Today is the end of the journey west. Eight days, countless hours, and 3,127 miles spent on this journey and today it is done. Our itinerary for the day is simple, leave Montana and get to Spokane in time to get Aunt Anita on her plane home.
I learned a lot on this trip. I've learned about some of the geological formations that make up the United States through my tours of both state and national parks. I've sampled local cuisine. I've increased my knowledge of the history of architecture as it relates to Frank Lloyd Wright. I've been drenched and I've been dry. I've been below ground and at the top of mountains. I've learned some Italian, although I don't know what I'm saying. I've expanded my knowledge of movie trivia. I've seen prairie, dessert, forest, small towns, and cities. I've seen eleven states thus far and plan to add two more by the end of the day. To keep us awake and our minds active, this morning Aunt Anita and I decided to play name the fifty states and their capitols. And because this entry isn't attraction filled, here are the fifty states and their capitols. (I promise I didn't cheat.)...
Okay, I lied, I was going to have to cheat, so I just decided to leave them out of this entry. But it was an interesting two hours trying to make up memory tricks to remember the matches. A gust of wind blows through Maine (Augusta, Maine). Concord grapes go well with ham (Concord, New Hampshire). Bad springs in your bed make you feel ill (Springfield, Illinois). The list goes on, and you get my point. We played this game until we both got 100% on the test, and then we switched to state flowers, but that never became a memory challenge.
We soon crossed the border from Montana into Idaho and encountered some heavy rain. Driving downhill in the north Idaho mountains on slick roads is a little intimidating when everyone around you is driving at 60mph. On the Idaho/Washington border is a town called Coeur d'Alene, known for its lake. We stopped here for lunch at a place called Meltz which makes an awesome grilled cheese sandwich. We're not talking about two slices of American cheese on some buttered white bread. These are gourmet, one-of-a-kind, grilled cheeses, served with a cup of soup or some chips and dip. It was a perfect lunch for a grey, wet day.
Aunt Anita made it to her plane on time, however she was bummed that she didn't get a chance to see my new apartment to be able to report back to the family.
Apparently I was given the wrong address by my company because Garmin initially took me into downtown Spokane to a back alley with no apartment buildings in sight. I soon found out (after calling the apartment complex) that my new address is actually in Spokane Valley close to a mall, movie theater, restaurants, and most importantly a Barnes and Noble (my last assignment didn't have a Barnes and Noble closer than 30 miles). I have a garage, en suite laundry, and a dishwasher. I am the first person to live in this apartment. The complex has a pool and a gym. My furniture is nice- I love the couch with the built in chaise, and I have my own little patio. I'm including pictures below, please excuse my not fully unpacked mess.
The rest of my day I spent unpacking the car and getting my things settled. I also had to go buy some essentials- toilet paper, bread, wine, and peanut butter- the staples of every household.
These last eight days have been an amazing adventure. I am grateful to Aunt Anita for taking the time away from her family to come with me to share in all of the wonderful sights and experiences we had on this journey. It was truly a bucket list item (move cross country) that I can check off my list. It was a journey I will never regret and always remember.
And this, my friends, is where The Western Trail ends.
A new beginning is only two days away.
Today's Destinations:
1. Butte, MT
2. Coeur d'Alene, ID
3. Spokane, WA
4. Spokane Valley, WA
"Never stop exploring..."
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