Moving day interrupted

I was in the process of moving to Vancouver from Olympia during the weekend of May 18, 1980. I had moved 2 pick-up loads of furniture with my wife and brother.

We had went back to Olympia on May 17 and loaded up two more loads and spent the night. We got up early on May 18 and were making another trip to Vancouver.

It was a really nice day out, so we left early and we were just a couple of miles from the Toutle river bridge when traffic was stopped by the WSP. I remember people were getting a little agitated because traffic was stopped.

I think that it was the first time that I was throwing a Frisbee in the north lane of I-5. It seemed like a couple of hours, and I remember seeing smoke and steam coming from the mountain.

I did not realize how big of an issue it was until I crossed the Toutle River and looking to the west, I could see the railroad bridge and the water was right a the level of the bridge, then I realized why they closed the interstate for the amount of time.

The eruption of the mountain was something I will remember always.