Road Trip Recap, Part 2

Thursday was introduced to me in strange fashion. Half past midnight, I woke up to skin irritation that ran across my sides, back, and stomach.

“What is this?” I murmured to myself as I attempted to gain some semblance of reality.

Every time I turned, I felt an uncomfortable heat come from below. It was like my insides were slowly burning whenever I touched this particular spot.

Eventually, I grew tired of this irritation and relocated myself to the floor. I dragged the memory foam, my blankets, and my pillow to the floor beside my former resting spot. Still, I felt as if I was burning, so I felt the need to calm myself down with music. Soon enough, I fell back asleep.

When I awoke in the morning, my parents asked me why I was lying there, so I explained the story to them. Apparently, that’s where a flat tire and some wiring problems were. Needless to say, I’m skeptical of resting my head at the same location until the issue (at least, in my mind) gets resolved.

The day then resumed. Shockingly, we were up and ready by eight in the morning. Usually, my body refuses to wake up until then.

Our road trip continued, bidding an ‘adieu’ to Mountain Range and looking forward to our next home in Mount Hood, Oregon.

There was beauty to behold at Blue Shasta Lake, so much so that it had to be captured. I got a picture of the sun overlooking the water as we drove right past it; those are always my favorites. Through the sun’s reflection, the waters’ deep ripples and shades are shown. This is just one of the many ways God reflects His beauty.

The sun overlooks the waters of Blue Shasta Lake in the early morning,
casting a reflection that shows every layer of the lakes' beauty.

Only a few moments later, breakfast was found in Weed, California. The local motel housed the Hi-Lo café, which served us delicious plates of ham and pancakes. We were filled to the max with their large proportions.

After a quick hunt for a few extra supplies, our journey down the road (or, freeway) continued. Our next stop was at Khlamoth Falls to fill the tank back up. Then we continued on.

In the meantime, I was glued to the screen of my DS. In the back of my mind, I equated myself with the stigma of today’s generation – we just can’t avoid our screens. At the same time, I excused myself because of my obsessive tendencies as I remained focused on completing the main story of the game.

As lunch rolled around, our stomachs struggled to focus. We passed by a few options that were unnerving or unsettling.

To be honest, I wasn’t a part of this conversation very much. Instead, I focused my attention on one of my best friends, who made a phone call to me earlier. I returned the call and we talked through my parents’ decision making process.

Richmond, Oregon, served us Subway sandwiches that we swallowed down in the car. For dessert, I rewarded myself with peanut m&m’s – too much goodness!

After lunch, I enjoyed the view. We saw many fascinating cities full of lights and colors. The glowing sands of the dessert shone right in my eyes. At one point, we drove underwater and –

Yes, I’m kidding. Because, instead of living in the moment and enjoying the view outside, I was attached to the screen yet again.

In Madras, we found a Safeway that would keep our stomachs full. We stocked up on all the necessary items for our next three days in Mount Hood. The whole pack of us – my mother, my father, and me – scanned through the aisles together. It was there that I learned why my father doesn’t normally go to the grocery store with us.

A hundred or so miles later, we landed in Mount Hood, pulling our trailer into a beautiful spot located at one of the county trailer parks.

The trailer was pulled into a shady spot in a county
 campground located near Mount Hood, Oregon.

After we had fried chicken for dinner, we took Lacey for a walk and explored the camp. A very peaceful river sat comfortably behind the camp. I envisioned myself traveling to this location on my own to clear my mind. We also walked the aisles of campsites, where very few trailers found their spots.

Thankfully, the many trees that surround us offer a shade from the heat. It feels thirty degrees cooler than last night’s location.

Under the shade, we were able to dream of the next five days to come.