{"id":17676,"date":"2018-12-14T08:10:49","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T15:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=17676"},"modified":"2019-02-18T21:31:09","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T04:31:09","slug":"lupes-u-haul-adventure-11-21-18-thru-11-26-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=17676","title":{"rendered":"Lupe’s U-Haul Adventure (11-21-18 thru 11-26-18)"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Preface & Days 1 thru 4 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

11-21-18<\/em> – T’was the night before Thanksgiving when a ride to the U-Haul store with SPHP, Erik & Ana confirmed that something big was in the works.\u00a0 A 15 foot U-Haul truck was rented.\u00a0 Lupe spent the rest of the evening standing on concrete watching while the contents of a storage facility were loaded into the truck.\u00a0 It was nearly the witching hour by the time the truck was parked in the driveway at home, and Loop was curled up in bed pondering what it all signified.<\/p>\r\n

Not until very recently had the Carolina Dog harbored any suspicions.\u00a0 Over the last few days, however, her keen Dingo ears had alerted her to changes in the normally silent underworld.\u00a0 Muffled bumps and thumps, faintly heard orders and threats, unhappy yowls.\u00a0 Lupe didn’t see them, she hardly ever saw them, but the cats who ruled the underworld were in distress.\u00a0 Their empire was in turmoil.<\/p>\r\n

11-22-18<\/em> – Thanksgiving Day.\u00a0 But was there turkey?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 Stuffing?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 Mashed potatoes?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 Gravy?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 No pumpkin pie, whipped cream or any of the other traditional Thanksgiving goodies Lupe enjoys either.<\/p>\r\n

What there was was activity and distress.\u00a0 Former cat emperors and princes were overthrown.\u00a0 The underworld was being dismantled!\u00a0 Their empire was in tatters.\u00a0 SPHP helped Erik and Ana move the giant cat tower into the U-Haul truck.\u00a0 SPHP expected to do a lot more, but Erik and Ana insisted they could handle almost everything else.<\/p>\r\n

A two hour mid-afternoon siesta was declared.\u00a0 So much remained to be done, it seemed impossible it could all happen before the day was shot.\u00a0 At sunset, Erik and Ana revived.\u00a0 They left to procure the Thanksgiving feast – returning with hamburgers from Perkins.\u00a0 Not bad, but not quite turkey and all the fixings, either.<\/p>\r\n

Packing, boxing, loading resumed.\u00a0 At 8:30 PM, Ana announced it was over.\u00a0 The truck was loaded!\u00a0 Astonishing, but basically true.\u00a0 Some last minute details would get handled in the morning, but little remained that was going on the truck.<\/p>\r\n

11-23-18<\/em> – Up at 2:30 AM!\u00a0 Not much like SPHP, but by now Lupe fully understood what was going on.\u00a0 Why SPHP was getting ready for another Dingo Vacation!\u00a0 An odd time of year for one, to be certain, but that was clearly what was happening.\u00a0 Lupe watched as SPHP prepared a place for her in the U-Haul truck.<\/p>\r\n

As dawn arrived, Erik and Ana emerged from the underworld.\u00a0 This was it – the momentous day!\u00a0 They were leaving the sunny Black Hills of South Dakota for good, and moving to the West Coast.\u00a0 The cat empire was relocating to foggy, drippy Bellingham, Washington.<\/p>\r\n

There were discussions about routes.\u00a0 An early winter storm was supposedly on the way.\u00a0 Reports said chains were already required to get over Snoqualmie Pass, but that was 1,000 miles away.\u00a0 Rather than freak out over hyped predictions, it was decided to stick with I-90, the shortest, most efficient route until conditions warranted a change of plans.<\/p>\r\n

At 8:08 AM, while the rest of the country was snapping up Black Friday Christmas specials, Lupe’s U-Haul adventure began.\u00a0 Her caravan made a quick stop for fuel, then hit I-90 heading W.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP were in the lead in the U-Haul truck.\u00a0 Erik and Ana followed in their green Mazda 2.<\/p>\r\n

