From Decatur, Georgia to Salinas, California in one car pulling a 5x8’ trailer, and from Salinas to Seattle with two cars. We left Georgia on August 24 and arrived in Seattle on September 1. The trip went better than expected, all the good that comes from good planning.
We were fortunate to miss the weather that could have impeded our progress. A sodden mass hung over Monroe, Louisiana, stalled, the same system that flooded Dallas with a year’s worth of rain in a day after a 60+ day drought, on the same road we would be traveling on, the same systemt that has flooded Jackson, Miss. - all behind us. We were met with two spectacular rain showers in the distance in New Mexico and Flagstaff - anvil-shaped clouds with dark flat bottoms with sheets of raining from the cloud to the ground. It’s difficult to judge where the cloud is. The one in Tucumcari looked stalled over the Tucumcari rock, but when we approached, it was further West. It rained but not much and not until a few hours after we had landed for the night. In Flagstaff, the cloud was much bigger and we approached as the day was ending, driving up and into the ominous cloud. We picked up a little rain but nothing to slow us down. An archway of sunshine framing the mountain in flagstaff beckoned us through, like God’s rainbow of peace, the promise to stop the rains.
Picking up a car in Salinas meant we’d no longer have each other’s company. It’s also dicey talking on cell phones driving while pulling a trailer and going over mountainous terrain. So we focused on podcasts and audible books. I drove the Subaru pulling the trailer, and she drove her little Corolla “little guy.” Fires were a potential problem on I-5 heading from Salinas to Seattle, but we didn’t encounter any, though the air was smoke in Grants Pass from a nearby fire.
The last town in California is Hornbrook. We didn’t stop, but I took a blurry picture of the sign with my phone. It had been many many years since I have driven that road, and it looks like Hornbrook is somewhat of a town now. I’d like to go in somewhere and show my ID and sign up to be mayor - my namesake town.
We both hated driving the beautiful mountain roads in southern Oregon. Keeping a steady pace while pulling a trailer was next to impossible, struggling uphill at 45 miles per hour at times and then trying to keep the car from racing down 6% grades. As we made our way north, traffic increased as we reached Portland.
And there it was, among all the bridges in Portland, the Fremont bridge is unmistakeable in the city, with its curved arch. It’s as if we saw it from many angles, making our way through the heavy traffic near noontime. In 2004, my brother ended his life from the Fremont Bridge.
And then, soon after, we were in Seattle, unloading the trailer, taking the trailer back, unpacking, making a Costco stop for items, and figuring out what we need to outfit this apartment, our home for a while.
We live right by a large park, and it’s as if the dog sensed his location. He led us directly to a dog beach on Lake Washington. We walked to a sailing club nearby. We’ve begun our exploring, unpacked boxes, ordered, furniture, shopped online to find just the right items. On Saturday Sept 3, it was the first National Cinema Day, and movies were set at $3.00. We went to a large IMAX theater and saw Jaws. It’s September in Seattle, beautiful mild weather, without humidity, slight chill in the evening. On Sunday, we joined with 25 other dachshunds and took Herman on a weenie walk almost 3 miles around Green Lake. It’s all so much fun.
It’s as if we’ve sloughed off the humid east, the weight of weather and worry to return once again to the West - to our home. I’ve never lived in the Pacific Northwest, but now I don’t know why I would ever leave. It feels like home. Perhaps it’s that part of my brother who still lives through me, perhaps he’s guiding me still.
Whatever it is, I see much opportunity for life here - sailing, books and literary scene, the University, the park. We are on vacation for the next few weeks until the gf’s school starts, but we’ll head back to work little by little during that time. Today is Labor Day, and we won’t labor a bit. We have our ORCA cards for transit and crate Herman our dachshund for the day and head to Pike Place Market by bus and train.
Back to the memoir on Friday. Happy Labor Day everyone. Fall is almost here. Here’s to cooler air, warmer hearts, and lots of love for the holiday season.
Until then, I’ll . . .
Just keep writing.
If you could share this post with others, that would be great. I’m trying to get my memoir - My Own Private Waste Land - traditionally published. The more subscribers I have, the more chances I will have to convince an agent/publisher to take a chance on my book. It’s worth it. Stay along for the ride, learn my story, learn about my book. Share it with others. You’ll be glad you did.