Road Trip Adventure

LIFE BEFORE COVID

Story and photos by Nicolas Liakas

Living with so many restrictions and prohibitions these days, one of the items at the top of my list that I miss the most is the freedom and the ability to do a road trip with friends. Next best is to think back to those adventures of years past and thirst for the day that I can do those kinds of drives again. One of the most memorable trips I experienced was in June 2018 when I embarked with seven other guys on a week-long tour of northernmost California and southern Oregon. Our ultimate destination was Crater Lake National Park.

My fellow travelers were John Alfenito, Chip Bell, Mike Hodson, Dick Lange, Howard Rubenstein, David Stone, and Mike Turek. Six 911s, one Boxster, and one Macan on the road and through numerous villages and small towns made quite a scene. And the driving experience was super exciting.

Day 1 of our adventure was straightforward: get north of Placerville to Auburn for our first overnight stop. Day 2 took us to the Marshall Gold Discovery Site—where each of us got a parking ticket at the entrance to the park. The issuer canceled the summonses after speaking with us about our odyssey. We spent that night in the town of Chester, near the southern entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Most of Day 3 was inside the park, after which we resumed our travels and headed to the town of McCloud to view its spectacular waterfalls along the McCloud River Canyon. We then headed to Klamath Falls for an overnight stay. Crater Lake was our Day 4 destination and we arrived there by early morning. Our first reaction to the crater was one of a mystical response bordering on a spiritual awakening.

The Rogue River Scenic Highway in Oregon took us to Grants Pass on Day 4. An early departure on Day 5 directed us to Fort Bragg, California, and on Day 6 we visited Fort Ross, site of the first Russian settlement in North America. Overnight was in Petaluma, California, from where we headed home on Day 7.

Each stop on the round trip was awe inspiring: a lesson in history, a sampling of geological events, and sites of incredible beauty. With special memories galore, I can’t wait for the next adventure!

The travelers, left to right—kneeling: John Alfenito and Mike Turek; standing: Dick Lange, Howard Rubenstein, Chip Bell, Nicolas Liakas, David Stone, and Mike Hodson. On the road to Mt. Lassen.