Driving, Leg 1

Day 1: The first leg of my journey begins.  I am to head north.  Makes no sense really, head north to travel southeast, but trust me.  I triple checked the numbers and it was both a shorter distance, and a shorter time.  The other option was to head south and then head east.  Not interesting for me because I have been through the Southwest multiple times.  The farthest east I have been in Oregon is the Umatilla area.  So I took off in the morning, both excited for the adventure of a new place and a new job, but sad at the same time for leaving almost everything I love behind.  I say almost because I brought these little guys along as reminders on my drive.

Yes, it is a stuffed penguin (one that has been with me whenever I have traveled) and a baby scorpion pepper plant.  But the point is that they are things from home that will remind me of home, and you can think whatever you want.  The total distance I would be driving for this leg is 623 miles, and the first 370 miles sucked.  The driving was not difficult, although at that point I got tired of the repetitive songs on the radio (and I have satellite radio), it was the weather.  It rained for more than the first half of the distance, anywhere between light rain and torrential downpour.  It really only let up as I was getting close to the Idaho border.

Idaho is not as bad a some of the people I talked with made it out to be.  The landscape was pretty, at least in the area that I was driving.  I also can't really fault a state that has a giant lizard (I think this in Idaho, but the picture was taken while I was driving so I can't be completely sure).

Driving through Boise sucked.  Reminded me a lot of driving in Portland or somewhere else that is moderately sized.  Nothing like LA.  Driving in LA always sucks, no matter the time, day, or where.  Probably the best part of that day was stopping in Twin Falls, Idaho.  First, because they have a bridge coming in to town, which passes right over a river and gives this wonderful view.

And second, because I was tired and hungry.  I checked in to my hotel and grabbed a Quesadillia Explosion Salad from Chili's.  It was really good, and really nice to have some food and a bed to lay on, because driving for nine hours really makes the legs and back stiff.  I was determined to enjoy stretching out as much as I could, because there were three more days ahead of me to drive.