Sunday, August 9, 2009

Day 35 Summer Vacation 2009

This morning we are awake early because we have to disembark The Westerdam at 8:15 am. The ship arrived in Seattle at 6:00 am as we were waking up.

We had a quick breakfast in the Lido Restaurant then awaited our turn to walk off the ship. We were processed quickly through customs and were in the car and leaving the parking lot by 8:45 am.

We left Seattle WA behind us as we drove across The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. This is the second longest floating bridge in the State of Washington. I don’t think I have ever driven on a floating bridge, but it felt solid, not like some floating docks I have been on.

5145 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge Seattle WA5146 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge Seattle WA

Washington is nick named “The Evergreen State” and it is quite obvious how it got its name. Everywhere we look as we drive along Interstate 90 we are seeing evergreens.

5148 Scenery along I-90 between Seattle & North Bend WA5153 Westbound I-90 Tunnel5156 Scenery along I-90 between Wenatchee & Ellensburg WA

The skies are clearing and the temperatures are rising the further and further we head Eastward away from the Pacific Coast. We have experienced cool temperatures and cloudy or foggy or smokey skies since we arrived in San Francisco over 2 weeks ago and all up the Pacific Coast to Alaska and back to Seattle. Finally some warmth and sunshine. We weren't expecting warmth in Alaska, but clearer skies would have been nice. The temperatures as we drove Eastward got up to 29 Celsius today as we headed across the State of Washington.

Once we got up into the high desert the landscape suddenly changed from tall evergreens, to short scrub and wide open landscapes.

5158 Scenery along I-90 between Wenatchee & Ellensburg WA5159 Scenery along I-90 between Wenatchee & Ellensburg WA

We stopped briefly at Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park. Not much here except for a great view and a few pieces of petrified wood. After visiting the Petrified Forest in Arizona last summer, this was not nearly as interesting, but still worth the quick stop for a stretch and some photos.

5162 Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park WA5164 Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park WA5168 Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park WA

A bit further along Eastbound I-90 we came to the Wild Horses Monument. It is a piece of roadside art, a really neat steel sculpture placed high on a hill top that overlooks I-90. We pulled off at the viewing area for some photos.

5180 Wild Horses Monument WA5181 Wild Horses Monument WA5186 Wild Horses Monument WA

We caught this large dust devil out the side window of the car as we drove the last few miles into Spokane Washington.

5192 Dust Devil near I-90 Schrag Rest Area WA

Tonight we are checked into our hotel in Spokane WA where we will stay for 2 nights before heading further Eastward.

If you wish to see all of the photos that I took today, you can visit my FLICKR site.

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