Also in the Mazda 2, each in an individual pet carrier prison, were the denizens of the cat empire – Trevor, from the other side of the world; Ember, the silent one; Baby, champion hunter, killer, fighter and yowler; Pillow, the fluffy designer cat; and Tulera, the evil, black hisser.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe by her next adventure vehicle on Thanksgiving Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Mazda 2 which would take Erik, Ana & the 5 denizens of the cat empire to the West Coast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

The Carolina Dog’s caravan cruised W.\u00a0 The U-Haul truck and Mazda 2 were both doing fine.\u00a0 Bellingham, Washington is a long way from the Black Hills – 1,200+ miles by the shortest route.\u00a0 Occasional stops, less frequent as the day wore on, gave everyone a chance to use the rest room and stretch before the inevitable next spurt.<\/p>\r\n

One of the early stops was at the I-90 rest area near Moorcroft, Wyoming.\u00a0 Erik and Ana had already put up with an awful lot of yowling by then.\u00a0 One of the cats was so desperate, it had managed to claw a hole through a brand new cloth pet carrier and escape under a seat.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop enjoys a break from the U-Haul truck at the I-90 rest stop near Moorcroft, Wyoming.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Hiding under a seat?\u00a0 That was just plain crazy!\u00a0 The American Dingo wasn’t about to hide.\u00a0 The U-Haul truck was great!\u00a0 Lupe was riding high with lots of room to move around.\u00a0 Huge windows allowed her to spot cows and horses miles before the U-Haul got anywhere close to them.<\/p>\r\n

The caterwauling going on in the Mazda 2 didn’t have anything on the shrill, excited, near constant din in the U-Haul truck.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Hiding under a seat! Can you believe that? Cats must be the silliest breed of dog ever!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
Riding high with huge windows. Oh, yeah! This is the life!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cows port side at 10:00! Ooowwwooooowwww!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

The first sign of bad weather came E of the Bighorns.\u00a0 The day had been mostly sunny, but the Bighorns were shrouded in clouds.\u00a0 Three squalls swept through.\u00a0 The last one looked like the real deal.\u00a0 Traffic slowed to a crawl, snowflakes filled the air, fog reduced visibility.\u00a0 Within 5 minutes, a black Kia sedan was seen wrecked in the median, pieces scattered nearby.\u00a0 A truck that may have collided with the Kia was a bit farther down the road.<\/p>\r\n

Conditions were deteriorating fast!\u00a0 Lupe hadn’t even made 250 miles yet.\u00a0 The storm was concerning, convincing.\u00a0 After 15 or 20 minutes, it all proved to be a false alarm.\u00a0 The last squall ended as suddenly as it hit.\u00a0 Lupe rolled into Montana under crystal blue skies.\u00a0 The long dark ridge of the Bighorns leading to the Pryor Mountains was streaked white with new snow.<\/p>\r\n

Onward, for many a mile!<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
U-Hauling is a blast, SPHP! But, um, I did bring a bowl. We ever going to eat? Think you could put something in it for me? Pretty please?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Hours passed.\u00a0 The sun set.\u00a0 Twilight faded near Livingston.\u00a0 The night was as black as could be.\u00a0 A quick stop for food was made at a Walmart in Bozeman.\u00a0 Another stop was made in Butte, a critical point.\u00a0 650 miles gone by.\u00a0 Decision time.\u00a0 Find a motel here?\u00a0 In the morning a decision could be made as to whether to continue W on I-90, or swing S on I-15.\u00a0 That would all depend on what happened weather-wise overnight.<\/p>\r\n

The other option was to keep going while the roads were still good.\u00a0 Maybe it would be possible to beat the storm and get over Lookout Pass (4,700 ft.) at the Idaho border?\u00a0 If Cour d’Alene could be reached, except for Snoqualmie, the highest mountain passes along I-90 would be over and done with.<\/p>\r\n

It was already late.\u00a0 Lookout Pass was another 200+ miles.\u00a0 Even if all went well, it would be 2:00 AM by the time a motel could be secured in Cour d’Alene.\u00a0 Was it worth it?<\/p>\r\n

