Ladies and Gentlemen –

I hate to admit it, but I lied. I lied in my last e-mail. I said that I would barrage you with several updates over the span of a week or two, and I failed to deliver on my claim. In an attempt to make up for lost time (which at this point is many weeks), I’m going to sum things up in a haphazard, stream of consciousness style of writing. This way, you’ll get the highlights of the trip without the verbal excess.

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Western Montana:

Staggering mountains and goldenrod plains. Celebrations with the Native American tribes, complemented by dance, flute, drums, eagle feathers, and ageless wisdom through story and song; late night dance-a-thons in a double-wide trailer bar; cheap drinks; genial people; the cute city of Missoula; beautiful, rugged men folk (ladies, trust me – you’ll love Montana men).

Glacier National Park, northern Montana:

One of the most incredible places I’ve been along my journey, in terms of landscape and mystique. Winding mountain passes; driving through clouds that swept like water over peaks above, then tumbling down upon our car; utter silence, but for the sound of rivers rushing somewhere below; trees gnarled and twisted by the elements; bear warnings everywhere; a mystical calm that made the world seem a dream.

Idaho:

A surprisingly scenic state. Great company, staying with two cute brothers who travel often and let me crash in the warm home they built; bonfires; walks around the shimmering Lake Coeur d’Alene; motorcycle adventures (helmet included); brunch, movies, ice cream, and interesting new people.

British Columbia:

Heart-stopping scenery. Vancouver as the place where Europe and the U.S. seem to meet; new city with little bits of old; Berlin meets San Francisco?; totem poles in Stanley Park; open air markets and rainbow tugboats in the harbor; too much rain for my autumn visit; km/hr instead of mph, which can get confusing; a great tour of the hip neighborhoods of Yaletown, Gastown, Kitsilano and Robson St, as provided by a fun, emerald-eyed fellow I met; night on the town, 1960s convertible, sushi, and jazz.

Washington:

Scenery and openness, even when obscured by rain. Seattle full of culture, buzz, and a curiously large granola-eating population; the Space Needle breathtaking at dusk; a stay in a townhouse on the water; the original Starbucks; Pike Place Market, where men throw fish around and tourists giggle and take photos; a tour of Seattle’s “underground city,” the funniest tour I’ve ever taken and well worth the cost; wine-tasting; a ferry to tiny Bainbridge Island where I ran into 4 people I knew from Miami and times prior. Mount Rainier National park and its technicolor tapestry of wildflowers; and, the two huckleberry-loving bears I encountered when on my solo hike of the mountain.

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That will do for a short, sweet chronicle, no? I’ll be back shortly with another, though, so brace yourselves. … Also: Thanks for the patience. I’ve heard that patience a virtue, and if that’s the case, you’re all pretty virtuous.

Looking forward to our next session of catch-up.

Coyote’s call and California sun upon my ears, I leave you.

Rachel


P.S. To track my journey, follow the link below… but make sure you click through all the pages of the map!
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108615724721649217631.00045208d5352931b9e50&ll=37.020098,-107.753906&spn=17.164462,28.78418&z=5

P.P.S. To see some photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/rarudwall