Invitation

To all the lovely people who were following me on my vacation: I decided to make a little present of little things till Christmas: an Advent Calender. Enjoy!
Für all die lieben Leute, die mir im Sommer auf meinem Urlaub gefolgt sind: ich habe beschlossen ein kleines Geschenk aus lauter kleinen Dingen zu machen bis Weihnachten: ein Adventkalender. Viel Spaß!Advent Calender

Ein letzter Blick zurück

Emily Carr war eine der ersten bedeutenten Malerinnen, wenn nicht die bedeutendste, British Columbias. Die Kunstuniversität auf Granville Island ist nach ihr benannt.

Ich denke, sie ist ein guter Abschluß für diesen Blog.
Immer wieder tauchen noch Erinnerungen und Gedankenfetzen auf. Vielleicht gibt’s sich noch das eine oder andere. Mal sehen!

Anfang September bin ich in Oslo, da findet ihr Neues hier.
Bis bald!

almost black and white

This is the first attempt for black and white pitures. But some are just almost … I decided for them because their color was almost shadows of grey but I didn’t change to black and white while preparing them. Enjoy! I would love to hear some feedback. Should I continue or just STOP IT!

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Künstler, deren Website ich erst jetzt anschaute

Granville Island, Vancouver: ich wurde verscheucht, als ich Austellungstücke, dieser Künstler fotografieren wollte. Jetzt sehe ich, dass auf ihren eigenen Websiten alles zu sehen ist, was ich fotografieren wollte. Irgendwie lächerlich, oder?
Jasna Skolovic macht wunderschöne Keramik. Ihre Fließen und Tassen haben’s mir angetan. Die Tassen sind in ihrem Blog oder unter These gray days zu sehen.

Im selben Laden gab’s Filz und alles was man daraus machen kann, von Jessica de Haas

Und schließlich Karen Cooper, die einen eigenen Laden, indem nur ihre Fotos hängen besitzt. Da gibt’s nicht nur in einer Hinsicht, was zum Abschauen.

Von mir gibt es jetzt noch Fotos, die ich in Ausstellungen geschossen habe und großteils bis jetzt nicht von mir veröffentlicht wurden. Ich habe ohne Blitz fotografiert, trotzdem spiegeln sich immer wieder Lampen, ich bitte mir das zu verzeihen .
Es sind Bilder aus dem De Young in San Francisco (Kunst diverser Ethnien, von Iniut, Atzteken bis Papua Neuguinea), was aber im Großen und Ganzen einfach als zeitgenössische Kunst tituliert war, was ich cool fand. Es ist also ein wildes Potporri, von allem was mir gefallen hat. Und noch ein wenig Kunst der First Nations.

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I was asked for some bonus material

So I was looking and there will be three of them.
First pictures: from different volcanos and lava beds. It was strange to see that the pictures didn’t catch the enourmous dimensions that I was so overwhelmed. I saw from the most south volcano: Mount Lassen to the next: Mount Shasta. And so forth… In Portland Mount Hood, the lava beds of the Columbia river, Mount Adam, Mount St. Helens which lost its beauty 30 years ago. She was the round beautiful mountain who made Mount Adam and Mount Hood fight for. She is getting older although she didn’t want. You don’t know what I am talking of? Read the story of Mount St. Helens I wrote before. It is in German and English!!!

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See you!

People I met and I want to thank

and I would like to thank in this way, even if I don’t know the name of everyone.

Ruth:
She was my first host and comforted me after my long flight. I am grateful how easy she made my first days in California. It was very special to stay in the Los Angeles Ranges, a place I might have not seen without her. She showed me not only the Pine Mountain Club, she also introduced me to:

buddhist monks: Reverend Master Phoebe and Reverend Master Seikai:
I was invited to be part of the Lotus Ceremony and here you can listen what Master Phoebe said about the ceremony during the Dharma Talk where we sat together and drank some tea and had some cookies which I found a touching way of teaching as we were encouraged to talk with her and ask questions.

