RUTS AND ROUTES AND ICE CREAM

There is not a lot of choice about how to drive from downtown Camas to my house. Sure, you can head up Dallas or Everett Street, but either way, you'll end up on the main road that goes by the high school, past the cemetery and the little airport, then beyond the Fern Prairie Market. And yes, you can choose the left fork up the hill or the right fork down the hill to loop around to the house. But basically, it's a rutty route, the same drive again and again.

Along the route, I pass several roads I've never been on. Today, on the way home from the grocery store, 277th Street beckoned me to explore. So I zipped down the new-to-me road, happy to be out of my route's rut, not knowing where I'd end up. Lots of people live down 277th Street. I saw a snag tree with two huge limbs that looked like scary arms, and a 1940's pickup truck with flames painted on the sides. I discovered a quilter's home-based business and the Happy Barking Kennel. I saw an estate-like home and a small mobile home park.

The road made a sharp right about a mile down, and I realized I was now on 9th Street, which comes out by the little airport. So I was back on the one route home, though not feeling so rutty this time around. I was so enthused by my little exploration that I thought I'd drive down Stauffer Road, which my kids insist loops around to Ireland Road. They tell me it's the route the school bus takes, but I've only driven down as far as the Fullmer's.

"Hurray!" I thought. "New routes, new roads, no ruts!"

Then I remembered I had bought ice cream. So instead, I came straight home and ate some.