MSP-PDX (and beyond)

I have returned! What a whirlwind (and I think it is still going). We left over a week ago for Portland, and I flew back this past Wednesday, and then spent the next two days hanging out with part of my family, packing, and finally, moving into my aunt's place today. I am tired, but I felt a second wind so I thought I'd try to post something.

The trip was so many things, but wonderful was definitely one of them. On our departure date, June 11, Lindsay, Serena, and myself crammed the car full and drove off to Sioux Falls to visit a friend from college, Ryan, who is in med school in South Dakota. His family warmly welcomed us, and he showed us the Sioux Falls sights. It was a really fun night!

Then we left early on Friday morning, drove across South Dakota, with an hour or so detour to see Mt. Rushmore, which I had never seen. It's interesting that the state had to create its own major attraction, instead of capitalizing on a natural one. The man who dreamed it up would be so amazed that it actually came to fruition.

Friday was a long day of driving through Wyoming and Montana mountains with the little Saturn. We got to Bozeman late Friday night, threw the tent together, and hunkered down for a few hours. Saturday, we drove through the rest of Montana, crossed Idaho (absolutely beautiful), through eastern Washington (not at all beautiful), and then drove into Oregon along the Columbia River (fantastic!). We arrived in Portland Saturday evening, and hung out there for dinner.

After hanging out in Portland on Sunday morning, we drove three more hours down to Newport, Oregon, to a friend of a friend's beach house with 17 others. There were two bedrooms, so a bunch of people set up tents in the yard, and we had a blast hanging out on the beach with a bonfire, drums, and hula hoops. I met so many interesting people! We drove back Monday night, went out for pizza and beer, and then walked around Portland some more to see the sights.

We woke up Tuesday, and went with some of Lindsay's new roommates again to Multnomah Falls and then to hike up a mountain, which ended up taking four hours, but was so cool. Oregon forests and mountains are abosutely beautiful, and I couldn't get enough of all the lush forest growth and multiple waterfalls. We headed back into Portland then, cooked dinner, went out for Belgian Fries, and by Wednesday morning, I was on my way back to Minneapolis.

There are so many pictures, so I've posted them in an album on Facebook which you can view (even if you don't have Facebook) by clicking here, if you'd like. I know I left a lot out on here--I tried to keep it short!

Tomorrow I am heading back to 410 to grab a few more things and tie up some loose ends, but I do hope to be relaxing a little bit. My sister Kate is in town as well, and we got to hang out with our mom on Thursday and Friday night, which was really fun (and funny). It seems like the summer is already flying by way too fast! And I am already behind on homework...whoops...

Thank you all for reading!

Peace,

J