Idaho to Washington

The owner of the ribs place in Idaho recommended a scenic route off of 90, the lakeside drive in Coeur D'Alene, so I detoured a little to enjoy that. I passed a lot of bikers and an old guy with long white hair and a long gray beard doing a very fast slalom on rollerblades. Towns with water are great because the water invites paths and paths invite exercise and being active makes people happier. (That's my scientific statement of the day.) Then it was straight to Moses Lake, Washington, where I had booked a cheap room at the Motel6. Right out of Coeur D'Alene a truck had dropped a big block of hay on the highway, making every car that approached it slam on the brakes and swerve. I grazed it on the side but no damage was done. Then a few miles down a big dog decided to take a stroll on the highway, so the two minivans in front of me slammed on their brakes and swerved too, but there was plenty of distance to slow down in time. (Motorcycles have better braking power than cars, which is why we don't like to be tailgated.) Further down I did a hard engine brake when I saw a police car scanning the road, but it was probably scanning the other side anyway. (I've only gotten pulled over once so far and that was for doing 40 in a 35 zone.) Other than all that it was smooth riding to Moses Lake, where I was exhausted when I checked in and went right to sleep. I rode around 320 miles altogether yesterday. In the morning I realized I had switched time zones again so I had unknowingly gained an hour. I checked out and headed to Denny's for breakfast, where I now sit eating their enormous combo breakfast of pancakes, hash browns, 3 eggs, ham, coffee and orange juice. A waitress keeps refilling my coffee cup even though I've had quite enough. Their slogan should be "Denny's: Keeping America Fat and Caffeinated." Yummy.