2 planes, 1 car trip, 18 hours, and 2700 miles after I left Virginia, I arrived in Bend, Oregon for my cousin Steph’s wedding. I came with my father and my 84-year-old grandmother, which was a trip, to say the least. Grandma did great for her age and the airports were so accommodating, meeting her with a wheelchair at all three airports.

This is my first time to Oregon and my second time to the West Coast. Funny that my first time to the West Coast was a mere 2 weeks ago. I am sick of travelling. But, while travelling is tiring and frustrating and irritating, it is worth it.

Oregon is beautiful. I didn’t know what to expect. Pine trees, I guess. And mountains. But Bend is the “high desert”, which means that it’s a desert at a high elevation. It is beautiful, but brown. Everything is scrubby and dead-looking. But that’s endearing and gorgeous in its own way.

We arrived in Portland, Oregon and had to drive 3.5 hours to Bend. This, after waking up a 3:30am EST and being on planes for 8 hours. But you know what? The car ride was, in a word, rejuvenating. No prescription or therepy can pull you out of a funk like nature can. Staring at snow-capped mountains, rolling farmland, and flowing water from the backseat of the car had a healing affect. I’ve been stressed and busy and generally irritated in because of the gigantic pile of work on my lunch-sized plate. Only 110 days until Costa Rica…

But that short car ride did it for me, I think. It got me thinking and reflecting. It calmed me down, de-stressed me, and motivated the hell out of me. So screw you, writer’s block. I’m finished with you. I am back and feeling very loquacious. Watch out, my friends.

[Flickr Photo Set of Bend, OR]