The Palouse

The Tree of Life, found outside Pomeroy, Wash.

The last time my road trip destination was the Palouse region, I managed to get two speeding tickets in a matter of minutes. Unknown to me at the time, such a feat is apparently news.

Years later, I returned, this time on a trip to Walla Walla, east on Highway 12, and lastly to the Umatilla National Forest in a much needed getaway from the city and work.

The trip itself was put half-haphazardly by Erika and I, conjured up about 1 a.m. two days before vacation days were to start. It was meant to be.

Going to the eastern side of Washington state is always a reminder of how big - how truly big - this state is; how Seattle-centric my life is, and just how good it can feel to hit the road.

Our first stop was in Sunnyside for lunch. I'd never been to Sunnyside either. I've stuck to its older, meaner sister of Yakima on my trips east. Hungry, we stopped at a Mexican diner that was just a few tables and walls away from being a taco truck - and the food was almost the same.

The diner was half-restaurant, half-bus ticket station.Along side the menu was a schedule of buses departing to different cities popular with migrant workers in California.

The food kind of sucked. At least the horchata was decent. We got on the road again and a couple hours later we crossed the Columbia River, just like the pioneers of yesteryear, minus Indians trying to kill us.

We went on a wine tasting tour in Walla Walla that basically boiled down to stopping at every other winery we saw. We had tips, though, as one of Erika's coworkers had recommended the airport area for tasting. I am not a wine guy, so all the wines tasted like wine to me. It was a win.

Wine tasting places near the airport.

Has someone started a 'death row' wine line in honor of the penitentiary in Walla Walla?

Our fancy motel. Not the worst place we've stayed at in our travels. It felt like I was in a scene from 'No Country for Old Men'

 The motel's guard dog.

The town of Waitsburg: Cute and seemingly hip, even if it's in the middle of nowhere.

 Oh, and a camel:

In Dayton, we stayed with a old German woman who thought her dogs were the cutest. They were actually kinda hideous.

This poor thing is blind and dying. 

We also stopped at Palouse Falls as the sun set.

The state of Washington looking after you.

Up next: the Umatilla National Forest.