Summer :: Days #70 - #79 (NW Road Trip)

Steps of McMennamin's Edgefield in Troutdale, OR

A few weeks ago my dear friend, Stephanie, asked if I was up for a road trip to Washington State with our kids.  When I nonchalantly agreed, she came over one afternoon and busted out her computer on my dining room table and proceeded to map out the trip.  Calls were made to secure a campsite and a hotel room, as we would be hunkering down at her mom's house in Tacoma in the middle of our trip and use it as home base while we explored the surrounding area.  Lists were made of items we needed to bring and then she was off.  It all seemed rather ambitious and even borderline exhausting, but that is my friend in a nutshell - she rides that fine line of super-crazy-busy and she does it all with a radiant smile on her face and a can-do attitude.

Day #2 - Campfire at Seaquest Campground in a Yurt

As the date of departure crept closer, I received a spreadsheet from her that scared the living heck out of me.  Seriously.  It was two pages long and clearly assigned me tasks I needed to complete for the trip and what to pack.  You'd think the Virgo in me would have loved this spreadsheet, but it only brought dread.  What in the world did I sign up for?  How can I get out of this?  Would 10 days on the road be too much together time for our friendship?  What about the kids?  Will they get along?  Would we still be friends when this was all over?  Oh, my.

Day #2 - Cookie as big as Sophia's head

I tried convincing myself that this trip probably wouldn't really happen, as my friend was in the midst of a chaotic work/travel schedule and was in Idaho and Sacramento just days before we were set to leave.  I guess I mildly overlooked the fact that this is her life and busyness is how she rolls.  Nothing was getting in the way of our road trip.  Nothing.  Her background as a project manager should have warned me that come hell or high water, we were going on this journey and I better buckle down, pack it up and enjoy the ride.

Day #3 - Wall of Chihuly Glass, Tacoma, WA

On the eve of our departure, I got a case of cold feet and procrastinated packing up until the very last minute.  You see, I didn't really want to leave home.  I like the last lazy days of summer and looked forward to canning some jam and working on remodeling G's playhouse into an art studio for us.  However, in my quest for balance this year, I knew I had to take this trip and stretch myself as a mother, woman and friend.  I froze the berries for jam and put the paint samples away, as they could most definitely wait for my return.

Day # 3 - Dashpoint Pier @ Sunset

I couldn't possibly write about everything we did because we did SO much.  I do want to write about what a wonderful set of kids we have and how much they taught me on this trip. The girls exuded positivity, excessive style, unlimited questions and the knowledge of dozens of pop songs that are now burned on my brain (Superbase...who sings this? And why can't I get it out of my head?).  They also kept reminding us that we were family (they are our Goddaughters and Grady is their Godbrother).  That never got old.

Day #4 - Tacoma Zoo & Aquarium on the hottest day of the year 

Grady had a harder time with all the togetherness and I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.  He's an only child and spends a lot of his time doing solitary things like reading, drawing and creating "worlds" with his small animal figurines.  His mood was somber and his tone had an edge to it when he would speak to the girls.  As a mom, this really bothered me.  He loves Isabella & Sophia, so why was he talking down to them and correcting every little thing they said?  I tried to intervene, guide, explain, help, correct and reprimand, when needed.  This was all to minimal avail and it was embarrassing after awhile.  Where was my sensitive, sweet boy?  When did he become a know-it-all?  Where did I go wrong?  My internal dialogue was goin' off and after days on end of this intermittent bad behavior from G, I had to call in the big guns...Dad.

Day #4 - Spinning away the attitude

I had saved the threat of calling his father, but on a tree trunk bench just outside of Fort Nisqually the call had to be made.  Sage wisdom and advice traveled from father to son and after 15 minutes of crying, hugging and talking it out - Grady left that cranky place and decided to enjoy the remainder of our six days on the road.  He usually has to have a total breakdown before he rights himself and I just hate that it has to get to that point, but he hit the wall, talked to the dad he missed and then decided to buy the girls presents in the gift shop to accompany him when he apologized.  Oh, yes.

Day #4 - Camel ride on Picasso @ Tacoma Zoo

Here are a few of the highlights from our Northwest road trip:

• Saltwater soaking pool at the Edgefield in Troutdale, OR
• I literally fell out of bed on Day #2 
• Hike to the top of Multnomah Falls
• Hit a lovely flea market for hand-carved walking sticks and vintage Vera head scarves
• Spelunking at the Ape Caves complete with headlamps.  Coolest. Thing. Evah.
• Isabella negotiating deal with crooked roadside vendor for peaches
• Yurt Camping at Seaquest Campground in Washington
• Roasted corn in the husk, caramelized onions, hot dogs & s'mores over the campfire
• Mount St. Helens - where the kids became Junior Rangers
• Museum of Glass & Chihuly Glass installation on Tacoma Bridge
• Watching the kids skimboard
• Grandma Kathy's catalpa tree in full bloom
• Tacoma Zoo & Aquarium
• Camel ride for the kids
• Vashon Ferry picnic lunch
• Tour of Pt. Defiance
• Seattle Center & the Goosebumps - Science of Fear Exhibit
• Laser show to Michael Jackson tunes
• iMax movie "Born to be Wild"
• Dining at the lovely Dahlia Restaurant in Seattle
• Visit to REI flagship store in Seattle
• Watching fisherman catch pink salmon off of Dash Point Pier & the Puget Sound
• Slip & slide down Grandma Kathy's lawn
• Feeding pygmy goats pretzels and apples
• Tent camping at Mount Rainier
• Building said tent with my son was an exercise in patience and perseverance
• Jiffy pop & cabernet sauvignon pairing
• Run-in with Ranger Becky Rowe!
• Climb to 7,000 feet on Mount Rainier (from approx. 5,000 feet starting point)
• Views of Mt. Hood, Adams & St. Helens from Panoramic Point @ 6,800 feet
• Picnic lunch at Panoramic Point - kids made s'more sandwiches from PB, nutella & marshmallows!
• Dinner in Portland at Seres for the healthiest chinese food I've ever tasted!