Onward!<\/em> said Erik and Ana.\u00a0 Seriously?\u00a0 Yup.\u00a0 Alrighty then.\u00a0 As the U-Haul truck hit the I-90 on ramp, tiny raindrops or snowflakes were seen in the headlights.\u00a0 Oh, brother!<\/p>\r\n

The weather held off, though, all the way to Missoula.\u00a0 At a gas station, SPHP pronounced the storm fake news!\u00a0 Ana agreed.\u00a0 A fraud alert on SPHP’s credit card caused a 20+ minute delay while refueling as SPHP tried to explain to Capital One that all these huge gas purchases today were legit.\u00a0 Got it straightened out.\u00a0 A full tank and back on the road again.\u00a0 Still 97 miles to Lookout Pass.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Before long it was raining.\u00a0 This time it didn’t quit.\u00a0 The rain turned to sleet, then snow.\u00a0 A slushy accumulation grew first on the shoulders, then on I-90 itself.\u00a0 20 miles to Lookout Pass.\u00a0 The U-Haul truck wasn’t having any problems at all, but the Mazda 2 was having a hard time keeping pace.\u00a0 So much for fake news.<\/p>\r\n

Slower and slower.\u00a0 Naturally, the miles long approach to the pass was all uphill.\u00a0 The Mazda 2 disappeared from the rear view mirror. \u00a0 SPHP slowed way down.\u00a0 After a few minutes, the Mazda 2 reappeared again.\u00a0 14 miles to go.\u00a0 Puppy, ho!\u00a0 At a snail’s pace, though.<\/p>\r\n

A few more miles and the Mazda 2 was again out of sight.\u00a0 SPHP drove very slowly, passing up a couple of spots where it would have been possible to simply stop and wait.\u00a0 Maybe it was best to get to Lookout Pass before stopping?\u00a0 It was snowing hard.\u00a0 The Mazda 2 might not be able to make the pass.\u00a0 Neither would the U-Haul truck if this kept up.\u00a0 Lots of other vehicles were already having trouble.<\/p>\r\n

The U-Haul made it.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP stopped and waited at the top of Lookout Pass.\u00a0 SPHP tried to call Ana.\u00a0 No phone service.\u00a0 Time passed.\u00a0 A few vehicles, mostly semis, were making it over the pass, but there was a distinct lack of green Mazdas.\u00a0 Now what?\u00a0 Keep waiting?\u00a0 Head for Cour d’Alene?\u00a0 Go back and look for them?<\/p>\r\n

SPHP dithered before driving on into Idaho.\u00a0 After only a few miles, a snowplow appeared.\u00a0 It soon turned off I-90 toward some buildings and vanished.\u00a0 SPHP made the turn, too.\u00a0 No cell service here, either.\u00a0 Sigh!\u00a0 Returning to I-90, SPHP drove further W into Idaho.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the mental debate continued to rage.<\/p>\r\n

Maybe it was best go back and try to find the Mazda 2?\u00a0 Stick together!\u00a0 At least everyone would know what was going on and what the plan was, whatever it might turn out to be.<\/p>\r\n

Of course, finding Erik and Ana might or might not be possible.\u00a0 The Mazda 2 was probably stuck somewhere along the highway, but what if Erik had simply realized he wasn’t going to get over Lookout Pass?\u00a0 He might have found a way to turn around.\u00a0 Erik and Ana might already be on the way back to Missoula to spend the night.\u00a0 No sense in doing that in the U-Haul when Lupe had already made it over Lookout Pass!\u00a0 It would be an enormous waste of time and fuel.<\/p>\r\n

Before getting very far, SPHP decided to turn around at the next exit.\u00a0 Better go back and at least make sure Erik and Ana weren’t doomed to spend a frigid night stuck in the snow.\u00a0 Most unexpectedly, before an exit appeared, something else did.\u00a0 What?\u00a0 Impossible!\u00a0 Unbelievable!\u00a0 The Mazda 2 was dead ahead!\u00a0 Erik, Ana, and the 5 cats hadn’t gotten stuck at all.\u00a0 Somehow they’d made it over Lookout Pass!\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP passed them.\u00a0 Had it made now!\u00a0 40 miles to Cour d’Alene.\u00a0 Downhill all the way.<\/p>\r\n

