fall migration
My aching muscles this morning serve as a reminder of the move 1531km south. The distance feels very real having driven a U-Haul for two days down the I-A. I should qualify that statement - Kevin did all the driving. Being a relatively new driver, I thought it best not to be behind the wheel of a 1-ton truck containing all of our possessions, worldly or otherwise. In any case, San Francisco didn't seem very far from Vancouver when flying, but driving across the border and two states into California put it all into perspective.
Through most of Washington and Oregon, it rained. When we entered California, the clouds parted and the sun started shining. A good omen? I hope so. Between the Oregon-California border and San Francisco, we drove behind multiple trucks filled with recently harvested and very fragrant garlic and through long stretches of highway bordered on both sides by olive groves. With garlic and olives being favourites of mine, California gave a very good first impression.
We also took a detour due to the closure of the Bay Bridge. With no paper maps of the Bay Area, I plotted an alternate route using the maps app on the iPhone and assumed the duty of U-Haul navigator. Sounds like a straightforward task, but rush hour traffic, a wrong exit due to signage conflicting with iPhone instructions, and the setting sun blinding us whenever the road took a turn to the west added a nontrivial amount of stress to the journey. That said, the detour was such that we entered SF over the Golden Gate bridge with the remnants of the sunset over the Pacific on our right, the twinkling lights of the city on our left, and the awesome supports of the landmark bridge overhead. A good reward for our efforts.
Unpacking, the best part about moving (as per my tweet, it's like a birthday where you know in advance what you're getting and everything is slightly used), has been my main focus since we arrived on Thursday. Needless to say, I haven't begun exploring my new neighbourhood and city beyond the nearest coffee shop, fish taco restaurant, and grocery store. That's the next part of the adventure.
