Road Tripping
I had the privilege and honor to take a road trip with my long-time friend, Jane. We secured the dates from August 25-28, 2024 to spend time in Bend, Oregon.
History of Friendship
Introduced by a mutual friend, Michael, our friendship began in the early 1990s when Jane and her husband, Shawn, moved to Benicia where I lived at the time. We spent many evenings at our respective husband’s softball games and gatherings at a local Chinese restaurant after the games.
We hosted countless barbecues with friends and family. Jane and her family were often in attendance adding joy and entertainment to whatever occasion we might be celebrating. Oftentimes, we didn’t need an occasion to celebrate, but to just merely gather together in the spirit of friendship and sharing a meal. My three kids loved these get-togethers leaving them with fond memories from their childhood. These were some of our most joyous times.
Moving/Distance Impact Friendships
As often happens, people move away and distance becomes farther and wider creating an obstacle in carrying on with the daily interactions with our friends. As much as we both tried in the beginning, the distance created a gap in our friendship. We were the first to move away. Shortly thereafter, I went through a divorce. Jane and Shawn were a blessing and a huge support for me. They offered me and my daughters a place to stay when we wanted or needed to come home to Benicia. They supported me when I remarried. We stayed connected but we weren’t able to maintain the physical contact as the geographical distance complicated such opportunities.
Reconnection
Recently Jane and Shawn returned to our former hometown of Benicia for a visit. Through the expertise planning of her husband, Shawn, we coordinated schedules and planned to get together for dinner in Benicia in April of this year. We had a great reunion on a lovely spring evening with both Shawn and Jane.
Planning a Getaway
At that dinner, Jane invited me to participate in a Coast Walk in Oregon scheduled for September. I put the dates on my calendar and checked out the website. Besides being my birthday weekend, the course description seemed a little daunting. I would be required to “train” for the event. Being overweight and not in the best shape, I pondered whether or not I could physically do this walk. I desperately wanted to spend time with Jane and this would provide a perfect opportunity. I love to spend time in nature and the ocean and beach are one of my favorite places to be.
Making a Plan
My husband was supportive of my participation and agreed to go on “training hikes” to help me get in good enough shape for this quest. We had a day trip scheduled to hike on Santa Cruz Island – a part of the Channel Islands. This trip would complete our list of National Parks located in our home state of California. Something we were very much looking forward to doing.
Plan Averted
Ten days after our dinner with Shawn and Jane, my husband went on a solo Mountain Bike Ride on Mt. Diablo near our house. He had an outstanding ride up the mountain; however, on the return leg of the ride, he hit a rock or some loose dirt that caused his front bike tire to jack knife and catapulted him over the handlebars where he landed on the dirt fire road with the wind knocked out of him. As he tried to recover from the shock of the traumatic fall, he managed to get on his feet and climbed back onto the saddle of the bike to ride home. After showering, Mike texted me to call him…I was out to lunch with a friend. I had a feeling something was wrong. I immediately called him and he asked me to come home and give him a ride to the Emergency Room because he suspected he had broken some ribs.
While at the Emergency Room, the X-Rays showed two broken ribs — All plans for hiking and biking vacations for the summer were immediately cancelled.
I spent the summer occupying myself with my art, line dancing, Pilates, and water aerobics classes in between visits to Oregon to see my daughter and grandchildren. Mike focused on healing his broken ribs and Physical Therapy (PT) for an injured IT band in his leg.
All plans I had to train for the Coast Walk were sidelined. While I could’ve taken some hikes on my own, I preferred to stick to the walkways around the greenbelt in our neighborhood. Definitely not a training ground for a ten-mile a day Coast Walk.
I joined a challenge where I committed to walking five miles per day and failed. I did other workouts and occasionally hit the five-mile mark, but three miles would’ve been a more realistic goal. I joined my sister-in-law and niece on a trip to Yosemite. We had a plan to hike Hetch-Hetchy out to the waterfalls — an achievement that I had already conquered in the past. The hot summer sun and drier conditions made this hike a slog for me. I slogged along trying to put one foot in front of the other only to finish in about twice as long as it took me the first time. After this epic fail at hiking in preparation of the Coast Walk, I made the decision to not do the walk. My body was simply unfit for the challenge.
Jane and I talked and she understood my decision to bow out of the Coast Walk this year. As much as the idea of the Coast Walk appealed to me, climbing challenging hills did not. I am a bit clumsy and more prone to falls nowadays…I just didn’t want to take the risk.
An Alternative Plan is Developed
Jane called me with another offer – A road trip to Bend, Oregon where she had use of her friend’s vacation home. The home in Bend was close to Sun River and lots of nature and hiking trails. “Yes, count me in,” I enthusiastically told Jane. SLAP – Jane said, Sounds like a plan! We had something on the calendar. Jane would be returning from Southern California and would stop and pick me up and we would drive to Bend, OR together. I would go back home with her and fly home from Portland, OR.
However, another glitch in our plans presented itself. When I got back from my Hetch-Hetchy trip I had to report for Jury Duty. On the first day my number was called and my group went up to the third floor where the judge told us we were all prospective jurors in a murder trial case. They distributed a tentative calendar of the case. And, just as luck would have it, the trial was expected to run through the first week in September. If selected, I would miss my road trip with Jane to Bend, Oregon. This would be another big disappointment in summer plans for me. I completed the required questionnaire and was told to report back on Wednesday. I tried to keep a positive mindset that I may not be chosen for this trial. Much to my delight, I received a phone call from the court on Tuesday afternoon telling me that my service was complete. Such a relief…I could still make the trip! Hooray!
