Louise and I drove back across the border where we met George D’Amour and Rick Shorten, officers from my USAF days, who now live in La Conner. What a nice detour, and even better visit! We recalled the somewhat risky participation in the Concerned Officer Movement (they were discharged immediately after we posted a letter to the editor urging the Senate to pass the resolution to end our illegal bombing in Laos, I stayed on for about nine months). We caught up with the rest of our lives; amazing reunion! Oh, and more ice cream down the road, Louise’s favorite of the trip, I think!
That evening, we joined John and Maile (and Obie) at their friends’ outdoor bbq in Portland. Alaskan salmon, and the works and a pleasant night out! We stayed in a cute, welcoming, and inclusive spot, Rainbow Homes, and woke the next morning to head down to Eugene, to see Gary Lombardo, Louise and Harry’s graduate school friend. We looked forward to Fish Market for lunch: a fish-filled stew, and more (po’boy, and fish and chips); as always, it was very delicious and a great detour.
On the way down, we detoured to Oakland Lockers (Oregon!), where we filled Lisa’s order for pepperoni, and tried their beef sticks and a couple frozen steaks, oh, and another cinnamon roll at the nearby diner! The next leg took us to Shasta City, another great ABnB in a quiet neighborhood with very lovely hosts who suggested 
we eat at Mike and Tony’s Italian food down the street. It was so tasty and familiar: bright red sauce over raviolis and eggplant parmesan, and the requisite soup, salad, and bread. Louise wanted to end the meal with a traditional spumoni, served in the classic stainless steel dish!! The hosts served an original breakfast of oatmeal and pancakes and we got to hear how he travelled across all 48 states on foot!
The final day was going to be spent driving home, but while driving through Lassen National Park, we saw how clear and beautiful the sky was, and the snow was still all around at the higher elevation, so we decided to stay one more night, even if we didn’t have much for dinner, except… the two semi frozen steaks and a few blueberries. We grilled the steaks over an open fire; they were tender, juicy, just enough fat… then crack! I felt excruciating pain from a cracked tooth in my molar.
Still our night was great, a million stars were out, and we were rested enough to make the whole drive back.
So Rodetrip 2019 was 3994 miles (including a 3 mile detour to Sprouts for dinner stuff). It was the perfect mix of new and old sights (the mountains, the rivers, the forests, the prairie) and sounds (CBC, recorded podcasts, and limitless and timeless songs from Harry’s Ipod), camping and BnBs, cookouts and “fine” dining, and friends from many parts of our earlier lives.
For Louise and me, this trip was informed by our past, but created in the present and one to be remembered for the future.
rodetrip 