I think I'm gonna like it here...

Sunsets and Evergreens--a beautimous combo!

Tully's Chai latte--yum!

Tully's, Seattle's Best, and Starbucks are all nation-wide chains that had their starts right here in Seattle...Tully's chai has definitely won me over. In case chains make you ill, there are loads of local independent coffee shops to try as well.

Greenlake--the perfect running spot
Today, I ran around Greenlake in about 45 minutes. It was inspiring...the beautiful weather, and the fact that EVERYONE here exercises! During my run, I saw the following:
3,263 people walk/running dogs
2,258 women walk/running with strollers
1,116 other walk/runners sans animals or strollers
2 men in their 50s on skateboards
1 couple strolling who were obviously on a first date
1 hot guy running with a dachsund--destiny, I thought
1 woman walking with a stroller, in which I peeked and found a DOG

Road Trip 2007

No miles down, 2600 to go...

First things first: it's a good idea to pray before getting on the road in any case, but as most of you know, my car has had some (ahem) issues...we prayed on our knees desperately that we would make it all the way to Seattle!

Marcy & I ready to go...and wondering if this would be our last picture together, should the sheer magnitude of being trapped in a car together for 38 hours do in our 13 year friendship!

So, we were driving along and in the Panhandle of Texas (which I'd actually never been to), the absolutely most ODIOUS smell of cow manure pierced the air and took over everything for a couple of hours. It was HORRIBLE.

This is Texas fighting to keep me...

Never had I seen these...

Adios Texas...

Welcome to New Mexico!

And Mountain Time Zone!

Sort of, because as you can probably not see below, me & Marcy's phones were reading two different times...mine got on Mountain time about 5 minutes before hers...spooky...

Welcome to (colorful, apparently) Colorado!

We spent the first night in Denver, and woke up to the thickest fog I have ever seen. And sorry, that's all the photos of Colorado...what can I say? It was about 5:30 am.

Welcome to Wyoming!

This is us at 1000 miles traveled together (plus my 500 from Corpus to Denton)--we're still smiling!

Or maybe not...

Wyoming was BOR-ING!

Welcome to Idaho!

Trying to entertain ourselves...(and yeah, that's about all there was to Idaho, even though this is where we spent our second night!)

Welcome to Utah!

This one looks quite fake to me, but I assure you it is real...

Welcome to Oregon!

The Oregon state sign was virtually impossible to capture, hidden in trees, so Marcy adeptly saw this alternate option and got out her camera in time.

What a little treasure trove we found in Baker City, OR. I REALLY had to go, and there weren't a lot of options in Oregon, so when we saw a Chevron sign at the interstate exit, we knew we were headed to Baker City. After driving about 10 minutes, we reached the most quaint little town and stopped at this gas station. I got out of the car and started to go for the pump, when the sweetest man hollered at me that I didn't need to get my own gas, didn't I know that there's a state-wide full service only?, and welcome to Oregon!

Scenes from Oregon...

The ramp for runaway trucks who've lost their brakes...scary! (It looks steeper in person...)

Welcome to Washington!

We took this when we saw our first sign for Seattle...I believe it read "138 miles to Seattle...and your sanity"

The scenery was UNbelievable...take a look...

Welcome to Seattle!

Crossing Lake Washington into Seattle on I-90

The exit toward my place...I-5 north to Everett

Exit to the UW, my home away from home for the next few years

Husky Stadium...see those two winged-looking things next to the tall building?

Here's my place! This is the foyer view from the front door, but I plan to post better and more pics soon...

2,700 miles later, Marcy and I still like each other! We treated ourselves to dinner for surviving!