Rain and More Rain

It's why we love this place, the Pacific Northwest; Rain Rain and more Rain. Just look around you. Moss hanging from the near Rain forest vegetation. Gutters and ditches running free with clear life giving liquid. Roadways brimming with standing/flowing water passing vehicles give your auto a complete cleansing...just have the wipers on full and hold that steering wheel tight.

These were the conditions on our drive from Bellingham to Vancouver yesterday. And, yes, we do love the rain. SAM is built to keep snug and dry in the downpours. Walking 20 to 30 miles a day gets me wetter on the inside (perspiration) than rain ever could from the outside. Mist swirls between the many forested hills along I-5...kept a close watch for Dinosaurs peeking from behind the brilliant deep green evergreen trees or mint green deciduous branches in every direction.

Then, magically, a shaft of sun plays on the roadway berm following along as we keep our distance from the guy in front and an eye in the rear view mirrors on the guy behind...is he following too close?

Strawberry shortcake and Seattle's Best Coffee are waiting at Ron's. Don't forget your helmet and boots standing by the front door, Dad. Need help hooking up the trailer? No? You did WHAT? left the keys in the motorcycle ignition while in Bellingham...battery is dead as a doornail. Looks like SAM has plenty of room to snuggle into the trailer beside the Motorcycle...will ask H-D, Vancouver to suggest ways to inch the Motorcycle rear wheel sideways to gain a few inches for SAM to slip in.

Well, I get the rear springs to bouncing and on the up stroke, jerk the rear wheel up and to the right...LIKE THAT...; as H-D's Mark jerks Motorcycle rear end 2 - 3 inches to the right...Oh, sure...looks easy enuf; I try it. Motorcycle doesn't budge. It's all in the timing...bouncy bouncy bouncy...jerk up and to the right...YEAH, just like that. And so, I manage to move Motorcycle another inch or so. Must repeat that process each day as we move vehicles back & forth to support the daily 25 miles gained daily.

Oh, this is gonna be fun !

Cudo's to Ralph ! My sailing buddy from the Cascadians (internet sailing organization with members from far and wide joining for cruises on the Salish Sea (Puget Sound), offered to share his magnificent condominium for the night in Camas, Washington. Fascinating talk...wow, Ralph was a TV producer in the early days of TV...enlightening views of world calamities...Nibiru,,,Cuniform Tablets of Iraq...and a superb bottle of White Wine (2005 Pinot Gris "SASS" from Oregon Willamette Valley ... a vineyard owned by Ralph's friend). Then off to din din at the neighborhood Camas restaurant "Around the Table". Crab Cakes w/grits for me and Etouffe for Ralph. Sampling each others dish, had to agree "Around the Table" offerings were truly unique and VERY pleasant.

This morning, mist hangs heavily in the branches of Ralph's yard...I just know there is a Dinosaur peeking thru that bush. Misting still and look for rain later in the day as SAM & ME walk from H-D Vancouver to Gresham, Oregon...our jaunt for the day over the Interstate 205 bridge spanning the Columbia River.

Hope Motorcycle battery is charged up. Eager to get SAM shed of her massive amounts of supplies we have moved across Washington State from the Canada/USA Peace Arch to the Washington/Oregon border (Columbia River). What a pleasure it is going to be to walk with SAM carrying only half the previous weight.

Ralph appears into the Kitchen...Good Morning, Bruce...you got an early start...ready for a second cup of Seattle's Best...Yep...how 'bout toast to go with it...Yep... Ralph pours his first cup of the day. The MR. COFFEE is recycled and the first "plop" of aromatic liquid falls into the pot...Yummmmm.