Sandra:
I met Sandra at the parking lot of San Andreas Trail close to Palo Alto. She is born in New York and lives now since almost 30 years in California. She encouraged me to write about my experiences about my travel and she is reading this blog too. Quite a lot people I met use google translator. I was surprised how many were interested to read my blog. That is also a reason why I write this in English.

Harriet:
She is another couchsurfing host of mine and she is still encouraging me and I love that we are still in contact. I had to smile when she wrote after I sent her a book back, she borrowed me:
I have lost a couple of books over the years by lending them to close, dear friends that I had known for decades, and that I would trust with my life.(One of the couch surfing ratings, trusting someone with your life)
But trusting a book return is one step higher than trusting ones life!
So, I trust you with my life, and with my books!
Maybe the librarian’s heart came through. It means a lot to me that she told me that she invited me because of my photos but also that she uses her annual pass to the California State Parks now more often because of my travel blog. I like her pictures and her houses. If you want to see her houses, than enjoy I like her style.
Special Thanks to her.

Lyn and Sam:
while Sam was quite busy, I had wonderful talks with Lyn. It was like knowing her for ages and I came just home for a visit. We spoke about families, the world, our jobs … all that stuff you talk to familiar people. I am grateful that she made me feel we know each other since decades. I miss talks like I had with her. He, Lyn, you wondered what I will resume about you. Here you can see.

Ranger Carol:
She works at the Lassen National Forest close to the campground where I staid at Mount Lassen. She was cheering me up for this travel asking if she could come along with me. She was so friendly and nice and explained and showed me where I can go and what might be special for me. That she looked at this blog even after weeks was a lovely surprise. Rangers like her are doing a wonderful job and I think they give a lot to all of visitors – happy we found someone like her.

Rachel:
Rachel is a 20 year old woman and I found her on a rainy day crying with her little dog on the staircase of my motel. I didn’t know what to do. Might it be obtrusive if I talk to her? I did and as I couldn’t understand her because of her heartbreaking tears I invited her for a breakfast. She told me a long story and I don’t know if it was true or not. But I saw her care for her dog, I saw her wish to make it. Her boyfriend kicked her out and she had no family who cares for her that was easy to believe. I don’t know if she really gave her child away for an adoption, she lost her mom 15 months ago. But I saw how strong she wanted to make it. Few days later I saw Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness and I asked myself how many homeless or almost homeless people has the same dream and how many won’t make it.

Political talks:
At Lowell Covered Bridge I met a lady who was cleaning the exhibition inside the the bridge. I asked her why this bridge was only covered partly. She didn’t know but then I could see that the other part was a dam and not a bridge anymore. I don’t know how it came but I spoke about the Roosevelts. Theodor Roosevelt whom I just knew from “Arsenic and Old Lace” when the cousin was digging the Panama-Canal and who gave the teddy bears his name. Honestly he wanted a canal through Nicaragua and they bought it from the French. But he made quite a lot of National Parks, National Monuments, and National Forests and was the founder of Muir Woods National Monument. Here I heard of him and startet the research because this happened in 1908 and in 1945 the 50 delegates who signed the United Nations Charter went there. Franklin D. Roosevelt died shortly before it and on May 19, the delegates held a commemorative ceremony in tribute to his memory in Muir Woods’ Cathedral Grove.

Therefore I started to look for them while the first was a Republican, the second executed the “New Deal” and a Democrat. So I told her that quite a lot of the dams at this time were built as a activity against the great depression of the 30s. Lot of the methods are now part of what Obama is trying to force. I spoke with her that the Republican act as this has never happened before but it did. She agreed and I was a little surprised because I didn’t expect to find people who like Obama in the countryside. So I told her that he has now gained more money from private people than 4 years ago. More people are active in his new campaign than 4 years ago. The Republicans like Palin have 1/7 of friends as Obama has in facebook. Maybe just journalists love the loud odd opinions of Republicans and therefore We hear more of them. Not all are watching Rachel Maddows.
On 4 July a young man came to me and asked me if I want to register for the election. With him it was clear that he was looking for voters for Obama. With him I spoke about the power of companies. Few days ago the 5 Million women lost a lawsuit because men are earning more than women at Walmart. They treat companies like any living person which is quite strange but started somehow with the roman law where properties count more than human lives. And we still have that but with decisions like that it becomes more obvious what strange direction our societies are going to. But if it doesn’t fit the companies a state can’t do anything. Some cities want to ban plastic bag but the plastic companies are fighting against it. Or stronger laws against power plants: here the Federal Supreme court says it isn’t possible that single states make stronger laws. We spoke about the unbelievable power of Monsanto and their restriction which is in my opinion against human rights. They bring more poverness than any other company I know.

