When in Oregon..

  Weather turned out to be our greatest adversary for the next few days. Dark skies obscured the views, while intermittent downpours pounded the windshield and reduced visibility to few feet. Dangerous enough on a state highway, more so with the behemoths of trucks speeding by. The relentless deluge lifted once every few hours, enough to show us bright yellow signs warning against prisoner hitchhikers or the presence of rattlesnakes. Brrr.

  More significantly for us, since our budget trip was centered around camping, the constant rain created somewhat of a conundrum. Setting up camp in rain is one of the more unpleasant activities around. For me, second only to running in ski boots. But the weather finally relented, and we found a free campsite in a valley overlooking the Snake River near the Idaho/Oregon border. Back to the basics, P wandered into the brush to gather firewood. We were forced to forgo showers and avail ourselves of the outhouse. But we were the only occupants on the big site. Sunset painted the sky blush pink, the reflection in the river magnifying the effect. As we prepared our supper over the bonfire, the gentle bubble of the rushing water and the chilling howl of a coyote were the only sounds louder than the sizzle of our grilling sausages. Clink of our cold beers. The solitude was complete.

  The next day, Keep Portland Weird bumper stickers announced that yes, we finally reached Portland, the land of hugs, drizzle and sunflowers. Our friend, Nick, took us in and showed us around town. Despite a rain-threatening Saturday morning, smartphones in hand and hour-by-hour checks on sunshine prediction apps, we were invited by Nick and Company to join a favorite, we were told, Oregon past-time – floating down a river. An assembly of more and less sturdy floating devices, plenty of sunscreen and some laced drinks later, we completed our tour of the scenic Clackamas River. In the evening, we came back to town hungry and exhausted, but a scalding shower infused us with a much needed second wind, as we pulled it together to attend a local concert of our friend's band. That friend was none other than Ryan, our Cambodian “biking crew” member. The intimate venue created a low-key event that was a perfect cap off to the day.

  Portland was the furthermost north we ventured. I regretted not going to Seattle, but I guess we'll have to leave it for next time. There's only so much we can demand of the courageous Altima. On our way out of town, P snagged an interview, which eventually turned into a job offer. Unhurried and a bit stunned that things were unfolding so fast, we headed to southern Oregon for a few days to hang with Ryan and Vanessa at their farms.

  Whenever I thought of great mountain ranges, Oregon never came to mind. That is, until we visited. Seemingly a well-kept secret of the locals and the few transplants lucky enough to live there, the scenery is unparalleled. Oregon is green due to all the precipitation, but the addition of mountains and rivers and country roads and just SPACE makes up a vibrant setting that only Mother Nature could create and take credit for. At Vanessa's farm (complete with four dogs, countless ducks, turkeys and a goat), we got a glimpse of the peaceful, out-of-a-busy city way of life. A bbq one night (with the juiciest and most succulent corn on the cob ever), a guitar jam session on another, and of course an obligatory river float through towering canyons, we spent the days and evenings socializing the old school way, face to face, no computers or TVs or useless white noise present.

  Grateful for the chilled out experience, we again threw ourselves into the road trip rhythm and headed on south to California. Tune in tone-deaf humming... Caaaliforniaaaa Dreamin'!!

To The Mile High City and Beyond

  It has been months since I last even logged on to my blogger account. And I probably would have kept it that way when, in the course of digital unpacking in Denver, I stumbled upon our U.S. road trip photos.

  While in Asia, P and I visited places – jungles, mountains and historical towns – that fed our curiosity and with it, our drive to travel. We met people who allowed us a glance into the local perspective. We pushed our fears and our limits, whether scuba-diving or meditating. And we ate – boy, did we eat! - our way through half the continent.

  And while the unfamiliar always beckons, the road trip out West allowed us a solid transition upon our return home. We still got to travel, but on somewhat more familiar ground, with a common language, currency and customs.

  It's one thing to know and different to experience, so we were surprised to discover just how diverse, captivating and simply beautiful the U.S. is, all while on a (slightly higher) budget. Granted, we made some adjustments and gladly accepted housing offers of some gracious host friends, but let me start at the beginning.

