Portland, Mount Hood, USA

We took the smooth ferry from Vancouver Island to Port Angeles in Washington state and began our drive south. USA our final destination. In Washington state we camped a night in the cold, and sat by the orange glow of a small camp fire Alex built. The next day we made it to Portland where we stayed with Shane and Amy, a lovely couple we met in Mexico, who generously opened their doors to a couple of rough, weary travelers like us. We then headed for Mount Hood to see a 'real' mountain and some snow. There were thick blankets of snow all around the Timberline Lodge where we stayed. After spending one night we kind of got snowed in, the roads were covered with snow and ice and the visibility was basically nil, not really tempting conditions for getting back on the bike. It was incredible to see snow after months in tropical heat.

We took a swim in the heated outdoor pool while it was snowing, we could see giant pine trees covered in snow when we looked up. We made a snow man and snow angels, but that was the extent of our snow sports. We looked at the skiers and snow boarders with envy but there were no classes on in the 'summer' season so we had to be content to watch. The lodge was a really historic place built in the art deco period and all the furnishings were in keeping with the period. We found out the lodge was built right on the edge of an active volcano that was well overdue for an eruption. The crater of the volcano was facing the hotel, it was sad to think the lodge could one day be destroyed.

Eventually the weather cleared and we headed off the mountain and back to Portland. Time was ticking and we were feeling the pressure, we had to make it down to LA and sell our bike in just days? Will we make it?