“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land;
it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.”
-G.K. Chesterton
Yellowstone to Oregon
One of the purposes of this road trip was to be able to visit family and friends, and as we reached the Pacific Northwest, that’s exactly what we got to do! Barry was born in Washington (so he claims to be a native even though his family moved away when he was 2 months old!), I lived there on and off for 18 years, and both our kids were born there and lived there until we moved to the South. So it truly does feel like going home again. But it’s not just the places… it’s the people too!
Wednesday – Cody to Missoula
We said goodbye to our new friends at the mountain cabin, and continued our trip west. I honestly don’t have much to report for this day. After more than a week being on the road, we were somewhat anxious to get to a “basecamp” we could just chill for a bit, so today’s focus was more on driving than exploring. Our big adventure was that we had to stop at a Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman so Barry could do a video interview he had scheduled that day. We arrived in Missoula, staying at another Hilton Garden Inn, and grabbed some dinner at a nearby restaurant before calling it a night.
Thursday – Missoula to Arlington
Just outside Missoula we began seeing road signs for “the best. shake. ever.” – a huckleberry milkshake at St. Regis Travel Center. We probably would have just driven past, but thanks to a tip from a family member (and a request to bring him some treats) we stopped to check it out. Is 10 am too early for a milkshake? I think not! 😉 This travel stop is something else. It’s a convenience store, a restaurant, a clothing and Montana souvenir shop, and they sell all things huckleberry! Honey, jam, syrup. scone and muffin mix, jellybeans, chocolates, taffy… We might have picked up one or two or six things… and yes, I did get a milkshake, and I can confirm that it was at least the best huckleberry milkshake ever.
We crossed over Idaho and eastern Washington before stopping in the mountain town of Leavenworth for an early dinner. Leavenworth is a Bavarian-styler village filled with European charm and great German food. It’s definitely a great place to visit for Octoberfest, and in the winter it looks like a holiday postcard. After some window-shopping, and some beer and sausages, we traveled on to Arlington to visit some dear friends for a few days.
A Few Days in Arlington
Our time here was truly a blessing, reminiscing and catching up, and just connecting with kindred spirits. Barry got to go golfing with his buddy Mike, and Tami and I spent an afternoon at the marina in La Connor, wandering through shops and eating some delicious seafood. We all played cards, drank wine around the firepit, and attended their church’s first anniversary party. This couple holds a special place in our hearts, and I love the friendships that can pick right up where you left off, even if it’s been months or years.
A Few Days in Issaquah
After a too-short visit, we bid adieu to our friends and began the drive south. It wasn’t a long drive, just over an hour, so we took the opportunity to swing by some old haunts – where I grew up, the church Barry and I got married in, the first house we bought. Once the trip down memory lane was over, we went to my mom and stepdad’s. This was a fun little visit! The highlight was the day we spent at the Puyallup State Fair. We ate scones, looked at cows and baby pigs, ate pierogis, saw dog shows and horse and carriage shows, ate ice cream, and shopped through buildings of vendors selling everything from hot tubs and Amish furniture to popped sorghum and live oysters guaranteed to have a pearl inside. We passed on the first two, (doesn’t fit in the jeep, lol!) but purchased the second two. The oyster Barry picked out did have a beautiful pearl inside, so I walked away with a new necklace. 🥰🦪
Thursday – Issaquah to Veneta
Eventually it was time to continue south to see our Oregon state family. Larry and Trevor live in Veneta, a small town just west of Eugene. Our lunch stop for this day was in the small city of Vancouver, situated on the Columbia River at the border between Washington and Oregon. We walked along the riverfront and grabbed a bite to eat at Stack 571 Burger & Whiskey Bar. No other side quests today, we stayed on I-5 til we got where we were going – just in time for dinner.
10 Days in Oregon
Our stay in Oregon was longer than we originally planned, mainly because Barry had several phone and video interviews scheduled, and those are a lot easier when we have a home base and are not driving or trying to set up in a random hotel. So we took advantage of this extension and found a few antique shops, went out for Mexican, and karaoke, and played with Bucky the rottweiler. One night we were able to reconnect with some old friends from Chattanooga who now live in Eugene. We made a few mini road trips, some with Larry and Trevor and some on our own to try to get to know “the Beaver State” a little better.
Our first trip was to Silver Falls State Park for some hiking through old growth forests and behind waterfalls. It was a little colder and wetter at this elevation than we had planned; thankfully Oregon does an excellent job maintaining their state parks, and this one has a coffee shop and a gift shop. Barry and I emergency purchased some souvenir sweatshirts and some lattes – because nothing says northwest like hiking with coffee! 😂 We got some great pics, some hearty exercise, and got mobbed by a pack of friendly chipmunks. All in all, it was a perfectly authentically Oregonian kind of day.
The coast is only 45 minutes from Veneta, so one day we visited to seaside town of Florence – a cute little town to walk through, with lots of shops and cafes and pubs. We also stopped at the Heceta Head Lighthouse. It was built in 1894 and thanks to being located on a rocky cliff, it sits 206 feet above the Pacific. The keeper’s house has been turned into a bed and breakfast, and part of the Oregon Coast Trail passes through the park. There is, of course, the obligatory gift shop, but my favorite things were seeing inside the historic landmark and the views of the waves crashing against the cliffs below.
Sometimes our family still had to go to their day jobs, so Barry and I took a solo trip to see Crater Lake. 7700 years ago, a volcanic eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak and created the deepest lake in the USA. The scenery is dramatic and the water is bluer than blue. The park has a gift shop, a grab-n-go food stand, a lodge, a ranger’s station, and a restaurant. There is a road that circles the entire crater, but part of it was closed so we could only drive about half of it before turning around. We were able to stop at several overlooks and take a few short hikes to some spectacular viewpoints.
Someone once asked me, “what’s your favorite place?”
And this is my reply: I don’t have a favorite place. I have my favorite people.
And whenever I’m with my favorite people,
that place becomes my favorite.
We left the Pacific Northwest with a few more national parks and historic sites added to our list, and our spirits refreshed from family time and rekindling old friendships. Every day I am thankful for the beautiful souls God has placed in our lives. With good memories, some additional souvenirs, and a little more dirt on our shoes, we continued our journey south.
California Dreamin!
Til next time, shine bright friends!
~Dawn🌻
