Transitions

May 30, 2021 to May 31, 2021

Yesterday

Yesterday was our first transition day, vacating our apartment of the last two months and relocating to an airport motel. Not the most dramatic of days, but here’s a snapshot:

Rachael got an early start and biked to Sauvie Island one last time. While she was doing this I rode the Rodriguez down to the bike locker and then walked back to Caffe Umbria for a last session in the writing lab before returning to the apartment to load everything bound for storage down to the car.
After Rachael returned from Sauvie Island I drove her Straggler down to the bike locker; and then drove it back to the apartment again because I forgot the key to the locker; and then back to the locker again.
At 2, we made our final pass through the apartment to make sure we hadn’t missed anything, and then met up with our host Bettylou to hand over the keys. After that we drove over to the storage unit to drop off the remaining items being left behind.
At 3:30 we were done at the storage unit and still had an hour to kill before our dinner reservation at Gallo Nero. We left the car in Elizabeth’s parking spot and then decided to walk over to Via Delizia to have a drink outside on the sidewalk to pass the time. On the way there we were startled to see BettyLou walking down the street toward us, carrying a load of dirty laundry from our vacated unit.
It was quite a coincidence to cross paths with BettyLou - a minute earlier or later and we would have missed her. Which would have been a shame, because as it turned out we had left something behind after all - the charging cable for our new Garmin 1030’s - which she pulled out of the laundry basket and handed to us. An extraordinary bit of luck, which augurs well for the trip ahead.
Then, dinner; which was awesome - the best of our three meals. An eggplant parmigiana appetizer, followed by lemon chicken and roasted potatoes (S) and strozzapretti (R).
Finally, we walked back to Elizabeth’s to get our luggage, hand over the keys to the Raven, and catch a Lyft out to our airport motel.

Today

The flight was just the way we like it - short, smooth, and without mishap. We got up at 4:45 and were in the check-in queue a half hour later. The nonstop flight was mercifully short - three and a half hours, on a plane new to me: an Embraer 175. I’ve never heard of this Brazilian aircraft manufacturer before and was surprised to learn that it’s the third largest in the world, after Boeing and Airbus.

Visibility throughout the flight was excellent, and I enjoyed the best view of the northern mountains I think I’ve experienced before.

Looking south along the chain of the Oregon volcanos: Hood, Jefferson, the Sisters, maybe even Broken Top and beyond.

The Wallowas. Back to the right off the frame was the Strawberry Range, and up ahead on the left comes Hell’s Canyon.

And yes, South Dakota is beautiful too, but in a whole different way.

We arrived at MSP at about 12:45, wondering whether to try to check in to our Coon Rapids motel early or first head to Shawn’s home. Dollar Car Rental helped us sort this out though - it took us over an hour and a half to pick up the car, after starting out with two misdirections - the Dollar desk (on the fourth floor) was closed today, and a sign directed us to the Hertz desk instead, on the 3rd floor. At the Hertz desk we were directed instead to the Hertz premium desk, on the first floor. Finally we checked in, and were directed back up on the fourth floor to pick up the car. So, four trips on the elevator.

Which doesn’t sound bad, but was. We’re schlepping some pretty heavy, awkward luggage: two heavy suitcases with bicycles inside; a heavy duffle bag with two loaded panniers and a raft of other crap; two other loaded panniers; and two loaded rucksacks. We managed this by balancing the duffle bag atop the suitcases a which I pushed, rolling them along as a 140 pound unit and with one rucksack on my back, while Rachael carried the other two panniers and the other rucksack.

Which still doesn’t sound that bad, except that every time we came to a significant seam in the floor surface (for example, when entering or exiting the elevator each of those four times), the suitcase/duffle bag train lurched to a halt and required lifting over a lip.

Looks simple enough. Maybe if I were about 40 years younger.

So finally we get the car. By the time we make it north to Coon Rapids the room is available so we go there first and then drive the three miles over to Shawn’s house. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other, so there’s plenty to catch up on. We spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening there, hanging out at the house, ordering takeout, and taking a walk through the neighborhood. We finally break up at 8 so Ashley can get a good night’s rest - she has two final exams in the morning.

I especially like that a Haylee’s outfit coordinates so well with her nails. A perfect match!

Haylee and the family cat. Mittens looks pretty uncertain here, but she obviously thrives on the attention.

In the neighborhood. They’re lucky that there’s a bike path directly behind their back yard.

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Gregory GarceauI remember your pictures of the girls from your last trip here. It's embarrassing, but I've got to state the obvious: They were little kids four years ago and now they look so grown up.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Gregory GarceauIt’s pretty hard for us to believe too. Ashley’s 19 already - I was stunned when she mentioned how excited she was to vote for Biden last fall.
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3 years ago

Gregory GarceauTo Scott AndersonGood for Ashley. Her vote for Biden pretty much helped me forget about your mention of Michelle Bachman. Michelle was the Margorie Taylor Greene of her time.
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3 years ago