I had the bright idea to drive to Vancouver and back since I suddenly had the free time to do so over the break and the rest of my family was in India. I’d never been to the Pacific Northwest before, and let’s just say that I scratched the surface and can’t wait to go back at some point. 

Some random numbers from my trip:

3333 – miles driven (amazingly serendipitous! and my approximate route http://goo.gl/maps/wmpvO)
<$900 – spent total
565 – points gotten on foursquare 
<$250 – spent on gas (thank goodness for having a hybrid!)
<$100 – spent on lodgings (thanks Deborah, Clif, and Laura!)
89.5 – highest mpg achieved
42.6 – average mpg
40 – US dollars that were converted to Canadian dollars, none of which were actually used
$10 – spent on tolls
9 – consecutive days spent in different cities
5 – states/provinces visited (3 new/never visited before)
2 – family members seen that had not been seen in many years
1 – UNC friend seen, Alabama friend seen, and most excellent adventure 
0 – regrets
Way too many- times I listened to Ocean, Motorcycle Drive By, and moments I was just happy to be alive.

Favorite moments: A lot, but 4 in particular stand out
1) Coming around a bend on US 101 and seeing the Pacific Ocean open up in front of me with 20 foot waves breaking on rocks/cliffs with Redwoods coming all the way down to the shoreline.
2) Wandering through the temperate rain forest in Lynn Canyon. And then driving to its headwaters and seeing snow.

3) Taking the sky lift to the top of Grouse Mountain and seeing the clouds just barely open up over the English Bay/Vancouver Harbor, making it look like the oil tankers below were sailing through clouds. 

4) Driving through Siskiyou National forest and coming around a bend to see the valley open up in front of me and Mt. Shasta off in the distance.

Funniest moments:
1) Having an Indian dad ask me with a lot of concern in his voice why I was sweating in Lynn Canyon (despite it being close to freezing)
2) Being in a restroom bathroom when a 3 year old son discovered and shared with his dad and grandpa that he had put his pants on backwards. It was one of those “you had to have been there moments”