B to C: Portland, OR to New Jersey

As we prepared to leave Portland to drive east, we checked the weather in order to determine the best route as far as avoiding snowy, wintry weather. Unfortunately the only place that it was not snowing the upcoming week (including as far south as I-40), was through Montana and Wyoming where it was not snowing, but temperatures were supposed to be well below freezing. So, realizing that camping along the way was not an option, we bookmarked Motel 6's website and prepared to bundle up and avoid the major weather systems moving through the country. We stayed in six Motel 6's over six nights, averaging about 400-500 miles a day, and watching the Weather Channel each night trying to figure out how to navigate horrible driving conditions. We didn't take many pictures, but here are some highlights (and low points) of our push to get across the country.

• • Realizing that -18 degree weather is really really cold, and can freeze your radiator and the "anti-freeze", which is what happened in Laramie, WY.

  • Asking a trucker in Nebraska how road conditions were, to which he replied, "Clear and dry - hammer on!" We did.

  • Splitting a $7.99 Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs with biscuits at an Iron Skillet (Truck Stop Restaurant) and not being able to finish it. Yum.

  • Deciding that we should not eat at national fast food chains for the rest of our trip (regional chains are ok, as is fried food, though, we were planning on driving through the south!)

We made it to New Jersey and spent a week with Max's family in the New Jersey/New York area, which was so nice to do since we have been far away for almost a year and a half. We also made time to drive up to the Hudson Valley for an evening and day to visit with our friends that we made while living there years ago. Most importantly, we stopped at Rossi's Deli in Poughkeepsie, NY where they still remember us, despite not having lived there for seven years. We love their fresh roasted turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes and russian dressing.