Valuable Lesson Learned

We left Troutdale at 8 am this morning. As we headed east on I 84 from the Portland area we were fighting wind gusts. The Columbia River had massive white caps across the surface from Troutdale all the way to the Bonneville Dam. Once we passed the dam we started into farm land. It appears much of the summer wheat crop has been taken. We continued to follow the Columbia until it disappeared and we were left with nothing but flat open road.

I kept wondering why there were lots of wind turbines on the Washington state side but none in Oregon. Around a 144 miles out we started to see the turbines on the horizon on the Oregon side. In La Gande and Pendleton there are a lot of people who don't like the idea of the wind turbines saying they are just too expensive. And a nuclear meltdown is better, how? Oh well, La Grande is where we saw a public bus with a destination of "Walmart". The tax payers money at work.

Now to the lesson. It is probably a good idea to be aware of where you are and what looms ahead of you on the highway. When I asked at the Oregon Visitors trailer at one of the rest stops, I was told I had straight, flat highway with no road construction or accidents. They forgot to mention, MOUNTAINS. To get to La Gande you must pass over a mountain pass. It is quite a climb and had I known about it in Pendleton I would have fueled the truck before leaving. I had about a half a tank with about a hundred miles to go. No big deal, right? WRONG. Somewhere around 20 miles from La Grande, with no fuel stops in site, the little yellow fuel light came on. I was on pins and needles until we got to the first La Grande exit. Once off the exit the sign indicated the first available fuel station was 1 mile away. I made it, barely. The truck took 25.72 gallons of fuel and holds 26. Like I said, a very valuable lesson was learned today.

Sorry there are not pictures in today's post. We are off to Pendleton tomorrow and I hope to get some shots as Mia has promised to drive. We are currently at Eagles Hot Lake RV resort just out of La Grande. Small park in the open with few trees. An the sun is out and it is warm. Got up to the mid 80's today.

We are having a ball. I am off to the pool and then ???

Be safe out there.