Today was a big driving day because the weather was wet and windy and did not lend itself to walking outside a lot. I have realized that when one is traveling with a dog it limits what you can do indoors. I cannot sit in a restaurant (so takeout is the go-to) and when the weather is lousy I can’t lounge in a bookstore for hours on end.
Nonetheless we saw a lot. We left the hotel by 8 a.m. because the rain was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. This plan proved to be wise because Bandon Beach was BEAUTIFUL this morning and the sun was shining. We started at Cocquille Point, walked down the stairs and to the beach. Jutting rocks were everywhere. Pete was unimpressed by the giant puffin statue made from debris. Pete immediately rolled in the sand…over and over again. He truly loves the beach. We walked the length of the beach and then returned to the car to continue down the 101.
Port Orford was next. It was a quaint town focused on art. We stopped at the Battle Rocks Wayside Park for the stunning views and then moved on to Gold Beach. Gold Beach is where the Rogue River and the ocean meet. We stopped quickly at a viewpoint but then moved on as the weather was very wet.
On the way to Brookings we stopped along the Samuel Boardman State Scenic Corridor and decided it was time for fish and chips. Happy Clam did not disappoint.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park was next on the route. We stopped at the ranger station to get a map and will do the Avenue of the Giants tomorrow. The trail I really wanted to walk was just too wet and muddy and I really wasn’t prepared. The stunning drive through the park was dark as the trees were amazingly tall.
Next up was Trinidad, which is a small town of about 300 people. It had a beautiful bay overlook but no access to a beach we could walk. By now my butt was hurting and Pete was tired of being a passenger so we found a hotel in Arcata and called it a night! Overall the drive along the 101 is mesmerizing with its stunning views, rock formations and crashing waves.
Well after six plus weeks of waiting, today was the day to take off! Of course, it is bittersweet but something I have been planning for the last six years. The numerous good-byes included celebratory drinks and meals, kind words and promises to keep in touch. The momentous day started with my very good friends making me breakfast and giving me fresh baked goods to take on the road. Then a matcha to fuel me for the first leg of my trip. I stopped in Eugene to visit my new college student! Today was the first day of classes. Pete walked the campus and even though it was rainy, Pete was oblivious because the smells (and dropped food crumbs) were just too good!
After my Eugene stop, I headed south and then West to Reedsport. I wanted to check out the Oregon Dunes National Park but it was just too rainy. We saw Elk at the Elk Viewpoint in Dean Creek and then headed down to Bandon. North Bend had a cute downtown and smelled of fresh lumber (which was present everywhere). Pete and I walked Old Town Bandon and then found a hotel. It was a last minute find but actually very nice. We drove about six hours today and it was a great first day.
I moved out of my home of 15 years on August 13 and immediately spent two nights at a friend’s house. We originally met on the tennis court and it turned into dog walks, lunches and long talks. And these two nights were no different…long talks deep into the dark, warm nights of summer.
I then moved back to my previous street to housesit for a neighbor for two weeks. Her garden was glorious and the art work that showered her house’s walls were sublime. I learned she did some of the art work (the things you learn when you stay at someone’s home) and other pieces were purchased at many art shows. As a matter of fact, she decided to stop going to art shows because she is so compelled to buy art and there are no more bare walls. Each piece felt spiritual and special in her home. Her ex-husband was a woodworker and the trim and shelving that dressed the house was absolutely divine, too.
During this six weeks I attended several events at various parks during Portland’s Summer for All events. I look forward to this every summer and this year I managed several concerts, an opera and a comedy show. Portland really shines during the summer and these events really highlight all the wonderful parks in this city.
I also managed a trip to Mt. Rainier. This has been on my list to-do for a long time. I realized (a bit too late) that it is really easy to get there and, of course, the mountain trails were gorgeous. The accessibility and beauty of the outdoors in the Pacific North West really is difficult to beat!
Meeting with friends to say good-bye meant a lot of food. Some places I visited were Jam on Hawthorne for brunch. I’ve been here a few times and it’s always busy, which is a testament to it’s flavorful, hearty meals. I ate at an old Portland institution, Nicolas. The flat bread cooked right before it arrives at your table has remained consistently delicious throughout all these years. I attended a networking event at Hey Love where the cocktails were lovely and the food varied. I made a new friend and talked shop! I had coffee at Crema Coffee and caught up with a Laurelhurst mom outside at the open tables created by blocking off the street from cars. It was perfect.
