Big rocks, grand coasts, and the cleanest McDonald’s I’ve come across in America
When I was a kid, my mother and father would often recount their journey along the coastline of Oregon. The trip was a necessity when visiting our family down in California. We were cheap and plane tickets were expensive so driving was the optimal solution.
They would recount the beautiful beaches with a sea salt breeze, the fresh terpene scent of the coastal forests, and the numerous cozy quaint towns they would pass through on the way. Of course, this was back in the 90s so things are likely different from the nostalgic memories of the past. So when my friend Reeve suggested we do a road trip for the Summer of 2024, this memory was the first thing that popped into my head.
The next day, the group chat was born.
Reeve and I decided to invite a good friend of ours, Angelo, to join us on the trip. He enthusiastically responded within the hour. The final member to complete our quartet was our friend Louie. However, his participation in this journey was left ambiguous as he had just graduated nursing school and his schedule was not yet sorted out. So we waited, and waited, and waited some more, and finally 48 hours before D-day he responded. “I’m good to go”.
Our home on the road was Angelo’s trusty Toyota RAV4. It was spacious, gas-efficient, and had its charms.
With members gathered and transport accounted for, we were set for the trip.