Uh, no.\u00a0 Downhill for a while, but then it seemed like it was uphill again.\u00a0 Hard to tell with all the snow in the headlights, but the rear view mirror showed the Mazda 2 was having trouble again.\u00a0 No losing them this time!\u00a0 Slowly, ever so slowly, on and on.\u00a0 This next hill seemed endless.<\/p>\r\n

11-24-18, 12:01 AM<\/em> – No mere hill.\u00a0 Lupe was heading for Fourth of July Pass (3,173 ft.).\u00a0 Not as high as Lookout Pass, but more snow had fallen by now.\u00a0 Even semi-trucks weren’t making it.\u00a0 Hardly anyone was.\u00a0 Yet the U-Haul was invincible!\u00a0 Not so the Mazda 2.\u00a0 The road kept getting steeper.\u00a0 The Mazda 2 ground to a halt 0.25 mile from a curve that looked like the end.<\/p>\r\n

SPHP stopped and waited.\u00a0 The Mazda 2 was in sight, but didn’t seem to be moving at all.\u00a0 Heh.\u00a0 SPHP got out.\u00a0 Lupe had to stay in the U-Haul in case semis came by.\u00a0 Some had chains and were still getting through.\u00a0 For the next 2 hours Lupe sat waiting in the truck.\u00a0 SPHP pushed the Mazda.\u00a0 It was just enough to permit little spurts of progress.\u00a0 Other cars needed pushes, too.\u00a0 A young sheriff stopped by with the news that a plow was coming.\u00a0 Pure fiction.\u00a0 Fake news!\u00a0 He also said it was 2 more miles to the top of the pass.<\/p>\r\n

That was fake news, too.\u00a0 The very next curve really was the top.\u00a0 A semi-truck traffic jam finally cleared.\u00a0 Erik and Ana made it to the top of Fourth of July Pass.\u00a0 Finally!\u00a0 Another 18 miles, but no more passes on the way to Cour d’Alene.<\/p>\r\n

No room at the inn in Cour d’Alene.\u00a0 Especially not for anyone with 5 cats and a Dingo.\u00a0 Two pets maximum, not that they had any such rooms available.\u00a0 Hardly worth it now, anyway.\u00a0 At 5:30 AM, everyone parked at a rest area only a couple of miles W of Cour d’Alene.\u00a0 Although being out in the snow for hours up at Fourth of July Pass had been exhilarating, it was 27 hours since Lupe and SPHP had gotten up.\u00a0 The last 21 hours spent on the road.\u00a0 Weary?\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 SPHP was able to sleep sitting up.<\/p>\r\n

Not for long.\u00a0 It was cold.\u00a0 At 7:30 AM, Erik was knocking on the window of the U-Haul.\u00a0 Ready to go?\u00a0 Of course, why not?\u00a0 At least the vehicles would warm up.<\/p>\r\n

Although still rather dark beneath an overcast sky, the morning started out fine.\u00a0 Two hours of sleep had helped a lot.\u00a0 Near Spokane there was sunshine.\u00a0 SW of Spokane, I-90 looked wet.\u00a0 New snow was in the fields and forests.\u00a0 Patches of fog reduced visibility, sometimes for miles.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
SW of Spokane, I-90 looked wet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
Heading toward another patch of fog.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

On a random check of the rear view mirror, suddenly the Mazda 2 was missing.\u00a0 Where had it disappeared to now?\u00a0 SPHP slowed down.\u00a0 Traffic roared by, but Erik and Ana did not appear.<\/p>\r\n

Ana called.\u00a0 A guy in a pickup truck had been in the process of passing them.\u00a0 Erik had seen that the pickup was having hydroplaning and swerving issues, and had slowed down to let the truck get by faster.\u00a0 Good thing, too.\u00a0 For no sooner had the pickup gotten beyond them when the driver completely lost control.\u00a0 The truck shot across the road right in front of them in a near miss, flipped heading into the ditch, and hit a rock wall.<\/p>\r\n

