Day 1: Portland to Bend: In Search of the Sun

Jim took me to the Portland Airport today. I avoided the terminal and huddled on a cold bench next to the information booth watching hotel and rent-a-car buses whiz by. I think my brain thought I was going to fly as I experienced a lot of anxiety prior to departure. Yes, I was packing my bags; yes I was going to the airport. But once the Oregon Breeze Bus pulled up and we were on our way, a wave of relaxation came over me -- this is a road trip!

The jovial bus driver did not count passengers, he counted empty seats. There were only two. I was in the back row which had 5 seats -- 3 occupied and the two empty seats. One of these empty seats was actually occupied -- by a rabbit. I thought it was a dog at first, but the owner was feeding it from a bottle, so I took a closer look. We picked up one more passenger at Gresham and he took the un-rabbit-occupied seat. Fortunately there were no more passengers. And off we went to Mt. Hood.

It was rainy and nasty going up the mountain, and dry and sunny going down. Even crowded into the rabbit row, it sure beats driving over the pass. We made it to Bend right on time at 6pm where my sister, Teresa, picked me up and we headed to her house to prep for our departure tomorrow.

I had been to AAA and gathered maps and travel guides. In addition to this, Teresa has prepared a very business-like trip plan in a folder....no powerpoint though (she is retired after all). One great thing about her working for the Forest Service for so many years is that she knows people all over the country. We are having lunch on the way to Redding with one friend, staying overnight in Las Vegas with another, and staying in another friend's vacation home in Tucson.

We had dinner with my nephew, Alec -- who just got back from the Philippines. Then we went to Baskin Robbins where my niece, Celia, works while she is going to beauty school. Celia is in a household with 7 dogs, 1 cat (Celia's), fish and a turtle. She is looking for a good home for two 4-week-old puppies -- I told her that wouldn't be our house. But if anyone is interested, she says they are really cute. Teresa and I both had "kid" cones -- told Celia she should advertise them as "senior" cones.

Tomorrow we are off to Redding to see Teresa's oldest son, Conrad. It is going to be very cold tonight (about 15 degrees), but the roads are clear and unlike the other side of the mountain, no moisture of any form.