July 1 - Country Mercantile

Lodging: Pasco, WA

Wow! What a great first day on the road. Drove along the gorge to eat lunch at St. John’s Greek monastery in Goldendale. Grant Myers was kind enough to come with me for a grand send off. Got the tripod selfie stick to work. Ate some amazing gyros. Then headed to one of my favorite candy stores in Pasco- the Country Mercantile. Got chocolate, cherries, and ice cream. Ate street tacos on the street from an authentic Mexican hole in the wall restaurant with music blaring and checked into my motel. It’s amazing how many people want to talk when you’re on your own on the bike. Talked with a doctor interested in throat cancer and ice cream flavors, a trucker who was hoping he would make it home to his family in Chicago by Saturday, a man who assured me he was recruited by JFK junior, and another person who described a high speed motorcycle race he was in that did not end well for him. Kept the conversations in visible public areas to stay safe. Made my daughter happy by wiping down my motel room with disinfecting wipes. Tomorrow is Idaho and a favorite motel and restaurant there. Yum!