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Published: December 1st 2017
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Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, OR
Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, OR I’ll never forget the first time I dipped my toes in the Pacific Ocean. It was dawn, at Cannon Beach, Oregon. We had gotten to our hotel very late the night before, and hadn’t seen the beach yet. We woke early and walked down to the nearby bakery to grab a cup of coffee and some pastries.
We sat on some driftwood and watched the fog move over the sand. It was chilly, but our hands were wrapped around warm paper cups and we were gloriously happy I slipped off my moccasin and put my big toe right in the ice cold sand, wet from the waves. We had only been on the west coast 24 hours but I was already loving it.
This was the second weeklong road trip we’d taken since getting married in 2008. The first was out west, to take in the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. We’d never been west of Tennessee, and we were both eager to see the crashing waves and majestic cliffs we’d heard so much about.
I’m pleased to say the trip certainly didn’t disappoint.
After Cannon Beach, we kept on driving
My husband and I in front of Haystack Rock
My husband and I in front of Haystack Rock south. We visited the Tillamook Creamery and tasted tons of different
kinds of cheeses. We spend the night at this really sweet mom-and-pop motel in Eugene, OR where the beds had flannel sheets that felt like home.
Then, we rolled into California. Our first stop was to stand beneath a redwood. We even drove through a redwood for good measure. We were finally in the land of Big Sur and the Golden Gate Bridge! We were so far from home and in an entirely different time zone. We called our parents when we could, but for the most part, we played the role of Fish Out of Water.
We spent a night in San Francisco and ran in front of the
Painted Ladies, recreating the famous opening scene from Full House. We ate chowder by Fisherman’s Wharf and bought chocolate at Ghirardelli Square to bring back to our family back home.
We kept on down the coast. A former co-worker of mine waxed poetic about the baby seals at San Simeon, but for the life of us we couldn’t find any. We kept an eye out for about an hour, then decided to drive
Mom-and-Pop Motel in Oregon
Mom-and-Pop Motel in Oregon up and get a glimpse of the Hearst Castle before moving along Highway 1.
I may or may not have programmed my burnt CD to play “Beverly Hills” by Weezer as we entered the city of high-dollar shopping and higher-dollar living. We took pictures in front of the Hollywood sign, spent way too long at a coffee shop trying to spot a celebrity, and had martinis and flannel cakes for breakfast at Musso and Frank’s. Did you know there are two “Best Inn” hotels in Hollywood? One is in a fine part of town, and the other is not. We followed our GPS to the latter, and made a fun, albeit slightly scary, memory.
It was all so new, and so invigorating. Keep in mind we were two 20-somethings whose biggest adventure until we got married was driving overnight to Myrtle Beach one weekend in college. Suddenly, we were on La Cienega Boulevard and walking in celebrity neighborhoods by foot.
One of my favorite memories? Taking in a show at the Casbah in San Diego. If you’re in Pacific Standard Time and are looking for
things to do in San Diego tonight, check out this place. We
San Francisco's Fishermans Wharf
San Francisco's Fishermans Wharf hadn’t heard about it until a friend recommended it on Facebook before our trip. We went to the San Diego Zoo during the day, then spent the evening listening to mewithoutYou at this local nightclub.
It wasn’t fancy, but let’s be honest, neither were we. We were young, in love, and more than a little bit out of our comfort zone – and loving every minute of it!
We ended our trip there in San Diego. This was the trip where we found out the hard way that it costs infinitely more to pick up a rental car in one location, then leave it in another versus driving it round-trip and returning it where you rented it. In subsequent trips, we opted to make a circle and end back up where we began. You live and learn when you’re traveling young.
But for this adventure, we were slapped with an exorbitant bill that was utterly shocking and to be honest, put a slight damper on the entire adventure. Make no mistake, however. Our trip out to the west coast was nothing short of magical. I’ll never forget the first time we
San Francisco
San Francisco ran beneath the briars and came upon Haystack Rock. It was golden hour in Oregon, and we had no idea what awaited us. We’d go on to make so many memories on that trip. One of my favorites was running under a bat-filled cave on our way to spot the famed McWay Falls. We held hands and closed our eyes and screamed as we entered the cavern. We met a couple from Boston who were on their honeymoon, and we bonded over our shared love of
King of Queens.
I haven’t gone on a trip since that held quite as much magic and excitement as that west coast one. Now, my days are spent wiping noses and pouring Cheerios. Still, I can’t help but smile when I think about my 23-year-old self. I see me, thrift store sweater dress on, hair down, and sea salt spraying across my cheek. We were really far from everything we knew and loved, but we were making incredible moments together. I’ll always have the west coast to thank for that, and a piece of my heart will always be there.
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