So, I'm back in Seattle, visiting my friend Carlee and enjoying my second stay despite the more typical rainy, cold conditions. Got one more day of boarding in at Mt. Baker yesterday and also had the opportunity to drive through Snoqualmie and check out a few of the locations seen in Twin Peaks. The Double R diner is actually Twede's cafe -- had a damn fine grilled ham and cheese -- and also enjoyed revisiting beautiful Snoqualmie Falls.
On a less upbeat note, I'm not sure what is going to be happening in Thailand two weeks from now when I'm supposed to fly there, but it ain't looking too promising with the riots going on. Guess I need to start considering plan B. Damn.
Checking in from a cafe in Vancouver. I've been up here for a few days, staying with my aunt and uncle. Having been here a couple of times in the past, I was happy to have the chance to trip around it a bit while the weather was perfect. Vancouver is picturesque given the industrial architecture framed by calm ocean water and majestic mountains.
Over lunch with my friend Rachel I was told that Vancouver boasts the highest per capita dog ownership rate in North America -- and while I wasn't able to verify this with a cursory web search, there's no doubt that they love their pooches here. Also (as with Seattle and Portland) they love the outdoors here. It would be hard to miss a jogger if you threw a dog in any direction. (Not that I'd advocate that).
Another random Vancouver note - hosting the Olympics in the winter? Gonna be interesting. Not sure I see that coming off without a hitch... traffic is going to be a big problem.
Heading back to Seattle today for a few more days there. Will update again soon.
The first stop was a visit with my friends John and Justine in Seattle. Apparently it rains here from time to time, but you wouldn't know it. The weather was spectacular from the moment I arrived -- beautiful spring conditions that encouraged several pleasant walks around their pretty little neighborhood. They've got an adorable place with a terrific view. I know its been an adjustment moving here from NYC, but it seems to suit them pretty well, regardless.
Sunday was a pretty lazy day - we got some breakfast, walked around outdoors a bit, and did some shopping. REI headquarters was impressive but I was most happy with the new snowboarding boots I picked up -- I will definitely have to make it up to the mountains at least once more this season.
I started up I-5 on Wednesday and quickly realized that A) I was making it to my destination too quickly and B) visiting towns like Williams CA wasn't going to make this trip very memorable -- so I did what anyone driving by himself with no particular place to be would do: I changed course and headed for the coast. It was a pretty drive through Shasta and Whiskey Town and kind of fun winding through the mountain roads but I was admittedly a bit burnt by the time I crashed at the Motel 6 in Arcata. Red Bull and Doritos had formed an unholy alliance in my gut for which I am still paying.
Waking up the next morning and getting back on the road, I knew I'd made the right move. The Oregon coastline is truly breathtaking. I found myself regretting I hadn't packed my tent and some warm weather gear for an overnight stay in one of the many parks along the way. It was cold and often rainy but so lush, green and alive -- I was glad to have the chance to remind myself of the beauty of our own country before I head overseas.
The general tension I had during the drive was between trying to get from point A to point B as fast as possible (my tendency) versus taking the time to enjoy the ride. If I get nothing else from the 4 months off, hopefully I will spend more time enjoy where I'm at and less time on the move.
