The road conditions had not impreved while we tortured out digestive systems. If anything they were worse. I think a mist was rising up off of the Columbia River and treezing on the road. Get the car up to about 45 mph and it would start drifting around on the icy road. One mistake and the truck would be out of control.
I would work the speed up to 45, the tires would start slipping, Liz would start yelling in my ear and I would slow down until the tires stopped spinning. Going up the far side od the bridge each time I slowed down, it would be a couple of miles an hour slower when the tires spun. This kept up on the hill after you got off the bridge. By the time we got to the top of the hill we were down to about 15 miles an hour. Man was I ever glad to see the road level out.
Once you get out of the Columbia River Canyon, the rooad pretty much levels out. Moses Lake, Ritzville, Soap Lake. Wheat fields rolling on oth sides of the road pretty much all the way until right before Spokane, when the trees come back and civilization starts peeking over the horizon. By then we were road tired, but out destination was only about an hour away, so we didn't stop. Although the scenerry had improved, the road had not. It was still white nuckle driving for another hour to get to the property.
It was a great relief to turn into the driveway, past the tattered old barn and milking parlor. and up to the house. So many memmories came flashing through my head, that I had to just sit there for a while. Of course Liz was immediately "Well, you gonna sit here all night, or can we get out? I hope you told the renters we were coming, or you can sleep out in the barn. I am famished, thuy better have something set out for us."
