Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jig

Lumberman's Monument, Tawas, Michigan

I'm back from my travels and reviewing my fun, adventurous, kick ass trip:

• 58 days on the road
• 4,747 miles traveled
• 1 time almost ran out of gas
• 4 nights tent camping
• 1 night staying in a KOA "log cabin"
• 6 nights in different low budget to high budget hotels
• 2 nights back at home to regroup
• 25 nights at friends' homes
• 15 nights at family member's homes
• 4 nights at watercolor camp
• 10 places played Pickleball

I ended up taking the following route both by land and air:

I drove (my Subaru Crosstrek) from:

Reno to Winnemucca, NV to Boise, ID to LaGrande, OR to Portland, OR to Seattle, WA to Portland, OR to Ashland, OR to Trinidad, CA to Ft. Bragg, CA to Willits, CA to Reno, NV to Elko, NV to Holladay, UT to Rawlins, WY to Ft. Collins, CO

My wonderful friends Hans and Cindi Coester were super generous to me while I stayed with them and also let me store my car in their garage for three weeks while I continued my trip by air.

Cindi & Hans Coester and their son Jake and doggies Moosie and Zee

I flew from:

Denver, CO to Minneapolis, MN to Chicago, IL

Drove (my dad's uber cushy, huge Ford Explorer - thanks Jer!) from:

Glenview, IL to Ann Arbor, MI to Tawas City, MI to Ann Arbor, MI to Cement City, MI to Chicago, IL

I flew from:

Chicago, IL to Denver, CO

I drove from:

Ft. Collins, CO to Green River, WY to Salt Lake City, UT to Elko, NV to Reno!

I played Pickleball in:

Portland OR, Ashland OR, Eureka CA, Cottonwood Heights & Holladay UT, Chicago suburbs and Ann Arbor, MI (at the same recreation center I used to swim in when I was in college - that was a real TRIP going back there 30 years later!)

Pickleball at Washtenaw County Rec Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Some things I learned on this trip:

• I would definitely do a trip like this again, but maybe for a month instead of two months.
• I would like to camp more next time and see some state and national parks, but only if I have a friend camping with me.
• Anyone with a reliable car and a phone with a map app can do a trip like this, even solo!
• I gained a lot of confidence venturing out and being on the road by myself.
• I learned to be comfortable in a constant state of transition.
• The Pickleball community is almost always very welcoming to a stranger just walking on the court.  
• My organizational skills came in super handy in my car and in all the different places I slept.
• It paid off sending all those Christmas cards for all those years and keeping in contact with friends and family members.

I felt a tremendous sense of gratitude coming home to my familiar, comfortable, beautiful home and space.  And being home, I truly believe that the Reno/Tahoe area is among the most gorgeous places in this vast country filled with such diverse landscapes and scenery.  Now it's my turn to host.  Come visit me, friends and family, in Reno!

Change Is The Only Constant

I'm on Day 25 of this roadie.  Tonight I'm staying in my first low budget hotel on this trip.  $47 including tax at The American Inn in Elko, Nevada (ironically run by a lovely, little Indian woman). $47 gets me fresh towels, WiFi, a mini fridge, a microwave, a tv and Gideon's Bible. Oh, and a built in bottle opener in the bathroom door frame.

I was commenting to a friend about how many trips to my car I have to make at all the different places I go to gather stuff I need.  He said, "you will be so dialed in by the time you are done with this trip."  True, but the reality is, every place that I go is different and requires different stuff.  I am exceedingly organized in my car set-up though, and that helps tremendously.  In fact, I don't know how someone messy or disorganized could attempt a trip like this, living out of one's car and staying in different places most nights.  Change is indeed status quo for me right now and my organizational skills help me accept this new, temporary reality.  Ah, but is change ever temporary?

Since my last post, the Fall Equinox occurred, ushering in the first day of autumn, a change of season. How fitting that I'm in such a state of flux right now, during these travels.

Highlights from the last ten days!

Days 13-14 - Ashland, OR

 

Willow-Witt ranch outside of Ashland, OR

I felt like a bad ass because I was completely alone in this campground and I had to get over the fear at night of utter darkness.  It was also really cold in the mornings and at night, in the 40s (elevation 5000 feet) and why do we tend to feel more afraid when it's cold?  Shoulders tense, body tightens.  Had to breathe and repeat the mantra, "What would you do, Kerry, if you weren't afraid?"  And then I told myself I would relax and get a good night's sleep.

