Looks like a construction site down the street from my hotel. Been in Seattle/Lynnwood since Monday. More rain here since then, than I think we've gotten at home in California in the past year.

I've been to Pendleton, Oregon, Yakima and Wenatchee, Washington State and now Portland the past week and a half, driving.

You folks are blessed. Today I took 97 south out of Yakima and then 142 west out of Goldendale. After that I took some odd roads through Glenwood to Trout Lake then 141 south to White Salmon to 14 west to Portland. There were some vistas that made me stop and stare at the wonder of it all.

I've got to figure out how to spend more time out here.

Paul - Careful there, you are getting very close to disclosing my secret Motorcycle Roads Sir.............This is not for public information.......I had shared previously with one member here and he hasn't been heard from in a few years after he talked......You missed the best road by not turning left to Appleton just before Glennwood....Only 3/4 mile of dirt and then Heaven; stop to look over your shoulder to see Mt. Adams in your face......One can spend a whole day doing loops between Goldendale and White Salmon.....

If the weather in pnw weren't so foul half the year, too many people would move here.

Thanks Bob for the pics. I think I recognize the boat and the spot, on the road to Anini. Bummer. I am getting excited about heading back there soon.

What a foul taste is left by an incident like that with the double charge at the cafe, glad you caught it. Makes me want to go in and scold them for treating a friend that way!

I hear you Paul, the more I drove around the PNW the more I realized how much it has to offer, beautiful and diverse.
And I have also learned that when Bob mentions good roads, take note. But apparently don't share them. :-)

At home in rainy Kauai. Wet weather was good times for shop or indoor projects.
But then after a few days or couple of weeks at the most the sun would pop out and give a break to it. Well any place I'll be able to afford will be a fixer so should offer plenty of indoor projects for a while.

What Id really like to find is an old barn somewhere with a view. To park the coach beside or inside of depending on the weather. And to develop into a shop space /batchlor pad. That should keep me busy for a winter or three.

I am wondering if the much dryer eastern part of the area is nicer in winter time.
Many here in another thread mentioned preferring living inland to avoid the fog and tourist congestion of the coast.

In talking to a realestste guy the other day to find out about a listing . Turned out to be a Hawaii transplant. He was at a cabin well inland to get a break from the wetter weather on the coast where his main home is located.

So much to think about.

Cheers Richard

Richard - I have an idea that might be the ideal spot for you. My neighbor died.....His wife has to take care of the 3 acres, her dad lives next door on 5 acres and her sister on 3 acres.....She has a 40 x 60 shop with a 1/2 bath she doesn't use; tools already there...10 minutes to a shuttle to Sea-Tac airport.....We talk....

I'm heading out the door to snowmobile today - I be in touch over the weekend.

That does sound interesting Bob. Big equipped shop, spacious property, good neighbors, all had me sayin oh yea!
Till the snowmobiling part.

I'll have to add Lake Cle Elum to my weather checks on my phone.
Give me a shout when you are free.

Any skiing/ snow boarding in the area? I might have to just get into this winter thing.

Thanks Richard

Took me over nine hours to drive home from Vancouver yesterday.

Northbound I-5 closed due to a mudslide, so I'll just jump down through Portland and take Hiway30 past the slide, across the bridge back into Washington. Simple.

Ha Ha.

That turned out to be the only alternative, and all the radio traffic reports announced that to everybody.

Hiway 30 also had a slide, and the crew clearing it gashed a natural gas line. At least I was in front of that closure, but spent most of the day sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Seven hours from Vancouver to Longview, normally about a half-hour.

Yup, I've seen enough rain for a while.

Yep. Don't tell 'em how nice it is in the summer...including the length of the days...
-C

All the times we've been there, it only rained on us twice. This was during the beautiful summers. Driving through there in the winter, I never saw the sun after half way through OR all the way up into Vancouver, Canada.

I thought you guys got more rain than that on a yearly basis. We average about 32 inches a year in Austin, but we got that and more this year, in less than 24 hours. Memorial weekend end and Halloween dumped more rain than I've ever witnessed. Hard driving rain, really hard.

The week after F1 left town, the track received 15 inches in about 8 hours. We had about 12 at the house.

Stay dry PNW'ers!

It rarely rains hard. A light drizzle can last for weeks, and the Winter stays damp and grey even when not raining. We have to battle moss growing on roofs.

But we've got world class food, drinks, beer and coffee... not to mention Powells books, and direct flights to Maui...

The summer in the PNW sucks. Humidity, mosquitos, smog, obese people in thongs everywhere.

OK. I was waiting for that protective urge to surface.
Really this last summer up there sucked too!

Not exactly balmy here in Az this morning.

Rut Ro. First day of a coming winter spell of chilly weather

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1449935673.jpg

Well, you gotta take the bad with the good...you forgot bad drivers... actually there are a bunch of them. Who know too polite would be a problem on the roads...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1449935939.jpg

For 10 years or so, my wife and I boated through the San Juan islands, just north of Seattle -- up into Canada.

Our favorite time of year was winter. Rain & mist only made the islands look prettier. The weather kept away the martini/party crowd. Easy to get slips at marinas. Quiet. The boaters who were out were more experienced and thoughtful. Didn't use the boat nearly as much during the summer. The PNW was a good fit.

That kind of "consideration" drives me crazy. I'm glad that the person doing this has nothing better to do with their lives, but the rest of us actually have somewhere to be. I actually have to build ten minutes into every trip for this kind of thing. If everyone would just follow the rules of the road, EVERYONE would get where they were going more quickly and without sheet metal damage.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1449942084.jpg

Terribly Grey skies 1/4 mile (and 900 ft elevation gain) from my house...