Respectfully not in. I’m already both blessed and self-indulgent this Christmas season.
Christmas break 1972. Self-supporting (aka broke), in trade school in Oregon. My Mom could use a little emotional support in Chicago. Dress warm, grab the pack, tarp, and the sleeping bag. Start thumbing.
East side of Portland, sky to the west looks grim. A surprise, given my level of planning.
Surprise! Caught a timely ride, just before the storm hits, with three dropouts in an eastbound drive-away Buick.
Surprise! It is a huge, nasty ice storm. We’re caught at a the top of the Columbia Gorge cliffs admiring the view. The storm will eventually Zamboni an Interstate hockey rink all the way through Idaho. But we skate back down to the Interstate and get ahead of it, on clear pavement, by Pendleton.
Surprise! My new best friends love to stop and look at the sights, the birds, the awesome clouds. We make it to LaGrande barely ahead of the storm.
Surprise! Let’s stop for the night.
Surprise! Clear skies, ice everywhere, creeping eastbound traffic. But this Buick and my buddies will take me all the way to southern Illinois!
Home for Christmas, just as “planned”.
Christmas break 1972. Self-supporting (aka broke), in trade school in Oregon. My Mom could use a little emotional support in Chicago. Dress warm, grab the pack, tarp, and the sleeping bag. Start thumbing.
East side of Portland, sky to the west looks grim. A surprise, given my level of planning.
Surprise! Caught a timely ride, just before the storm hits, with three dropouts in an eastbound drive-away Buick.
Surprise! It is a huge, nasty ice storm. We’re caught at a the top of the Columbia Gorge cliffs admiring the view. The storm will eventually Zamboni an Interstate hockey rink all the way through Idaho. But we skate back down to the Interstate and get ahead of it, on clear pavement, by Pendleton.
Surprise! My new best friends love to stop and look at the sights, the birds, the awesome clouds. We make it to LaGrande barely ahead of the storm.
Surprise! Let’s stop for the night.
Surprise! Clear skies, ice everywhere, creeping eastbound traffic. But this Buick and my buddies will take me all the way to southern Illinois!
Home for Christmas, just as “planned”.