East to West: Day Eight & Nine Recap (Also known as "The End")

Day One Recap
Day Two Recap
Day Three Recap
Day Four Recap
Days Five & Six Recap
Day Seven Recap


Here's a little story:
The next morning, I woke up and got ready to leave LA and head north to Sacramento. I was up, bright and early, even grabbing a few breakfast items for the road. I roll my luggage out to where I had parked my car the previous night and funny enough, my car wasn't there. There was no broken glass so I assumed it hadn't been stolen. I slowly roll back to the front office of the hotel and politely ask "So, if my car isn't where I left it, do you have any idea where it might have gone?" and they quickly say "Oh yeah, that happens all the time, let me call the place" like it was just no big deal. I quelled the panic. They called the tow place, told me how much it was going to cost, and then called a cab to come and get me. I give them credit for knowing what to do since this was my first (and only *knock on wood*) time that I have ever been given a ticket and/or been towed. I was flustered but so proud of myself for not getting really upset. I rolled up to the tow place, paid my ridiculous bill, and then took a little golf cart with some very excited attendant up to where my car was parked. He was absolutely in shock that 1) I was alone 2) driving across the country 3) rollin' in a Honda Civic that was 4) over 10 years old. He was really just perplexed by me which I found a little too much for 8 am. I slowly took my car out of the parking lot and immediately headed north.

I love you, LA, but your parking signs are hella confusing. 

And moving on...

My plans this day were to drive from LA to Chico, where I have family, see them and stay the night there then get up early the next morning to finish the drive. Nothing terribly exciting (besides seeing my family that I haven't seen in forever) and things went pretty much according to plan. I had to take a nap along the way because I was so tired I couldn't focus well and then instead of staying the night with family, I got a cheap hotel about 1.5 hours north of the city since I couldn't mentally handle another 9 hour driving day up to Portland, Oregon.

Some cows.

Driving right on through Sacramento.

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures on this route but once I got up through Shasta, the views were gorgeous. These were all taken out the window of my car because I didn't feel like stopping to get out but I would love to come back and visit (and hike/camp) here in the future. So pretty!

The rest of the drive from Shasta in Southern Oregon to Portland, Oregon was pretty uneventful. It felt strange to be back in the NW and back to the place that I swore I would never come back to. I believe that things happen for a reason, even if that reason takes a while to present itself, and although it has been a bit of a bumpy adjustment, it feels right being back here.