Friday, September 25, 2009

The Slower Road

I learned a thing or two this summer on the Epic Journey with Evan. So Goddy and I were willing to dip our toes into the road trip pond when an opportunity recently arose.

A couple of weeks ago we were visiting Logan and Alyssa and Rowan. The sun shone for two whole days, something I've never before experienced in that neck of the woods. (I'm sure it does happen, just not when I'm in the neighborhood.)



When it came time to head home, the thought of trekking down I-5 was dreary, no matter what the weather was doing. Logan suggested taking the back roads down behind Mt. St. Helens. "It'll add about an hour to your time, but is so worth it," were his words. I remembered them as we eventually pulled into Portland, three hours later than anticipated.

But that doesn't matter, because we'd gotten into road-trip mode. We experienced all the meaningful moments, such as driving past the only viewpoint for 30 miles, deciding that none of the eateries in one place looked any good, then realizing the next food wasn't for 60 slow miles.

There were lots of trees and we sure got to see what was around the next bend of the road. We stopped to stretch our legs and as we strolled up an old logging road I remembered a movie I'd seen where a psycho killer roamed the woods looking for unsuspecting wanderers. This is the curse of an overactive imagination.

We breathed the air, enjoyed the slow pace and when we finally had to get back on I-5 for the last few miles into Portland, felt like we'd just been in a sweet dream. The jerk back into reality was jarring.

A good nights sleep got us all set for the next leg, and once again we took the slow road, through Silverton and Silver Falls Park. How did we get so lucky with the weather?



We learned that Silver Falls is not a particularly dog-friendly place but we eventually found a trail we all could enjoy. Plus, it whetted our appetite for a return trip to go look at the waterfalls.



So who knows, perhaps another Epic Journey is in our future?

1 comment:

mommarazzi said...

Love the pictures! Rowan is so secure in his explorations and is so fun to watch. Don't you think?

There is "nothing new under the sun" but there is a whole lot of it that I've never seen. That is why I appreciate the blogs, pics on FB and other posts. It encourages me to be open to the next adventure....even if it is "The Slower Road" :)

Thanks for living, loving and sharing the road with us!