The Apparent End of an Era

We seem to be coming to the end of this leg of our trip. We are HOPING that it is "this leg" because we want so much for the trip to go forward. I think if we were coming to the TRUE end of the trip, we would both feel so sad. It is my life challenge to learn to feel happy about what is, and what has been, and think less about what will be. But this has been so extraordinary, and we have been so lucky and so blessed to see everything and experience so much! Is it wrong to hope we can keep going?

Our time in the Pacific Northwest has been amazing. It is such a beautiful part of the country. And we have been cheating a bit by being here at this time of year. It just seems like: why doesn't everyone live here? It's incredibly green, and lush and verdant. And yet,  it never rains! Amazing!

Well, in fact, it did rain for part of almost every day that we were in Portland, but never for the whole day, and never much more, really, than a heavy mist. And the rest of the time it was sunny and delightful and warm and beautiful. The weather changes there about four times EVERY SINGLE DAY. And we have been on the Olympic Peninsula for several days... and it hasn't rained once! It's been foggy and cool in the mornings and beautifully sunny in the afternoons. Why do people say such bad things about this place with perfect weather?

Our time in Portland was wonderful, and soul-restorative. Just when I thought we would have to say goodbye and go on our way, we got to stay a bit longer. I think this ultimately made it easier to part with the place and with our far-flung daughter there. AND we had great success on the car venture! ALL we had to do was agree to pay the $3500 for the car repair before the warranty company paid the bill! (Eek! How terrifying.)  In the end, it turned out fine, and the bill got paid, and the car is better off, as are we. One of the places we got to go on our "extra" time in Portland was Multnomah Falls.

There is almost no end to this waterfall business outside Portland

The Olympic Peninsula, where we are now, is fabulously beautiful. We have been staying in a state park that juts out into the water, and going into a nearby town (Port Townsend) that also juts out into the water. And then we went on a day trip of ferry rides from island to island in the San Juans in Puget Sound, and it all has just been stunning.

Coming into Friday Harbor, in San Juan Island

In the San Juan Islands

The trees are so big and the forest is so deep. Right at the ocean.

It keeps reminding me of that great movie "Five Easy Pieces," which took place around here, and which I loved. It also reminds me of the (crazy) time that two friends and I drove in my car from Santa Cruz CA to Vancouver BC without stopping, and how stunning it is to see this incredibly green place for the first time. It's a shame to miss Seattle, because it is one of my most favorite cities in all the world. Well, all the world that I have seen, anyway.

But...it's time to go HOME! We are lucky enough to have family members who will let us leave our car and our trailer at their house, near Wenatchee WA, while we visit our REAL life for a little while. We will be home in Boston, and all of our "usual" places, for a few weeks, and then will fly back to WA to resume our travels.

This has been the most extraordinary experience. What a big country! How many wonderful and interesting places there are in it! How amazing to actually drive from one part to another part, and just keep going...dragging our "little house" behind! I don't even know how to talk about how lucky I feel, and what a life changing, perspective altering experience it has been. I know not everyone would be happy going from spot to spot and never being home. But it is hard to imagine not doing this again. MORE. It is such a big and wonderful place. I'm GLAD to go home. I have missed our friends and family there desperately. But I am feeling just now like the luckiest person who ever was.

Tonight's sunset, at our campground in Ft Flagler State Park. That's Bob. He was cold.

The beach near our campsite