2 Month Anniversary

Saturday, October 24th Day 61 Today is our/my 2 month anniversary of being homeless and unemployed! It doesn't seem like it has been that long. Yet, at times, it seems like forever.

Today was one of those forever days. I'm sitting outside the Amtrak train depot. I'm writing and I'm alone. Alone because after 60 days with John, I said good bye. As I hugged John & he walked away, tears ran down my face. I could feel how badly he wanted to stay. Maybe he wanted me to go with him. I hope he knows how badly I wanted him to stay. I really did not want to separate.

In the time we spent together, I learned a lot from John. Only on rare occasion did I see him get upset. He is very polite and is honestly interested in the lives of every single person we met. Being truly interested in everyone we met is a virtue I hope to portray someday.

His desire to learn and continue education is unparalleled by other peers and friends. He has inspired me to continue to learn and to strive to read. As he walked to his train car, he turned and signaled another good bye with a strong mid-western wave of his hand. His back turned, and a fire stopped burning in my heart. My friend boarded the train to head home to Iowa. I began a new search and journey. Alone. It was a journey I feared very much.

Even in the sadness, I knew there was some part of John inside of me. John is with me in all my adventures. He is with me every time I go exploring. If he can't physically travel with me to the south west, it is my responsibility to bring the south west to him. I must look under every rock or stone to see what is living underneath. I must bury my hands in the soil and sift it through my fingers, continually scanning it and analyzing it. I must look through every book store with a thirst for knowledge. Most of all, I must stick my hands, feet or body in every river, creek or trickling brook to feel the life of water. My eyes must scan the horizon looking at the surroundings. I must study how the water and its surroundings co-exist. I must look to see how man has altered this co-existence. Only by doing these things will John be with me. Only this way will I feel I have given John as much as he given me.

"John....Welcome to the southwest!"

Good bye.

A sad but amazing day!

October 21

Stopped at Alpha-Bit, a book/gift cafe in Mapleton, OR 97453. This place is fantastic. I had strawberry rhubarb pie & John had blueberry. Both were home made and both were delicious. A definite stop. Got a few book ideas too.

Today was a sad day for another reason. Today, John & I left the ocean for good. We left it's crashing waves, it's sand beaches, it's wildlife, and it's mystery. I'm going to miss falling asleep to the sound of breaking waves. I'm going to miss waking up in a dense fog caused by the moist air coming off the water. The ocean life will remain in my thoughts forever. The only comforting thought to me is that I can honestly say that I will be back to the coast some day.

Tonight we found the silence we were searching for when we started this trip. Fitting that this silence comes on the eve of our separation. We are the only ones here, just like we were always the last campers in all those Alaska campgrounds. The sound of a trickling stream in the back ground is soothing. It's not the ocean, but it is a lovely sound that sufficiently soothed my thoughts.

Both John and I sit in our tent tonight wondering what we will do next? What happens when we return to the city. I am afraid to split up. I feel safe right now. I will miss him. It's going to very different traveling alone in the desert.

This is an important moment in my maturation and development. For the first time in my life, I don't want to travel alone. Over the last few months, I've grown to love John like my brother and trust John. He has taught me a lot. I am so lucky.

Just a little history here. I think you all know by now that I love the outdoors. Prior to this trip, I did everything solo. Solo back packing. Solo racing. I just didn't like to have to accommodate other people in my plans. As I look back over time, this day truly was a sad but amazing day. We lost the ocean sounds. We were a day away from Eugene where John would return to Iowa and I would press on to Utah....Alone. As I look back, this truly was the turning point for me. I no longer wanted to do my crazy trips alone. I also think it was the point I realized I did not want to spend my life alone.

Sea Lions!

October 20th

Today I had a unique & rare opportunity to observe sea lions in their natural habitat. I have seen them in aquariums swimming around swiftly and smoothly. Never before have I seen hundreds of them grouped on a rock with so many swimming and playing. They looked like they were having so much fun. Some were diving and frolicking while others seemed to surf along with the waves. We even watched some dive off the rock into the breaking waves. John told me they were steller sea lions. Since I don't know much about them, I don't even know how to spell their proper name.

While observing them, I watched intently, following one until I could no longer see it or it stopped moving. Every action or movement in the water was so swift and accurate. This is one creature that natural selection has truly gifted. Only if I were that adapted to my environment, I would feel at ease with my existence.

However, after watching them for some time, we proceeded down the road. I became upset. Only in America can people charge admission for watching animals in their natural habitat. Oh boy, I bet they sell ice cream too so people can satisfy their taste for sweets while walk ing around looking at these beautiful creatures in their natural environment.

I leave you with this. Here is good shot taken from the road. I did not have money to enter the Sea Lion Caves.

Bike People = Good People

Tonight is our second night at South Beach State Park. We have had fabulous weather the last few days. Our spirits are especially high today. I really like Newport. I would like to come here again sometime and take a class at Hatfield. I could live at the campgrounds at the hiker biker sights for next to nothing. I know I could do it relatively cheap. I could probably find a part time job here or there to support myself. Jeez, I have so many big ideas. How am I supposed to choose something to pursue when I have so many possibilities. I know I can do anything I set my mind too.

It's our second night by a roaring fire! Each night we have had other bike tourists come to our little cove in the the trees to warm their aching bodies & share their stories. Each has a unique life history. Each has their own starting and stopping point. However, each seems to be very free spirited and easy going.

I must clarify here. The people doing self supported tours are the free spirited one. The individuals doing the inn-to-inn touring are a little more uptight and obviously have too much money and have more to do than to waste their time pedaling their equipment around. Besides, its probably the "inn" thing to do right now in their social circles.

Tonight I'm talking to Rick about books & BK Whoppers. Strange. I really enjoy talking to bike tourists. We are truly unique beings.

Kind of funny reading this now as I am in a much different place than I was back then. While I still love bike people, I just don't have the time for an "extended" tour. The Inn-To-Inn thing sounds appealing to my aging body. To be honest, I've never done that, but I have considered it.

One other memory that came to me tonight while writing this was that it was a family of bike people that shared their pomegranate with me. I had never seen nor tasted this amazing fruit. I'm thankful for their generosity and for turning me onto such a fine fruit.

Go Fly a Kite!

October 17, 1993
Day 54

Bought a Kite! Incredible! Spent all day at the beach flying it. I should get one for Todd (brother). I just know he'll love it.

A lot has happened since I last wrote in my journal. I can't believe it has been a week. Well we are in Oregon & I am having the time of my life. In Astoria, John & I got our care package from my sister. It included a 1 lb bag of Peanut M&M's!

So anyway, I spent the day flying a new kite. It's called a Tyro and is made here in Newport. I actually watched a woman making them today. She was very helpful. I am looking forward to speaking with her again tomorrow. I want to ask about:

1) Handles and chords
2) What the jerking is caused by?
3) Look at some other models and write them down
4) I should buy an extra and send it home

While flying my awesome kite today, I was thoroughly relaxed. It was a strange feeling. It felt as though my only worry was keeping the kite in the air....Actually, that was probably my only concern because this kite is so damn hard to fly.

I was out running and playing on the beach just as though I were a little kid. My naked toes splashing in the water as I ran back and forth to the crashed kite. Watching the kite really made me dream about hang gliding. I should research hang gliding.

The banner picture says it all. It was a glorious day and buying a kite to enjoy the beach is something I hope everyone can experience one day.