“Portland, Oregon and a sloe gin fizz. If that’s not love then tell me what is.”
Loretta Lynn and Jack White got it right there. I already miss PDX and I haven’t even been gone a whole day.
Today, I finally packed up all of my stuff (which has already been whittled down) into my Jeep for the fourth cross-country trip of my life. But this one is different in one major regard: I’m not taking a direct route nor am I pressed for time. And since I’m going to be out of the country for a significant amount of time, I’m taking this opportunity to see amazing things here. That way I can tell the people I meet all about some of the amazing things this country has to offer.
Once I packed up all my books, photos, clothes, hula hoops and bike I pushed off and headed down to Eugene to meet a fellow Thailand Peace Corps invitee. I grabbed some dinner and we both grabbed a brew and shared bits of our Peace Corps path story. It was nice to meet someone who knows exactly what I’m going through right now. If there are any others out there who are going to Thailand in Group 125 who are along my route (you can check it out in the post Road Trip) and want to meet up for coffee, a meal or a brew, please get in touch!
The way down to Eugene was so gorgeous. The sun was setting, turning the sky this gorgeous rainbow of colors: red-purple to the east, which offset the alpenglow n Mt. Hood and the tops of Mt. Jefferson and the Sisters, and blazing orange to the west as the sun dipped below the horizon. It was as if Mother Nature knew how much I’ve connected with these mountains and gave me a chance at one last, beautiful parting panorama. A clear November day in the Pacific Northwest is a real treat. When it is one of your last days here, it’s all you can do to savor it.
After meeting up, I decided to hit the road and get as close to Redwood National Park as I could, and made it here to Grant’s Pass, Ore. I’m so excited to go and spend some time among the tallest trees on Earth. Just thinking about this place causes a smile to creep across my face.
