I didn't know what to expect of Washington State, except perhaps a disappointment after the Dakotas, Montana and - to my surprise - Idaho. I didn't get one. Yes, there was a long drive through wheatfields that set me up to think I was going to find it hard to stay awake, but then I gained some altitude again to visit the Dry Falls in the State Park of that name.

This was a recommendation from a reader, AMB, to whom my profound thanks are due. It was an educational experience. It was also a beautiful drive. Route 2 (on which I shall continue my journey West tomorrow) was very pleasing. The locals at the park, several of whom I was chatting to as they took pictures of themselves posing with Speranza, encouraged me to believe there were very few cops in the area and that I could "open her up". This, as a respectful guest, I didn't do, but I did have a more relaxing drive because of their reassurances.

No new state tomorrow. Washington is it for a few days, because tomorrow it's a whole new country. I have never driven in Canada before and I am looking forward to it. I am visiting JMB and meeting "the Old Scientist" for the first time. She and I will also meet Cascadian for coffee on Monday. So it's to be a Last Ditch blogmeet in the Great White North.

Speranza had done 20,688 miles before she came to America. She has added almost 9,000 to that total already and I am not yet at the half-way point. It seems my calculations of a total trip of 12,500 miles were a bit awry. She is booked in with Ferrari Vancouver to take a look at her at 0830 on Monday and I shall discuss it with them.

I will complete this expedition, deo volenti, but I may need to build an extra service stop into it at some point. In the meantime, back to the only downside of the whole affair; doing my own laundry.