Wilson Price Hunt Trail (‘Astorians’) 1811 — 1812

Day 33: September 14th, 2006 Seaside — Meridian

Because I will have a long drive today, I am getting up really early. Unfortunately I must then wait for an eternity until someone shows up that I can check out. First I start looking around for a breakfast place. Unfortunately I haven’t seen something yesterday beside a sign to a waffle breakfast in downtown. Therefore I give this one a try.

I drive into the downtown of Seaside. The restaurant “Pig’n’Cakes” is close to the Comfort Inn. Because I am still very early in time, I even find a parking spot in front of the next restaurant “The Girtles”. The guy, who cleans the windows, greets me friendly. But because the restaurant looks more like a dinner restaurant I continue my walk to the “Pig’n’Cakes”. When passing the restaurant I realize, that they would also have breakfast. And because the other restaurant doesn’t look this promising, I turn around and give it a try.

The prices are quite okay. Only the service is a bit slow. But the breakfast is fantastic and worth every dime! Next year, I definitely must go there for dinner and then I will also take a room at the Comfort Inn!

Girtles, Broadway St, Seaside, OR

Around 9am I pay and walk back to my car. There I quickly take my photo out of the car to get a picture from downtown and this nice restaurant. Then I drive on to a gas station. Around a quarter past nine I pay and my journey back home starts.

Highway 26, OR

Highway 26, OR

It is pretty cold, just 50 degrees. When I reach the mountain range, the temperature even drops down to 40. I have more or less heavy rain all the time. Only when I reach Portland, the sun makes its way through the clouds and it starts to warm up. The temperature rises to more pleasant 60 to 70 degrees.

Highway 26, OR

Highway 26, OR

Interstate 5 to 84, Portland, OR

At Portland I leave Highway 26 and continue on I–84 to the east.

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, Columbia River, OR

First I drive along the Columbia River, like on my trail. Then I continue to Ontario. I have been in this area before on my trail, partly on highways, partly on the Interstate.

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, The Dalles, OR

Interstate 84, Columbia River, OR

Interstate 84, Columbia River, OR

Interstate 84, Columbia River, OR

Interstate 84, Columbia River, OR

Lucky me, it is not raining anymore. It seems like I am now ahead of the bad weather. The only fear I have is, that it will catch up with me again by tomorrow. But for now I make good progress on I–84.

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, OR

Around 3pm I drive to my favorite gas station in Pendleton with the funny black guy. Also now he definitely likes to joke around. He asks me, when I will publish my book: “The adventures of Robert traveling cross–country”. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to chat with him for long. I must be back on the road.

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, Deadmans Pass, OR

In the mountains it is cooling down again to 50 degrees. Also the trucks are fighting their way up on the very long incline. One of the truckers cries over CB “We made it!” when he reached the summit…

Interstate 84, Blue Mountains, OR

Interstate 84, OR

Next I continue over the Blue Mountains to La Grande.

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, OR

In the meantime I am driving in pure sunshine. What a difference to the start this morning!

Interstate 84, OR

Interstate 84, State Line OR and ID

Finally I cross the state line to Idaho.

Although I tried to hurry up, it is already half past seven, when I arrive in Meridian, just a couple of miles before Boise. Originally I planned to drive to the airport motel where I also stayed last time. But this is getting now too risky. I don’t want to end up without a room and being forced to drive all the way back. So I check in and put my stuff into the room. Then I check the first part of my video taping of today. Because it ended up to be more than one hour of video, I drive over to my almost favorite Outback Steakhouse in this area. Around a quarter past nine I pay and drive back to my motel. There I check the rest of my video taping before I go to bed.