College Friends Forever

I was blessed to have amazing college roommates and dorm friends at UC Davis, and we have kept in touch through the years.  It’s fortuitous that checking the right boxes on your college dorm application can create a roommate match-up that will become a life-long connection. Or that striking up a casual conversation over popcorn during a break between science classes can lead to continued socializing throughout the year and then an invitation to join our college apartment the following year.

Two of them, Irene and Laurie, and I were each other’s bridesmaids and whenever we met, the years melted away and we were 20 again and laughing through college adventures, exams, paddling around Lake Berryessa, sneaking a full dinner into the library (including crock pot pot roast!) exploring San Francisco, Napa, Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and further cementing friendships that have lasted for 44 years and counting.   We are at different stages of life – one widowed, one divorced and one married for 27 years.  They have children; I don’t.  Regardless of our individual stages in life, we are there for each other through challenges and successes.

Alumnae weekends

Fast forward to 2017 when we started an annual tradition of meeting up somewhere in California for a girls’ long weekend.  The three of us are the core, and we have three other college friends whom we invite each year – sometimes they come, more often they don’t, but no matter who shows up, it’s a fun-filled adventure and a chance to catch up on each other’s lives.

2017 – Santa Rosa

Our first adventure was in Santa Rosa in 2017 (and I barely arrived home before the horrible Tubbs File consumed the city and neighboring locales that evening).  It is disturbing to learn that the same winery where one picnicked at noon was engulfed in flames a few short hours later.   We were grateful that we were unharmed and prayed for those less fortunate. Laurie’s husband was a wine expert and we spent the weekend exploring some of her favorite wineries, the site of her wedding, and happy to be back in wine country and redwoods.

2018 – Paso Robles

In 2018 we went to Paso Robles, and I learned that Paso is HOT in the summer.   We hired a local wine expert to take us to several lesser-known but fabulous wineries – he drove, we drank.   We also discovered a fun Scavenger Hunt called “Urban Adventure Quest.”  You can play it in many cities throughout the US and it is a hoot.    Using your device, you work your way through downtown, answering clues to about 15 questions.  You can compete with other family members or friends, or race against the clock against other unknown competitors.  We worked as a team through the heat and weren’t trying too hard to beat the clock.  It was 100 degrees and humid. We would wander from clue to clue, pop into various air-conditioned venues for a few minutes to cool off and find more water before braving the heat once more.   We finished our round and then realized…we were #1 that day!   We tied another team for points, but we finished with a faster time.  

We remained #1 on the Paso Robles leader board for many months, but recently I checked the stats out of curiosity, and we are now #17 of all time in Paso.  Check us out – we are the “Wise Women of Web/Em UCD.”   (Webster/Emerson was the name of our dorm complex.)   In hindsight, if we had taken the clock more seriously, ignored that miserable humidity and shaved off a few more minutes from our time we would likely remain higher on the scoreboard. 

2019 – Point Reyes

We headed to Point Reyes in 2019.  This is a beautiful little community north of San Francisco.  Our charming AirBnB cottage was located in a cul-de-sac two blocks from the quaint downtown.  The first morning I wandered sleepily out to the front porch clutching my coffee and was delighted to see a herd of deer wandering by in a neighboring field.   They came by early each morning.    This trip was an exploration of beaches and nature, including winding narrow roads to the end of the point to see elephant seals and the lighthouse.   We also spent time walking along Stinson Beach and hiking Mount Tamalpais.  

2020 -2022 – Covid hiatus

2020 – 2022:  Covid.  ‘Nuff said.  We missed our annual meet-ups, including an audacious plan to head to Italy in 2022.  At least we got to see each other via Zoom.

2023 – Sacramento, Davis, Calistoga, Napa

In March 2023, we rekindled our tradition with another trip – this time, a return to northern California, primarily Calistoga.  My first stop was Sacramento.  Irene met me at the airport, and we headed immediately to UC Davis to see what changes have been made in 40 years.   And changes there were!   

There’s a new Welcome Center, the Mondavi Performing Arts Center, lots more housing and a conference center.  I gasped out loud when I saw our off-campus dorm complex was gutted and replaced by high rises. Irene almost drove off the road. And the “Coffee House,” an intimate funky gathering in the center of the Memorial Union, transformed during the past four decades and is now replaced by a food court.  More options, less charm.  (Bit of trivia: The Police played there before they were famous. Am I dating myself?)  The Bookstore is now the Campus Store.  Because who buys a book anymore?  It’s gone digital. But there are a lot of cool UCD mementos and other delightful gifts/treats.

I didn’t get to the equestrian center, pig barn or the site of my last townhouse as a fifth-year senior, but I did see our townhouse where we lived our junior and senior years.  Here’s a funny side note:  We lived next door to AGR, the agricultural fraternity.  One of our roommates had a brother who lived there.  He decided to set up a side business selling firewood.  That wasn’t allowed at the frat house, so he gave out…OUR phone number.  Without our knowledge or permission.   Suddenly we were fielding orders for cords of firewood.   Lots of orders.   To this day when I see firewood I cringe. 

The next day Irene and I headed to Calistoga to meet up with Laurie for a spa weekend. Calistoga is known for mud baths. I never took a mud bath before – it’s a great experience. I mentioned the pig barns at UCD earlier. Pigs love lying in mud. I now know why. Although while languishing in the mud I was wondering – how does one know if mud is clean? Who else has been in this mud? Why are there twigs in here? And hey – is that Jimmy Hoffa under here? It was quite soothing and cozily warm. And so thick you can almost float. NOTE: You can wear a bathing suit or go without. I highly recommend the bathing suit. Here’s why. Trying to get out of a mud bath is an acrobatic challenge especially when one is in her 60s and either out of shape (me) or recovering from hip surgery (Irene). You can’t step on the bath floor because it’s hot. Extremely hot. Burn-your-feet hot. The handrails are not placed in the most strategic position so when you want to get out you have to somehow throw your legs over the side of the tub and roll out, trying to be graceful. Keep in mind the mud is trying to suck you back into the tub. My college buddy and I both needed help emerging from the mud, and if we were not clothed we would have exposed certain body parts that should only be seen by an intimate partner or an OB-GYN. Wear the suit.

After the wonderful mud soak, we hosed off and then spent more time enjoying the several hot tubs of various temperatures and the cool, refreshing pool. I am still trying to get mud out of my bathing suit. One year later. Remember Hansel and Gretel and the bread crumbs? I left a trail of mud from the pools to the hotel room so my friends wouldn’t get lost.

I always wanted to take the Napa Wine Train through the valley and we splurged on a three hour lunch tour from Napa to St. Helena and back. Yes, It’s pricy. And worth every penny. The food was fabulous. The server was charming and so attentive. We felt special. Regrettably it was raining, so the views of the vineyards were limited, but it was a special time with favorite friends.

Our annual adventure will continue in May 2024 – we are going to Hawaii!  We decided to venture out of California.    That will be an entire new blog post. Or several. Hopefully by then my bathing suit will be mud-free. Just in case, I just ordered another one.