Highway 101: Then and Now
- Stacy Williams
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
I went on a summer road trip with my grandmother and brother when I was ten. We traveled down the Oregon Coast on Highway 101 into California and down to San Francisco. She drove a Ranchero. It had a back seat that my brother and I fought over with the rivalry of siblings. It was great for naps or to just stretch out and read. This was when seatbelts were optional. Gram was just a few years younger than I am now. She's currently ninety-eight. And my brother is no longer with us.
It was a special trip. We listened to the radio, drank soda, ate snacks, stayed in motels along the coast that boasted swimming pools, and ran barefoot through the warm sand along the beach. We flew kites, built sandcastles, rode an elephant at a Safari attraction, and ate clam chowder. We stopped at the Devils Punchbowl, Sea Lion Caves, and a wax museum. We drove through a giant Redwood tree in the Redwood National Park. In San Francisco, we rode the trolley cars, walked the wharf, and ate chocolate. We drove inland to my great aunt's home in Napa. There, we roller-skated on sidewalks where my Gram once skated. The magical memories of that trip can never be duplicated.
Fast forward four plus decades. I had the opportunity to go to the Oregon Coast again last week to view the King Tides. This time I rode and camped with my parents in their travel trailer. The things I focused on this trip were so different from the last. This trip was more about relationships and spending quiet, quality time together instead of running around looking for the next adventure. Mind you, we did find some. I mentioned that it would be fun to revisit the Redwood National Park, and off we went the next morning to check it out. My parents love to drive and see the views from the comfort of their truck. I too, appreciated the seat heaters, a to-go mug of hot tea, plentiful snacks, and my two Schnauzer seat mates.
It was incredibly special to view the same sites from when I was ten but through the filter of time, experience, and, hopefully, some wisdom. The sea lions made me laugh. The ocean soothed my soul. Spending time with my parents (and my uncle and aunt) made me smile. It was another slice of time that I will never be able to replicate. The weather was beautiful for the first week of December. Mild and sunny with a nip in the air at night while we sat by the fire. The King Tides were quiet, but the power and emotion they evoked were huge.
What childhood trip have you had the opportunity to repeat as an adult? What were your impressions? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
This is such a beautiful post. I loved hearing about this vacation with your brother and grandmother, and how wonderful that you do have these silly sibling memories with your brother. I am so glad that you took this recent rip with your parents, both trips are memorable in their own way! The pictures you shared are so amazing, and make me long to hear the ocean waves! I don't have a vacation memory that we have redone. But I am thinking about our many trips to Texas, so perhaps that counts! Have a blessed and very special Christmas!
The last time I took a trip that repeated a childhood venture that I enjoyed so much I was saddened to find that the area had fallen to the ravages of despair, crime, gangs and drugs. Shy of that, it has been a while and long overdue.
It sounds like you had a great time with your parents, something that has been gone for me for several decades. Your words are so inspiring though and I do enjoy each one you do. Have a great holiday!