Carol & Warner's Trip Around The USA: Jacksonville, OR to Tumwater, WA

May 28, 2011

Jacksonville, OR to Tumwater, WA

Left Jacksonville at 9:11 AM and drove north on I-5 toward Portland OR, and Tumwater, WA. The first part of the trip took us through the mountains with sweeping vistas and steep grades. There were occasional rain showers but nothing serious. The landscape was entirely green with none of the golden/brown of California. We stopped for gas and lunch near Eugene, Oregon.

We arrived in Portland, Oregon about 3 PM and stopped to visit the city we have been hearing a lot about lately. We wanted to visit the Rose Garden (no blossoms!!), the Japanese Garden (very nice – see images), and Powell’s Books. The latter is “THE” bookstore of the entire US of A. Incredible!!

Visit here: http://www.powells.com/ Powell's Books is the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world.

Rooms after room filled with every book you have ever wanted – and a lot you do not want. The Blue Room, the Gold Room, etc. plus a coffee shop where you read what you just bought. This is one the 1000 places we all need to visit.

We left Portland and crossed the Columbia River into Washington. The landscape by now had changed to a broad valley filled with farms and bordered by mountains.

We reached Tumwater about 7pm, checked into the Comfort Inn and went off to the local sports bar for dinner and a Yankee’s game – in which I had no interest!

Olympic Peninsula tomorrow.