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Saw Henry V and played Pickleball in Ashland, OR

Days 15-16 - Trinidad, CA

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Trinidad, CA with Teacher Isobel, Talon, Cayenne & Andy Pruter

Got to organize their fridge AND play Pickleball in Eureka, it was a perfect day

Day 17 - 18 - Willits & Ft. Bragg, CA

   

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Willits KOA & Ft. Bragg Glass Beach, CA with my BFF Jamie

Days 19 - 23 - Emandal Art Stay Camp, outside of Willits, CA on the Eel River, no WiFi or cell coverage.  I experienced both FOMO and JOMO. (Fear of Missing Out and Joy of Missing Out) 

  

 Watercolor camp with Tracy and The Ostrich

 
Eva Nichols, our amazing and talented watercolor teacher, check out her YouTube channel

The five watercolor and ink projects we completed:

       

Days 24 - 25 - Reno to Elko, NV


Winnemucca, Ridley's Market

After a wonderful break from the connected world at Emandal, I returned to Reno to regroup for two nights before heading east to Salt Lake City.  I was a guest in my own home!  I stayed in my guest room for these two nights because I'm renting out my house to a friend while I'm away.  I have a really nice guest room, I should stay in it more often.  And, my house is WAY bigger than my car.

I have been a hostess for so many years, especially in my former, married life.  It's a nice change of pace for me to be a guest in other people's homes for a while.  It's not in my nature to ask for things, so it is good practice for me to call or email a friend and say, "hey may I crash on your couch for a night?"  So far everyone has said YES!  And that's so sweet.

Today I lit out of Reno, for the second time on this trip, and headed to Elko, Nevada.  I had a pit stop in Winnemucca at Ridley's because I know where the bathrooms are.  And here I am, at The American Inn, in Elko, Nevada, looking forward to a warm, sleepy night on a soft, lumpy mattress.

Couch, Tent & Kid's Bed Surfing

Kid's bed surfing

What happens when a totally organized, admittedly anal retentive, fastidious and not very spontaneous middle-aged woman takes a two-month long road trip that requires living out of her car and very little planning?

Well, I guess I'm finding out.

I'm on Day 12 of this road trip and have put 1700 miles on my car.  I've been to Boise, ID, Portland, OR, Washougal and Seattle, WA and Ashland, OR so far.  I've done one load of laundry.

Things I'm trying to do on this trip:

-not overplan

-go with the flow

 

Seattle Storm WNBA finals game one and Ravenna neighborhood alley party

-be ok with less than sparkling, squeaky clean bathrooms

-be ok with small spaces

-be ok with severe quiet

-be ok with lots of commotion
-try not to severely startle when the gas station attendant creeps up to my driver's side window in Oregon and insists on filling my tank and washing my windshield (full service state)

-explore new places

-be prepared to change whatever plan I have for the day

-be confident when solo

-make new friends (especially with ducks)

Dana, Vern, Clever & Wellington

-reconnect with old friends

Nicole and Jim from my UM and HighScope days

-invite friends from home on the trip

 

With Jeff in Portland and Jennifer Jo in Boise

-write everyday, or most days

-read books and articles on PAPER

-stretch, roll and do yoga everyday

-take lots of breaks while driving

-hike, hike,  hike

-pause and enjoy the scenery

Columbia River Gorge, Washougal WA

-find new places to play pickleball

Pickleball in Gladstone, OR

-spend one hour (or more) a day in quiet (no screens, no music, no talking)

-try not to be too connected (via texting, emails, etc)

-not be afraid of bears while in my tent

Tent site in Willow-Witt Ranch

I've slept in my tent, in guest bedrooms, in basements (complete with rifles, chaps and a typewriter hanging on the wall), in a little girl's bedroom, on couches and in a hotel.  I'm trying to get a really great night's sleep.  It has happened only once so far, in a friend's guest room.  Fingers crossed it happens tonight.

Reflecting here on Day Twelve, I'm very pleased with the way this trip is unfolding.

Highlights from La Grande, Oregon and Wallowa Lake

View from the top of Wallowa Lake tram, Oregon

My friend Jennifer Jo, (JJ),  grew up in La Grande, Oregon.  I've heard about this place for the fifteen years I've known her, and I have know her parents for many of those years.  I was well overdue for a visit to her parent's home and to her childhood valley.  It's a lovely part of northeast Oregon.

We have packed so much into these two days I will list a few of the highlights.

First day here I met JJ's brother and we pruned surprise muscat grape vines in their parent's backyard.  These grapes have been in the dehumidifier ever since turning into raisins.

Making raisins from Muscat grapes found in backyard

Walked around town and Eastern Oregon University and walked the route JJ used to take home from elementary school.  This included a walk along the original Oregon Trail.

Oregon Trail marker, La Grande OR 1843-57

Drove in JJ's folk's new RV, aka, The Little House, to Wallowa Lake.

   

Driving to Wallowa Lake, OR

Almost ripped off the vent unit on the top of the RV pulling into the Summerville Cemetery archway on the way to the lake.  This was due to my poor navigating skills!

Summerville Cemetery entry

Enjoyed hanging out with the mountain squirrels at the top of the tram of Wallowa Lake.

 

  

See the little critter?

Iconic Mount Emily in La Grande, OR

Days Three and Four!