2025-09-02 Travel Day

Finding Waldo - too many white vans!

Both Kent and I had planned to leave home around 8:00.  I couldn't sleep so got up early and was on the road by 7:30, so was a little ahead.  Then Kent got caught up in some construction traffic on 22X because he followed googles advice and cut off on 540.  I went a little further south to Nanton - just because I like that drive even though it is a little longer.  That was a stroke of luck because I just missed the construction which ended at the Nanton Road/22x Intersection.  I called Kent to tell him, but he was already on 540 - so too late...

We were in smoke until we got into the mountains.  We hooked up at the Tim's in Crows Nest Pass and had lunch and then carried on.  We had a bit of confusion when Kent saw a white van at the gas station and assumed it was me so waited, while I was actually already turning on to the highway.  He said it was like "finding Waldo" looking for me because there were so many white vans on the road.  He finally realized that I had my bike on the back - which made it a little easier to spot me.....

There were some interesting traffic issues just past Spokane.  First an accident adjacent to the freeway had traffic at a standstill across the overpass and all the way down the off ramp and onto the freeway.  Nothing like traffic in the right lane stopped while traffic in the left lane is still going 80mph...  Then a short time late Kent witnessed an oncoming car veer off the road and cross the center grass area.  Fortunately it stopped before entering the lanes on our side of the road...  Wow!

We arrived safely at the Bronco Best Western in Ritzville around 7:00.  We went to the Mi Jalisco Mexican Restaurant for dinner.  The service and food were excellent although the quantity of food was way too much!  We could have easily shared a meal!  Early to bed - hopefully some sailing tomorrow.

Arrived Safely at the Best Western Bronco Inn