The Big Trip

It's impossible to explain our past California travels without first sharing about what we affectionately refer to as "The Big Trip".

Scotty and I had officially been together for only four months (and living together for most of that), when we embarked on a major road trip.


A week after New Year’s day in January 2007, we boarded a Alaska Marine Highway ferry vessel bound for Bellingham, Washington.

 M/V Matanuska docked in Sitka, Alaska ~ January 2007

We had packed my little Suzuki Sidekick full of camping gear, a cooler with some food, and all the clothing and essentials we thought we would need for the next two months.

"Yeah! Road trip!"

When I think about this adventure we had, I find myself marveling how much the way we travel has  changed since then. This was before iPhones. We could have packed a laptop computer, but didn't. There were zero distractions, I wasn't a member of Facebook yet, and anytime we needed the Internet (which was rare) we looked for a library or Internet café.

Hiking in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Sonoran Desert, Arizona

Our route and destination-planning tools included a state-by-state road map and random brochures we picked up for free from visitor centers along the way. We had too little money in our bank accounts and one credit card with a pretty low limit. We traveled with a cheap little cell phone, and a somewhat rusty 1995 vehicle with over 180,000 miles on it, and no health insurance (something I would never do now). Still, we left home with stars in our eyes (at least I did).

In sunny Puerto Penasco, Mexico ~ February 2007

The plan was to make our way down the Pacific Coast from Washington to California, then head west to Arizona where our landlord at the time had volunteered to let us use their empty vacation house for a few days. After that, we had vague notions of heading south into Mexico. Our only reservation was the date we planned to be back in Bellingham to catch the ferry home. 

Sunset reflected on the mountains aboard the Alaska Marine Highway

We decided to camp when we could and stay at hotels only when necessary. The first time we were able to camp was in Gold Beach, Oregon. I put on every item of clothing I had, including a winter coat, and still shivered that night. We were the only ones in the campground. "You came all the way down here and it's still cold," I remember Scotty telling me.

After that experience, our main goal became finding warmer weather.

Our campsite in Gold Beach, Oregon ~ January 2007

Traveling by the seat of our pants wasn’t always easy. I worried about money. And discovered little things that bugged me about my partner and he with me. (Fortunately, we ultimately decided we still liked each other and no one got left on the roadside anywhere.) I may never travel like that again. But I wouldn’t trade that trip or those memories for anything.

Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon ~ March 2007

We took a lot of pictures and saw way too much to write about in one post. But there were so many precious places and experiences I'd love to share, so I hope to do that along the way.

US Route 50 in Nevada

There's nothing like an open road. Especially when you've got someone you love by your side.

Aboard the M/V Matanuska~  January 2007