After 9 weeks of an intense but rewarding school and work schedule, spring break had finally arrived. I decided to do one of the things that I enjoy doing most, and that is exploring and traveling solo. I took the week off of work, loaded my 2009 Honda CRV with all of the essential equipment required for survival (plus my snowboard) and hit the road, not knowing exactly where I would end up.
My expedition started from my place of work in the vibrant city of Vancouver, Washington. After picking up an iced coffee and a hearty bag of granola, I hopped on to US 26 westbound toward the Oregon Coast. Once I came upon the Pacific Ocean, I drove south on the scenic Highway 101 toward Newport, Oregon. Later I would drive from Newport to Bend, Oregon and from Bend back home, but more on that later.
The first day's drive delivered the largest variety of scenary. I first drove through Portland to get to US 26 going westbound, where I would then drive through the scenic coast range toward the ocean. I would eventually reach the town of Cannon Beach where I would then procede to drive a couple hours south, stopping many times along the way to explore hiking trails and take pictures. As the sun was slowly setting, I found a state park between the towns of Depoe Bay and Newport to set up camp at. I enjoyed the final moments of daylight walking along the beach while taking many more pictures. The photo below was along the side of the highway near Depoe Bay.
I woke up at 9 A.M. to the sounds of the ocean crashing and light rain coming down—a wonderful combination. Soon after, I would grab a few groceries and immediatly start driving east on Highway 20 toward Bend, Oregon, a destination that I have been fond of since I was young. From the beginning, the drive was unbelievably scenic. Tall douglas firs and a low hanging fog set the scene, providing an almost steriotypical Oregon aesthetic. As I entered Willamete National Forest, the road began to run parallel with the South Santiam River and I had to do a bit of exploring.
Next to the highway was a small area to pull to the side. I saw this as an opportunity to do some Indiana Jones style exploring, so I pulled over to see what I could find. There was a steep but small trail that led down toward the river, most likely meant for fisherman. In the cold and the rain, I threw on my raincoat and my trail shoes and went to check it out. Sooner rather than later I came upon the river and when I did, I felt a deep sense of inner peace. Being by myeself so far from home in the middle of the Oregon Wilderness made me feel as if I could forget everything else and just enjoy the serenity that was placed before me. This was the reason that I decided to do this in the first place. I continued on my journey, finally arriving in Bend, where I would stay in a cozy yurt and rest up for the next day.
I woke up at 6:30 A.M. and quicky packed up my belongings in order to get a head start on the day. I went in to town to grab a cup of coffee before heading toward the Mt. Bechelor parking lot. I arrived at the mountain early to beat the crowds and to ensure that I got first tracks on the snow. The snow that fell the night before meant that I would be riding powder, ensuring that I would have a good time. After a few hours of surfing through powder and meeting friendly locals, I called it a day and began the drive home.
After fueling up my SUV and saying my final goodbyes to Bend, I traveled up Highway 97 through the high desert until reaching US 26 where I would then pass over Mt. Hood and eventually, make it back to the Portland area. While it was sad to bring the journey to a close, I was treated to the trees blossoming in my neighborhood for the first time this year—a site that made me happy to be home.