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Choir room roadtrip
  • Kristen Metzger
  • Kristen Metzger

Choir room roadtrip

An open-ended adventure by Kristen Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 21, 2026
    Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Swimming hole

    July 20 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    This was an unexpected delight. First Jen took us to a place I wouldn't have dipped a toe in, it was basically a puddle under a culvert. Then we went somewhere she sort of remembered from years ago and I was sure it would be a bust (she really didn't remember it well), but with some perseverance we found this little tucked away place across the train tracks and through a stand of trees. Absolutely gorgeous. Freezing water, so I couldn't stay in as long as they did, but I got brave enough (after they both did it, ahem) to fling myself into the river and let it carry me around to a place you could climb out.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Angler Lodge

    July 20 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    We decided to split our drive into two days, which was definitely the right answer. We spent the night in Dunsmuir, near Mt. Shasta, which seems like a really cute town when its busy, but it was a ghost town on a Monday evening. This lodge was clean and nice, although I slept horribly--I no longer do well in a room with two other people, ughRead more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Riverside Co-housing (aka Emily's house)

    July 21 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    I think of the four of us I would be the last person to live in a community like this, but it was an excellent place to stay, Emily and her family have a very small house with no room for guests, but they have access to the Common house, which has two rooms anyone in the community can reserve for their guests. The rooms are very cute, and share a bathroom. I asked for the single, and my friends were kind enough to grant it to me. As a result I slept a LOT better. Downstairs there is a full kitchen, and although the normal coffee-maker was not there while we were, I sorted it out with a pour over and all was well. It's weird staying in a place where you're so conscious about every non-hippie decision you make or vibe you exude, but whatever, everyone was nice and I'll probably never see them again, or at least not for so long that they remember me. Ha!Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    River swim near Em's house

    July 21 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 95 °F

    We walked here from Emily's place and frolicked at this wide spot in the river for a couple hours. Gabriel showed me how to let the current take you in a wide circle! The water wasn't as cold as in Dunsmuir, but I still couldn't stay in as long as everyone else. RIP my swim top, somehow I lost it between this swim and our next one!Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Bike ride on the Willamette River

    July 21 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Emily pulled a bunch of beater bikes from various places in the neighborhood and we rattled and clacked our way along the bike path along the river. If I weren't pretty comfortable on a bike it would've been stressful but it was kinda like when we went to Xpu-Ha and you never new if your bike would make it to the next location. That path is a treasure and Emily is lucky to live on it! Lots of people out walking and biking, and the sun didn't go down until well after 8pm. We caught the sunset on the way back, there was a photographer dude who took some nice pictures of us. We look tired--I definitely was tired, but it was fun.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Sand dunes

    July 22 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    This was a really random sidetrip but it ended up being pretty cool. First we went to Fred Meier for gluten-free muffins (and Havianna slippers for Shimi and a tank top for me because impulse shopping). Behind the FM parking lot there are these sand dunes for some reason. They reminded me of Namibia, although they were much smaller. Families were all out there sitting in folding lawn chairs letting their kids run wild, it was cuteRead more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Hobbit Beach hike

    July 22 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    This was a far more appropriate hike for our group (I wrote the Blue Pool review first). We parked by the side of the highway and hiked a half mile through the forest down to the beach. The trail was easy, partly because it was dry (can imagine that it's very muddy and slippery when wet). Hobbit beach was really pretty and nice to walk on. Very coolRead more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Drift Inn Café

    July 22 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    As part of our bopping along the coast day, we ate here. Very cute place, kinda old-timey, lots of fun art on the walls. I had Depoe Bay New Girl IPA 🎉 and the food was great.

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Blue Pool hike

    July 23 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    This adventure didn't go quite the way Emily planned it. First, it was a really long drive. Second, it was a harder hike than advertised, so Shimi struggled. Third, because Shimi struggled, she moved very slow. Fourth, because she moved so slow I struggled. Fifth, we didn't bring enough water for this crap. The pool was beautiful, but the whole thing took about twice as long as expected and we were all kind of surly at the end, even Emily after we nixed the second part of the original plan (meeting Gabriel and Mila at their family's favorite swimming spot, which would have added another 3 hours of driving to the day. So this was not a do-over, or at least not with this groupRead more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Crow and Cart

    July 23 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    After our harrowing Blue Pool hike, we drove back to Eugene. We hadn't made a specific dinner plan, and I was a little worried Emily was going to suggest some other athletic adventure that none of us were in the mood for. So I suggested that we find a place to have a beer-like beverage, not really knowing how that would go since Em doesn't drink and Jen is kinda meh about it. But Shimi lit up and with that momentum we were on. Emily found this place, which had the added benefit of being next door to sushi and poké bowls. Plus in addition to beer they had a long list of "shrubs" which I am going to try making at home, and which can be spiked or not. So everyone was happy and we hung out for hoursRead more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Louie's

    July 24 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Ashland was really busy with, as our hotel clerk put it, "high Shakespeare season" so going to dinner was a bit of a parking adventure. But we found a spot and walked over to Louie's, which I think I found on google by searching for gluten free options, which I have by now learned to do first. Louie's also has beer, so win-win. We got a table on the back patio, which is between a walking path and a nice little creek. I don't remember exactly what I ordered, which I think means the food was good but not outstanding. Ashland is quaint but weirdly overrun with very brazen deer. Everyone (except me) seemed excited to come back and see shows, but they live closer so I probably don't have to worry about being invited.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Elkton Park

    July 24 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    We wanted to hit one more swimming spot before we parted with Emily, so we drove to a little regional park--also an RV campground--on a wide spot in the Umpqua River. The water was reminiscent of an AZ lake, and there were signs about some kind of scary algae (don't let your dogs drink the water?!) so I didn't super love swimming here, although I found out later Shimi was way more nervous than I was. I just thought it smelled metallic. But we all got in for a bit, and then I sunned on a rock and it was nice. We went to a little store for ice cream and then said our goodbyes and hit the road back to CA!Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Vida Baking

    July 25 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    This is a terrible photo, but the food was presented nicely so I tried. Jen, Shimi and I came here for breakfast after our overnight in Ashland. We tried another place that was packed, so this was our second choice. Well, mine, really because since Shimi loves Brazillian food and Jen is gluten-free, the Brazilian-inspired, gluten-free place seemed like the right choice. We ordered at the counter and sat outside. Gluten free toast is crap, but pão de qaeijo is naturally gluten free so that was of course delicious. Why did I get flax toast with my breakfast? Because I am dumb.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerChoir room roadtripKristen Metzger

    Korean Superette

    July 26 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    I wasn't really up for going to dinner, so tired, but it was kind of our only option. Shimi threw out a couple suggestions and I picked this one because it sounded interesting. It was amazing! I had mackerel on rice, and it was excellent. I would definitely come back here.Read more