Two unprepared Aussies on a snowy Oregon pass

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We said goodbye to Jane, Paul, Aislinn and Attikus in style at the Columbia River Gorge . This was pretty cool, as we had seen the source of the river - The Columbia ice fields (in the Rockies) - with Marilyn and Richard, and we would see it enter the ocean in Astoria, where we were headed.

After goodbyes and coffee, Jono and I hit the road to the coast. As soon as we were out of the city we noticed a growing accumulation of snow on either side of the road, and in no time at all we were driving (very slowly) over a snow and ice covered road. We were totally unprepared for this - we didn’t realise the passes between Portland and the Coast were high enough to gather so much snow, and we didn’t have snow chains. It was a little scary, particularly as it started getting dark. It was also incredibly pretty though. Jono had to drive all the way, because my drivers licence has expired (ooooops), so I got to take a few pictures.

We stopped in Seaside - the first town that we came to, and got a large motel room (with two king double beds) and our own personal spa half a block back from the beach for $70, the joys of travelling in off-peak season.

I called mum and dad from the motel room that night. They were also on the coast, in their holiday place. It was the middle of a sunny summer day. Hard to picture, when it was dark, freezing and snowing outside. It just totally brought home how strange this year felt. Christmas and New Years has always been filled with mangoes, cicadas and sun. Not this year.

Speaking of mangoes, my day was punctuated by spasms of stomach pain, sp I was on a fruit only diet, and was trying to avoid the masochistic mental exercise of recounting my diet from the last few days.

First thing on the shopping list for tomorrow: snow chains. Second thing: prunes.

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Photos

Me, Jane and Attikus
in front of the Columbia River Gorge

Very pretty
lots of water!

Looking down
still very pretty. I love the moss covered trees you see here (and in Vancouver). They look amazing when the sun gets a chance to streak through the clouds. (Not very often - maybe once or twice a year!)

Where we stopped for 'gas'
and started to wonder about the road ahead