Day 59- Jan. 2 Crossing Oregon

Good morning on my last day on the road.

I got to visit with so many friends and family that I hadn't seen in years. It was wonderful and felt just like old times!!!

As I drive down the street I grew up on, it made me feel like I have gone full circle. I started in my current life, went through my dream life, and have come here to the place I was raised and formed into the person I am today!!! Oooo... Such a great feeling!!!

It was off to my last breakfast with some more great friends...

Since I put in about 14-hour days this past week and stayed up til 3am last night, I was a little sleepy...

BUT my wonderful friend's conversation brought me to life and into the day. What great people!! I really enjoy their company!!!

After leaving breakfast, the intention was to get on I-84 and head east straight home.

BUT...

I have yet to drive straight to anyplace on this trip so why change now? I was raised on these lands and had been on the Historic US 30 when I was a kid, but it has been about 20 years and I hardly remember it.

I think a detour is in order!! I couldn't go through the last day without any u-turns or detours!!

This highway led me up a curvy road that lines the ridge towering above the Columbia George...

Where the wind blows so much that the tree branches grow on one side of the tree...

and the stone walls holding the land back are filled with moss... The feeling is historic and moist with large fir trees and stone arched walls lining the highway...

This path led me here...

Where my eyes and mind almost couldn't take in everything because the views are so expansive. Seeing this today was like seeing it for the first time. I don't remember these views, and while I drive I-84, that borders the Columbia River through the valley, several times a year, it is a whole new look from up on top of the ridge.

Crown Point jets out into The George giving you views from here in Oregon to across the river into Washington...

and west to Portland...

and east as far as the river flows...

But my favorite view was sitting down on the sidewalk and looking through the stone wall.

After Crown Point, the road dives down around sharp curves...

and through trees covered in florescent green moss...

and stone hills that are cut away to make way for the road.

The water flows out of every crevice in the ground and the landscape is formed by creeks...

and waterfalls...

The entire scenic path led to the most famous waterfall in this area, Multnomah Falls...

As I stood to take this picture the mist was so heavy, I had to squint my eyes and wipe the dripping moisture of my face frequently.

Here at the falls, there is a trail that leads to the top and has a lookout to the left of where the water comes out of the trees. As far as my memory goes, I have never been on this path so guess what I decided to do with the afternoon!?! I knew I had a 5-hour drive from here, but I can't come this far and skip it!!

Up the path I go. This led me through a forest of big ferns and little ferns...

and rock formations that I couldn't help but climb in...

and tree roots I had to hang from.

Now, I thought the path was only 1.5 miles, but let me assure you, it was only a reminder to get my tail back to the gym when I get home!

Huffing and puffing and counting each step were my methods. I did everything possible not to think of the distance left, but when I felt like I had climbed Mt. Everest, I was only at switchback 4 of 11. This called for drastic measures...

I whipped out my cell phone and called my aunt. She said, "Oh, why don't you call me when you are not hiking and are back in the car."

"OH NO!! I called you to get my mind off this hike straight up!!"

The next thing I knew, I was at switchback 8 of 11 and then when I got to the point I had decided the trail would never end, I spotted the approach to the viewpoint overlooking the falls.

YIPEE!!!!!!!!! I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the view on the other side of the deck in front of the river just before it falls off the mountain.

It is a little hard to get the perspective of things in this next picture, but the falls are on the left and I am looking straight down to the bottom. You can see the parking lot and viewpoint at the bottom where I took the first two pictures.

The river leading to the falls was beautiful as it wove through the moss filled, dense forest.

The strange thing to me is I grew up here and I don't ever remember the moss. I guess when you are born and raised someplace, you look past things like moss and how incredibly moist it really is.

On the way down the hill, I couldn't resist a photo op like this...

After all this fun, I had to use every ounce of being in me to get back in my car and head home :(

Faster than I wanted, I crossed the Washington border...

and got onto 395 headed north.

