In the last 48 hours, we have made this trip twice...From our home in the Seattle area, 300 miles down I-5 5-6 hours to Eugene. Fun trip, very busy, but the ride is long. Four years ago, my parents and my brothercame out to Seattle and we all drove down to Eugene to watch Susanna play during her freshman year. I hadn't remembered that they had never made this trip. My brother and I had a last minute inspiration and we arranged things so that he and I could leave earlier in the day with my parents so we could travel during daylight hours. How do you get to Eugene, my mother asks? I reply, you get on I-5 and when you get to Eugene, you get off. This drive, that we had already done many time seemed so dreary and mundane to us (and we've done it MANY times since then) was new and exciting to my mom, dad and brother. They were thrilled with the lowland woodlands of western Washington, crossing the Columbia River, the trip through Portland and out into the verdant Willamette Valley. I had not considered this at all.
I told my brother (who insisted on driving my father's rental car) that there was a tricky lane change in Portland. 'What tricky change? What tricky lane change?" he kept asking me. I couldn't remember until...until I called out "This tricky lane change! Right here!" "Oh! Oh! THAT tricky land change" which was, of course, tricky.
But we came and went, we made it but we are so tired. I love the Willamette Valley, always threaten to move there. I've had bad times on that drive, sometimes I would be driving back by myself in the dark and pouring rain. One time, I truly did not think I would make it! But yesterday and today, not too bad. Maybe because we won't be making it so many times this year.
I love my 'life' in Eugene and resigned myself last spring that it had ended. But, I was back this weekend helping with the tailgate so....so... I'm sure this year will be the last though.
I won't miss that ride, but I will miss Eugene.
A picture snapped as we cruised past somewhere between here and there.
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