It was a full two weeks of movin’ and shakin’ and then I moved to Sellwood for a dog sitting gig for my next two weeks. I have certainly visited Sellwood before but the dog sitting allowed me a more intimate glimpse of the area. The Sellwood and Westmoreland Parks were well-maintained and clean. Pete loved the new smells and having another dog as his partner in crime. They got along well and every evening chased each other for over an hour. I found Cloud City Ice Cream along the way. Yowzah! Let’s just say it’s a good thing I don’t live closer.
I had lunch with a friend at Tavern on Kruse which was closer from my Sellwood digs than NE Portland. Lunch was great and I loved my salmon burger. We sat outside which was a perfect place to eat lunch on a Portland summer day. My neighbors on my old street had a get together for me on a Saturday night. It was a wonderful gathering and emulated all the gatherings I coordinated when I lived on the street. It was the perfect sendoff!
The next day another friend had me over for brunch. We shared work and motherhood experiences for many years and she is someone very dear to me. I met a friend for coffee at Carina’s Bakery in Beaverton. I don’t make it to Beaverton very often but my friend wanted to try this vegan bakery. There were so many sweet and savory options and we were able to grab a table outside.
A few nights later I went to one of my favorite restaurants with one of my favorite couples. Lovely’s 50 50 did not disappoint and we got a table right away (highly unusual but helped that we got in line right at 5 p.m.). We ate two salads and two pizzas and, of course, homemade ice cream. I highly recommend the salted caramel.
I walked the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. It was my first time there and although it is a small park, it was so beautiful with water, fauna and wildlife. The next night I went to dinner at Campana with my favorite family. The restaurant bills themselves as the best Italian restaurant, which is a bold statement. I enjoyed my meal but it certainly is not the best Italian restaurant I’ve been to. But it didn’t matter because I was with some of my most treasured people. Enough said.
Coffee with another friend happened at Sterling Coffee Roasters. I had never been to this coffee shop and the vibe was cool. It is on NW 21st, every seat was occupied and the coffee was really smooth. That evening I it was dinner with another set of neighbors. We went to Ken’s Pizza. It was a later dinner than usual because ever since this place was highlighted on Instagram, it has been packed…every night…every hour. Admittedly everything that comes out of this kitchen is amazing…the pizza, the roasted vegetables and desserts. These neighbors have been kind and generous with me and I made sure they realized how much I value their friendship. The tears flowed that evening.
I met a good friend from one of my jobs in Portland for a walk around Reed College. The campus is serene, green and lush. It was great to catch up and talk about our dreams for the future. The next evening I met a friend that I made at the gym. It makes sense since I work out religiously. We went to Blackbird Wine and Atomic Cheese. This is the sweetest wine shop around. It’s small and quaint and the wines and cheeses are scrumptious. Another evening sitting outside. My only complaint is the shop closes at 7 p.m., which is way too early when the ambience so good.
I managed a lunch at Paadee with a second visit with one of my friends…what a bonus! I can never go wrong with Thai for lunch. I was invited spur of the moment to bowling on a Saturday night at Grand Central Bowl. I decided to go for the social aspect and had no intention of bowling. But, alas, I was not allowed to opt out and I guess it is good I didn’t because I ended up winning against my four opponents. On the weekends a reservation is a must and they hold you to the times…we had to beg to finish our game when our hour expired so that we could see our scores.
Happy Hour with another work friend at Cheese and Crack. The cheese boards and soft serve are not to be missed! I love this place and have visited often with Carli. If I were to open a business, I would love something similar to this place.
And alas the drop off at University of Oregon…the final stop on the goodbye tour.
Throughout the month, I kept running into people I know and was asked over and over, “You’re not gone yet?” My timeline was always dictated by Pearl’s school start date (super late September 29th). And although it is a late start date, it did allow me to do lots of fun things and visit with tons of my friends in my last six weeks in Portland. Lucky me!
I am on my third house sitting gig and my fourth move since I sold my house and moved out in mid August. I was telling a friend today that it’s been more difficult that I expected. The constant moving and learning a new house, establishing a new routine and making sure my dog is taken care of has been a lot of work. Additionally, I make sure that the homes are treated with extra special care (more than I showed my own) because I want to respect and show appreciation for the generosity people have shown me by sharing their homes. Sometimes, this feels like “walking on eggshells”.
Even with the discomfort, I remind myself that I am doing all of this for a reason. I intentionally blew up my life because I don’t want to live a stagnant, “autopilot” life. I believe short term irritation will garnish me with big time gains of a new perspective and value for life and all of its facets, ups and downs and experiences.
