What to say about today? That it was a long hard eight hours of driving? Well, it was.
We decided, after an early morning look at the map, that even leaving at 7 AM, we’d never make Bandon, Oregon, before dark if we tried to go up on the coast route. So, we changed our plan to one in which we’d blaze up the 5 Interstate and then cut over to the coast on Oregon highway 42.
It all worked like that, with a few coffee and rest stops thrown in. I’ve been up the 5 like this many times over the years but it was all new for Colette. The flat central valley rose into hills and then tree-covered moutains as we went further and further north.
Mt. Shasta hid from us like Mt. Diablo did yesterday. The weather got colder and colder and snow appeared in patches along the highway in the higher zones. And the wind cut like a knife when it blew.
But, the car was cruisy and smooth with the cruise control and the music. At one point, we listened to most of T.S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets”. I swear I hear more in them each time I listen.
About 4 PM, we got to the 42 turn off just a bit south of Roseberg. The road out the the coast was really rural and enjoyable but when we finally pulled into Bandon, it was just 5 PM and a little after sunset.
It was raining hard and getting really dark quick from the big storm and its driving wind and rain. It was so black at times that I was constantly looking to make sure I wasn’t going to run up a curve or down into a ditch that I couldn’t see. Please, Dr. Frankenstien, adjust my tensionizer!
Upon arrival, we discovered that the phone number we had for the rental agents had been cut off by the printer at home and we hadn’t realized it. Bad news.
To make a long and painful story short, after an hour of thrashing, we finally found the place and discovered the key where they’d stashed it for us.
We were both fried at that point. Eight hours of hard driving followed by a major hunt for the rental agents and the rental in a strange town in the midst of a big North Pacific storm.
The place was beautiful but we locked it up again and went out for a meal at the local Thai restaurant to sit and relax a bit and do some creature comfort mindless stuff.
So, we’re back now in our comfy big rental house. Someone in Colette’s family owns it so we’re getting a free night. The storm is still raging outside. I’ve worked out how to heat the house up with the thermostat (Rental agents, you could have done this for us knowing folks were coming!).
So, other than a lot of driving and a small bit of panic at the end, there’s not much to tell about today.
Tomorrow, it’s off to Portland where we have a hotel room (well located in advance!) waiting for us. Though I’m sure we’ll want to have a look around here in the morning in the daylight to see where we’ve washed up.
dennis