On Tuesday afternoon, with the odometer at 2100 miles, we rolled into Gracie’s beloved Bend, OR. We made the trip in five days and figured it must have taken the Danielson clan 2 weeks! Again, how they could drive across Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and eastern Oregon in late winter is beyond comprehension. And we remain so frustrated that no one is left in the family to ask.
In Salt Lake City we picked up our cousin, whose mom was 1 1/2 on the epic road trip, so there was lots of laughter and fun stories as we drove across Idaho and Oregon. When we got to town we headed straight to Pilot Butte for the obligatory photo with the Cascade Mountains in the background.
Here’s a photo of Gracie on the same spot in 2017, when we drove her out to Bend to celebrate her 90th birthday.
To celebrate our arrival, we had dinner at mom’s favorite restaurant in town, Pine Tree Tavern. It opened in 1936 (when she was 9). If you ever find yourself in Bend, I’d highly recommend a meal there.
There are more interesting discoveries and stories from this trip, but those will have to wait for future posts. Stay tuned!