Stanford Stories XXXV - A last dance on the west coast

It’s been a minute since my last post - to be exact, it’s been a good two months since I shared our adventure at Zion National Park. The reason for my silence is pretty straightforward. My time at Stanford wrapped up at the end of July, and in the meantime, I’ve packed up and moved back to Belgium (more on that later).

So, thanks to a four-week grace period after my visa expired in July, Hélène and I made the most of the first three weeks of August with another epic camping road trip. This time, instead of heading south, we took the scenic route north along the stunning coast of northern California, Oregon, and Washington, all the way up to Northern Cascades National Park. We also made stops in Portland and Seattle before winding our way back to the Bay Area, clocking in roughly 3000 miles (4800 km) on the road.

Now, having seen pretty much the entire west coast from Los Angeles to Seattle, I have to admit I’m more of a fan of the rugged coasts of northern California and Oregon. Those steep cliffs, incredible sea stacks, and the mild, pleasant summer weather won me over compared to the more popular southern California coastline. Plus, it was a pleasant surprise to find that even during the peak summer season, most of the places we visited were surprisingly uncrowded. That meant more quality time soaking in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

To keep our budget in check, we split our nights between campgrounds and motels. Camping on the west coast is a breeze, not just because it barely rains from April to November but also due to the abundance of well-equipped campgrounds, even directly in the middle of National Parks. It seems like camping is a quintessential part of the American spirit.

In addition to the jaw-dropping nature, we also spent a couple of days in Portland and Seattle. Both cities were fascinating, each in its own way. Portland boasts a thriving cultural scene, tons of delicious food trucks, and the mother of all bookstores. On the downside, downtown Portland has a serious issue with homelessness and addiction, maybe even worse than San Francisco’s Tenderloin. Seattle, on the other hand, wowed us with its iconic Pike Place Market, beautiful parks, museums, the famous Space Needle, and waterfront views galore. Not to mention the stunning sight of Mount Rainier, which looms large about 100km away.

Upon our return to the Bay Area, following our exploration of three magnificent volcanoes within the Cascade Range (an experience that brought me closer to these geological wonders than ever before), we enjoyed two more nights as guests in the homes of friends. Subsequently, we boarded a flight bound for Leuven, Belgium, where I have taken on the role of Assistant Professor at the local university (KU Leuven). If you’re curious about this new chapter of my life, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I may consider initiating a fresh series of blog posts.

Finally, I wish to extend my gratitude to a few exceptional persons who made this past year truly exceptional, memorable, and delightful for me. A special thank you to Fernando, Olga, Marios, Valentina, Phil, Kian, Maria, Johanna, and Orkan. Getting to know you and spending time with you has been a gift beyond measure.