So the trip out was freaking hot.  103 in Missoula.  That's more than rare.  That's . . .  unthinkable.  We only went 200 miles on the first day because it was the maiden voyage of the trailer and we wanted to see how things functioned.  Got to Missoula, got parked and set up.  But we learned that the warranty work we'd had done on the truck a few days before hadn't taken.  So we took it to the dealership and they squeezed us in.  Then we learned that the air conditioning system on the trailer didn't do a very good job on coolling the trailer and we were annoyed.  Hot and annoyed.  And we ran errands, and we ate at IHOP where we had the worst service ever, and then packed it in.  It was down to around 90 at about 9 that night and the air was finally cooling. 

Next day we drive a beautiful windy route through Lolo Pass and through Idaho and mountains and had a lovely time.  Searched for a couple of geocaches, but not a lot of luck, since the people who placed them *said* it was a quick pickup, and turned out to be miles of hikes through poison ivy and brambles.  Did I mention it was hot?  And I'm a heat wimp?

Spend the night in Walla Walla and discover the water heater doesn't work.  Um, worked the night before.  WTF?  And it's not terribly important until you think about the fact that my three year old does not shower.  We were counting on baths.  So furiously looked up mechanics who were authorized to work on said water heater, and found a few.  None wanted to see us on Saturday.  (insert  frustrated namecalling under my breath here).

Next day, drive up through the Gorge (oh how beautiful!  I love the Columbia River Gorge!) to Hood River where we met ramblin_phyl who was just as lovely, gracious, fun and wonderful as I remember her being when we met in Glasgow.  We talked shop and kids and living in Oregon and oh, her brother was with her and is a very funny, entertaining man.  We ate good food and then hit the road again.  Just south of Portland, we went to Camping World.  No they couldn't fix us.  No time.  But we picked up a few things for the trailer and then went on to Salem to hook up with one of our friends, Mjean.

Did the eating out thing at Izzies, visited the Borders and signed stock, and then reached John in Coos Bay who was willing to look at the waterheater on a Sunday.  Wow.

Next day, went off to Coos Bay, and John tinkered and fixed the waterheater.  Okay, he said it wouldn't hold, but it would long enough to finish the trip and take it back to the dealer.  Yay us!  And then off to Florence where the weather was blessedly cooler.  Yes, did I mention the heat wimp thing?

The camping started out okay.  You have to understand.  There have been dustups in the camping in my family, largely because my sister is the family bomb.  At any moment she can blow up and you're never entirely sure why.  But she handled the snafu with the site arrangements and didn't wig out.  She did a little bit later, but yanno, wasn't directed at me or mine, so I'm cool.  Oh, and I've realized how much she looks like my grandmother.  Wow. 

We spent the week hanging out, going to the beach, the aquarium, eating way too much, doing some geocaching, and visiting with each other.  But by the end, it was clear things were straining.  Not entirely sure why.  But tempers were fraying.  It was a good time to go.  Yeah, that part of the report isn't as long as I thought it would be.  My back was freaking out a little--twinged it somehow and climbing sand dunes helped a lot.  Oh, and can tell you that I was reading all the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire books during this time.  A short review of those later. 

It was on a hike, by the way, that my agent called and told me that Jessica Wade had taken on the editor job at Roc and then I had a lovely conversation with Jessica, and I'm very hopeful that we'll work well together.

Some highpoints of the camping:  Picking mountain huckleberries, thimbleberries and blackberries.  Oh yum!  And the smell of the ocean and the wind in the trees.  Climbing the massive sand dune.  Watching my daughter and son wrap everyone around their fingers. 

The return home trip was good at first.  We went and found the original cache, the first geocaching cache anyone had placed, and that was not only fun, but a lovely drive to get there.  We then drove back up the gorge to Stansfield (i think) just south of Hermiston, Oregon.  Then things went awry.  In the space of about 15 minutes, I went from perfectly healthy to puking and . . . well, you don't need or want to know that, do you?  I was violently ill.  I'm surprised I didn't break a rib.  All the good the dunes had done my back was revoked as I pulled muscles.  Even today I can't laugh without pain.  I think I pulled every muscle in my neck and torso.  Chills and sweats accompanied my illness. 

I was sick from about 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., then it was just recovery.  My husband got nauseous the next day, but nothing horrible.  Kids didn't seem affected.  Stopped to buy cherries (oh such good cherries!) in St. Regis, then off again.  Spent another night in Missoula and came home, with fire helicopters flying overhead.  Yep, Montana's burning again.  Smoke is in the air. 

The dog was happy to see us, and we were glad to be in our own beds.  But now it's rush and scurry to get ready to go to California on Saturday, and get all that needs doing done before then.  Sigh.

Oh, and came home to lots of peas and tomatoes--finally ripe!  Wonderfulness.