I’m at the airport getting ready to head out on my next home-base scouting trip to the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. This adventure is a birthday gift to myself. I recently celebrated a life anniversary that officially initiated me into “Late Adulthood”, which is something I’ve been experiencing a lot of sadness around lately.
As I age & continue to travel, I'm finding that I need to learn new ways to navigate, not only in my daily life, and through airports & train stations, but in my inner realm as well, which is being dramatically altered by so many ego deaths as my BodyMind unravels from youth.
There's a certain level of humility that comes with traveling in an aging body. Once I used to have an effortless stride; now I have to take calculated steps. Slowness & caution have become part of my daily routine. I used to just fling my backpack on & march into the unknown. Now I have to pause and consider: How far can I walk today? How heavy of a pack can I carry? What pain meds do I need?
It is with these aspects of aging that I head off on this adventure to the west coast; to explore, contemplate, celebrate, rest & be. Come on aging body...we can do this! And you dear reader...get to come along on the journey with me.
Vision for a New Home
I recently flew to the East Coast to explore North Carolina & the Asheville area as a possible relocation spot. I learned a lot on that trip, which you can read about in my blog. My time in North Carolina helped me get more clarity on what I want in my next home base.
With that information I'm heading to the West Coast to explore Southern Oregon & the Ashland area. I find it interesting that “Ash” shows up in both locations I’ve been inspired to explore this year. It makes me think of the Phoenix rising from the ashes, which resonates deeply with my desire to rise up from the ashes of these last few years.
The below video highlights some of the things I'm looking for in my next home base. Yes, I want a house that meets my needs & a large amount of my wants, however, the town and/or city it's close to it is equally important.
Creating this page in my art journal was a fun way to get some of my vision manifested on paper before I travel, which will help refine my focus as I explore Southern Oregon.
Aging Emergence
Preparing for this trip was a powerful process of reflecting on my aging body. As I searched for lodging, I needed to make sure there were not lots of stairs to deal with. I had to be mindful of what I brought in my luggage since there is no one to help me carry things. I also had to make sure I packed advil, lidocaine patches & extra magnesium flakes to soak in.
The aging process has been hard for me these past several years. During the pandemic I was extremely isolated & sedentary, and that took a major toll on my physical, emotional & mental health.
As I continue my emergence from the pandemic, I am doing so as a changed person. I am now officially in late adulthood, peri-menipausal, and have so many more aches & pains (physical and otherwise).
Rogue Valley
Located in Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley is nestled in the folds of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges. The Rogue River winds through the region, connecting several small towns in a sweet & unifying way.
Rogue Valley consists of several small mountain towns surrounded by hills in all directions. The area is a mix of farmers, wineries, artisans, retirees, and young families living within a shared experience of place. Small businesses thrive here, and I enjoyed shopping at many of the local stores.
I love the new frog ring I purchased. It ties into my theme of "Late Adulthood" as a reminder that I am no longer a tadpole. That part of my journey is over. I have evolved into true adult form.
Small Mountain Towns
Medford is the largest town in Rogue Valley with a population of about 85,000. The town is non-discreet & lacks character, but it has all the stuff surrounding areas may need (grocery, hospital and the airport). They have speciality shops like Target, Trader Joes, In & Out, CostCo and several other brands I was happy to see.
About 1/2 hour south of Medford is Ashland, a town of about 20,000 people. It’s cute and definitely more expensive then surrounding areas from a housing perspective. Things popular here are the Symphony, Shakespeare Theater & Wine Tasting. These activities are quite outside my wheelhouse however, the town is entrenched in this culture, which makes it a fun weekend get-away spot.
About 1/2 hour northwest of Medford is Grants Pass, a town of about 40,000 people. They have a cute downtown area, and more reasonable housing prices. I met with a friend in the area and we had breakfast, went to an amazing farmers market & explored local shops. It’s nice to meet up with people I know while I am traveling. Heart-centric company adds exponential sunshine to my experience when I am on the road. If I lived in the area, this is probably the area I would want to live in.
The Coast
A common vacation spot for people living in this region is the northern coast of California, so I checked that out too. I did an extended weekend trip in Crescent City, CA, which is about 2.5 hours west of Medford.
Crescent City is right on the Pacific Coast. It's a small town of about 6,000 people. It's desolate and I can feel generations of hurt in the land. In 1964, a 9.2 earthquake in Alaska sent tsunami waves towards Crescent City. A 21 foot wave slammed into the downtown area, killing 11 people & destroying 29 city blocks. To me, it feels like this area never recovered from that devastation.
I had an amazing glamping experiencing outside of Jedadiah Redwood State Park. The tent was perfect for me, and the bathroom was in a converted horse trailer. It was amazing!
Something challenging about camping near Crescent City, is they have a fog horn that goes off every 10 seconds, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. During the day I didn’t hear it as much, but at night, when I wanted silence, the beeping sound every 10 seconds was annoying.
Here's a video of my glamping experience in the redwoods and a little peak into my aging ceremony by the river. It was lovely to spend time visiting with Redwood Elders in the area to receive council & guidance about how to best enter into & live this next stage of my life.
Eco-System Diversity
One of the things I really like about this area is that it is surrounded by many diverse eco-systems. Rogue Valley itself is located in the mountains & has easy access to trees, rivers and lakes.
I checked out many of the day-use areas in the Rogue Valley area and wasn’t very impressed. I had to put in a good 1+ hour drive to get to the level of sweetness that speaks to me. If I lived here though, I think I could find a few spots closer to town that could satisfy my eco-therapy needs, which is essential for my health & well being.
