EVENTUALLY in this conversation someone says (probably Mason because he's been trying to get us to visit for awhile!!) well why don't we drive up there this weekend!
Before I go any further everyone should know we are not super spontaneous people, I think we'd like to think we are but we never really end up doing much!
THAT being said the next hour was a complete discussion about how this whole weekend would play out and what we were going to do and when to leave and yadi yadi ya.. FINALLY after two hours of deliberation Nate says go home Mason we will pick you up in the morning and start driving. (I was shocked and happy because I've been wanting/needing a vacation-- everyone around me knows how much I talk about traveling!)
So, Mason leaves and Nate and I settle down to fall asleep and Nate says I can't sleep what if we leave now (I think the hour was like 10:45 pm). I said whatever, we called mason and to Oregon we went!
To start the adventure we get to Fillmore and get pulled over!! We are let off with a warning to slow down ( even though we weren't going that fast anyway..) the officer pulls away and Nate goes to start the car...........ANDDDD the battery is dead. So mason and I get out and push the car so Nate can start it. (This is the only time I have been pleased to own a stick shift!)
Fast forward 10 hours and we have arrived in Ashland, Oregon where mason and his girlfriend Alyx live! I love Ashland! It's seriously so pretty and small town and awesome. I even loved the strange rain!
The next day we decide to go to Portland, unfortunately it's another 5 hours away but fortunately we made lots of stops along the way to keep entertained.
Stop#1: the Oregon vortex! I thought I was going to be able to explain what it was after going but really I'm just more confused. We all left feeling as if someone sold us some snake oil, but it was still fun. Apparently it's a place where things are different height and things appear different, based on the earths blablablsbla. I dunno look it up if your interested or look at the pictures below to see the weird crooked house and us measuring our height 50 different times.
Stop#2: Taco Bell
Stop#3: a drive through coffee shop thing, they are all over the place it's quite a fad!
Stop#4: the gas station..why this is an interesting stop is because it is illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon! It's seriously the strangest thing! I've never had someone pump my gas AND wash my window before its hilarious and Alyx knows how astonished I was, I think I laughed the whole time and every time we stopped at a gas station.
Finally, PORTLAND! We ate at some place where Nate and mason braved frog legs and alligator jambalaya! I tasted both, and it was pretty good. Then we went to voodoo donuts which is the coolest donut shop ever. I got a voodoo doll donut, but wish I could have tried one of each, especially the ones with cereal on them!
We stayed at a hotel right by the Portland temple so Nate and I walked there one day and saw how awesome it was!
We went to breakfast with kellen (another old friend) and got the best driving tour of Portland ever!
I don't even think we were in Portland for 24 hours, but it was a nice visit! We then drove another 5 hours back to Ashland (with a lot less stops this time).. We ate some more delicious food, played some card games, and the next day started driving back home!
Sheesh, I'm sure I missed something! But I'll add a lot of pictures at the bottom to help illustrate!
It was a wonderful getaway weekend thanks Mason and Alyx (and trouble the cutest dog alive)for being awesome friends and hosts, we are already ready to come back! And thanks kellen for our driving tour and breakfast!
That's our exciting times for now.. Trying to stay spontaneous.
-Nate & Meg-
