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January 13, 2009

Lacey, Wa
By Laurie White

I arrive in Lacey from Wenatchee at about 4 PM. Marcelo picks me up from the train depot accompanied by Wally Music, who will be my host for the night. He and his lovely wife, Bert live in the same neighborhood as Graeme’s, where Marcelo has been staying. It is Wally’s 86th birthday today and we celebrate by going to Anthony’s for dinner, one of my favorite seafood restaurants! Marcelo’s friend Thea joins us, too.

The Music’s are a delightful couple whom I really enjoy visiting. They are both so active and healthy. Wally is probably in better shape than both Marcelo and I! He is a HAM radio operator and showed me his terrific HAM radio station. Bert makes beautiful handmade greeting cards, an interest I share with her. She insists I take some of the lovely cards home, they incorporate many things from nature, such as leaves and pressed flowers. I cannot refuse her generous offer!

After arriving home after dinner, Marcelo begins to prepare the solar car for departure in the morning. We look at the voltage of the solar car, only 104! Marcelo has taken the solar car to 3 different places today in anticipation of sunny weather in the afternoon, and has discharged some of the car’s batteries. Unfortunately, the sun never materialized again to recharge the batteries. Marcelo has some regrets that he didn’t cancel the presentations. It is so hard to predict the weather!

Marcelo, Duane Conger and I are planning to leave Lacey tomorrow to resume the tour. I am very excited and Marcelo is a little anxious, he would have liked to have the batteries completely full. We may not make it all the way to Portland as we had originally planned. Marcelo decides we can only go about 70 miles or so on the current battery charge. We decide to try to make it to the Longview/Kelso area tomorrow. We realize we don’t have a host there, so I get on the phone to try to find us a place to stay in that area.

I have a very hard time sleeping, even though the Music’s bed is very comfortable. I am just too excited about joining Marcelo as he resumes the tour tomorrow!



On display at a high school
Showing the solar car for automotive students
On display at the Ecology Center.
Bert and Wally, go solar go!