Over the shock of Interstate 5 meandering along cliff roads for two hours in the Mt. Shasta region of California, I recovered my sensibilities and practiced the art of deep breathing. But not for long, for I wondered.
I wondered how the Southern Oregon drive would be? This was a mountainous region, too.
I dared not ask, for I was determined to make it to Eugene to enjoy my first water adventure in a year: a McKenzie float down the McKenzie River.
No matter what.
I'd traverse cliff roads if I had to. I'd persevere.
Never mind that I practically passed out on my first exceptionally high tressel, above the Shasta River flowing further than I could see.
Now storm clouds loomed overhead, as I pushed the pedal to the metal and forged ahead, driving the speed limit. Cautiously.
Call me a Californian accustomed to drought, but I couldn't help but notice that those storm clouds didn't go away. They lowered in the sky instead, as if to say, I'm not budging.
Well.
I don't boat well in the rain.
It could be cold, too.
And wet.
There was only one sensible thing to do.
From my car's speaker phone I called Eugene's Residence Inn and Frank of Oregon River Sports and asked for a rain check.
I drove past Eugene, and two hours later this Adventure Girl In Training-- Wheels (a Lexus) checked into a swanky hotel in downtown Portland.
Today I walked around the Pearl District, bought a Bill Bryson book at Powell's bookstore, and lentil soup and a banana at Whole Foods where I observed disparity and unfairness in the world.
Their Whole Foods was five times the size of ours in Westwood Village where people (17 million people in Los Angeles County) bump into each other with the regularity of car accidents on the freeways.
The Pearl District of Portland Whole Foods. Well, take a look for yourself. Sunday afternoon. (Sunday afternoon in L.A. is zoo time. Animals must be fed. Let the bumping into one another begin)
Speaking of feeding. My spirit.
I just came back from dancing and felt wired so I wrote this post.
That dancing.
I'll tell you, put me anywhere in the world with dancing shoes, and I can ditch all fears.
I'll tell you something else, the roads in Southern Oregon were smooth, elevation never got over 2000 ft, and there were no scary cliff roads on the 5, which I took straight up.
By the way, I traversed the entire state in less than six hours (with stops) and I didn't use a full-tank of gas.
Conservation.
And on that note, I'm going to bed.
Click here to see map of my entire drive from Los Angeles to Victoria, B.C.--by this week's end that is.
