Second leg of this journey is done. Lots of driving today but it went quickly and without incident.

Ellie is a pretty good companion in the car. Though I did feel really bad when the sun started to get low in the sky and she didn’t have any shade. She usually escapes to the backseat when that happens but there is no backseat available this time. She’s a trooper. With a little adjusting she was able to see out the windows which made a big difference in her settling down near the end of the day.

I was surprised at the beauty of northern Idaho and Montana. I’ve only been to southern Idaho until now and, to be honest, I don’t think it’s anything to get excited about. But the northern part of the state has many mountains and is covered with trees. And Coeur d’Alene! Such a beautiful place. It was beautiful enough to coerce me into taking a quick bathroom break and even pull over to the side of the road to get a better look. Which is saying something.

When we arrived in Spokane I was surprised to discover my hotel is RIGHT next door to Gonzaga University. There is also a paved walk next to the river right behind the hotel and after eight + hours of driving Ellie and I needed a walk. Since it was about 80 degrees I left my sweater in the car and we walked about a mile down the trail. We went passed Gonzaga, which has a beautiful campus, and crossed the river on a pedestrian bridge. The air was sweet with flowers in bloom and the sun kept us warm. We went about a mile or so and then turned back. I’m thinking we’ll take another jaunt before we head out in the morning.

Driving with only two mirrors is a new kind of skill. I have to use much more caution when backing up and I’m pretty paranoid. Talk about blind spots! But all is going well. It will be nice to get to my destination to I can unpack my car and use my windows again. 🙂

I am looking forward to the ferry ride. I will have some downtime in Bellingham as well and I’d like to poke around the historic district around the port a little. We’ll see what happens when I get there.

Two more legs and three days to go!