  Point of origin: my fabulous Chicago. Camping gear packed. Cooler equipped with all manner of deliciousness. Mindsets prepped and positive, in anticipation of a great Kerouac adventure West. Ok, maybe minus the Kerouac disorganization. We beseeched the automotive spirits so that P's grandma of an Altima, weird noises, defective A/C and all, survive the distance ahead of us. So far, so good. So set, we embarked on this new adventure, only to face hundreds upon hundreds of miles of …corn. Those of you who covered the 1,000 mile stretch of highway between Chicago and Denver have come to know it as one of the most mind-numbingly boring routes ever. But equipped with an audiobook, an idea borrowed from the ever-patient cross-country truck drivers, the miles flew by. A surprisingly pleasant overnight stop with some improvised cooking at an RV campground in Who Knows, Nebraska later, and we reached our destination without incident.

A feast for royalty. Less the persistent months.

Who needs a Starbucks?

How civilized, and right by a private airport trip.

  I've been to Denver twice before, but never longer than a casual drive-through or a business conference. This time, we discovered the city with some local input, courtesy of P's childhood pal Daniel, a Denver enthusiast through and through. So instead of checking off tourist traps like the 16^th Street Mall, we meandered through the city's neighborhoods, the unusual September heat slowing down the already leisurely pace. Denver's architecture, at least in its older parts like Capitol Hill, Golden Triangle, Baker or Cole, is diverse and eclectic, with colorfully painted brick buildings, majestic Victorian homes with front-encasing porches and antique rowhouses, all so rarely found in Chicago. Despite its frequent periods of drought, Denver relishes its stately trees and miles upon miles of city parks and bike trails. Maybe because of the heat, or maybe, in our eyes, in comparison to the pulsing rhythm of Chicago, the city took on the hush of a quiet town. The reduced noise level, the pleasant Denverite attitudes, the no-one-is-in-a-hurry three hour meals, peeks of the still snow-tipped mountains, the sunny blue sky a call of the wild to spend time outdoors – all of these showed us how a change in setting affects the quality of life. Good thing too, since Denver was our top relocation destination.

P & D

Too bad the pic doesn't reflect the scale

  Memorable event: Exhausted with all the walking, we got to a 17^th Street bar just in time to people-watch the aftermath of New Belgium's Tour de Fat revelry, an eclectic fundraiser characterized by bikes, funky costumes and ,what else, beer. Note to self: pen it into the calendar for 2014.

  After P dispensed with the formality of dropping off his resumes to some firms, an antiquated but surprisingly effective way to search for jobs, we said our goodbyes and thank yous to Daniel and his family, including his two year old who became my instant best buddy, with a promise to stop by on our way back.

With some luck, we squeezed onto a waiting list (I recommend advance reservations) for a New Belgium brewery tour in Fort Collins, on our way out of the state. Our enthusiastic and well-trained guide let us through a two hour tour, casually filling us in on the brewery's and its founders' histories, the not-so-secret secrets of the brewing process and the perks of being an employee. Of course, craft beer tastings were included, and since P was the driver, I was the one to indulge.

  For a few days before we left Denver, the weather took a turn for the worse, and daily we woke up to unseasonably drizzly mornings. By the time we left Fort Collins, the drizzle became rain and then a deluge that was eventually declared a state of emergency in which many Coloradans lost their homes. The pounding rain made long-distance driving slippery and barely controllable, so after struggling in Wyoming we gave up and found a hotel room for the night. Only the next morning we found out that parts of the highways we drove on just the day before closed due to flooding. With hopes for a better weather prognosis and best wishes for those left in the wake, we continued to Oregon.

A surely ominous sign

Budget tips:

1. Check out freecampsites.net/usa/ for a list of free or low cost camp sites and their amenities, ranging from basic with a pit toilet to full shower, in some pretty scenic locations. We traveled with a tent but encountered many tourists with RV's or vans, a more comfortable long-term alternative.
2. Priceline.com has a “Name Your Own Price” option, great for last minute (ie same evening) hotel deals.