To the Lake!

Thursday marked an end to the first phase of my sabbatical. The taking care of things in Beaverton, enjoying time off, packing up, and getting used to the whole idea of a sabbatical phase. In the picture the truck is loaded and ready to go, just before I left Oregon to begin the next phase. The being at Flathead Lake, working on lake projects and enjoying every day in every way phase. Notice the refrigerator ($50 craigslist.com). It is on its way to Flathead to begin a new life as a kegerator.

Betty was in Medford for a couple of days and was driving back with a co-worker on Thursday afternoon. We coordinated our departures so that I could meet them in Wilsonville. Leaving for Montana from Wilsonville saved a bit of time and avoided some of the worst traffic! Our start was a little later than we planned (7:00pm out of Wilsonville) so instead of pushing through to Flathead we stopped in Post Falls, ID at the Sleep Inn (exit 2). ($60 room, comfortable bed, pool open 24 hours, free "Breakfast Medley").

We were up early on Friday, took advantage of the "Breakfast Medley" (love those Belgian waffles), and were on our way by 6:30am. Blue skies and sunshine, good roads and light traffic. (Road report: minor slowdown for construction at a couple of spots on I-84 through the Gorge, I-90 through Spokane, and a couple of bridge projects on I-90 between Lookout Pass and St. Regis).

Arriving at the cabin I took a short rest (the short night and the driving took a toll) and then I started my first project--a project *not* on the list but one that demanded top priority--repair the water line!