Day 8: 9/23/2010
Tacoma, WA-Portland, OR, 150.2 miles
http://goo.gl/maps/o0gO

We'd planned to go meet Willa after her Rat Lab and meet Mikey the rat, but we were slow risers, so we were ready in time for her to get back home :p Along with Lucy, we went to a breakfast place about 15-20 minutes walk from the house, which was lovely... with the rain and all... This was officially our first day with rain! The breakfast place was worth the walk, awesome food. We all just got two things and split them between two people each, I'm glad I didn't get a whole meal! On the walk back the rain let up and stopped for a little while, so it was much more enjoyable.

Once we got back it was time to pack up and say our goodbyes because Willa needed to study before a big concert that night... that's right, Hanson is back! Lol. There was a crazy last minute search for Mathew's disappearing toiletries bag, which finally reappeared on Willa's back steps where some kind soul put after probably finding it in the road by our car :p Then a bunch more hugs for Willa and I (home hugs are better than any others, you rock Willa!) and on the road again!

First stop, Ford Quick Lane! Finally, Pretty Car gets a check up. We'd noticed the transmission trying to find or skip gears while going uphill, so we asked if they could check that out... no go, but they'd look at it as much as they could in the time allowed. Now an hour and half or so... what to do... oh that's right, they have internet in the customer lounge! Lol, so we hung out there, got caught up with e-mail and tried to make progress on the blog, and kept our fingers crossed for the transmission.

Crossing fingers apparently doesn't work on cars. Turns out there was a recall on my car sometime in May or June that I never got the letter for... the recall was for some computer glitches that handled the transmission. If caught in time, it was just a quick reprogram. But it probably wasn't caught in time, given the symptoms we'd noticed... He told us the warning signs that the transmission was about to die and suggested planning a few days in one spot since it would need an appointment. We went over some options and headed for the Museum of Glass in Tacoma.

Mom told us we had to at least walk across the pedestrian overpass there, but as we weren't there after hours like she was, we got to go inside, too! A third or so of their exhibit space was closed down for new installations, so we got a discount. First we went into the "Hot Room" to see a glass blowing couple from Murano, Italy. The room was awesome! It's inside this huge cone shaped portion of the building. Huge. The demonstration was really interesting, too. It was great to see how they all worked as a team with the process. At the end they showed a short movie about the Glass by Kids project, where children get to color and draw designs for sculptures and then the museum crew makes them real! Some notable names were Bacon Boy and Handi Man. Fun! Incredible way to draw in the community and make art accessible!

Then to the overpass itself outside the museum. Wow! It's completely amazing, absolutely gorgeous glass artwork on display and free for anybody to walk across! Possibly the coolest example of art for all that I've seen in a while. That was by far the highlight of the museum for me.

A quick late lunch at a coffee shop on the other side of the overpass and then back to the car to aim for the Oregon coast to camp. We were taking i5 to Portland and then heading off to Route 101 on the coast.

...Plans change! A little while down i5 I saw somebody's sleeping bag go flying in my mirror... Oh... that's -my- sleeping bag! I pulled off on the shoulder and Mathew gallantly dashed out in bare feet to close the roof rack that had come open. With 4 lanes of interstate traffic, my new sleeping bag, pad, and a blanket were a lost cause. Dad's later e-mail of "I lost way more from a work truck, so I've got you beat by quite a bit. You need to try harder. Love, Dad" really helped cheer me up. Thanks Dad, love you, too!

Back on the road, but the transmission did not appreciate this and slipped gears six times or so getting back up to speed. Suddenly camping was out and making it to San Francisco for the car appointment seems like a bad plan. Off the road again, this time using an exit ramp to go park and call the Portland Ford location. Luck at last! They have an appointment at 9am the next morning!

On the road again, this time wishing I could just inch my poor car to the shop, but she did great now, and we continued to Portland, using Mathew's GPS in the outskirts to find a Barnes and Noble for more internet. Mathew used Priceline to find us a good, cheap hotel while I use some photo therapy to cheer up by working on my 365 Project. After putting in the Address for the Ramada Inn, we drove there with a quick detour to Taco Bell for dinner. It was nice to know we wouldn't have to backtrack the next day because the hotel was in the same direction as the Ford place. I was driving in the city because Mathew knows how to work the GPS.

At the hotel we were magically upgraded to a mini suite and, with plans for oatmeal in the morning, sleepy time!