Day 15

Halfway mark already? Seems like we just left!

As usual, our leave-the-house-by-10 plans turned into trying to get out of the house by dark. We’ve been at Stephani’s house for four nights, and it’s time to move on. First, though, we have to finish laundry! Laundry is on my list of least-favorite things to do at home, and it’s no different at someone else’s house. Since we came with all of the kids’ clothes packed in gallon Ziplocs, before we can pack them back up we have to match each original outfit back together. I know I’ll be happier later in our trip to have one Ziploc per child, per day, but getting them all separated and organized is kind of a pain. We have enough clothes for eight days, so it’s important that we do laundry every chance we get. Doesn’t mean I like it any better, though.

Leaving late means skipping a visit to the town I grew up in, but I’ll live—it was semi-important to me, but I know the kids won’t care at all or miss it if we don’t go. Saying goodbye to Steph and Alex was hard; the kids have gotten pretty attached to my sister, and Alex is a cool kid who got along quite well with all of his little cousins. We are headed south to Astoria, Oregon. The plan is to go camping at Fort Stevens State Park, but according to the ranger station there are only a few tent spots left, and the odds are good that those are going to be gone by the time we get there. There is a KOA across the street, and we might find a spot there.

It’s pretty cool to drive by Mt. St. Helens again. I was five or six when it erupted, and I still remember it vividly. There’s a lot to see in this part of the state, but we have somewhere to be, so for now we’re just pointing things out to the kids through the windows. Drew wants to go up to St. Helens, but maybe next time. I’d love to go hiking up there and explore more of the blast area. Not today!

Total miles to Astoria/Warrenton: 145