US Highway 2 -- "End-to-End" -- Underway!

I started out in earnest this morning, driving north on I-5 and turning east at the beginning of US Highway 2.

The road pretty quickly heads up into the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, and the alpine ambience is very distinct.

I've driven this portion of US Hwy 2 many, many times before, but being the first few miles of my "End-toEnd" road trip gave it a very different, much more significant feeling.

In anticipation of my road trip, my good friends at Archie McPhee have given me a few traveling buddies, including a "Bigfoot Action Figure." As you can see, the Bigfoot theme is a pretty big deal in the Cascades area and my new buddy fit right in.

My first stop was for coffee, of course. I could't resist the promise that my first coffee stop on US 2 would be my best, and the barista was happy to pose with Bigfoot for the record.

So, I'm on my way and the US 2 hijinx have begun in earnest!