I was just happy to find someone to talk about that after I was listening to different shows. And of course the talks with my friend Betty with skype who spoke with me about the situation in Wisconsin. I am definitely curious how it will go on because the people became active after the election and a Republican won.

Andrew:
I had almost forgotten that I met him till he wrote weeks later. I think he is not aware that he was the only one for 2 days who spoke with me in the Portland Hostel. I know that I don’t have real problems to get to know people but there no one spoke to me. They looked at me asking what the hell I want to do there. One stopped talking after realizing that I am from Austria like Schwarzenegger. Thank you Andrew, you gave me the confidence back the others took away. Good luck for your job!

Haley
I don’t know if this is the correct writing Haley like the comet but not written like it. Which was the compromise of her parents and not calling her “new moon” but still people call her that way. What a nice talk we had on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Her Grandmother is from Wels in Upper Austria and she knew some German words. Her baby is almost a year and I just remember the 2nd name “Rebel”. I hope that he will live his name. We spoke about her childhood (she is 25) and now even at the most peacefully countryside children prefer to play with the computer different to her. She was out from morning till evening. I wonder where children will be able to learn what we learnt playing with others. Are they faster in learning social competence and empathy? This is the beach where she played as a child. We also spoke about the idea that Americans are seen as superficial. She first thought so but I think Americans are quite open and other people are in different ways close but you can’t connect openess with superficial. You might need as long as with close people and as much patience and efford for all people. If you don’t care more for the other, the result will always be the same.Take care and all the best for your small family and marry if you like it and if it is important for you and for no other reason! And visit your grandmother as long as it is possible, this is important!

Twilight Town Forks  and their Jan:
She is a lovely lady from Town Motel and we had some lovely talks and I am looking forward to read the book of Nicholas Spark she gave to me (and I will look for Notebook by him too). And the legend of the Sand Dollar. It is beautiful for me to hear that for the 50th anniversary she took her whole family of 27 and cruise to the Caribbean. I have to write her that I came home safely which she asked me to do. I just saw now on her website what good prize I got. Maybe because of the rain? I was quite grateful that I didn’t had to learn about the “Twilight” which you found all over the place. Thank you for all.

Bill:
It was raining and I stood at one of the less beautiful trees of the “you have to see” trees of my trip when someone asked me if I am impressed by this big … wow I had to look into the information of Olympic National Park. I forgot the name of the tree: it was a big Sitka spruce tree. I told him that the Big Cedar more south is more impressing. He was curious and as everyone who knows me: I CAN talk. And I told him about the trees, old and young land, about National Parks and so on and so forth. And he made notes, finally he said that he is a journalist and curious as I am, I asked for the newspaper. New York Times… He took a picture of mine which he send me later. He doesn’t know that I was married to a journalist. I know their fire when they hear good stories. Thank you for your fire.I prepared these lines  a week ago as a finish of my trip (is there anything better than a BIG THANKKS at the end?). But during that week Bill wrote not just an article about the rainforest which was what I expected but an article about my travel:
Earthly Dream Is Realized in the Rain Forest
By WILLIAM YARDLEY Published: July 27, 2011
It is my fire to write “My little Stories about almost Everything” which I already started. It made the end overwhelming. My stories are also encouraged by the next lady:

Laura:
she was hitchhiking at the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island. And she almost felt asleep because of her 2 jobs and she was going to visit her daughter in hospital. But she listened quite interested to my stories where I try to explain in easy words what scientists know nowadays about the universe and the world. She belongs to the First Nation of Ahousat but never lived in the reservation. I was happy to hear that she started to listen to the stories of the eldest. She told me about the eagle and the sea serpent which are the animals of her tribe. The eagle who came to every funeral and fly in circles around the family and friends. I remembered when I drove into their territory by accident that it was different feeling, a peace I didn’t felt on other places. But I was also in other reservats which felt more insecure and searching. She thanked me telling that stuff in words she can understand. That convinced me about the importance of a book like that.