Erik and Ana had stopped to call 911 and see if the man was alright.\u00a0 He was injured, but conscious.\u00a0 Others who had seen the whole thing had stopped, too.\u00a0 Erik, Ana, and the cats would be along soon.\u00a0 SPHP told Ana to meet up at a rest area just W of Sprague.\u00a0 The rest area proved to be a beautiful spot.\u00a0 Lupe was thrilled with this opportunity to get out of the U-Haul.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe enjoyed being out of the U-Haul truck for a while at this rest area just W of Sprague, Washington.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Lupe had plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors at the rest area.\u00a0 More than expected.\u00a0 Erik and Ana were not along soon.\u00a0 What was going on?\u00a0 Ana called again.\u00a0 They had missed the turn for the Sprague rest area, and were now at a gas station at Exit 231.\u00a0 Fine.\u00a0 That’s where Lupe and SPHP caught up to them.<\/p>\r\n

It wasn’t much farther to Ritzville where a decision had to be made.\u00a0 Continue W on I-90 and face Snoqualmie Pass, or go S on Highway 395 heading for the Columbia River Gorge?\u00a0 If any doubt remained after last night’s tribulations at Lookout and Fourth of July passes, the unnerving near miss with the hydroplaning pickup truck had settled the issue.\u00a0 The Columbia River Gorge was hundreds of miles farther, but at least the roads would be good.<\/p>\r\n

So Lupe’s long U-Haul adventure was extended.\u00a0 Highway 395 took her to Pasco where SPHP made a wrong turn.\u00a0 Erik, Ana, and 5 cats were led on a goofy, meandering tour of the town while SPHP searched for the bridge over the Columbia River.\u00a0 Turned out there were two of them.\u00a0 S of the river, Lupe reached I-82 which brought her to a 2nd Columbia River crossing at Umatilla.\u00a0 From Umatilla, it was W on Highway 730 to I-84.<\/p>\r\n

Cruising W on I-84, the Columbia River gorge was beautiful!\u00a0 Lupe had been here once before on the way home from her 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 No stopping at Multnomah Falls<\/strong><\/span><\/a> this time around, though.\u00a0 Everyone was weary.\u00a0 Any sight-seeing had to be done from the U-Haul truck.\u00a0 Bellingham or bust!<\/p>\r\n

At Portland, it was I-205 going N back over the Columbia River for the 3rd and final time.\u00a0 Soon after, Lupe was on I-5.\u00a0 Late in the afternoon, Erik and Ana bought SPHP dinner at a Panda Garden near Woodland.\u00a0 By the time Lupe was approaching Longview it was getting dark.\u00a0 A heavily overcast sky helped extinguish a feeble twilight.<\/p>\r\n

The rest was a blur.\u00a0 Thousands of red tail lights.\u00a0 Stop and go traffic on I-5 between Olympia and Tacoma.\u00a0 Seattle looking awesome all lit up in the inky blackness.\u00a0 The traffic thinned.\u00a0 Bellingham at last!\u00a0 1,550 miles over and done with in 38 hours.\u00a0 44 hours gone by on 2 hours of sleep.<\/p>\r\n

Erik and Ana put Lupe and SPHP up at the Baymont Inn<\/strong><\/span><\/a> before continuing on to see their rental home for the first time.\u00a0 The American Dingo insisted upon a walk before turning in.\u00a0 20 minutes down a dark side street, no more.\u00a0 Loop was satisfied.\u00a0 Back to the Baymont!.\u00a0 Lights out.<\/p>\r\n

11-25-18, 8:45 AM<\/em> – Oh, the Baymont Inn was luxury itself!\u00a0 A Carolina Dog could get used to this sort of thing.\u00a0 Suddenly, Lupe was living the dream!<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe loved the Baymont Inn in Bellingham. Carolina Dogs are supremely adaptable when it comes to luxury!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Naturally, the first order of the day was another walk.\u00a0 As soon as SPHP was partially revived, it was an elevator ride down to the lobby to see what the Baymont looked like in daylight, then out the door to explore that side street again.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Baymont is lovely! Carolina Dogs look mighty snazzy, too, in this fine lobby, don’t you agree, SPHP? Maybe we should stay another night?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
By the Baymont’s grand entrance on what is presumably a typical Bellingham morning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
Let’s go explore the woods now that it’s light out!<\/em> Lupe along the side street across E Kellogg Road from the Baymont Inn.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

