A coda: A RAVEN has landed

April 14, 2025

So let’s finally go back and pick up the thread with Shawn, his daughters and the Raven. We’ve been holding back on this story until they made it safely back home and sent some photos our way.

You’ll recall that when we left them they were headed south to Salem where they had booked a motel room for twos nights, with the plan that they would drive down to Eugene to visit Shawn’s mom and then take the long, slow route back to Salem by way of the Oregon Coast. That happened: they spent most of Saturday morning visiting Carol Jo, and then at midday drove west across the Coast Range from to Florence, followed the coast north to Land’s End just north of Lincoln City, and then recrossed the Coast Range to make it back to their motel just around sunset.

Returning to Salem, with Mount Hood far off on the left.

They were lucky to have had excellent weather for their visit so far, but Sunday was a different story. With a rain front due to arrive midmorning along with the threat of snow in the mountains, we all agreed that it didn’t make sense for them to come through Portland again to have breakfast. Instead they hit the road while it was still dark and Shawn drove straight though to Billings with only a few minor pit stops, arriving around eight in the evening. Their award: they stayed ahead of the storm front, had no issues with snow in the mountains, and by the time they hit the Idaho border they drove under a clear blue sky the rest of the way home.

Shawn followed up that first ride with a second one just like it, arriving at their home north of Minneapolis late on the second day. It exhausts me thinking about it - it’s been many years since I was comfortable putting in more than four or five hundred miles in one day.

So well done, Shawn! Thanks for a great visit, and we feel really good that the Raven is still in the family and in good hands. Enjoy those heated seats!

love, dad

Shawn is ordering custom plates, and sent this example to show what they’ll look like. His won’t arrive for a month or so, but he promises to send a photo when they do. I wonder what he’ll name it!

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Andrea BrownThe Raven is an excellent car, we certainly enjoyed it on our way back from San Luis Obispo. All hail the faithful steed, may it survive the midwest for many years to come.
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5 days ago

CJ HornIt all seems like a dream. One of those you are happy to recall. What a good son, beautiful granddaughters, generous Dad and Rachael and grateful Mom.
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5 days ago