Winnie, Yvonne and Gael:
Funny Victoria! After luxury couch surfing places with an own room and an own bathroom, I stayed now at Winnie’s place. I was lucky that I had my mattress and sleeping back with me as she had just one blanket but three couchsurfing guests. After the first night with Yvonne from Germany, Gael from New Mexico arrived and we slept in the kitchen/livingroom of about 18 sqm with a parking in it. It was good that she wrote in her profile that she smokes medical …. I didn’t know how much you need of that. In her enthusiasm of having guests from all over the world, I think she overestimate the tolerance of the guests. It was a kind of strange to sleep 2 other strangers in a small room on the floor. But on the other hand I had an experience I wouldn’t have had without her even if I don’t want to experience it again.

Talk with 2 enlightened guys at McDonalds in Victoria
Would you expect to sit at McDonalds and talk with enlightened people? Me neither. We spoke about universal power, unity and eternity. I didn’t expect that. But I had this conversation. I was just leaving when the man next to me said something and I totally forgot what he said. (I couldn’t even remember during the conversation how all began). But after 2 minutes I explained him my definition how everything started. It wasn’t the first time I did that.

And I find it quite interesting that I talk about it most of the time in English The Everything recorded and music by Trent. (We were sitting in a coffee shop in Vienna just talking, and that’s what he made out of it .

But after speaking for a while with one guy the second accompanied us and we spoke for 2 hours till we went our own ways. Also this talk was definitely inspiring and touching. But I am not enlightened and one said we should believe and he would teach us. While the other enlightened said he found it and knows that he can’t explain because he lives now and don’t believe I will answer mails. The man doesn’t know me.
I just meant that nothing will convince me that I just have to believe. I want to understand and not all understanding comes out of mind. Once I heard at a radioshow a first people storyteller say: Food of the mind will feed the heart. Isn’t that an interesting view? I still see my wish to grow, as I still have problems to understand the no-attachement. I would have loved to communicate at least with the second one but he thought that he isn’t attached to anything anymore. I believe that love for each other and care is more important than any enlightment. Or should I say my vision of enlightment is love and care? And I don’t know how this goes without attachement. I’ll see.

Jan and Jakub:
2 young czech men in the hostel in Vancouver prepared me in a way to going home. The 2 of them are travelling around the world and I don’t know exactly what it was but the way they speak or behave just brought back my home. Is there a special middle European way of beiing? Maybe.

THANK YOU ALL. You were all part making this trip special! Good luck and save travel through your lives!

Am Meeresrand

für jene mit Zeit und Muse: eine Diashow mit Orginal-Pazifikwellen und für die anderen unten die Bilder zum Darüberschauen

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The real thing is the real thing!

I love English. I dare to say things in a way I won’t do that in German. In German I would have said: “Die Realität ist das Wahre!” The reality is the truth. pfff…
I am famous for quotes like that: once I said: In the night the stars shine. And it became a cd title.
But “The real thing is the real thing!” was a quote from me of the NYT.

Language
The price for the most heard word goes to “Awesome” – I can’t hear it anymore. I heard it everywhere. I was listening quite often to radio shows while I was on the road and as you know in the meanwhile – 4000 Miles … Some people (not the journalists) say it almost in every sentence. But most of the time in California only once in Canada where a journalist interviewed a musician and everything he said, she commented with: “Awesome”.
While the Canadians must have ancestors in Vorarlberg (a little state in Austria) who are known to add “odr?” which means “or?” at the end of many sentences. If you are not used, you will just think, why in gods name, should I agree any sentence. But in Vancouver Island (and also in the radio) they use “right?” or “aeh?” in the same way as our people from Vorarlberg.

