from Atlantic to Pacific gee there's no traffic

blogging my move and adaptation from the Jersey Shore to Oregon

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So far my least favorite thing about this region of Oregon is how most everyone I’ve met, regardless of education level, seems to have issues with the verb “to be” in the passive tense (i.e. “the bookcase needs dusted”), and I say that’s a good sign for what’s to come.

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Experiencing every season this week. I wore sandals on Monday, for reference.

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My amazing Airbnb "country haven" - view of the "neighborhood" from the main road, the house, view from my porch, part of the studio apartment. Imma miss it but SO psyched to move into my own place this weekend.

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This was leftover in my photo gallery from my road trip. I think I was planning on sending it to everyone who might know what vehicle these tires are for.

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My very first Wednesday in Oregon

The local news just did a 12-minute segment on high school girls volleyball

Do we know why Breyer’s ice cream is called Dreyer’s here? I saw that once online and thought it was photoshopped

Tofurkey brand tofurkey is made locally, this excites me but I’m not sure why!

Also, the factory that makes the brand of doors my dad had installed in our house is in this town, small world, small world

And my cashier at Fred Meyer (a wonderland!!!!!) was from Jersey. She said “Go Yankees,” I said, “Yeah but  who cares if I can’t get Dunkin coffee for a dollar to celebrate?”

The grocery store has a laundromat inside????

I have a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number now, which I’m going to use to bill clients for the rest of my career, what a milestone!

I promise I’ll send out the last of my postcards by the end of this week! ProcrastiNATION across the nation.

I have this weird relationship with my airbnb hosts where we never see each other but they see my car parked and they message me on the airbnb app to ask if I need anything instead of like, knocking on the door, but it’s cool, they’re nice

I got to tour the two group homes that are a part of my agency today and they have the exact same smell as the group homes I used to work at, I didn’t know that was a universal smell, there should be a candle

It’s so nice outside during the day here, but the difference between the high and low temps is absurd and I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DRESS!

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Observation of the day: Oregonians really like their puffy vests.

Also, my dad texted me today that my town is over 4,000 feet above sea level, as opposed to my hometown, which is 3. My lips have been so chapped, and I’ve been extra dehydrated, and I literally had zero idea I was living in mountains. Nature? Who’s that?

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quirky southern oregon things

they say “clear out in ____” when talking about a place that’s far away

lots of references to “the liberals in portland”

“well, stacie, you’re gonna experience summer, spring, winter, and fall…this week” -coworker this morning, the weather here is RIDICULOUS

something about big foot? i have yet to identify what the legend is, but he’s all over their souvenirs. maybe it’s just like “oh, big foot lives in southern oregon” but something tells me there’s a story

my new job has a soup bar for lunch, how cute is that?

all my new coworkers were just standing out in the hallway chatting and laughing when i walked in like teachers used to do in elementary school while waiting for the kids to come, and it’s just such a happy-looking place, i’m so excited

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So far, my favorite thing about Southern Oregon is that it is abbreviated SO; therefore organizations can take full advantage of punny names, events, products, etc. Way to go, SO.

In other news, I start work tomorrow. I’ve got those first-day-of-school feels.

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First impressions

I am far too moody from traveling to make a reasonable judgment of Klamath Falls, Oregon after 3 hours spent in town (one of them at Walmart, one at Denny’s, one driving aimlessly). The wide variety of stores and businesses and restaurants I saw is promising. If I hadn’t driven through the desert for hours up until 5 minutes before I found Denny’s, I would’ve thought I was in New Jersey, or an alternate universe NJ where all the houses are kinda beat up-looking and everyone is wearing cowboy hats.

Good news, the KF Walmart has CDs other than country...also Latino. I was gonna cancel my Amazon Prime but now’s not a good time, apparently.

I did drive to the Chamber of Commerce where all the signs directed visitors to go and it was closed. There I picked up a map of Oregon and some Klamath County promo literature. Woohoo. I also discovered a nature trailhead in their parking lot, so maybe if I get sucked into the outdoorsy culture that could be good?

My airbnb today through next Saturday, when I move into my new house, is awesome. Lots of amenities, nice hosts, huge space, very private. I’m happy. Tomorrow is an oil change and higher spirits.

Yawn.

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I almost ran out of gas because I live on the edge and also it didn't occur to me that there would not be pumps 7000 feet in the air. By the time I found a place to fill up, I had crossed the border and could no longer legally touch the pump! And it's cold, so thank you Oregon. 2 hours to go.

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Addendum to interesting signs post

Add "Report shooting from highway."

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The final stretch

The most unique road signs I saw yesterday on my drive from Wyoming through Utah and into Nevada: Prison Area No Hitchhiking (how about you spend money improving prison security instead of on signs?), Dust Hazard Area, and Dense Fog Possible. I propose that community service organizations (coughAPO) consider calling people who are on long road trips as a service project. Time goes SO much faster when people are calling just to say hi and I'm not talking to just my car anymore (we've seriously bonded, though, he knows all my secrets, including that I floss my teeth while going 80 mph and that I'm concerned my new cold sores may be a fungal infection). In Nevada I started seeing what I thought was snow. It was white and sparkled when I drove past, but then I saw the mountains reflecting in it and it looked like part of it might be water. And then I saw a lot of cars parked on the side of the interstate and people in heavy winter coats in the middle of it taking pictures of each other, one of them in a wedding dress! Gorgeous shots, I'm sure, but my god that's a lot of trouble to go through. This was in one of those "no exits for an unbearable amount of time" stretches. In other news, I am still getting asked if I'm Indian at gas stations. Back east, people would at least look at me funny and make small talk for a little before asking. Here a cashier just straight up said "You Indian?" And when I said no she said "Mexican?" And I said I'm Italian and she said "Oh, that's okay." I KNOW IT'S OKAY. My ambiguous ethnicity is one of my favorite things about my appearance, so go away. Today I'm in mourning because I think all the Dunkins on my route are behind me and I didn't even know it when I had my last sip of pumpkin with almond milk and veggie egg white wrap. I didn't get to say goodbye. 💔💔💔

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"After you die, you WILL meet God."

What is this Nevada billboard advertising???

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I'm officially in the land of get gas at literally every gas station cause there might not be another one for a couple hundred miles 👍🏽 but it's pretty so I'll take it.

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Single digit hours!!!!!!!

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Late start this morning

I’ve spent a couple hours at the Rock Springs Denny’s sipping coffee after a delightful breakfast (note: I went through Denny’s withdrawal after college...they’re rarer in NJ, but my new home in Oregon will have one!) and drawing up new charts with info from emails between Aunt Lynn and Aunt Fran, who have recently piqued my newfound interest in our family genealogy. Beneath all the lines depicting who’s related to whom, I have a list of questions and mysteries to be solved from the past. Random thing to do mid-road trip, right? Nope. Because today I’m making my second trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City! 

Deena and I first visited this treasure trove of historical documents last year when we were looking for things to do besides explore Mormon history (which is also very interesting, and we did get to see Temple Square). The LDS church funds this project that is actually open to the public for free to research and find their ancestors. Last year, I barely had anyone’s names, so there wasn’t much to go off of, but after completing my genogram project in grad school and talking to lots of relatives, I am determined to find marriage and death certificates and hopefully some photos!! I’m so psyched. I only have 2 hours to spare, though, because my ultimate destination today is Battle Mountain, NV. Salt Lake City is 3 hours from me now, and then I’ll have another 4 hours after that. It’s going to be a long, hopefully fruitful day (let me explain the pun: Gabby and Deena and I ate some delicious fruit from Mormon orchards last month).