Making a U-Turn

My time in Vancouver, Washington has come to an end. One of the last reflective experiences I had was walking across the new Tillikum Crossing Transit Bridge in Portland. I thought it was silly that the architect recommended walking across it to get a new view of Portland and the Willamette river, but I soon learned there was truth to it. Got some awesome shots and really gave me a good final perspective on the city.

I'm already on the road, in Crescent City, California. (For reference, it's right across the border from Oregon. So I'm not too far into the state.) One of the weirdest experiences I've had crossing a state boarder is having a state employee ask if I had any fruits or vegetables in my car. I forgot California did that.

The experience has been surreal at best so far. I haven't had much time to reflect upon leaving because of all the packing and last minute things I've had to take care of. I finished listening to an audio book on the trip down with a friend accompanying me to New Orleans. The book was "Wolf in a White Van" by John Darnielle (of the Mountain Goats). It was quite insightful.

The gist of the book was about a guy who has an accident and ends up creating a role playing game by mail while in recovery. I can't say much more about it easily. It deals with lots of themes, and is well worth a purchase/read.

As I was driving US 101 in and out of the coast there was a stellar sunset.

The rugged Pacific NW coast is well worth a drive during your lifetime. It follows rocky outcroppings and sheer cliffs down to the Pacific, with small spits of sand inviting the brave to the chilly waters. The ocean stretches out beyond comprehension, filled with the colors it seems even nature could not come up with randomly.

The end goal of this journey is to make it back to Ohio. I'm still not sure where to go next, and I'm not really actively looking at the moment. My goal is to collect myself between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and really establish what I'm going to be doing for the next couple of years.

The Pacific Northwest has been quite an adventure. I've seen and enjoyed most of what Portland has to offer. I've made excursions to Seattle, the San Juan Islands, Mount Saint Helens, Hood, and Adams, the Oregon Coast and Dunes, the Washington Coast, and the forests, deserts, and towns in between.

The main question is, and what I hope to solve, where to next?