Many people said to me that my English is quite perfect. It started in Santa Barbara where a man who was married to a German woman couldn’t hear my German accent. But I was asked quite often if I am Scottish. Never been there… but also Australian and New Zealand accent was heard. I don’t think that Trent’s ancestors are influencing me. I am definitely sorry, I can’t distinguish the accents. I just don’t understand sometimes nothing but that’s it. When I became tired, my English got some German words in the middle of sentences. One lady – she was brought up in Switzerland with a German mother and a Austrian father – had still a strong German accent although she lives since 30 years in Hawaii but she couldn’t speak German hardly anymore. I met more people than I expected who spoke a little German.

The Radio Shows
As I was moving all the time, I had to scan frequently. The public radios reminded me to our Austrian “Ö1″. They had very good shows, very good journalist and it happened not only once that I noted the show that I could download the poadcast sooner or later for free which I can’t do in Austria. I have to buy it. The local stations filled with nation wide different radio shows. The stations with talks and interviews had no music which I like because it was clear what I had to expect and I got it. This is different to ours. Sometimes it was something like the obituary of Columbo, Peter Falk. But also about illegal immigrants, politics, books. I was impressed about the fantastic knowledge of journalists.

Music that I like was more difficult for me to find. Close to LA I had a nice Jazz radio station but then I switched to classical music and I heard the Volksopern orchestra, the Philharmoniker playing Bach and Mozart. A little touch of home. I liked it.

The more north I came the less stations I found but the strongest were the religion ones. People, I don’t have anything against religion but I don’t like to frighten people with hell, devil and strict rules. I believe in freedom which is also an important part of the United States.

NYTimes.com: Earthly Dream Is Realized in the Rain Forest

I should have told Bill that I want to write small books about the earth and it’s wonder. (and he should hear me giggle now. It was nothing he got to hear

Out Here | Hoh Rain Forest, Wash.: Earthly Dream Is Realized in the Rain Forest

By WILLIAM YARDLEY

Big Spruce Tree

The beauty here is not necessarily for everyone. Pounded by up to 170 inches of precipitation each year, these grand old woods are wetter and grayer and gloomier than most. Then again, not every summer traveler seeks sunshine.

“I want to understand Earth,” said Ruth Lotter, interrupted while focusing her camera on one particularly large and dexterous root supporting a big spruce tree.
….

The mix of mystical and trivial makes Ms. Lotter giggle, and she giggles well. She is 49 and Austrian and she likes the road. She fell in love with the California Redwoods 15 years ago and is certain she was transformed by a trip to study stromatolites — ancient rock structures that form in shallow water — in Australia two years ago. She also had a remarkable moment near here this summer. She was at Cape Flattery, the northwestern-most point in the contiguous United States, and she had been worrying about being sad. Then she decided to stop worrying.

“I realized, ‘When I’m sad, be sad.’ And in that moment, I was happy.”

That got her giggling again.

It was raining as she spoke. “It’s funny that it’s raining in the rain forest,” she said.
…..

“The real thing is the real thing,” she said. “The more I understand Earth, the more I’m impressed.” WILLIAM YARDLEY

Copyright 2011 The New York Times Company

Read the complete story in the New York Times!

