23:30 Pacific Day43 Seattle item.royal.stow
A day of administration. And a bit of excitement at the end
Most of the day was taken up with essential planning out the final stages and departure including the momentous. Sorting, discarding excess packaging and brochures. Excess apparel and electronic stuff accumulated. All part of my mission or odyssey to personally re-inflate the US economy and still be allowed to take my seat on the UA flight home.
Took a couple of hours on a circuit of the sights of the harbour but essentially domestic duties.
The evenings entertainment (and we almost got dinner and a show) started with meeting @China_Guy at the Machine House Brewery. At the taphouse of a micro brewery its all about the experience and experimentation. My selections were the Cambridge Bitter (maybe not again) and the Jandals Time IPA (dammed good stuff). And then to show my company hadn’t scared my past contacts off in very horror @needscoffee dropped in. Excellent.
Now I could have continued to work through the taproom blackboard for a while but not having eaten during the day I needed sustenance to continue. After conferring, the selection was a very short walk to an Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant which is an absolute first for me. Impressed. Very. I’m not sure such an establishment exists in Sydney, but be assured I’m going to find out. And getting a freebie off Microsoft ticks off yet another item on lifes bucket list. 
The only real issue with the evening was the number of emergency vehicles going past in full alarm mode. Wasn’t me , Mum. And I had nowt to do with that Yellowstone mauling either. Honest. Turns out there was a shooting incident a couple of blocks away to add a certain piquant to my American experience.
Tomorrow is down to Eugene for another catch-up and some contemplation of how I juggle the last weeks itinary.
20:30 Pacific Day44 Eugene noting.assume.actor
After the both the congeniality and pyrotechnics of yesterday, today was a straightforward run down the I-5 to Eugene for another mini-Dopefest.
Well Katie tells me that it’s 4 ½ hours and whilst we have not had a totally harmonious anthropomorphic relationship, she’s rarely in error and has never conceded. So if you get out of bed, are refueled and on the road into the outskirts of Seattle by 7:30am that’s what it is.
Granted being a weekend and heading south might have helped a tad. 
Took a couple of short stops to walk some respite into my legs. Also mucked up the GPS co-ordinates and went Pastrini first, then 10mins drive to Theos, parked the car and walked back to the establishment ordered a latte and the time was:
https://i.ibb.co/gjm7LLv/IMG-4481.jpg
In the theme of a search for a decent coffee; the latte at Theos was expertly made but the blend used was not really my ideal. But when the same origin beans mix was used in the follow-up macchiato it was very good. So thank you to @Aspenglow for the heads up.
See, it can be done, folks … why the entire country doesn’t demand that quality befuddles me. In AUS the typical highway roadhouse/servo will have a self-service expresso machine which gives a reasonably good brew and costs just AUD2.00. Also, rather sadly, apart from the barista, I was the youngest person in the house. So the penny hasn’t dropped for the trendsetters.
Then I followed the suggestion from @susan and spent an hour walking around the food and craft market on 8th and Oak and picked up some pendants which will hopefully appeal to the ladies at work and restock some brownie points.
Then back to Pastini’s where I was the first Doper arrival and I sat quietly at reception. Shortly after a lady walked in, assertedly told the maître d’ that she was looking for a guy red and orange shirt and cased the place. The search was conducted diligently but unsuccessfully and the maître d’ looked on bemused.
It didn’t take much forensic skill to deduce this was @susan. After our introductions and pleasantries, mine host @Lancia arrived, resplendent in the aforementioned bright red and orange Jurassic Park shirt. Then after being seated and selected from the menu @Jack_Batty turned up, sans canine. Good meal with Caesar Salads being a unanimous choice. I managed to score a Bundaberg Ginger Beer which has travelled almost as far as I have.
We covered a fair proportion of the affairs of the world, principally education and travel. Lancia gave me a pint of Umpqua full cream milk, so I have another guardian angel, actually quite a big one.
Current roadage stats for the circumnavigation are 10,000 miles up and USD1,000 worth of 87oct down.
Tomorrow is a full-on day. I’m trying to squeeze in a third day at Yosemite and this necessitates setting a target of Eugene to Santa Rosa. And I want to go via the coast road. Now @China_Guy reckons it’s quite doable via I-5. He knows 'is onions. I’m banking on Sunday traffic and heading south will work in my favour.
If there are violations of space and time involved, please let me know.