Day #7 - Lemon meringue pie on our last night in Tacoma

The kids really enjoyed Grandma Kathy's cooking and discovered the best french toast and lemon meringue pie on this planet!  My son adopted Stephanie's mom as his grandma and only called her Grandma Kathy.  I love that he has so many grandmother figures in his life and how much love is lavished upon my boy.  He is, indeed, part of their family.

Day #7 - Gathering fish guts to feed the seagulls @ Dashpoint Beach

After several comfortable days in Tacoma, we packed it up and headed up to the big finale of our trip.  Mount Rainier.

Day #8 - Welcome to Mt. Rainier National Park

Steph did tell me to get hiking shoes for both myself and Grady.  She even took me to the REI Flagship store in Seattle and I became a member.  No laughing.  I just couldn't justify spending the money on hiking shoes that I would surely only use once or twice and so I didn't buy any.  Big mistake.  Huge.

Day #9 - About to embark on our little hike up Mount Rainier

As we arrived in the parking lot of Mount Rainier, I slowly realized that this mountain was, um, pretty effing big and there was a lot of snow.  Hmm.  Would my running shoes be okay for our ascent?  What about Grady?  Would he be okay in his red and white tennies?  Well, we had to be because we had no other choice.  Remembering all the while that we had in fact been warned.  Thank God we only shared one bottle of wine while camping the night before, as I would need all my faculties today.

Day #9 - Self-portrait from 6,800 feet

Here's the thing, I knew our itinerary and should have been prepared.  I was mostly along for the ride and had a little bit of ignorance is bliss going on in my head.  In a way, I'm glad I didn't know all the details of our trip and that I was surprised by all of the beauty and awesome experiences we had.  The other part of my brain was like Holy shit, I can't believe we are actually going to climb this effing mountain!  There was no turning back, as we had three kids charging their way up the snow-covered trails and I needed to prove to myself that I could muster up the courage, strength and fortitude to follow their lead. And so I put on my big girl panties and walked the walk, or hiked the hike, as it were.

Day #9 - Rangel women on Mount Rainier

As we were climbing and shedding layers of clothing, stopping for water and letting G create yellow snow in his wake, I couldn't turn off the voice inside my head.  I pondered my 40 years on this planet and how I was hiking this mountain exactly one week prior to my 41st birthday.  I thought about how I'm raising my son and what it is I want him to remember about me and the lessons I still needed to teach him.  Thoughts coursed through me like a raging river.  I couldn't turn it off.  Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and I was high as a friggin' kite.

Day # 9 - Mount Rainier + Moi

The narrow trails were snow-covered about 50% of the time and I was more than a little nervous on a few of our traverses across the mountain.  I freaked out only once on our descent, but found comfort in the bellyaching laughter I shared with Stephanie when I told her we might break up after this mountain ledge crossing.  She could not have been more entertained by me.  The kids forged on ahead of us and G was so proud to be our trailblazer for a major portion of our five-hour hike.  He relished in being the leader and it helped nudge him along without complaints or defeat.

Day #10 - Sunset as we approach the Sonoma County line

Upon reaching the parking lot, taking off our shoes and settling in for the ride south (where we had no reservations and were just going to wing it), a sense of calm came over me as I sat behind the wheel of the car.  I just climbed Mount Rainier.  This sentence was looping in my head over and over again.  I. Just. Climbed. Mount. Rainier.  Me.  Yes, me.  I did it.  We did it.  In tennis shoes, no less.  I can do anything.  Yep, of this I'm sure.

Day #10 - Arriving home a little road weary, but happy

I was on a high from that climb for two days and nights.  I couldn't sleep.  I wrote and re-wrote this blog post in my mind at least a dozen times and perused our over 300+ pictures over and over again to absorb all of the magical memories that we formed on this trip.

I'm glad I was open to this road trip and stepped out of my homey little box to explore the natural world with my friend and our children.

I'm certain that our kids will remember this trip for the rest of their lives.  I know I will.

I'm fortunate to have a husband who works so hard to support our family and trusted me with our son on this 10-day adventure.  We missed him.

I'm lucky and grateful to have a woman in my life who, just by her friendship, has opened me up to the possibility of more.  More fun.  More adventures.  More quality time with my son.  More, more, more.

The next time a spreadsheet arrives in my inbox from her, I won't open it with dread or a sense of fear.  Rather, I'll be more open and ready to accept whatever she throws my way.

And, I'll buy everything she puts on the list.  I've learned my lesson.