Oct 29th left in the dark at 7:00 am to catch the 10:30 ferry.  Did the two hour trekk across the strait and got to the Peace Arch border crossing by 1:15.   We have Nexus cards (these are given out after being interviewed by both U.S. and Canadian border patrol/customs personnel, fingerprinted and eye scanned so when you cross the border, you bypass the main lineups & just swipe your card.   You have forms to complete for anything you are claiming & these go into a slot as you pass through) but there is major construction going on so we were directed by orange pilings and a guard to go in the teeny-weeny, narrow lane to the booth.   It was so incredibly narrow (supposed to be for buses, trailers and trucks) that there wasn't more than about 1/2" on either side.   We were asked three questions and carried on:  (1) where are we headed (2) for how long & (3) do we have any food on board.

Bellevue, Renton area

We took the 405 to bypass Seattle . . . still insane because we were right smack dab in the rush hour, friday after work, traffic.  Crazy insane too ... bad accident in the northbound lanes which caused a backlog for over 15 miles back; we were glad to be heading the other direction & crossed our fingers it wouldn't happen on our route as we already had a 10 hour day from start to finish.  

Made it to Lacy, Washington without a rain storm by about 5 pm (Marc's birthday).   Super tired, we went out for Sushi (Yummo!).   Next morning, got about 20 minutes down the road and into the Olympia and Vancouver, WA area and torrential downpouring.  We are headed to Junction City, OR to have some maintenance work done on the coach and to stock up on food (Costco and Winco ... no taxes and back into the land of cheap groceries).  1 1/2" (I measured) new york steaks for $6.99/lb (or approx $15.40/kg ... at home this is usually $23.00 + per kg).



Dr. Gale Fletchall Hall

Junction City has a population of approx. 5500 people today.  Orginally a junctioin for east & west sides of the Willamette river and thought to become another "Chicago."   This did not happen and the westside railroad line never was built.  In 1961 Dr. Gale Fletchall, in an attempt to save a dying town, started the Scandinavian Festivel.  He expected about 2,000 to attend and instead, 25,000 came. . . it is now one of Oregon's best attended events.

Lee House Museum (1872)

Original dwelling was owned by a doctor & the front parlor served as a medical office.   The old original train tracks still run down the old part of Junction City.  Junction City in the past has been home to a large number of RV repairs and sales services as well as the Country Coach Factory (bankrupt in 2009).   Our motor coach is Country Coach & we were fortunate enough to have a tour through the factory before they closed.  A Monaco factory was also in Junction City prior to the move to Coburg, OR.

Leaving tomorrow, stopping one night in Corning, CA after going over Grant's Pass - hopefully no snow.