Path to Convergence
Copyright© 2025 by Vonalt
Chapter 10: An Most Unusual Honeymoon
The trip from Minot to Seattle took approximately three days. The drive passed through the high plains and the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Idaho, then continued into the high desert and mountain regions of Washington. It was exciting to leave the semi-arid landscape of eastern Washington, cross over the Cascade Mountain Range, and descend into the wet, rainforest-like climate of western Washington and, finally, into Seattle. We stopped to enjoy the various views we encountered along the way multiple times. I never grew tired of the mountain vistas and forests of western Washington. The scenery was so different from that of the East Coast of the United States. We would have stopped every fifteen minutes to take in the sights that the mountain ranges had to offer if Karen and Andi had their way.
We stopped about halfway across Montana on our first night out of Minot. The small town had little to offer, so we stayed in our room, talking about the trip so far and how much farther we had to go before reaching Seattle. I called home to check on the girls and see how things were going while Karen and Andi chatted.
Randy picked up the phone, and everything seemed pretty normal from our conversation. There had been no unwanted visitors, and the video recorder had arrived and been installed by Scotty. I was told that my daughters were learning bad habits from Beast. They would go to another adult when told ‘no’ by one to get what they wanted. They were getting very good at it according to Randy.
The dogs were up to their usual antics, except that Beast had learned a new trick. If begging for something didn’t work, he would somehow manipulate one of the twins into getting it for him. No one had a clue as to how he managed to pull it off.
We finally reached Seattle after another two days of leisurely driving. I was able to reach my business associates at the software company following a couple of phone calls, and asked for their help in arranging a tour for our party of three. My friends put a sightseeing itinerary together that delighted Karen and Andi without hesitation, and made me the hero of the day.
We visited the Space Needle and enjoyed the breathtaking views of Seattle it offered over the next two days. Andi even caught a flying salmon during one of the famous fish tosses at Pike Place Market. We toured the Seattle waterfront and visited the aquarium, all while taking in the city skyline’s stunning views.
We also explored a few off-the-wall museums that featured avant-garde art. I didn’t care much for the artwork, but I was polite and patiently stood to the side while Karen and Andi oohed and aahed over it. I personally found myself more drawn to Pioneer Square, where the architecture was more traditional—and truly impressive.
We, of course, had an opportunity to sample various seafood dishes, most of which featured some sort of salmon entrée. I don’t think that I’ll ever go back to canned salmon after that experience.
I think that the highlight of the trip to Seattle was the boat tour of Puget Sound that afforded us the chance to see a pod of curious orcas that our sightseeing boat attracted. Both Karen and Andi loved it. As for me, even though I’ve seen them before, I never stop being amazed at how big they can get.
I called home again before leaving Seattle to check on how things were going. I got to talk with Scotty this time. Everything on the home front was normal; no unusual happenings, and no sightings of my mother or psycho brother.
Scotty did, however, ask the inevitable question about when were we coming home. Jean was apparently falling in love with our house and all the extra space. She’d been dropping hints that she might want one just like it and was ready to start looking. Scotty ended the call with a groan, saying that he had just paid off the mortgage on their townhouse and they were finally debt-free.
We set out on a circular trip through the Olympic National Forest and Seashore after leaving Seattle. We stopped in charming towns like Port Angeles, Forks, and Aberdeen along the way. The shore views were nothing short of spectacular; rugged cliffs meeting the endless Pacific with waves crashing against rocky shores. Equally breathtaking were the moss-covered landscape of the Olympic National Forest, with its towering ancient trees draped in vibrant green. We all agreed that this would be the place we’d call home if we didn’t have commitments in Washington, DC.
We continued south along the Washington coast on US 101, the Pacific Coast Highway, after touring Olympic National Park. The views of the Pacific Ocean were absolutely spectacular. The scenery grew more breathtaking than the last with each passing mile. I had to pull over several times so that everyone could fully take in the stunning vistas.
One thing we all found humorous was that nearly every scenic stop came with its own soundtrack, the constant barking of seals and sea lions echoing from nearby rocks and beaches.
We continued traveling down the Washington coast until we reached the Columbia River where we crossed into Oregon at Astoria and visited some of the sights where the movie The Goonies was filmed. What a neat port community, in my estimation. Besides the Goonies filming locations, there were also interesting 19th-century homes and buildings to explore.
There was still so much along the Oregon that coast we wanted to see and experience, so we continued south along the PCH. We slowly made our way from Astoria to Cresent City, California, over the next three days. We enjoyed plenty of seafood and stopped at multiple beaches to wade in the ocean at several spots.
Some of the other activities that we enjoyed included sampling cheeses at Tillamook and photographing the striking rock formations at various beaches along the coast. I would call home to check in every night, and the answer was the same each night; the girls were fine, everyone was fine, except that Beast was in the doghouse.
He tried to grab Olive’s pan of lasagna off the counter while it was cooling, but Jean managed to rescue it before Beast could get to it. Beast was serving a time-out in the backyard for his misdeed. I was happy if that was all that was happening at home, and I promised Jean that we would soon be heading back to Washington.
We took a vote on how far we wanted to venture along the California coast the night we reached Crescent City. We had all been to San Francisco recently, and none of us felt the need to go back. However, we all agreed that we wanted to head back along the coast to spend more time in the redwood forest groves. Looking at the map, we planned to make our way down to Leggett, near the last major redwood forest.
I noticed Lassen Volcanic National Park while looking at the map. I hadn’t realized that there were volcanoes in California. Karen and Andi also didn’t know when I mentioned it to them, so it didn’t take much convincing for us to decide that we would turn east to visit the park after reaching the town of Leggett on the PCH.
The redwoods were as fantastic as I remembered, and we got to see even more of them this time than Karen and I did the first time. We all agreed that we would bring the girls here to share the experience when they were old enough. We arrived in Leggett after a full day’s drive, then turned east and headed toward Lassen Volcanic National Park.
If there was one phrase to describe Lassen, it would be that ‘It stinks’.
I’m not referring to its beauty or interesting features when I say that the park stinks, I’m talking about the smell that’s prevalent in parts of the park. Lassen has active volcanic activity, so you get all the usual signs of a live volcano, including the strong, unmistakable odor of sulphur in the air.
The views were spectacular, and just being near a park full of active volcanoes was thrilling. We spent a day and a half stopping at overlooks and hiking some of the shorter trails to admire stunning waterfalls and take in breathtaking views of Lassen Peak. This was another place where we’d want to bring the girls, if for no other reason than the sulfur smell.
We pointed the car toward Nevada the next day and kept moving, stopping only for fuel and food. I did offer to stop in Nevada so that Andi and I could have a marriage ceremony to seal our union, but only if Elvis officiated. I was quickly not so nicely told to keep driving.
We finally reached Salt Lake City, Utah, after a twelve-hour day of driving. We stopped for the night where we found a really nice motel just off the interstate. Supper that evening was at a chain restaurant across the street from where we were staying.
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