55 F/ 13 C

One more day to go!
I get excited when I am 
getting close to home

~carliewired

I was back on the Interstate 84 leaving Baker City, Oregon by 9:30. I found the heater in my motel room to be rather noisy so I didn't sleep all that well.

Overnight we'd had some scattered showers in the bottom of the valley. Up on the higher levels snow replaced rain. When I made my first stop a few miles west of Baker City I could look across the highway to some snowy peaks. 

The I-84 route heading west was uneventful. My biggest fear is the Blue Mountain summit (4, 193 ft in elevation) before dropping down off the plateau above Pendleton, Oregon. Like most interstate highways there is a lot of transport trucks to be found. Thankfully, this route was wet and bare and traffic was moving smoothly. Once that winding, switchback section is behind me, I breathe so much easier. I consider it the last hurdle before home. 

I stopped at almost every rest stop today just to get out and stretch my legs. Each stop was loaded with transport trucks. The rest stops are set up to accommodate them.

Past Pendleton, Oregon the landscape is rolling hills with few trees. It reminds me a lot of the semi-arid region where I live. 

At noon, I crossed the Columbia River over the Umatlilla Bridge on Interstate 82 into the state of Washington. The sun had been playing hide and seek this morning. Once into Washington state it brightened. 

I made a stop to catch a couple of shots of the agricultural area alongside the Columbia River. Washington is known for its orchards and vineyards. Apples are a huge crop in this state. I noticed work being done in the fields and some trees were beginning to bloom. 

I took the drive up the hill to the lookout for the Wanapum Dam on the Columbia River. It is one of many on this river producing electricity. One can see the lines of high tension wires leading off into the distance. 

There were many route changes in my trip today. Without my GPS I would be lost for sure. 

I arrived in Wenatchee, Washington about 3 PM. I must say I'm getting tired of driving. I'm looking forward to being home sometime tomorrow.