But when I got home, I walked into a house filled with love and joy. My incredible mother had taken the time out of her busy schedule to turn all the lights on in my house, turn my heat back up to normal, decorate with balloons, and left me dinner and dessert!!! How nice was that!!!! Gosh, I have a great mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm really not ready for this trip to end. There's so many more people to meet and places to see and explore.

The purpose of me taking this trip was to get the travel bug out of my system.

WELL, it did the exact opposite!!! It made the travel bug blossom bigger than ever!! I have come up with bunches of other types of road trips to take...

1- A 4-wheeling tour of the states.

2- A tour of factories to learn how things are made and where they come from.

3- A kayaking tour of the lakes and rivers.

4- A treasure hunting tour searching for gems and stones.

5- A visit to the ranches and farms of the US and see how they are different and get to know the lifestyles at each.

6- A beaches tour!!

7- I have got to go down the east coast in the fall!!!

Oh, my goodness. My skin is jumping with excitement for another adventure!!! But for now, I am settled in my living room in denial that it is all over. Notice I said, "For now." I will get back out there!!!

It is like I never left and this whole thing was a dream.

I drove a total of 11,175 miles and covered 27 states.

Yes, I did almost all of it alone. My aunt was with me for one week and my dad was with me for 5 days but the rest of the time it was me and the open road.

I will be posting for about one more week with some fun stories and pictures that I never put on here during the trip, a page about costs and gas prices across the nation, and a questions and answers page.

If you have questions or things you are curious about, you can write me at dana@readysetsko.net and I will post answers on here at the end of the week. Since this program knows it is an email, it is putting an underline under the whole email address, so you can't see the underscore after "elpie" and before "ma." Make sure to put that underscore (_) in or it will never get to me. The underscore is located next to the = key. Just hold down shift and push the button and it will show up.

Good night!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Yeah, I'm a bit behind, but that's what happens when I perfect my chatting skills more than my writing skills. I have been visiting with friends and family in Portland that I haven't seen in years. This trip has been a great opportunity for me to re-connect with people in my life that I had lost touch with. The amazing thing with each of them is it is like not a day has passed. Our conversations have picked up right where they left off years ago.

With a new year here, I think of the things I have learned, especially on this trip...

1- How to bake a cake from scratch
2- How to cook a turkey
3- That a horse isn't going to kill me. Actually, I love them now!!
4- That there is a place in this world for me.
5- That Wyoming fits the description of desolate.
6- That cowboys are hot.
7- That my dad really has good advice.
8- That I really have fun writing.
9- That I love the little things in life.
10- That my life is a detour.
11- Don't spend all your cash to clean out your purse because the toll booths are not fun to count pennies at.
12- Country music is so moving and great to listen to.

OK- now to the deeper things I learned on this trip...

1- I learned to be comfortable in my own skin and that being alone really can be quite fun!
2- I learned to trust myself and my own gut.
3- Sitting on the beach is one of the most peaceful moments possible.
4- My purpose is to help others. I don't know in what aspect yet or how, but that will come. I think I would like to teach through laughter.
5- To let go and accept others just the way they are. It is amazing how much tension goes away when you enjoy people as they come.
6- How to open up and listen without becoming defensive.
7- That enjoyment comes from the journey not getting to the destination.
8- To be flexible
9- It's not about what you have but what you do with it.
10- I learned a lot about what I want in a partner and have come up with the most important things to me.
11- I learned through friends that when I meet him it will feel right and I don't have to worry about what I say or do because if we fit, we will fit as the people we are.
12- I learned that I am ok just the way I am. I kept thinking I had to change, but somewhere on this trip, I learned I am who I am and don't want to be anyone else.

I have a wish for our country this coming year. I wish that we as people can step outside of worrying about ourselves and focus on others. If we do that, I believe we can learn to work as a team and our futures will be filled with success!!

I have a wish that people would choose the perspective that there are opportunities everywhere and it only takes opening our minds to see them.

I wish for people to appreciate all that we have and focus on the young kids in our world and what we can do to create a positive future for them!!

May your New Year be filled with opportunity and success!!!

find older postings

I have had a few people ask me what happened to all my postings. It had been a while since they checked and they didn't know where the older ones went.

