Neptune Beach, FL --> Gainesville, FL--> Apalachicola, FL --> Dothan, AL --> Natchez, MS --> Austin, TX--> Santa Fe, NM--> Colorado Springs, CO --> Telluride, CO --> Page (?), AZ--> Park City, UT --> Boise, ID --> Pacific City, OR!
Our Oregon Trail
Last May, we spent 18 days traveling across the States during the weirdness of the pandemic to get to our new home on the Oregon coast. Most places were very shut down so we were getting lots of takeout, wondering strangely empty streets, "living the yuppy condo life and ordering Grubhub" at an Airbnb in Texas... Certainly not ideal for our big plans, but it was fantastic nonethess.
We started off with a quick visit in Apalachicola, FL, a town special to my Grandma Jeanne, on the way to visit Pa, Grandma, Dennis and Dede for a few days. Got to take Dylan to their old farm and farmhouse on Coe Road (our family name) that is actually still dirt. Excellent visits with them these days.
Natchez, Mississippi (I almost forgot a p!) was a sweet surprise. Old southern feel like Savannah and Charleston, yet a look all its own. Our airbnb host is one to remember too with her historic home and super positive, amiable presence. Fun history of scandal and dirty characters in this town.
"I bet Austin is super fun without a panemic," we said several times while exploring. Spent all day walking around in 90* heat. Hobie was not meant for this-- he kept telling us it was too hot and we'd rest and then keep going before realizing it actually burnt his little paws! Thanks to the Colorado River for cooling us off along the way. Could imagine living here sans the miserable heat. So many people hanging out in the parks, by the river, kayaking, biking... very active city.
One of our favorite places was Santa Fe for its perfect sense of place-- adobe homes with lilac, yellow, and aqua-trimmed windows, rolling hills, picturesque New Mexico colore skies, hiking trails right out of the homes... unique little place.
We stayed several days with Chris and Liesl in Colorado Springs with Garden of the Gods and Eagles Peak hikes and Red Rocks Open Space where Carlia discovered her passion for rock climbing and Chris taught us to eat ants.
Telluride had me saying, "Let's move here!" Then their real estate had me saying, "Who in the world can afford this?!" Oh, we traveled back in time 2x on this trip, once in Aunt Agnes's home in Alabama and once in the 1979 cabin in Telluride that has not been remodeled since. Tile-patterned carpet in the kitchen and all. Both pretty interesting experiences. We were a little scared in the cabin, but that's a whole story I think.
Somewhat comically and perfectly consistent for Dylabby travels, we stayed at a Navajo reservation in Arizona only to find out later that they had some of the highest rates of Covid at that time. Oops. Didn't check that news in time. Hobie enjoyed playing with their pups while we walked around their Arizona canyon lands. Dylan, in typical Dylan fashion, enjoyed chatting with the son of our host about their culture and his life plans. On our way there, we got a little lost and had a fantastic Native American couple stop to ask if we needed anything. We tried to explain we were "looking for our Airbnb" to which he let us know "you're on a reservation."
One of the most surreal parts of our drive was taking some BLM roads through Utah, finding some gorgeous farmland and ranches and even an airport in the middle of a field with cows ready to take off. One of those "where are we?" drives where it just had such a different look and feel than anywhere we'd been. Took a couple turn arounds when little CRV couldn't quite do the mud and dirt and I'm sure some, "never seen that car," before thoughts from trucks driving by.
Bryce and Horseshoe Bend were absolutely stunning. Thanks to Covid, we didn't have to pay for Bryce and we were one of the few couples at a typically packed Sunset point. No thanks to Covid, Zion was closed, so we'll see you next time, Zi-man. Stayed at a sweet couple's Bed and Breakfast here where we enjoyed hearing about their experience getting into the ranching life and hand-stitching quilts on their rocking chairs.
From there, we went to Park City and stayed with Bree, an old neighbor from Neptune that had recently made her big move too. Hiked their PC Hill and had some tasty pizza with her friends that made us want to join their friendly adventure crew. Boise was next where a vegetarian cooked us burgers at Good Burger, I thought it was ok to just drink the to-go beer on our walk (that is what to-go is, right?) and watched some surfers on their river wave. Boise was particularly strange at this time, I thought. super quiet streets. No cars. Bizarro.
The last day was Boise to Pacific City! Drove through deserty eastern Oregon, stopped at our first dine-in restaurant on the whole trip, then drove on through national forests all the way to the Pacific.
Despite the hinderances Covid caused, it was still an epic roadtrip we'd dreamed about and still look on as such a unique time. Roadtrippin' is quite the adventure.
The otherworldly Bryce and Horseshoe Bend (Blogger vs reality? I was probably curled over in pain from my worst preiod cramps ever after taking this picture trying to regain steam to keep walking)
Park City with Bree
Great read Abby, felt like I was with you on the journey with that recap:-)
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