A Road Trip Ensues
After an amazing night at a Lainey Wilson Concert, Jane picked me up at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. We happily embarked on our road trip. The van was comfortable and the traffic minimal as we sailed right along the I-5 toward Oregon talking nonstop along the way. We made a stop in Shasta City and had a scrumptious late lunch. Our plan was to stop at a grocery store near where we were staying to pick up nibbles for dinner (crackers, cheese and of course, wine). We also grabbed some breakfast types of food – yogurt, berries and granola.
We pulled into the driveway at our home away from home before nightfall at about 7:00 p.m. We had a beautiful deer lying down between our house and the neighbors as our welcoming committee. He watched us unload the car and never made a move. A few of his buddies were roaming and snooping through the yards across the street.
We got settled in and ate our snacks and conversed some more before calling it a night and going to bed. One would think we were all talked out, but we had so much to catch up on.
Our plan for the next morning was to eat a bite for breakfast and then go to a spot Jane knew about at one of the Oregon State Parks for a fairly easy hike. I was excited for the day.
First Day Adventures and Shenanigans
Jane and I got up early (not too early), figured out the coffee maker which was a little tricky, and got ready to head out. Before that, Jane shared the online services offered by the County Library system and some of her favorite authors on Substack. I garnered some valuable information and now had some new resources. A productive morning before even leaving the house.
We had a perfect weather day. Definitely fall was in the air in Bend, Oregon. It was cool (not cold) and sunny for our gorgeous hike. I marveled at the beautiful scenery. I took lots of pictures and couldn’t wait to share this beauty with my husband back at home. I found a beautiful spot for us to visit in the future. I was in awe of the wonderful paved bike trails everywhere I turned. I just knew Mike would love this spot. I was feeling very happy.
The river below was calm, but as we hiked further up, the calm water turned into roaring rapids. More pictures were snapped. I couldn’t help but think that my husband, Mike, an avid white-water rafter, would love this place. I couldn’t wait to talk to him about it so I started sending him pictures via text. This hike was definitely a more leisure one that what I had experienced on my Hetch-Hetchy hike. This area was so gorgeous, peaceful and serene. I savored this time. Jane was a wealth of information. She identified the various birds in the area and told me about an app that can identify birds by their sounds. We saw a beautiful Osprey fly overhead. Jane heard a Kingfisher in the trees and we watched him fly from one tree to the next. Not only did I have a wonderful time in nature, I received worthwhile lessons from Jane about “birding.”
After our time in nature, we decided it was time for lunch. We went over the Sun River Resort area and found a perfect outdoor lunch spot. We had a hearty lunch so we could rely on our munchies for dinner. We walked around the resort and found more paved bike pathways. I exceeded my exercise goals for the day by closing both my exercise and move rings.
By the time we got back to the house, we were both in need of a nap. After our naps, we were refreshed and sat outside on the deck. I demonstrated a few line dance moves for Jane and played and sang some of the songs that I had learned. We had so much fun time mixed in with lots of laughter! We decided to make it an early night. We planned to drive the next morning to Sisters, Oregon for some shopping and lunch.
Day Trip to Sisters, Oregon
Such a charming little city. The shops and the shopkeepers were lovely. We both had a delightful day and went back to the house fulfilled from out day. Did I mention, we found some great bargains and left with just a few shopping bags filled with goodies. We were ready for a little rest before going out to dinner.
A Beautiful Evening Out
Since it was our last night, we went into the old downtown in Bend and ate dinner along the river. We weren’t as hungry as we thought so we made a meal with a few appetizers and we each had a celebratory cocktail. This was such a great trip and one that was a long time in the making.
Bidding Farewell to Bend, Oregon
The next morning, we needed to complete some chores to put the house back the way we found it – we washed sheets and towels and remade our beds before we hit the road. We went back the Sun River Resort for coffee and a quick breakfast nibble.
One Last Adventure Hike — Smith Rock Recreation Area
We bid farewell to our home away from home for a few days and drove up to the Smith Rock recreation area. In comparison to our first day’s hike (leisurely stroll), this was a true hike. The area was beautiful. There were lots of hikers and mountain climbers. Jane took me downhill to the river came back uphill on a steep, but more gradual grade. I kept my heart rate in check and stopped as often as I needed to bring my heart rate back down to normal range. We stayed hydrated and made our way out of the canyon and back to the car. About a half mile down the road, we stopped at a little store that served Huckleberry Ice Cream – so refreshing and delicious after our hike.
Portland Bound
So quickly our trip was coming to an end. After our wonderful hike, we were on the road again toward Jane’s homeplace. We discussed stopping at Mt. Hood for lunch, but wanted to make it back to Portland before the rush hour traffic. We had dinner plans with Jane’s husband, Shawn. Jane and Shawn live in a beautiful condo in a darling little village. It’s light and bright and in a walking neighborhood close to restaurants, specialty stores, the library and the senior center. I was a wee bit sad that our time together was coming to a close.
Our Last Supper with a Special Guest
Shawn, Jane and I enjoyed a lovely dinner a block away from the condo where we sat outside in the courtyard. The food was delicious at Jaze Village Hut and we had perfect weather for sitting outside. After dinner Jane and I walked around the village and she pointed out all of their favorite places.
Homeward Bound
The next morning, we were up early to get to the airport. I had to borrow an extra bag to pack my purchases and my bulky hiking shoes. Jane was so gracious and offered to go into the airport to help me manage my luggage for check-in. This was such a gracious offer. We hugged and said our goodbyes. We vowed not to let so much time pass by before we planned another visit.
Thanks and Gratitude
I’m forever grateful for Jane’s friendship. This was just the trip I needed at the right time. Many thanks to my friend, Jane and to her friend, Colleen for the use of her lovely home. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. I’m anxious to plan our next adventure and quite relieved I won’t be going on the challenging Coast Walk this year – but, there’s always next year!