Closer to Seattle

We left Leavenworth today and drove to Monroe, where the closest Thousand Trails campground to Seattle is located.

As we were getting ready to leave, these little ones were motoring around our area of the campground... Dwayne said that we should look for a motorized play tractor for young Joseph... I said that his dad and granddad will have him driving the fullsized one before too long!

Some other little critters had left footprints in the dust outside the rig last night (we think chipmunks or squirrels, we had seen both).

While we stayed in Leavenworth (we arrived on Friday, left on Monday), they weren't doing construction on the road (on Saturday and Sunday). There was a sign as we left the campground that they would be doing construction Monday-Friday, but we kinda thought they had finished on the part west of the campground entrance... not so much... so we were a little delayed while they got a lane prepared so that we could pass through.

When we got down to US 2, again there was construction - we were stopped for another few minutes... and that was the case again in a couple of other places as we continued on US 2 west. There was one of those temporary lighted warning signs that indicated that there could be delays of up to 40 minutes over the next 45 miles; we probably lost about 25 minutes in total with all the stops.

 It was a beautiful drive - we went over Stevens Pass (http://www.wsdot.com/TRAFFIC/passes/stevens/default.aspx). I am always thankful when I see "Chain Up" areas that we are NOT here in the winter! I was driving, and Dwayne didn't take any pictures.. :-(

We have arrived at Thunderbird RV Campground in Monroe, Washington. Even though we are on the western side of the state (which is supposed to be the wetter side, I think!), it is still quite dry here - burn ban warnings, etc. But no smoke so far that we've seen.

It was "interesting" getting Miss Doozie into the site. The site is plenty long and ok on width, but the road is relatively narrow, and on a hill - so we kept on dragging the back corner as we were backing in. We finally got the right combination of turn and hill and got into the site. We are scheduled here until Thursday, and then head further north.

We are excited to get to visit our friends Bryant and Michelle, and baby Jackson (my birthday buddy!) tomorrow - so we'll get to drive in to Seattle - in the Jeep! Leaving Miss Doozie to chill at the campground.