A Tale of Three Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland)
It was the best of times it was the worst of times, but mostly it was a good time. We began our journey on Thursday morning at Enterprize Car Rentals. I did get the SUV I wanted, a big bright red Durango, but it had no temperature gage on the mirror to my disappointment. I wondered how I was going to entertain myself on the five hour trip over and back, a total of ten hours of driving. I would soon find out.
At the school Graydon and Jordan helped me load up the tent and etc. By 8:30 we were on I -5 headed for Pasco. Our first stop was Snoqualamie Pass and was uneventful. It was amazing how much the snow had melted since we had travel through here five weeks ago to the Pasco Invite. There was actually a store next to the rest rooms that we did not see in April because of the piles of snow. The girls team and Coach Wright were at the pass as well and we exchanged pleasantries and remind one another that we were meeting at the DQ in Yakima.
We plowed through the rest of the mountain pass headed for our turn off at Ellensburg. It was here my boredom forced me into action. Jordan was reading a children's book written in French, I switched the radio to a Spanish speaking station, and began to ask him questions in English. This didn't seem to bother Jordan much or Graydon either. I finally switched the radio to static and after about five minutes Graydon asked what was going on, but Jordan just kept reading his book. We snaked our way through the passes between Ellensburg and Yakima looking for state patrol cars as we traveled. During my tenure as a coach at CHS no less than three parents have received speeding tickets on this up and down section of road. The uphill is okay, but the long downhills make it really difficult to keep from speeding. I'm always careful in this section, but today I was extra cautious because I was driving a big red SUV which might as well as had a sign on it inscribed with, "Give me a ticket".
Soon it was noon. We parked at the DQ in Yakima and everyone scattered to different fast food places. Coach Wright and I ate at DQ. The guys headed for a sub shop and apparently had to climb a cyclone fence to reach their destination. Jordan was the first over and received a minor cut on his hand. Not to be out done, Graydon picked up a pine cone and chucked it at the fence, it rebounded, and cut his hand. These are two of the dumbest smart people I know. All the wounds were minor, and I was able to sew them up with a small sewing kit.
We arrived at at the Red Lion, which was to be our base for the next couple of days, to the ring of a cell phone. The girl's van had gotten a flat tire and would be late. We changed and went over to the track to make sure we could be in the tent lottery. Apparently they decided to have the lottery early and we received the last ticket. It was a beauty though, giving us a full view of the track from up on the hill. We surveyed the track, and decided that yes indeed, it was a track - a big red track. Friday was a busy day with Amanda, the 4x4, Jordan and Graydon racing. But before we raced we had to sprint down the hill chasing our tent which, caught by a gust of wind, ripped loose from its pinnings and flip flopped down the hill. Jordan had our best placing of the meet that day with a 9th in the 3200. Amanda ran her second fastest 3200 and had the priviledge of being in a state record setting 32oo with Megan O'Reilly. The 4x4 PR'd by nearly two seconds as I did a "play by play" on the cell phone to Mrs. Miller. Their time of 4:06 was one of Capital's best times in recent history and all the runners return. Relay members were Bailey, Lisa, Hannah S. Johannah, and Amy. On Saturday Graydon had a strong showing in the 1600 being our top finisher in that event.
Jordan and Graydon rode home with their parents. I'm not sure why. I shower on a monthly basis. I knew this was going to happen, so I bought an audiobook from Barnes & Noble - Founding Brothers, by Joseph Ellis. Switching between this book and Beatle albums it was a smooth sail home.
Next trip to Pasco - 3A State Cross Country Meet - but we need to do some work first.
At the school Graydon and Jordan helped me load up the tent and etc. By 8:30 we were on I -5 headed for Pasco. Our first stop was Snoqualamie Pass and was uneventful. It was amazing how much the snow had melted since we had travel through here five weeks ago to the Pasco Invite. There was actually a store next to the rest rooms that we did not see in April because of the piles of snow. The girls team and Coach Wright were at the pass as well and we exchanged pleasantries and remind one another that we were meeting at the DQ in Yakima.
We plowed through the rest of the mountain pass headed for our turn off at Ellensburg. It was here my boredom forced me into action. Jordan was reading a children's book written in French, I switched the radio to a Spanish speaking station, and began to ask him questions in English. This didn't seem to bother Jordan much or Graydon either. I finally switched the radio to static and after about five minutes Graydon asked what was going on, but Jordan just kept reading his book. We snaked our way through the passes between Ellensburg and Yakima looking for state patrol cars as we traveled. During my tenure as a coach at CHS no less than three parents have received speeding tickets on this up and down section of road. The uphill is okay, but the long downhills make it really difficult to keep from speeding. I'm always careful in this section, but today I was extra cautious because I was driving a big red SUV which might as well as had a sign on it inscribed with, "Give me a ticket".
Soon it was noon. We parked at the DQ in Yakima and everyone scattered to different fast food places. Coach Wright and I ate at DQ. The guys headed for a sub shop and apparently had to climb a cyclone fence to reach their destination. Jordan was the first over and received a minor cut on his hand. Not to be out done, Graydon picked up a pine cone and chucked it at the fence, it rebounded, and cut his hand. These are two of the dumbest smart people I know. All the wounds were minor, and I was able to sew them up with a small sewing kit.
We arrived at at the Red Lion, which was to be our base for the next couple of days, to the ring of a cell phone. The girl's van had gotten a flat tire and would be late. We changed and went over to the track to make sure we could be in the tent lottery. Apparently they decided to have the lottery early and we received the last ticket. It was a beauty though, giving us a full view of the track from up on the hill. We surveyed the track, and decided that yes indeed, it was a track - a big red track. Friday was a busy day with Amanda, the 4x4, Jordan and Graydon racing. But before we raced we had to sprint down the hill chasing our tent which, caught by a gust of wind, ripped loose from its pinnings and flip flopped down the hill. Jordan had our best placing of the meet that day with a 9th in the 3200. Amanda ran her second fastest 3200 and had the priviledge of being in a state record setting 32oo with Megan O'Reilly. The 4x4 PR'd by nearly two seconds as I did a "play by play" on the cell phone to Mrs. Miller. Their time of 4:06 was one of Capital's best times in recent history and all the runners return. Relay members were Bailey, Lisa, Hannah S. Johannah, and Amy. On Saturday Graydon had a strong showing in the 1600 being our top finisher in that event.
Jordan and Graydon rode home with their parents. I'm not sure why. I shower on a monthly basis. I knew this was going to happen, so I bought an audiobook from Barnes & Noble - Founding Brothers, by Joseph Ellis. Switching between this book and Beatle albums it was a smooth sail home.
Next trip to Pasco - 3A State Cross Country Meet - but we need to do some work first.
posted by Milldog at 10:01 AM
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