We're off!

Pie in the Sky II has begun. With the Excellent Element all packed and ready to go -- suitcases, electronics, tools and food stashed in genius cubbies under the futon platform -- Michelle and I hit the road this morning at 11:42. We weren't a mile away before I thought of something I forgot -- the cool CD set of Terry Gross interviews with writers that Mich gave me for my birthday-- but Michelle said it was too late to turn around.

"What direction are we pointing," she said, at about the corner of Fauntleroy and Alaska. "That's right. Ahead."

Weirdly, it was beginning to snow a little bit as we left town, the latest in the year that snow ever has fallen in Seattle, I believe. And it snowed off and on all the way to Mom's house in Eugene, along with patches of hail, really strong rain, and brilliant sunshine.

Here we are crossing into Oregon.

Mom prepared us an excellent manicotti dinner. I'm really glad she was the first stop on this cool trip. We're off now to visit our friends the Stahlbergs, a couple miles away, and then in the morning we'll head out for San Francisco.