I let Zoë know the travel situation, too, because I know she’s been hoping for some Justin coverage. Both my mother and Amanda have been talking about nothing other than the fact that Justin has started turning his head when you say his name, so I don’t think Zoë will have any trouble getting the childcare she needs.

All this checking in with people and making sure I’m exactly where I need to be feels extremely weird and foreign.

And really fucking good.

Meanwhile, Rachel has absolutely zero responsibilities, which she says feels really “dang good.”

We decide to follow the Oregon Trail, of course, mostly because I want to show Rachel Yellowstone, which she’s never seen, and because the best fly fishing is along that route. And yes, I have my gear with me. I don’t leave home without it, because you never know when you might stumble on a quiet river.

We spot many of them, and Rachel looks beautiful in all of them, sun glinting off the hidden highlights in her dark hair and turning her skin an even deeper tan.

Her casting is getting really good, and one night, she makes me teach her how to tie a simple fly. We sit for a long time with all my materials spread out. Her fingers are smaller than mine, and even though she has less experience, she gets good at it quickly.

She says she understands why I like it so much, why I think it’s such good meditation.

We never know where we’re going to stop or stay until we get there, which scares the shit out of Rachel. And also, she loves it.

We sleep out under the stars most of the time. The RV mostly gets used at night for the pre-sleep activities we engage in, frequently and vigorously.

Our last stop is Tierney Bay on the Oregon Coast, where we treat ourselves to a night at Beachcrest Inn. The proprietors there, Auburn and Trey, tell us all kinds of hidden places to visit, and we thoroughly enjoy ourselves in the town, at the Inn, and on this secret beach they hip us to, hidden away from prying eyes.

We also made a deal with Auburn and Trey to swap promo—Wilder Adventures will keep an eye out for people on the move who are headed toward the coast, and they’ll keep an eye out for visitors looking for other great destinations.

On the last night, parked in the RV at Tierney Bay State Park, which has got to be the most beautiful campground on the whole Oregon coast, I say to Rachel, “So. When I suggested this cross country trip, I had ulterior motives.”