Buddhas And Smoke Jumpers

 I have moved on to Montana which is special in so many ways. Besides the usual, I have finally filled in large portions of my map. I put a sticker on the map every time I camp in a new state. I'm probably never going to camp in Alaska or Hawaii so those states will remain forever empty. The only states that are missing are those pesky little New England states :New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut. They are hard states to bag. Aesthetically speaking, my map looks pretty good without them.  

Back In The Saddle Again

 

I come from Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes. I love lakes – they are where my roots are. Nobody has better lakes than Minnesota, well at least that is what I thought. What about if you add forested hills rising from the lake shore?

Reflector Art?

 

It was a one-nighter, just a quick stop on the way to someplace else. Doesn't that sound like the start of a bad novel?

Am I A Traveler Or A Tourist?

 Travel can be an enriching experience that helps people grow and discover their true selves. However, there is a supposedly a difference between being a tourist and a traveler. A definition that I found online is “Being a traveler means going beyond just visiting popular tourist destinations and instead immersing oneself in the local culture”. Being a tourist has a really bad rap – there is such a big deal that one should blend in and be a traveler, not a tourist.

Glass Art and Tree Art

 

Enough of this communing with nature. Don't get me wrong, I have loved all of this greenery. I've loved seeing the mountains (well except for you, Mt Rainier, if you actually exist). Along with mountains, many times there are waterfalls. I do love me the waterfalls. But... It's time to head to the big city.

I Rather Like Rain Forests

 I've made it to the most northwestern part of the continental United States – the Olympic Peninsula – which contains several different ecosystems – glacier-capped mountains, temperate rain forests and over 70 miles of coastline. But the best part of the Olympic Peninsula is that I got to meet up again with my caravan buddies Lou and Dave. Every year, when I'm on a road trip, we seem to run into each other and travel together for a few weeks. I love traveling by myself – the freedom, the adventure – but it is sometimes nice to be able to share these adventures with close friends. 

I Came To The Mountain...I Think

 Mount Rainier is the highest mountain in Washington state at 14,411 feet. It is a volcano and there is a high probability that it will erupt in the near future. Because it is so close to Seattle, Mount Rainier is considered to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. Let me repeat that – one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. So... guess where I'm going. 

Keeping It Weird!

 “Keep Portland Weird” is the unofficial motto of Portland Oregon. Portland definitely tries to live up to it's motto. A few examples: The World Naked Bike Race, Voodoo Doughnuts and the 24 Hour Church of Elvis - need I say more? I actually attended a service at the Church of Elvis the first time I was in Portland back in the nineties. The motto originated from the “Keep Austin Weird” motto. In 2014, there was a comparison between the two cities to find out which was weirder. Portland came out ahead winning nine of the twelve categories. 

Cheese Glorious Cheese

 Moving up the coast, I headed for Tillamook. Why, you ask? Does Tillamook Ice Cream ring a bell? Or Tillamook Cheese? When visiting the Creamery, they had a factory tour - How could I not go? It was a fairly short drive up 101, maybe a couple of hours but it seemed like forever. Speed limit was mostly 55 mph, but with curves marked as 15 mph, there was no way I was going to go 55. I sort of felt bad for the cars that lined up behind me, but with a big honkin' trailer behind me, it seemed like 40 mpg was a sensible speed. The nice thing about Oregon is that they have a lot of turnoff areas where I can pull over and let people pass. Better for me...better for them.