TRAVELING TO TEACH

On my way to North Dakota I stopped in Yakma and then traveled through Idaho by way of Lewiston.  It is a beautiful drive following the Snake River but the rain along with thunder and lightening started making the trip longer and more difficult.  I was scheduled to meet a childhood friend in Missoula, Montana at about 7 pm--it was now 9:30 pm and I was driving on fumes as there were no gas stations open for business at that time of night.  I finally pulled over into a pothole covered lot where I could see some bright lights.  I thought it might be a gas station.  It was a bar and grill.  It was pouring down rain so I ran into the bar, went to the bathroom and then asked some patrons where I was.  They told me, Lolo Pass, and did not know where the next gas station was located.  I talked to some ladies at the bar but got no where.  I could not call my friend or home because I had no service.  In the meantime my friend had spent four hours at Perkins in Missoula and had called the state patrol to find out if there had been an accident.  Unfortunately she did not know my real name only my nick name as we have known each other since I was 7 years old.  She did not know my married name, my husband's last name or what kind of car I was driving.  We have known each other for over 50 years.  I was going to sleep in my car but a guy came out and poured in a gallon of gas so I made it to the next gas station.  There it took me some time to find my credit card as I had not put it away since I had gotten gas in Washington.  My friend lived one hour north of Missoula so I was to meet her at the Dairy Queen.  Relying on the navigator I waited at the wrong one.  We finally met up and she drove my car to her house.  I had a lovely visit with her and stayed two nights.

On my way home I decided to take the northern route through the Washington Cascade passes as I had not been on those roads for a long time.  I also wanted to see my friends finish their art certification in LaConnor.  It is another beautiful trip through Eastern Washington but long.  I could not find a place to stay as all the villages were full.  On my way over North Cascades Pass it started to thunder and pour down rain.  On my way down the pass I came upon  a family of four whose car was stuck in a massive mud slide.  I turned around and found a camp ground to settle in for the night.  I had found a spot to park but discovered it was occupied.  I told them my story and they let me stay until the early morning.  My car is packed so I took out some wool and spread it out on the front seat of my car to sleep on.  My knees honked the horn twice during the night as I turned in my sleep.  You do not get much sleep this way but enough.  I left at 5:30am and started up the pass again only to find more mud slides.  I gave up and back tracked my way through Blewitt pass and Snoqualmie pass and eventully home.  There is always some excitement on my trips.