Rhode Island to Oregon
This fall my family and I dawned our masks for a cross-country flight back east to meet my brother (my best friend's fiance and our new Officer, fresh out of school). Our task? To bring him home. Home to stay. Plain and simple.
We rented an amazing b&b and waited in agonizing anticipation (more for the bride-to-be than the rest of us) for his graduation. It had been a very long five months of limited contact.
Come to find out after flying out there no one would be allowed to attend the ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions, however we were able to watch it online. It was amazing, I regret that it could not be in person. A live band just doesn't sound the same over livestream. However, when the canons saluted we could hear them from where we were staying. That helped us feel a part of it in real-time.
And then he was on his way. Heading straight for us. For her. To the arms of the woman he loves, to home.
We took some time to enjoy the East Coast. My favorite was a small town called Mystic. Very touristy, but we explored book stores and doughnut shops and had a lovely, laid back day in the bay.
We also celebrated some very big birthdays for both my mother and myself. I chose to spend the day in Rhode Island, hiking along the ocean's edge on the popular "Cliff Walk" followed by dinner and the two-hour drive home to our b&b.
(And laid eyes on Taylor Swift's house. Just sayin'.)
On my mom's special day we headed for Boston.
This was my first time in Boston. I've decided that the city really just stresses me out. Like, I enjoy my time there, but the fast pace always leaves me on guard. In spite of this, we had a really great time. We walked the Freedom Trail, taking us past historical markers such as the Old North Church and Paul Revere's House. I really wanted to stop in little Italy - a friend who once lived there recommended the most amazing authentic Italian place and oh my goodness. It was so good. Us young people were lame and got the best pizza of our lives instead of something we'd never tried; even the carb-free parents were treated by a taste of Italia that made their mouths water. Hiking the back streets back to our rental that day, we found ourselves in the middle of a park, sort of in the heart of the city. Here, a squirrel promptly climbed up my dad's arm and made himself at home. That was a moment for the books.
We were pretty antsy to get home (you know, Oregon-home), so after celebrating us girls my parents took the next flight to Portland and my brother, friend and I packed up the car FULL and started to drive.
And drive, and drive and drive.
I've always wanted to just get in the car and see how far I could get in a day. And here I got my chance.
Only, I was surprised to learn that my back is all kinds of lame. I could only drive 2-4 hours before my leg would fall asleep (the whole thing, in it's entirety...) and my back would hurt. Not so great if you can't feel the gas and breaks. Or move your toes. So I was sort of helpful. But mostly got reduced to chaperone. We drove straight through, stopping to eat and grab usually one meal a day, stopping at a store or for take-out. That's how we roll. The rest of the day we relied on our snack bag.
Some days we'd feel gross having sat all day and would use the hotel's workout room to stretch and move. Some days we face planted in our pillows and zonked out.
Now - I am completely biased. Prejudice. I get it. But I have officially crossed the country, traveled the world - and still never seen anywhere as beautiful as my home, Oregon. Just saying. The mid west? In winter? I'm sorry, but hun, it is a tad repetitive.
That didn't stop us from having a blast. Road-tripping with my people is the best time, any day.
I learned about cruise control. So yeah, that's magical. Going 85mph is not my favorite but you get used to it somehow. Cc helped with my back a lot. Eventually I rolled up a sweatshirt for back support and that gained me an hour or so per day.
Alright enough with the boring stuff: we did make some pretty cool stops! Shoshone Falls, Idaho, the beautiful arches of Utah, and an especially golden sunset on a lawn in Iowa rank in my favorites. We met all sorts of weather (icy, warm, etc.) and all sorts of people (icy, warm, etc.). But after five days of the road and many, many iPod audio books, the Columbia River Gorge never looked so beautiful.
Walking in my back door... to a warm house, dinner on the stove, candles lit and the fireplace roaring, smiling loved ones and your great big dog to greet you... there is truly no place like home.
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