The Northwest, Day 8: The Way Back

In seven days we'd seen just about every variety of habitat and attraction one could hope to in a blind trek through uncharted lands, but suddenly our time in the north was up. There were just a few curiosities to see on the way to the airport.

Such as a small bookstore near the hotel, where I picked up a set of Hogwarts Classics, Lizett got a book of weird hiking stories, and I resisted the tempatations of the vintage classics they kept behind the register. We stopped by my grandma's house one last time to say goodbye. We hope to see them again soon.

With a short drive to Washington and some hours before the flight, we explored Spokane's Riverfront park. Crossing the bridge from the parking lot to the park, the raging river below was quite a sight. You fall in there, you're probably doomed.

​Past the bridge was a mighty obelisk clock tower and a hilly park. We found a bench and had a brunch of something like string cheese, peanut butter and protein bars. Provisions were low.

The park had car-sized letter blocks and a Long Beach house-sized red wagon. We would probably have spent the day sliding down the wagon slide if it wasn't full of kids.

So instead we went into downtown Spokane, and my radar led us to another bookstore. This one was massive, an enduring titan that could probably draw blood in a fight with a Barnes & Noble. It was attached to a two-story cluster of bougie shops. In the center was a gaming store with a dozen players in the middle of a card tournament. Now, I'd been everywhere I wanted to go.

Lizett bought a journal for our niece, and we got to pick a free pre-published book from a shelf by the register. The New Frugality by Chris Farrell seemed like a functional pick.

Soon we retraced our path through the park, over the river, and on to the airport. We turned in the rental car and found Spokane International was unaccountably deserted. Our footsteps and rolling suitcases echoed through empty terminals. It was only 4 p.m., but all the little carts and shops were closed or closing, and we started to wonder if we'd be eating airplane peanuts for lunch. But a couple restaurants in the food court still had one or two workers. The cashier at one gave us free drinks, out of boredom.

The plane ride was particularly turbulent. I found a Cadbury egg in my coat pocket that I'd bought at Target on day 2, had considered eating half a dozen times throughout the trip, decided that the time wasn't right, and put away. As all futures feel uncertain in the grip of turbulence, the time had come.

Then I bore through half of that Frugality book, and came away with a renewed commitment to buy only high quality things that would last a long time.

Our changeover was in Salt Lake again. Once more to see the purple mountains of Utah, those outside the airport window anyway, perhaps for the last time. Who knows?

And then we followed the sunset to Long Beach.

We emerged in beautiful evening weather, collected our bags, and found the car. I couldn't end the trip without a final humbling, so approaching the parking garage exit, realized I'd thrown the parking pass away. After a long talk with the gate guardian, we had to pay the full price, something like $119. One last jab from the travel deity.

But that is the saga, and most of the pictures, and a lot more detail than readers will have use for. I wouldn't call it a travel guide, although I do recommend all of the places we visited. I also recommend diving into a long trip in a new location with little advance planning, and finding those places as Ka wills it, and coming back a little changed from the person you were.