Within a days drive, one can head south into Northern California and all the amazingness there. I've heard there is a desert in the eastern part of Oregon which sounds appealing for truck camping. Heading north provides access to amazing areas throughout Oregon & Washington. And of course to the west is the coast. Moving to this region would open up a new & varied landscape for me to explore on my Wild Soul Wanderings, and that feels lovely to consider.
Last Big Move
As I look at places to move, I have the realization this will probably be my last big cross country move. Fifteen years ago I quickly & easily moved from California to Colorado by myself. It was easy breezy. I had the stamina & vision of youth which propelled & sustained me in many ways.
Things are different now. Now I'm looking for a home that will hold me into my elder years. I’m looking for a house that is all one level, with little to no steps. The dream I had of owning a home on big acreage out in the boonies no longer fits where I am in life. Now I need to live closer to people & health care options for my aging body.
Releasing dreams from my past has been hard. Now I'm traveling to get clarity on where I want my final years to be rooted. That is a very new lens for me to look through. Each home scouting trip makes me more aware of the need to make amends with my aging process, so I can create new dreams to inspire me into my elder years. I have no choice. There's no going back. I just get older from here!
Flower Prayers & Blessings
At the beginning of my trip, I purchased beautiful flowers that I offered to the land throughout my exploration of the region. I did ceremony with several rivers, releasing flower prayers into the waters, then I followed each river back to the sea. Tracking the release of my prayers from river to ocean was a sweet practice & a great way to explore how water flows through this land.
As I offered flowers to the flowing waters, I offered up the release of fears I have around aging. I was also praying to strengthen trust that I’ll have the resources I need to deal with whatever shows up for me as I age; whether that be money, lodging, friends or spiritual nurturance.
I want to release fear so I can experience more of the pleasures & joy of aging that I hear so many people talk about. I’m the youngest now I’m ever going to be. It’s all aging from here on out …and I want to be open to the love & beauty of it all.
May these rivers carry my prayers to the sea & bring my soul into deeper acceptance & appreciation for the privilege I have to age…which is something not everyone gets to do.
Could I Live Here?
As I explore the crevices of this area, I contemplate: "Could I live here"? ...and the answer is not No. I feel like I'm getting warmer on my hunt for my next home-base. When I went to North Carolina, I got an immediate & constant no. Here in Rogue Valley, I feel like I could make it work. However, is that what I want to do…make it work? I have the thought & desire for my next home-base to greet me with a big YES, rather then a maybe? Is that too much to ask for?
The total population of all the small towns in Rogue Valley is about 200,000. That's small for me. I wonder if it's big enough here for me to spread my wings? Then my aging self wonders how much more wing spreading I have left in me? I wonder if my desire for something bigger is an attachment to dreams from my younger self? Of if something small & simple is what I need for my aging years?
I work a fast-paced, high powered executive life in my corporate career which is headquartered in New York City. Maybe the smallness of this urban area would be a sweet balance of yin energy to bring into my life as I age? Or maybe it would bore me?
So many contemplations swirling around as I consider what I want to call in for this next stage of my life journey.
My time in Rogue Valley is opening up the consideration of moving to Oregon as my next home base. I see possibility here in this state; however, I feel limitations in Rogue Valley. I sense I could learn every nook & cranny of this region within a year or two, which could lead to a desire to move again.
I can consider living here since I have a job that allows me to work remote. However, if I needed a local job, I think the job market here would be challenging for me.
I do appreciate the artistic soul of Rogue Valley. There are lots of galleries, local crafts, and music festivals in the area that could add a spark of excitement & inspiration to living here. However the area is predominantly white, and as a result, the area feels quite homogenous.
Concerns About The Area
For several months before this trip, I monitored the weather to compare it to where I live in Denver, CO. I was surprised to see that it gets much hotter here in the summer than Denver. There were stretches of time where this area was in the high 90’s/low hundreds for days/weeks. That's intense!
They also have more fires in Oregon than Colorado, which was surprising to me as well. Living in the mountains comes with increased fire danger, however, moving someplace hotter & with more fires than where I currently live is concerning. That's something I'm trying to get away from!
I asked several people what their least favorite part of living in the region was and every single person said "the smoke". Sadly, hot, smoky summers are happening in many places all over the world and I don't think I'll be be able to get away from this reality of our current times.
Phoenix Rising
I started this blog speaking about the Phoenix. It was lovely to see this energy come alive for me on the side of the road as I was traveling through Oregon.
This Phoenix was made of recycled materials, which made me think of how when we rise from the ashes, we are reshaped from recycled ideas, skills & aspects of our past self, created into a new form that can guide us into the next stage of our life. This is a great metaphor for me to explore as I embody the new me emerging from the pandemic, in this aging body, into a very different world then what it used to be.
In Reflection
This trip offered me glorious time to reflect on the good still present in my life. In all the losses from the pandemic, and the pains of my aging, I'm still here, and I have enough juice in me to still travel like this. For that & this, I am truly grateful.
This trip reminded me that Life is precious. Death is inevitable. Being in the moment, in all its fullness, is a gift. Drink it in. Relax in its embrace and enjoy both the yang & yin of it.
My intention is to return to Oregon in early 2025 to explore the Eugene / Salam area. That area has a population of about 400,000, which I think would satisfy me more fully. Living in a larger urban area would open up more space to cultivate friendships, community and provide more access to a diverse relational landscape.
I'm so grateful I was able to go on this adventure. I learned a lot, enjoyed myself, and got inspired for my future in a way that is filled with some possibility. I look forward to returning to this region next year, and sharing more about that journey with you then.
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