resist taking the train out to Portland, Oregon. We, 3 adults including my mom & 2 kids, packed light and boarded the train in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on the morning of October 31st. After transfers in Philadelphia and Washington DC, we made our way to our sleeper cars and rode to Chicago. We arrived in Chicago the afternoon of November 1st, changed trains again, then, in the comfort of our sleeper cars, headed out to Portland where we arrived on the morning of November 3rd.

To some, it may sound tedious, but for us it was great fun! The boys were thrilled to eat and sleep on the train and I enjoyed watching the scenery from the observation car. The boys learned to get buy with few toys & lots of paper and colored pencils while we adults left the cell phones & computers at rest. :)

We also met several nice people including families who frequently travel cross-country by rail and a man who was crocheting a hat & would show us his progress as we walked past him several times a day going from our car to the dining car or lounge.

Relaxing in the sleeper car.

Having fun in the observation car.

Some of the things we observed:

To be continued...