Genau 4000 Meilen später

Gelacht haben sie beim Autoverleih, als sie sahen, dass ich exakt 4000 Meilen oder 6.437.376 Kilometer gefahren bin und ich selbst konnte es nicht fast nicht glauben. 35186 stand am Beginn auf dem Tachometer und 39186 zeigte der Meilenstand am Ende an.
Jetzt ist klar, warum in den USA in Meilen gerechnet wird, denn 4000 klingt besser als 6.400 und ein paar zerquetschte. Just for me! Was ich auch geniesse, ist, dass ich die meisten der Straßen selbst entdeckte und nicht irgendwelchen Anweisungen anderer Leute folgte. Damit war die Überraschung immer sehr gelungen, ich weiß nicht, wie oft ich dachte, wow so eine schöne Straße, damit habe ich nicht gerechnet. Meist wenn ich die Lady GPS einfach nach einer Straße ohne Autobahn fragte und ich mich von ihr führen ließ Eigentlich waren es 2 Ladies, die eine wußte, wo es lang ging, die andere hatte die Straßennamen in einem furchtbaren Accent auswendiggelernt. Nur manchmal waren sie verzweifelt, wie hier, als ich auf der Fähre war und sie verzweifelt nach einem Satelitten suchte, weil sie sich nicht erklären konnten, wo ich umging. Aus “make a legal u-turn when possible” wurde “please, proceed to the highlighted route.” In Canada vor allem in Vancouver war sie dann letztendlich ziemlich beleidigt und hielt mich mehr als einmal zum Narren, wenn ich auf der richtigen Straße war und sie mich zum Abbiegen bringen wollte (was ihnen anfangs auch gelang und ich dann solange im Kreis fuhr, bis ich mich gar nicht mehr orientieren konnte).

Oft dachte ich mir auch, ach, wie gut, dass ich gerne Autofahre, denn es waren tatsächlich viele Kilometer. Und in Amerika tat man das schon lange gerne und so gibt es eine eigene Website mit den schönsten Straßen: Scenic Byways. Die unten angeführten Links zu den Routen stammen aus verschiedenen Quellen zum Nachlesen.

My 1st scenic byway:
Hwy 95 über den Apache Saddle auf 1862 m, vorbei am Cerro Noroeste (2524m hoch). Ich hab mir die Beschreibung angesehen und muss sagen auch ich hatte “a bit of stress on your neck” wegen der Kurven und den steil abfallenden Hängen. Dann durch den Los Padres National Park auf dem Hwy 33 nach Santa Barbara war teilweise landschaftlich wunderschön.

My 2nd scenic byway: Route Nr.1
ab Cambria wird’s schön, auch wenn es nebelig war, hatte ich hier einen wunderschönen Spaziergang auf den Klippen oberhalb des Meeres. Und ich hatte Glück, gerade eine Woche, bevor ich darauf fuhr, wurde sie wieder eröffnet. Ein Teil der Straße bei Big Sur war ins Meer abgerutscht und ich fuhr auf der gerade einspurig wiederhergestellten Straße. Erst in Big Sur werden die Küstenberge bewaldet.

My 3rd scenic byway: Page Mill Road
(hier keine Straßenbeschreibung, der Link führt zu der Seite zum Grüngürtel südlich von San Francisco) Die Bäume erinnerten mich an Olivenhaine in Italien und die Straße auch. Das GPS amüsierte mich zum ersten Mal königlich, als ich eine sehr gewundene Straße einen Berg hinauffuhr und es wirklich keine anderen Straßen gab und immer wieder verzweifelt zu mir sagte: “Please procide to the highlighted route.” und ich: Hei, Lady, dann würde ich quer durch den Wald fahren, wenn ich täte, was du mir vorschlägst. Genau genommen fuhr ich die Bear Creek Road zum Skyline Boulevard, um so zur Page Mill Road zu kommen. Leider braucht man die Beschreibung für den San Andreas Trail, um irgendetwas zu sehen. Ich hatte also einen netten Spaziergang, die Führung versäumte ich, da mir fast der Benzin ausging und ich mich für’s Tanken entschied und nicht für das pünktliche Erscheinen, dafür in den Bergen festsitzend.

My 4th scenic byway: Redwoods nördlich von San Francisco:
wieder gewundene Straßen, wieder schöne Aussichten, noch immer die kalfornische Küste mit ihren schönsten Seiten, stürmisch und leidenschaftlich. Ich verstehe, warum man hier mit Cabrio oder einer Maschine unterwegs sein will.

