About the journey

Getting here to Oregon was no boring trip.

It all started with my departure from Santa Cruz and my last breakfast with Rain. I miss Rain a lot being here but we talk a on the phone and she will be here in 2 weeks. After breakfast we said or goodbyes and set off in opposite directions. I drove for my parents house in Rohnert Park and made good time taking only a little over 2 hours to get there. Here I unpack, repacked, washed clothes,spent time with my parents and even rested some. The next morning I was on the road by 7:30 and head for Sisters Oregon. In no time at all I was on the I-5. Like the portion I had driven in Southern California earlier in my life there wasn't anything to see here. I turn on my cell phone ear piece and called an old friend Craig Emerson. Now Craig and talk from time to time but more recently with my work and his school our exchanges seemed to almost terminate. But with few distracts and a lot of time on both our hands we talked for hours updating each other, debating, and laughing. My conversation with Craig took me clear pass Redding for we finally said good bye to one another. I well energized to have reconnected with such an old friend and I motored on Oregon. The rest of the trip through California was uneventful and with the highway as my home I was left to my thoughts. They drifted back and forth between excitement and nervousness and then back again. I seem locked in the pendulum swing as I drove up through Klamath Lake when it was broken by a large bald eagle sitting on a power pole as if saying "Welcome to Oregon take it easy". From then on I just focus on my excitement. As I got closer to Bend I encountered something I had not considered...SNOW. Being unable to change the weather I pressed on and made it to the Small Farmers Journal Auction around 5 or 6. I walked the rodeo grounds and looked at the various pieces of equipment that had not yet been taken home by their new owners and take photos. I stopped into the auction tent for a while and watched as carts, wagons, and coaches were sold. I then went and got dinner in town. At this pointed I faced a dilemma. I had brought camping gear but it was ill suited to snow so some what bitterly I agreed to be gouged into a hotel room with two queen beds. In hindsight it was the right choice if for nothings else then for the shower. The next morning I returned to the Auction for a while and watch the beginning of the horse portion. To be honest it was a bit discouraging every time a draft horse was brought into the tent it fetched a low price and a non-draft type a high one. Just as disappointment set in so did a near white out snow storm. It seemed like nature was sending me omens and I got to the car and headed for Halfway. THe drive was long and beautiful and about halfway thought I was grace by another bald eagle this on in flight as if tell me I just need to keep going. And so I did. Around 6 or 7 I had arrived at the Maders. They were just about to feed their horses so I jumped on the wagon and helped. The journey was over I had made it.