6 States, 5 days later

I’m finally here. Pulled into a damp Port Angeles around 9 last night, and headed over to my cousin Maggie’s.  Decided not to stay in Portland and just get the driving over with, as PA is only 4 hours north of Portland.

www.crescentbeachmotel.com

Was definitely a good choice to pull over in Crescent City and stay a bit. Last night… with my book, thai food, wine and waves… definitely my favorite leg of the trip. 

Woke up yesterday morning to incandescent waves frothing up and washing over the smooth sand, and seagulls calling out to one another, cheerily in the sharp, piney air. I took my coffee outside and perched on a large rock, overlooking the ocean. Wasn’t in a hurry to leave. At all. I will definitely be bringing Caden to this little beach motel over the summer. Although it is nice to have alone time, to think, reflect and just be, I cannot wait to share more adventures with little man. He makes everything better.

somewhere, in some forest, on some mountain

After a stroll on the beach, I very begrudgingly climbed into my car to finish up the last 10 hours.  Took a curvy 199 through Six Rivers National Forest, from Crescent City, through Grant’s Pass to I-5, and then, after thick, heavy Portland traffic, was back on 101 for the rest of the drive. Ironically enough, I got carsick about 30 minutes out of PA, and had to pull over and throw up, but felt immediately better. Also got pulled over by a not so bad looking state trooper in Discovery Bay, but when he looked at my driver’s license, he exclaimed that he was from Beaumont, Texas, welcomed me to the state with a friendly hello, and sent me on my way. I think he was also rather alarmed when I told him I’d have to unload everything from my front seat in order to get to my insurance papers.

thew up next to the water. no biggie.
Discovery Bay

It dawned on me that I hadn’t mentioned my reasons for this move. Port Angeles is situated just across from Victoria, Canada, right on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This is where the majority of my family lives. Raised all over, in a military family, I’d be hard pressed to tell you where “home” is, but the place that’s always faintly  whispered in the back of my mind would be PA.  I’ve always known I wanted to end up in the Pacific North West, but wasn’t sure if I’d settle in PA or Seattle. For right now, I’m going to call PA home. For awhile, at least.  My grandfather, also knows as Grumpa, was recently diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, and being the most flexible, mobile person in my family, I thought I’d head his way, and annoy help him for awhile. So I’ll be staying with my grandparents the next couple of months, helping out where I can, and when Caden finishes 3^rd grade, at the end of May/ beginning of June, he’ll be joining me. I gave him the choice of coming with me now, or finishing 3^rd grade, his baseball season, and be spoiled by my parents for two months in Houston, and he chose to stay in Texas. He had no desire to start yet another 3^rd grade year somewhere new, and I don’t blame him. He is however, excited to be up here, as Cory, his dad, lives in Portland, and they will be able to see each other much, much more. Not to mention his beloved dog, Sadie, will be within arm’s reach, as well.

Road trip, Day 4

Today was an excellent driving day. I was originally supposed to drive into Portland today, but after yesterday, I decided to take it easy, slow down, and enjoy it for a minute. I looked at the route and Crescent City was only a 5ish hour drive north, so I found a cheap beach motel and made a leisurely drive there. Today was a day for sights. Honestly, the northern California coast, north of San Francisco, beats anything I’ve seen thus far. I started the day with coffee on Glass Beach, in Fort Bragg. Ending it now, sitting on the back porch of this cool, old hotel on the beach in Crescent City, California, listening to the waves, drinking cheap red wine from a plastic dixie cup and trying to unwind from the last 4 days of driving.

There are so many random, cool little towns on the coast and situated in little nooks and crannies in the vast expanse of mountainous forests. I'd think I was in the middle of nowhere, and I was, but I'd come across a random little winery, and pub, with a few cars parked outside and smoke drifting up from the chimneys.

Fort Bragg, CA

Glass Beach

coastal driving beats everything

started in a tank top.
not ending in one.

Northern CA

Loleta, CA

A real tree house,
Garberville, CA

my digs tonight

the view isn't too shabby

Crescent City, CA 

 decent thai, cheap wine, and a beach. 

Road Trip, Day 2 & 3

I chose to head to San Diego, rather than straight into Los Angeles, because Cory is there for training and it was a free place to crash. It was a relatively short drive, in comparison to the 1,060 miles from Monday.  Got there, hauled my crap up to the room and then we hopped onto a train to downtown. Wandered for a bit till we found a sun-drenched patio in San Diego’s Little Italy…granted, it was a British pub, where we had fish and chips, but nonetheless. Smelled Italian. Took a taxi to the beach just in time for a clichéd, beautiful Californian sunset, a few drinks at an overtly touristy bar, and then back to the hotel. Was up this morning by 4, and out into a rainy, chilly dawn…the drive to Fort Bragg took 5 hours longer than I allotted. I wasn’t sure when I should get on hwy 1/ 101 and got on a tad too soon, and ended up in Long Beach rush hour morning traffic. It took me several hours to traverse the coastal side of Los Angeles, with all the lights and traffic, but eventually, once I was a little north of Santa Monica, I was rewarded with some pretty spectacular coastal views. I appreciate the beauty of ANY coast, but in the heavily populated areas, like Laguna and Newport, I found it had a very inauthentic feel. Sure, it was asthetically pleasing, but there is an allure to truly historic, salt water battered coastal towns that I find much more satisfying. There is something disconcerting about new towns painted to look old and charming. Charm comes from character. Not paint and manicured bushes. 

Anyway, as the hours passed, I realized it was going to take me much longer to get to Fort Bragg, my stopping point for the evening. I was supposed to get there by 4 in the afternoon. Got caught in rush hour in downtown San Francisco, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, and then found myself white-knuckled, winding through the dark on 128 (google it). It’s a twisty, mountain route. Not fun in the dark.  Needless to say, I was beyond ready to be done with driving for the day. …I checked into Shoreline Cottages around 9pm. Which, are absolutely adorable, by the way. Another place I plan on bringing Caden to.  I had plans to go Glass Beach and explore the town, but all that’s happening now is bed. I'm just glad I got here in time to check in, because it's a Mom & Pop kinda' place, and it would suck if they were already shuttered for the night when I got here. Oh well. Glad this day is over.

Nice, real nice

Fish, chips, wine & whisky in
San Diego's Little Italy

           Day 2

Day 3 drive:

FIELDS OF WINE IS WHAT THIS IS

And super cute.

Shoreline Cottages in Ft. Bragg
Off- season so super cheap