Boland family 2014 motorcycle trip to Seattle and back

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3 days of hard riding and made it half way home

6

Got to hang out with Gearard, Selena, and Theresa for 2 day.  We got to do fun stuff like watch Gearard and Selena buy a car.  He was nice enough to let me and Joe ride in the back seat.  Maybe next time i can drive it…  We also got to eat some nice steaks and hang out with Theresa.

After hanging out for 2 days we finally headed home.  We decided to head a different way home and headed south east down route 84 to route 80.  Other then Snoqualmie Pass we didn’t really hit any crazy mountains like the way hear.  This route seems to be a more gradual increase and decrease over the ranges.  We did get to see mount Rainer in the distance.

So i learned something new the other day, Washington state has ideal conditions for growing grapes for wine. At least that’s what all the signs said when we drove through Washington’s wine country.  I was tempted to stop and dry some samples, but we probably wouldn’t of gotten any riding down after. Later that day we drove through the north western part of Oregon.  From what i saw its pretty nice.  But need to see more to get a real opinion.

We went through the southern area of Idaho this time.  Still didn’t see any potatoes (and yes mom, i did expect them to line the streets for me). We did drive through an area that smelt like potato chips; but there is a chance i was just hungry.

The next day we drove through the northern area of Utah.  So far this is the only state that looks exactly like its post cards (and license plates).  Also so some interesting cloud formations, lots of big ones with little ones surrounding them. Nearly every cloud in the state looked like it was painted on the sky. Sadly not photos, the roads were to windy to take out a camera.

Today we made it through the rest of Wyoming and about half way through Nebraska.  South Wyoming looks different then the northern part. I like both but prefer the north.  Nebraska looks exactly like i pictured it to look. We did stop at a gas station in a small town and I can’t believe how quite it was.  We could here a car coming from blocks a way. The few people we spoke to were very nice though. If the commute wouldn’t suck so much I’d consider living there.

This weather is driving me nuts. I look like a raccoon with the odd sun burn of i have.  3 times now we’ve spent the first half of the day in 40 degree weather and the later half in scorching hot weather.  My skin doesn’t know if it should be sun burned or frost bitten.  Driving through so many weather systems in a single day keeps us having to stop for wardrobe changes.  We’ve hit rain 3 times since last week but the first time we think its going to rain and actually put on the rain suits the sun comes.

Hopefully tomorrow we make it to Iowa.

 

Learning to ride

Learning to ride

Playing in new Harley outfit

Playing in new Harley outfit

So many toys!

So many toys!

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Parking in Seattle

Parking in Seattle

hanging with grandpa

hanging with grandpa

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Theresa hanging with uncles

Theresa hanging with uncles

Eating ice cream is hard work

Eating ice cream is hard work

Theresa giving grandpa a goodbye hug

Theresa giving grandpa a goodbye hug

Who says baby motorcycles don't have baby seats?

Who says baby motorcycles don’t have baby seats?

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Gearad learning to ride

Gearad learning to ride

Gearad learning to ride

Gearad learning to ride

Gearad learning to ride

Gearad learning to ride

Theresa trying to be daddies girl

Theresa trying to be daddies girl

Theresa playing with truck

Theresa playing with truck

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Idaho gas break

Idaho gas break

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Rain gear changing

Rain gear changing

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas sation

Wyoming gas sation

Sums up a big portion of the trip

Sums up a big portion of the trip

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racing to the east coast in Wyoming

racing to the east coast in Wyoming

racing to the east coast in Wyoming

racing to the east coast in Wyoming

They're trying to follow the leader...

They’re trying to follow the leader…

Showing us the proper way to take a wide unneeded turn into the parking spot

Showing us the proper way to take a wide unneeded turn into the parking spot

Typical small Nebraska town

Typical small Nebraska town

Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska looks the way I imagined...

Nebraska looks the way I imagined…

Trying to catch up, but try harder i'm taking a photo!

Trying to catch up, but try harder i’m taking a photo!

 

Wyoming, Montanta, mountains, and rain

2

Riding through Wyoming and Montana.  Didn’t make it as far as we wanted, we were aiming for Idaho but fell a little short. We hit rain around the Wyoming and Montana border but it passed pretty quick.  As soaked as we were the heat and bright sun saw to it that we were dry within 15 minutes. We also road through the first mountain range.  It was fun but also crazy going down the steep inclines that had curves.

We’ll see if we can make it the rest of the way tomorrow.

 

Montana mountains in a distance

Montana mountains in a distance

Riding in Wyoming

Riding in Wyoming

Rest stop in Wyoming

Rest stop in Wyoming

Montana mountains in a distance

Montana mountains in a distance

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Rest stop in Wyoming

Rest stop in Wyoming

Riding in Wyoming

Riding in Wyoming

Montana

Montana

Rain clouds in Montana

Rain clouds in Montana

Riding in Wyoming

Riding in Wyoming

Rain clouds in Montana

Rain clouds in Montana

Rain clouds in Montana

Rain clouds in Montana

Montana Rest Stop

Montana Rest Stop

Montana Rest Stop

Montana Rest Stop

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana

Joe and Dad riding in Montana

Joe and Dad riding in Montana

Rest stop in Wyoming

Rest stop in Wyoming

Riding in Montana

Riding in Montana