“Where the hell are we?” my friend, Katie, asks nervously. “I think only a mile or so off track,” I reply, trying to manifest that answer into actuality. We are between two ferns—err, between two wine regions, traveling from the famed Willamette Valley to the Columbia River Gorge, an up and coming viticulture haven. It's faster to hop on Interstate 84 from Portland, but a tip from our host at the Domaine Serene Winery between pinots has led us to the Historic Columbia River Highway, America's first scenic highway.
There is a slew of actual ferns on the verdantdirection. (I guess I'm into forest bathing now?) Before long, a charcoal sedan careens around the corner, stopping just short of our location. We scramble back into the car, newly rejuvenated and confident that we will eventually return to humanity now that we're caravanning. Before long, the winding NE Alex Barr Road reconnects to the Historic Columbia River Highway, and we are back on track on our journey to Hood River.
