Two and a Half Months!

Today is day 76, so I am 2.5 months into the trip!

So far, I have gotten to north Oregon, and still need to go to Portland, Mt Hood, and the Columbia Rive Gorge before moving on to Washington State. 

I had hoped to be a little further at this point.  Though I hadn't put a set time limit on the full trip, I wanted it to be about 5 months, and this doesn't seem likely at the current pace.  I also had originally expected the trip to be approximately 20,000 miles, but I am currently at 10,549.6 miles (approximately), so I under estimated my overall mileage as well.

Costs have also been higher than I expected, though I have had a couple of unexpected car repairs along the way that contributed, and I have found myself often saving the money of lodging or camping costs by sleeping in my car, which usually means buying meals instead of making them.  I have gotten very adept at climbing into a sleeping bag while sitting in my driver's seat, though - a skill I doubt I will ever find any other use for.  I have also made regular meals out of peanut butter and jelly burritos.  They never cease to be delicious and nutritious!

Overall, I am quite satisfied with this trip thus far.  I continue to meet great people along the way (not always locals, either, since I often visit places that are just as interesting to other tourists as they are to the locals).  Yesterday I talked to a photographer from Texas while at Yaquina Head Lighthouse, and later met a couple from Georgia while I was walking a trail at Cape Meares.  I do invite a number of the people I meet along the way to look at the blog, even though I know it doesn't get updated as much as I would like, and I know it can be hard to keep interest in it without new pictures being posted more regularly.

Initially, I knew keeping up with this blog would be a difficult endeavor while travelling.  I didn't know how difficult.  I have over 38,000 pictures from this trip.  Simply managing all these is quite a task, no less trying to sort through them and post them online.  Writing is also very time consuming.  It is my intent to write as detailed a description of the places I visit as possible, trying to be informative and interesting - so that any reader can enjoy the experience along with me. 

Often, each day's post takes 3-4 hours to write, and each picture must be uploaded individually (one of the few annoying issues with Blogger), then the arrangement of the pictures and text has to be adjusted - again, one picture at a time.  This can add another 3-4 hours per day, so you can see, each day I post can take up to 8 hours to compose.  If I were always posting, I'd never have time to travel!  I assure you, each day will be completed at some point, but I foresee the duration to almost match the length of the trip.

Thank you for your continued interest in my trip.  I know you will be as wowed as I have been by the places I've visited when I get them fully posted, so your continued patience will be rewarded!