My to-do list is getting shorter and shorter. New tires on my car yesterday. Today I signed up for Trusted Housesitters. I figure it will open me to potential locations I haven’t considered or even know about! I also met with a friend today, and as with other friends I have visited, I invited her to accompany me on the road or join me for a part of my road trip. I let her know how important she is to me. I think we don’t tell people enough how they have added to our lives and journey. I am adamant the my friends know they are truly special to me.
And so my journey continues. It will have its peaks and valleys and I will continue to remind myself that it is where the growth happens. And more important than growth, it reminds me I am human and striving to be the very best version of myself, parent and friend.
There is no doubt that travel apps make travel easier, from planning to in-the-moment needs. I have some favorites and I tend to gravitate towards apps that are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Loyalty programs apps are automatically part of my toolbox because it makes it easy to accumulate and use points within the app. The loyalty programs I have are Bonvoy (Marriot) and World of Hyatt (Hyatt). And of course airline apps are a no brainer. My go-to apps are Alaska and Delta.
For transportation I have Uber, Lyft and Grab (great in Asia). These apps are all pretty straightforward and simple to use. I also have the Clipper card app which makes paying for mass transit super simple. One app that is crazy useful is Rome2Rio. The directions to get from one location to the other with a mix of mass transit, taxi, driving, walking and even a town car just cannot be beat! It also outlines the time, cost and miles for each option.
Translation apps are key for effective communication and I like Translate and Google Translate. It doesn’t get easier to translate written or spoken words with either of these apps. I especially love the camera feature that allows the user to take a picture of text and the apps translates it. So easy!
I use Expedia and Booking for last minute hotels and Airbnb when I am planning ahead for lodging. I recently downloaded Hotel Tonight and am excited to try it out on my upcoming wandering journey. Since I will travel from Arizona to Georgia and will be in a different city/town each night and won’t really be able to predict where I will be specifically the app should be helpful…the joy of slow travel.
Currency is easily converted using the Xe app.
With my new AAA membership, I downloaded the app and look forward to to using the TripTik Planner. The app also has a section showing nearby gas stations with the cost per gallon. Hopefully I won’t need it, but I can easily request roadside assistance through the app, too.
CBP MPC is a free mobile passport control app. It allows users to submit their passport info and answer custom declaration questions electronically which will get you through customs faster.
AllTrails is my preferred app to use when hiking and I am sure as I stop to see different things along my journey, I will use this app to catch a hike or two along my way.
And finally my Libby app allows me to borrow and download audiobooks from the library. I will use this as I drive miles and miles along the highways on my upcoming trip.
For the last six plus years I have explored what could be possible with my reset button. I’ve learned a few things. I have done a ton of research, both formal and informal, explored multiple locations and considered what is most important to me. And, of course, talked to so many people about their experiences, perspectives and ideas.
I realize that change is tough and can even be paralyzing. I can help you:
Figure out how to get started.
Consider how to keep going.
Learn how to pivot.
And everything in between.
I have created a subscription Substack. If you want help with your second half contact me and consider signing up for my Substack to get tools, tips and advice.
I am a 58 year-old woman that is leaving everything I know after 30 years of cultivating a community in Portland, Oregon. I sold my house in July, put everything in storage and decided to wander with my dog for the next year across the US and Canada. My trip begins once I drop my daughter off at college on September 26th. In the meantime, I have assembled six weeks of house sitting and dog sitting gigs since my house sold faster than expected. I am still in the cocoon of familiarity. The “realness” of my adventure begins once I step away from all that I know in Portland.
My time wandering will allow me to discover the nooks and crannies of America and learn a ton about myself at the same time. This is a story about exploration, curiosity and courage as I travel solo. I believe this story is timely because a lot of people my age are at a crossroad about what to do once the kids leave the house. Change is scary to many and I believe the myriad are afraid to actually take the plunge into the unknown. There is no judgment of this fact. I hope to inspire others to take the leap in whatever form is right for them.
Autopilot is so easy to fall into. The daily minutiae of life sucks up so much time and energy and provides us with so little value. And yet the majority of our energy and attention is focused on this minutiae. Without a house and kids to take care of, I believe my time can be focused on being present and focused on learning, exploring and exposing myself to new things.
Croatia October 2024
One of the biggest questions I ask myself while thinking about this upcoming adventure is how I can continue to build community while on the road and transient. Since community is so important to me, I hope that friends reach out and say hi, ask questions and just cheer me on. I know the trip will not be perfect and there will be days when hearing from a known entity will be exactly what I need to be able to keep moving forward. Follow me on this webpage, on Instagram and Substack. Ask questions, make comments and send words of encouragement. I hope to hear from you.
seniyegroff 