After the success of the wagon at Beavertail Hill, we thought it'd be a good idea to take it along on our second trip to Maupin. I'll bet we lost nearly a mile per gallon with that thing up there. Maybe next year we'll tow it?
At mile 123 on US 12 in Idaho we stopped for a break and found all these butterflies (Tiger and Zebra Swallowtails) sucking water from the wet gravel. Tater Tot was kind of impressed, impressed enough to count them ("noin-ty, noin-ty", the way she counts everything). She thought it was interesting how close she could get to them, but was easily distracted by rocks and ants. She did not like it when I got the butterflies to climb onto my fingers.
Still hanging out with the butterflies and ants
We took Alpowa Summit from the West last time and I didn't think much of it. This time, from the East, Ludwig found it more laborious. A bit shy of the top Tater Tot wanted a break, and I think Ludwig was thankful.
By the time we got to Pendleton it was late late late. I guess I didn't figure in all the Tater breaks and the extreme winding-ness (sample here) of US 12 through Idaho, and it ended up taking eleven hours from Missoula. There were a couple construction delays which cost us too. It ended up being the longest travel day of TT's life, and she took it really well.
Pendleton is home to Maura and Scott, who graciously lent us their guest room for the night. The next morning Maura showed us around the town, including a really nice playground that TT went nuts for. Back at their place Maura read Tater Tot some books in Ludwig.
Mitch's birthday present to me this year was yarn shopping during our trip. (Although yarn and knitting aren't the main topics of this blog, enough knitters read this that I'm including this part of the trip here anyway.) We thought surely Pendleton Oregon, home of Pendleton Woolen Mills, was a good bet for a local yarn shop gold mine. Wrong, wrong, wrong. There were no yarn shops in Pendleton. A sad day for yarn shopping, and even more sad for Maura, knitter extroidanaire. The quest for yarn continued on...
(miles 220,455-220,824)
4 comments:
The butterfly photo is great! She has alot to look forward to with daddy and his ability to attract them. Wonder if she has that same ability?
Towing the wagon would indeed increase the aerodynamics of the already "brick-shaped" Ludwig. However I anticipate wheel bearing over-heating issues with the wagon.
ml-If she has the ability, as I do, to attract butterflies, she doesn't much care about it. She is much (much) more interested in ants.
anon-As the wagon lacks wheel bearings, I'm more worried about finding some H-rated tires.
Alright,
whc03grady.
HA HA! I love it! You guys had the exaft same idea for the wagon! I didn't think to put mine bottom to the front like that. Looks like this was a great trip! I'd love to make it out for this some year in the future. Maybe if I win the lottery I'll just go to every VW event around the country. A North American Tour if you will.
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