At the end of the side street was a forest.\u00a0 A trail led into the woods.<\/p>\r\n

Lupe had barely started on the trail when she came to something she never sees back home in the Black Hills.\u00a0 The forest was full of shopping carts!\u00a0 The only explanation that came to mind was that the shopping carts were brought here and abandoned by homeless people.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
As soon as Lupe entered the woods, she came to 11 abandoned shopping carts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

More shopping carts were scattered farther along the trail.\u00a0 Often only one or two here or there, but Lupe came to another big group of them, too.\u00a0 Shopping carts weren’t the only thing out here, either.\u00a0 The forest harbored lots of trash.\u00a0 When SPHP started seeing tents, the wisdom of going much further came into question.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop on the Shopping Cart Trail. A lone shopping cart is ahead on the R.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Lupe was having a good time in the woods, even if SPHP was becoming increasingly wary.\u00a0 She made it as far as a little stream.\u00a0 Voices were coming from somewhere ahead.\u00a0 This was it.\u00a0 As strangers in a strange land, it was time to return to the Baymont.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Most of the forest was beautiful. Lupe was having a good time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
At the little creek, as far as Lupe made it before SPHP was ready to turn around.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Noon was checkout time at the Baymont.\u00a0 Erik and Ana showed up a bit before then.\u00a0 With plans uncertain, Lupe and SPHP checked out.\u00a0 Erik and Ana then treated SPHP to lunch at the nearby Birch Door Cafe<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Lupe had to wait in the U-Haul truck.<\/p>\r\n

When lunch was over, it was time to get to work unloading the U-Haul.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP followed Erik and Ana to their new rental home.\u00a0 The home was located in the Lummi Nation W of Bellingham.\u00a0 SPHP was glad to see that there was plenty of parking.\u00a0 Multiple U-Haul trucks could easily have parked here!<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
The U-Haul and Mazda 2 at Erik & Ana’s new rental home in the Lummi Nation W of Bellingham, WA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

5 cats were already in possession of a small part of their new empire.\u00a0 At present they were still prisoners, confined to a bedroom to keep them out of the way, and prevent them from escaping during the unloading process.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t going to be allowed into the house at all.\u00a0 She was stuck in the fenced back yard so she wouldn’t get in the way, either.\u00a0 Looper wasn’t entirely satisfied with this arrangement, but at least she could watch what was happening through sliding glass doors.<\/p>\r\n

Actually, Erik and Ana had gotten a fabulous rental deal.\u00a0 The back yard was amazing!\u00a0 A big deck where Lupe stood peering through the glass doors overlooked a roomy, gently sloping yard with a lovely green lawn.<\/p>\r\n

That was all nice enough, but wasn’t the amazing part.\u00a0 The amazing part was that the home was right on the ocean!\u00a0 Only a few feet beyond the back fence was a 20 foot cliff.\u00a0 Lummi Bay of the Pacific Ocean was right at the base of the cliff.\u00a0 The N end of Lummi Island was in sight across the bay.\u00a0 The open ocean was visible to the NW.\u00a0 Totally awesome!<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop up on the deck near the sliding glass doors where she would spend the afternoon peering into the house watching the U-Haul truck unloading proceedings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
The roomy back yard had a nice green lawn that sloped gently toward the back fence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
The covered deck was handy, since the sky was so drippy. Lupe had a comfortable spot where she could relax and stay dry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
Erik & Ana had gotten a fabulous rental deal! The home was right on the Pacific Ocean! Here’s Lupe in the back yard next to Lummi Bay. The N end of Lummi Island is on the L. Photo looks W from the deck.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe by Lummi Bay. A 20 foot cliff is only a few feet beyond her.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Unloading doesn’t take nearly as long as loading does.\u00a0 Lupe was only confined to the back yard for a few hours.\u00a0 By late afternoon, the U-Haul was empty except for a huge display case.\u00a0 The case was in two parts, a lower cabinet and an upper section with glass doors and shelves.\u00a0 Both pieces were big and heavy.\u00a0 To get them into the home they would have to be lugged clear around to the backyard.\u00a0 They could then be taken up the stairs onto the deck and in through the sliding glass doors.<\/p>\r\n