If you look over to the right under blog archives, you will see a link that says 2009. Click on the arrow to the left of 2009 and it will show October, November, and December. You can click on each month or click on the arrow next to each month and get a list of each posting.

I hope you enjoy my travels!! :)

Day 57- Dec. 31 coast to coast

Last night, I stayed at a hotel in Eureka, CA that was filled with character. I had planned to go to Crescent City, CA so I could have time to play on the beach before I had to get on my way to Portland, but when I talked to my mom at 10:00 pm, she used some logic to get me off the road that made sense. Mom making sense, huh?!?!

She told me that the drive between Eureka and Crescent City on Highway 101 was the most beautiful stretch and if I went through there at night, I wouldn't get to see the ocean views. Well, the inner stubborn child cringes to admit mom is right but, true enough, she was!! I'm sure she was glowing when I said, "That makes sense!"

And low and behold there was a ma and pa inn across the street from where I was sitting at the time. It looked clean and I used my motel quality inspecting skills that I have developed along the way to scope it out.

As I approach a motel here is what I look for:

1-Parking lot and doorways to each room- are they well lit.

2-Lobby- If I have to talk to the manager through a bullet-proof glass window with a little speaking hole in it, I run.

3- Cars in parking lot- I look at the quality of the cars in the lot. I look for vans and SUVs because families usually travel in these vehicles and if they feel safe with their kids there, I am probably ok alone.

Well, this little ma and pa place fit all my requirements and was only $50. Perfect!

I walked through the door and a 68-year-old man (that's what he told me) about 6 feet tall with dark brown hair and dark skin came to the counter. I asked if he had a room and no doubt he did. "It is a safe and clean place to stay," he said.

"OK. Looks like it!"

THEN, he proceeded to spend 30 minutes telling me all about his life- wife, kids, grandkids, all about the motel and where everything was in the room, and the fact that he had owned the place for 30 years. I had just driven 420 miles in 13 hours and was totally exhausted. All I wanted was to get to my room.

I asked what I needed to do to check in and he whipped out the little carbon form you fill out. I proceeded to write until I got to the line that asked for my driver's license.

"Sir, I don't give out that type of personal information."

"Oh, it's a requirement!"

"Well, I'm sorry that's personal and I'm not interested in sharing."

He then proceeded to tell me it was a police law in this county that he collect the license of every guest. He pulled out an envelope that he had written the words, "County law requires driver's license," and says, "See, it's a law."

"Uh, you wrote that! I could write the same thing but that doesn't make it a law!"

He then said he was a police officer and this county is where all the criminals come after getting out of jail so there are lots of problems. -Oh, that's comforting to say to a guest!!

Hmmm... I call BS on that!!!

"Oh, really." I said. "So how do you find the time to work as a police officer and run the hotel 24/7 at the same time?"

"Oh, I'm not one now, but I was and it was hard but I made it work."

Hmmm...

"I'll be back, sir."

I went out to my car and booted up my computer, plugged in my mobile internet and looked up the phone number for the Eureka, CA Police Department.


I picked up my next piece of handy technology and placed a call to the department. I explained that the owner of the hotel said he used to be an officer and that there is a lot of crime so the law requires the hotels to get a driver's license from each guest.

Surprise!! Surprise!! There is no such law!! BUT she did say the hotels like to get it because they do have a problem with theft.

That was an understandable reason.

At this point, I had to decide if I would stay or go to another place. I made a few phone calls around town and they all had the same requirement and were FAR more expensive, so I trooped back into the office and debated how to share this information with the man. After all, you shouldn't piss off the manager before your night's stay but I can't stand being lied to!!

I opted to sign his form and wait til morning on my way out to call him on his lie.

Come morning, it was time for a little chat. I told him I called the police and found out that there is no such law and he only required it because of theft. I told him that if he said that from the start, I would have understood but I didn't appreciate being lied to. I also mentioned how easy it is to find out what the police require and what they don't.

He was a little puzzled at the fact that I had actually called, but apologized and said he would change his approach.

I have my doubts, but at least he knows that guests are aware of how to figure out what laws exist.