My 5th scenic byway: Lassen Scenic Byway

Hier betrete ich erstmals Vulkanland. Die Berge sind jetzt Mitte Juni noch verschneit, die Straße durch den Nationalpark noch nicht frei befahrbar, wie auch die kommenden Bergstraßen. Die Räumung von den Winterüberresten kostet und da die NP’s auch sparen müssen, kann es nur langsam vorangehen. Nicht Vulkane sondern ein Blitzeinschlag hat zu diesem Waldbrand geführt. Und zwar vor 2 Jahren 2009 brannten 3.800 ha.

Another redwood byway: And My 6th scenic bywar: Avenuw of the GiantsIch bin es nichts, die da reingekraxelt ist, aber ich war recht froh, denn nur so kann man die Dimensionen dieser Bäume erkennen. Hier passierte es, dass statt der beiden Damen, die normalerweise via GPS mit mir sprachen, plötzlich eine sehr männliche Stimme dominant meinte, dass es verboten sei, hier stehen zu bleiben (konnte er nicht die Leidenschaft des Fotografen verstehen?). Es war nur ein sehr kurzer verwunderter Blick auf das GPS und dann ein ganz schneller in den Rückspiegel. Da sah ich dann nur den Kühlergrill eines Polizeiautos. Mit denen wollte ich doch nicht diskutieren.

Columbia River Gorge Scenic Byway – Oregon und Washington Der in Oregon ist schöner, dafür sieht man besser auf die Berge in Oregon auf der anderen Seite des Columbia River in Washington.
In Oregon gab ich mir dann noch in der Nähe Portlands die Tour zu den überdachten Brücken, wo mir sehr bewußt wurde, wie sehr dieses Land vom Wald lebt (ebenso wie Washington). Mit den Clear Cuts, dem Kahlschlag, tu ich mich noch immer schwer. Sollen sie es doch einfach industriell genutzen Wald nennen, damit hab ich kein Problem, aber der nimmt es sicher nicht mit der Schönheit eines in Ruhe gelassenen Waldes auf.

Spirit Lake Memorial Highway
dieser führt auf den Mount St. Helens. Er wurde tatsächlicher erst nach dem Ausbruch errichtet, denn die alte Straße gab es nicht mehr. Der Toutle River bahnt sich jetzt immer wieder weit unten ein neues Bachbett. In den vergangenen 30 Jahren 2x wesentlich. Auch wenn das Wetter schlecht war und ich lange Zeit den Mount St. Helens nur ahnen konnte, war es sehr aufregend. Es war einfach beeindruckend zu sehen, wie die neu gepflanzten Bäume in den vergangenen Jahren wuchsen, mehr freuten mich die Laubbäume, die sich frech an den Straßenrändern selbstständig verbreiteten. Ich war auch überrascht, wie sehr sich das Grün am Berg selbst ausbreitete. Ganz anders als im Lassen Nationalpark

Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway – SR 112und teilweise umrundete ich die Olympic Peninsula:
Hier genoß ich einerseits die Küsten Washingtons, die für Sammler wie mich fatal sind. Ich habe so viel Treibholz mitgenommen und 2 Sanddollars. Ich wußte bis vor einem Jahr noch gar nicht, dass es solche Tiere gibt. Die ersten sah ich versteinert als
Fossilien und hier waren die ersten Lebendigen, die ich schnell wieder in den feuchten Sand zurücklegte, weil ich nicht wußte, leben die wirklich oder nicht. Ich fand dann doch Skelette. Magische weiße Scheiben! Hier ein Potporri.

In Canada schließlich mochte ich nicht mehr, ich wußte nicht, wieviel Kilometer ich tatsächlich gefahren bin, aber ich war müde. Ich hatte schließlich so viele Kilometer hinter mich gebracht, wie ich normalerweise im ganzen Jahr fahre.
Mein Auto vor der Höhle der Rock Paintings in der Nähe von Santa Barbara und ich im Rainforest, fotografiert von Bill, Journalist bei der New Your Times, mit dem ich mich hervorragend unterhalten habe. Außerdem die Innengestaltung als Wäschetrockner, Huthalter und nicht zu vergessen, die Gestaltung mit Fundstücken, die mir gerade anfangs das Flair von Zuhause gaben.