July 13-14, 2017 8:45 Woodland, CA and Springfield, OR – Adventure Begins

JULY 13

Every adventure starts with the journey. For us, our journey started with our first travel day to Woodland, California. As we waved off to the parents and set our \”sails\”, the excitement and anticipation of the boys filled the bus. The sounds and voices that moved through the air brought nostalgia from the many previous tours to all of the tour veterans. After a few hours on the road each boy found what could entertain him for the remaining hours. Some of the boys slept, some played their games, and the few that looked out of the windows could see the scenery change as sky scrapers vanished and street lights dissipated.

After several hours on the bus, we were ready to stop for dinner. Our meal was a smokey barbecue dinner with lemonade and sweet tea. It was a great dinner to start off the tour and kept all of the staff and boys happy. We stopped off at a local courthouse to enjoy ice cream for Brayden\’s birthday. After a long day on the bus I think it\’s safe to say we all cherished the fresh air and cold treat. Now in a sugar coma, we all went to sleep early to get ready for the next day of our adventure.

JULY 14
Day 2 on the road started with a big breakfast along with plenty of pastries and orange juice. We piled back onto the bus after a much needed night\’s rest and set off to Springfield, Oregon. As we resumed our northward journey, we saw vast farmlands with apple trees that stretched for miles in both directions. The many cows could be seen across the fields, tiny like cars from an airplane. Continuing north, the forests thickened and the colors shifted to deep green and brown. We drove through valleys of trees and stone and even saw snow on Mount Shasta. Our stop for a quick lunch was accompanied by a beautiful view of the ice covered mountain as well as the fresh air from the nearby forests. It made for a beautiful stop that could only be described with peacefulness.

After a few more hours and a scenic drive, we arrived in Springfield, Oregon where we stopped at a Hometown Buffet which also procured nostalgia for tour veterans. After dinner we headed to a local park to stretch our legs and get some energy out. We played soccer, basketball, tag and even some new ones. The imagination of the boys run wild on the bus, making new games to try out at every stop. Our hotel was very hospitable and accommodating to such a large group. We went to bed tired, bellies full, and ready to start another day.