2024 Vacation in the Pacific Northwest

 May, 2024

Vail, AZ

Getting Ready for a 10 week trip

No trailer for this trip means a lot of careful packing for my car.  Spending time in 2 different climates (Oregon Coast and High Desert of Bend, OR) means different clothing - not to mention travel clothing for the 'Surface of the Sun' temps in Arizona, Nevada, and Southern CA as I travel to-and-fro.  Hard to even admit to all the toys - my eBike (and associated locks, helmets, etc), my sport kites, hiking gear, and way too much art stuff!!  Since I'm volunteering for the Southern AZ Watercolor Guild as their webmaster, I also had to bring my laptop and big binder with info.

Everything but the cooler and Phoebe

The eBike got a lot of use in both locations

I can just hoist the bike into the back and tie it down for the trip

Tiny sketches along the way using my EDC sketch kit

I carry some version of the 3x5 sketching kit that I made for my 'Travel Sketching -even if you can't draw class" all the time.  Sometimes, they're just journaling, sometimes doodles, and sometimes, they're thumbnail sketches that will spark a painting later on.

One of the last chores at home was to trolley my indoor Ficus plant over to my neighbor to care for - she did a way better job than I do!.   Then came the long, boring days of driving through desert landscapes in blistering heat - I listened to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks.

Finally arrived at the coast - had my first fresh fish lunch in Florence.  Even a light rain couldn't mar my good mood!

 

More rain! Sketching from my car in parking lots.

The view from my beach rental - as it pours down rain for the first few days.

Then, the sun came out and I enjoyed beach walks, wetland walks, farmers markets - all the joys of the central Oregon coast.

My time in Bend, Oregon was like living in an amusement park.  Lot's of folks floating down the river, farmers markets, great restaurants, galleries, outdoor concerts, very bike-friendly!  Just a little too hot (similar to Tucson temps!) and the last 10 days or so, very smoky from all the summer forest fires.

More details and my plein aire sketches in future posts!