It seemed like a gigantic task.\u00a0 The house was already quite full.\u00a0 Where the display case might even fit in was hard to imagine.\u00a0 Everyone was still exhausted from the long drive, especially Erik who wasn’t feeling entirely well.\u00a0 Since the U-Haul truck didn’t have to be returned yet, it was decided to forget about the display case for now.\u00a0 It could be dealt with tomorrow.<\/p>\r\n

Erik joined Lupe on the deck to relax and admire the ocean view from his new home.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Erik and Lupe take it easy on the deck.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/a>
By the back fence with the marvelous view of Lummi Bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Dinner time!\u00a0 Erik and Ana drove into town to procure a meal.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP stayed together on the deck watching the ocean.\u00a0 Lupe was excited to learn that a huge tree in the back yard was a squirrel tree!\u00a0 She boldly announced news of her arrival to the whole neighborhood.\u00a0 SPHP just watched the waves roll in as a light rain fell.<\/p>\r\n

After dinner, it was back to the Baymont Inn again!\u00a0 A turn of events the Carolina Dog heartily approved of.\u00a0 Erik and Ana were footing the bill for one more night of luxury.\u00a0 Before turning in, Loopster insisted upon returning to the woods beyond the side street for a night prowl.<\/p>\r\n

11-26-18<\/em> – Naturally, the morning began with yet another trip to the woods.\u00a0 For a second time, Lupe went all the way to the little creek.\u00a0 Then it was back to the Baymont to enjoy a free continental breakfast.\u00a0 Loop chose ham and cheese.\u00a0 The rest of the morning was whiled away relaxing in the room.\u00a0 Erik and Ana showed up shortly before noon.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP checked out again.<\/p>\r\n

The glass display case was still a problem.\u00a0 Erik and Ana had decided it wasn’t worth trying to carry it all the way around to the backyard and up a staircase to get it into the house.\u00a0 What to do?\u00a0 It had to be unloaded so the U-Haul truck could be returned.\u00a0 SPHP suggested taking it to a consignment store.\u00a0 When that didn’t work out, Erik and Ana donated it to Habitat for Humanity.<\/p>\r\n

Lupe’s U-Haul adventure officially ended late in the afternoon.\u00a0 The truck she’d ridden in for 1,600 miles was turned back in to the U-Haul store in Bellingham.\u00a0 Of course, this meant Lupe and SPHP needed a new set of wheels.\u00a0 Loop hitched a ride in the Mazda 2 to the airport where SPHP rented a Mazda CX3.<\/p>\r\n

After a quick dinner at a fast food restaurant, Erik and Ana said thank you and goodbye to Lupe and SPHP.\u00a0 The night was already night pitch black.\u00a0 Where to?\u00a0 The Baymont Inn seemed like the logical choice, and had the enthusiastic vote of a certain American Dingo.<\/p>\r\n

So the evening ended with another dark stroll through the woods at the end of the side street near the Baymont Inn.\u00a0 This time Lupe startled someone in the forest, someone who was extremely polite and greatly relieved that SPHP was around to keep such a ferocious predator at bay.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>
Erik & Lupe by Lummi Bay, Haxton Way, Bellingham, Washington 11-25-18<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Links:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Next Adventure<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>,\u00a0Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Preface & Days 1 thru 4 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State! 11-21-18 – T’was the night before Thanksgiving when a ride to the U-Haul store with SPHP, Erik & Ana confirmed that something big was in the works.\u00a0 A 15 foot U-Haul truck was rented.\u00a0 Lupe spent the rest of the evening … Continue reading Lupe’s U-Haul Adventure (11-21-18 thru 11-26-18)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1016],"tags":[105,1018,106,26,104,1017,501],"class_list":["post-17676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2018-washington-state","tag-american-dingo","tag-bellingham","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-u-haul","tag-washington"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/IMG_2679.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17676"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19756,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17676\/revisions\/19756"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}