Mark & Connie's Vacation 2015

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Mrs. Boyd at the falls.

On the way back toward Portland, we stopped for fuel at a TA truck stop.  There were six lanes at the gas pumps.  There were no lanes available in the direction I was headed for filling up on the left side.  So I back into an open lane. The attendant (why do they have an attendant?) yells at me that I'm headed in the wrong direction.  So my alternative is to turn around and get in line.  I turned around and left for the Love's truck stop next door.  At Loves, there is also an attendant.  I pulled up to a pump and before I was able to even get out of the car, the guy takes that gas cap off the filler spout.  I get out and he asks me what I want, so I said a fill up on regular.  But I have the credit card and nothing can happen until that gets processed.  So I put the card in and the guy says that it will ask me for my zip code.  I want to inform him that I've bought gas a time or two.  I really don't need any assistance.  Any way, once the approval is done, he grabs the hose and starts fumbling around to get it into the tank.  In the process of doing that, the hose bumps the premium button and now the pump is set to pump premium.  He informs me of this and says, we'll have to reset it unless you want premium.  No, dude, I don't want premium.  So he pushed several different buttons and manages to get the thing reset without me re-running my credit card and finally I'm getting some gas.  Why do these stations have attendants?  At this point in history, they're more of a bother than a help.

The drive on Historic Route 30. Very scenic along the Columbia River.

After leaving Multnomah Falls and having lunch, we drove through downtown Portland, and then headed out to Washington Park to see the Rose gardens.

At the Test Rose Garden in Washington Park, Portland, OR.  We enjoyed wandering around the park. They have a Japanese garden but it isn't free. We didn't think we'd enjoy a non-free garden quite so much.

Ships at anchor in the Columbia River, Astoria, OR.

The end of US Route 30 in Astoria, Oregon.  I snapped this one handed while I was driving.  It came out pretty decent I think.  I hadn't thought about the possibility of driving to the end of Route 30 on this trip, but I'm really glad it worked out.   I'll have to shoot for the East end next.   Maybe some day drive the entire length of Route 30.   I drove on Rt 30 in Cheynne, Wyoming in 2011.

On the way back to Renton from Astoria, as we drove through some back country of Washington, we came to realize that nearly every little burgh has a cappuccino shack. Do these people really drink that much coffee?  The little burghs probably won't have an ice cream stand, but they have a cappuccino shack.

The pedometer app didn't work this day.  No idea why.

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