Losing Track of Time

Bandon, OR, and on to Seattle

Leaving the redwoods behind felt leaving behind old friends.  There’s a peace to those forests that is unexplainable.  Maybe it’s the wisdom and energy they contain.  Some of those trees have lived thousands of years.  Can you imagine what they’ve witnessed in their lifetimes?

I’ve started to lose track of time. . . what day is it, what month is it?  We've changed timezones three times now.

We continued up the Pacific Coast Highway admiring the meetings of sky, ocean and land.  It only gets more beautiful as you head north.  We met up with some good friends that had moved to Oregon a few years ago.  They live in Bandon, OR – a wonderfully charming town that lies along the coast and, I’m glad to report, has not one Target nor Walmart.   Somehow this place has managed to keep its old-town ambiance.  It really is lovely.  We spent a few memorable days with our friends and as we pulled away, I found myself muttering my favorite phrase of the trip “I could live here.”

Face Rock - can you see it?


We stopped off at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA on our way to Seattle.  A great place to see some phenomenal glass artists at work and learn the history of glass blowing.

We quickly hurried up to Seattle to see my brother and my S-I-L. We were glad to make it before they leave the state in a couple of more weeks.  We appreciated them putting us up in the midst of their move (hey, what’s 4 people moving in when you’re trying to pack?).  The weather wasn’t great so we didn’t get to see too much of the city but we managed to make it down to Pikes Place Market.  What a trip!  I know I’ll someday want to go back without a husband and children in tow (man they can slow a shopping girl down!) but we had a great time milling around the fish and flower markets, the craft and clothing vendors and the coffee and donut shops.  I even had my picture taken at the original Starbucks coffee shop.

Making the turn and heading east felt really strange.  It marks the beginning of the end of our “Cross Country” trip. I think we all felt a little sadness. It helped that the landscape driving from Washington through Idaho and over to Montana was remarkable.  We came over the Cascade Mtns. through the Snoqualmie Pass.

It was snowing lightly but there was a nice base of snow already on the ground and the landscape looked like a winter Christmas-tree-filled wonderland with crystal clear rivers running freely through its midst.  The camping, historical sites, museums, and time with friends and family make a trip memorable but it’s scenes like this that make the act of travelling so magical.  You know you’re witnessing a single fleeting moment of beauty that you will never see again.

 Kerby coming out of the slide at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort - a stopover on our way out of Anaconda,MT.  The springs there give forth water at 168 degrees Fahrenheit so it's mixed with cold water to keep the 4 indoor and outdoor pools at 94 and 103 degrees. It was novel swimming in bath water while looking at the snowy mountains in the distance.

We’re now in Bozeman, Montana surrounded by the mighty snowy-covered Rocky Mountains.  It’s cold here and the air is extraordinary - crisp and clean – it just makes ya feel energized.  We’ve been in a resort, a house and now a hotel for the last 7 nights. Although I’m not looking forward to bundling up in all those layers again (esp. when I know it was in the high 80’s at home today), I’m so ready to get back into my camper and be one with the outdoors again.  We’re all feeling a bit stir-crazy I think and ready for a hike.  Funny we don’t feel that closed in feeling the pop-up and it’s half the square footage of this hotel room!