Day 2: Bandon, OR to Astoria, OR

Current Location: Astoria, OR

Today was bueno. Pops and I got up and strolled the beaches of Bandon. The Oregon coast has a lot of nice beaches with huge rocks just sticking up out of no where. It is very beautiful. We later packed up and checked out getting on the road around 1130 haha. Heading up toward Astoria is I believe around two something hundred miles which brought the total so far to around 720.

While driving two things became very very very clear to me. 1) I never want to move to Oregon and 2) I love all the coffee here. Firstly, I don't want to live in Oregon because there are far too many pine trees, hills, and rainy days. I do not like the rain except for once in a while when I get to be inside curled up with a book and some soy hot chocolate by the fire. Which cannot happen in Oregon because it rains like every single second of life there. Haha okay so I guess this is an exaggeration but the thing is that it just rains to much all in this entire pacific northwest area, which I might add is why there are such high suicide rates here, because it is so gloomy! Sad :( ... and Secondly, there is some trend here for drive thru coffee shops. I am not really sure what it is but in every little town on all the different corners there are Dutch Bros., The Yellow Dog, the Espresso Mill (my fav), the Naked Squirrel, the Kettle Koffee (note: some of these names are from my imagination, but I am sure they exist somewhere). Anyway the point is these little espresso coffee places are everywhere and they have all been amazing, really cute, nice, friendly, delicious, and Espresso Mill and Bakery was really cheap. We got two egg bagel breakfast sandwiches and a muffin and a coffee for eight dollars. I love you Uptown Espresso but I can barely get half a muffin and a carmello for eight dollars at Uptown ahaha. BUT I STILL LOVE YOU UPTOWN!!! Anyway my theory is that coffee makes people warm and happy so in an effort to combat the rainy depression coffee shops are popping up everywhere.

Nothing extremely excited occurred today other that Dad annoying me by moving things in my car without telling me haha. Uh... also there are lots of bridges to cross over all the rivers and bays, which I love because I love bridges. Anyway I am really tired so peace out. O yeah we went to dinner and a really great cute nice old, well used Tavern. Awesome place :) Night.

Peace

Day 1: Sacramento CA to Bandon OR

Current Location: Bandon, OR

So today Pops and I woke up and finished packing the car then left just in time to catch morning rush hour in downtown Sacramento, haha. We drove forever through Nothingsville CA which is basically any part of California north of Sacramento because there is essentially nothing there. After you get out of the valley at Shasta things get pretty woody, with pine trees aka CONIFERS, everywhere. The pass gets up to 4000ft and then you come down in Ashland, OR. Like a real idiot I was not paying attention and missed taking a picture of the sign that says, "Welcome to Oregon" but I am gonna say no one is gonna miss it, it is easily imagined anyway. In Medford, OR we decided to get Starbucks (for the second time today lol), and using the GPS system named "Jack" we successfully got lost in downtown Medford which btw has about eight different highways, freeways, and interstates running through it. Soooo not our fault. Finally found Starbucks and meandered our way over to the coast. Pictured it up, ate seafood, and called it a night. The weather is very different already, it rained driving up on and off and the coast is cold! Well actually it is just like any August, almost September day, on the coast but my Father is a wimp and I am becoming a close second. Haha that is about it... Best Western Rewards is building up tonight and we are in the Shadow again tomorrow.

Peace

Hola!!!

Just a reminder that I leave Monday for my trip. Once I am underway I am gonna try and write, post pictures and/or videos everyday (so you can all live vicariously through me hahaha jk) but yeah. As the trip gets closer I am super excited but I am also super sad that I am going to be away from the people I have been hanging out with all summer and my roommate at school :(... but I'll be back before I know it, I'm sure. As of now I am planning to return to San Luis by November 11, which happens to be an academic holiday lol. No word yet on any new plans, as you may have notice I changed a little bit of the route a while ago to go through Nashville where my great friend Cassidy is working now (plug for you Cassidy!! www.mochaclub.org). Other than that I am no longer going to Miami because the person I was going with got a job, congrats Brooke! So besides the people that already have scheduled set dates with me around the country the rest of the plan and trip is still on a plus or minus 3-5 days schedule depending on how much I am enjoying myself somewhere! Anyway that is the plan. Can't wait!

Peace

Update on scheduling for anyone that cares... lol

Okay so again I say that this trip was planned on a very lose scheduling foundation... haha so that is why everyday it seems to change just a little bit. As of now though with exactly 11 days and 7 hours until my departure this is what it is looking like....

August

30-Sacramento

Sept

5-Seattle

8-Glacier National Park

13-Rapid City/Mt Rushmore

15-Marshalltown

18-Chicago

25-Dayton

October

1-Buffalo/Niagra Falls

5-Boston

7-New Haven

8-New York

10-Philly

14-DC

19-Nashville

24-Atlanta

26-New Orleans

29-Dallas

November

3-Austin

4-San Antonio

7-Phoenix

10-San Luis Obispo

So that is the plan so far.... yup yup :)

Peace

Countdown Continues

So officially I depart in 18 days!

Since the departure is getting closer and closer my dates and mates (wow that was lame, but whatever) are becoming increasingly more accurate. Sooooo just in case anyone is still thinking "OMG I need to accompany Spenser on part of her trip because of her epic awesomeness and overall people skills" then there is still a chance. Btw I kid about being awesome, I am just me. BUT that is not the point. So below is a list of the places that currently do not have anyone with me or that I am visiting or whatever so yessss.... check it out

Seattle to Rapid City(aka Mt. Rushmore)

Ohio to Buffalo(aka Niagra Falls)

Buffalo to Boston

Weekend in New York City

Atlanta to New Orleans

and that is about it, get in where you fit in people, time is closing in haha... not really but yeah just let me know if you want to join, I would love to have you!!!!

Peace