That was the manager; the room was a whole other experience...

The room was an old style room with cement block walls and a concrete slab covered by a thin layer of carpet. The room was just bigger than the queen bed and had one outlet. I plugged in my computer to write on this blog and charge my camera for today's events. BUT when I went to turn out the light, the power went down on the computer too. OOPS, the outlet was connected to the light switch.

Hmm... I had to get my camera charged overnight!

I attempted to sleep with the light on but that proved to be challenging so I did the logical thing- removed the florescent bulbs from the fixture.

This was a grand idea until the alarm on my phone when off at 6:30 am and I couldn't see to get ready. I had to climb up on the bed and in a sleepy daze try to screw the bulbs back in. Well, putting florescent light bulbs is a hard enough task when you can see, but close to impossible when it's dark. I quickly had a great understanding what blind people go through. It took me 15 minutes of feeling and twisting and turning of the bulb to finally get light again.

Once ready and out the door...

I made it coast to coast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had to take a few minutes to reflect on my experience.

I can't believe I have made it all the way from the north point of the Mississippi to the south point and from coast to coast!!!!!

If you come to the beach, there is one thing you must do...

Pose for pictures...

This cool spot had no water until I got on the rock!! Then a huge wave came in and soaked my feet!!

There is something about climbing in rocks for pictures that I just love!!

There is a second must at the beach...

Build a sand castle!!!

These fuzzy white reeds were so neat looking, I had to stop for a photo with them...

But the wind was blowing so heavy, I could hardly stand up. My hair wouldn't stay out of my face and the reeds kept blowing and hitting me in the head so this is a special picture!!

Further up the beach, I saw an incredible sight...

The wind was blowing so hard, it was blowing the water right back over the waves creating what looked like tails in the surf.

At this point, it was 10:00 in the morning and I had only accomplished 30 miles out of the 400 I needed to travel. Hmmm... The New Year's ball drops at midnight; I might make it to Portland by them.

BUT I still had the famous Redwood forests to see...

The moss on the trees here was amazing. It blanketed all the branches like a protective coating...

I had to check it out the close up...

Welcome to the Northwest! I haven't seen a fern since I left western Washington 4 years ago and these forest beds were smothered in them...

OH MY GOSH!!!! Look at the size of this tree and this wasn't the biggest...

That was all one tree with a small hole in the middle. It must have been 15 feet wide!!!

Those of us that were raised in western Oregon call this Oregon sunshine and a true Oregonian or northern Californian doesn't use an umbrella...

This picture was taken at about noon.

**LET IT RAIN**LET IT RAIN** LET IT RAIN**

Just like in the snow, I had to catch a few drops of this gully washing rain!!

My camera has a little bit of a temperamental issue with rain. It totally dysfunctions so most of the pictures came out blurry, and in order to take the rest of the pictures of the day, I had to put a box over my head and keep the camera under it.

You might ask why I didn't use an umbrella. Well, either I didn't bring one, or if I did it was buried under the house of stuff in my car.

Here are the few pictures that came out sort of clear...

As I left Crescent City, Highway 199 twisted and turned through the enormous redwood trees...

while following a river through the canyon...

And that led me to the Oregon border...

I have a total shocker for you...

It was raining!!!!!!

Before I got to Grants Pass on Highway 199, I was in awe of the mossy trees. They looked so mystical...

After spending so much time in lands that were defined by cactus, rock and dirt, I really was amazed at the vibrant green colors these woods brought. I grew up in western Oregon and always appreciated the beauty, but this time I actually noticed the moss and smelled the rain, and felt the moisture all the way to my bones.

It was so beautiful I could have spent another week or more wondering through these woods!!

But now, I am staying with family in the house next door to the house I grew up in. It is a rather odd feeling to look out the window and see your house from this side of the fence. The people who bought it from my family kept it the same color, never took down our curtains, and kept the wallpaper up so it still looked like our house.

The only thing that was a bit weird was I remember the yard being huge!! Now, I look at it and think it looks tiny. Amazing how our perspectives change!!!