16 Jul, 2011
Crater Lake
As I ramble the rich countryside, I feel I am amassing an imperishable fortune. Some might call it a treasure in heaven. If by that they mean an eternal abundance of connection, then I agree. Like all economies, this fortune functions on the exchange of ideas and resources. However, unlike material wealth, the fortune I see accruing is not about possession; rather, it is based on participation. Health entails both drawing from life’s current and contributing the currency of our being to the wellspring we share. In that economy, you are all my fortune.
Salt Creek Falls. This place was straight out of a Skittles commercial. "Taste the rainbow..."!
Luckily for me, the economy of compassion keeps no record of debts. If it did, I would be accruing a significant deficit in the course of these travels. Every day, once-strangers open their doors, lives and hearts to this sojourner. Their/your kindness is inspirational in its selfless abundance. You have contributed your food, space, privacy, and time. Fortunately, I sense that the exchange of ideas and experiences leaves us all a little richer.
Eugene jam session
Oregon! You’ve been great. The Willamette (as they say in the Beaver State, it’s “WillAmette, Dammit”) and I have wandered many fine bends, pastures, and gorges juntitos. Still mountain lakes to long, bold shade of the Douglas fir; logging roads to rolling byways and fireroads; hippy towns to conservative hamlets—it’s been a beautiful run. Now I sit on the edge of another state and glance a salty gaze back at the calming countryside of Oregon.
It wasn’t all pretty. I spent several nights camping from Crater Lake to the Willamette Pass. During that time, the wilderness of high country Oregon experienced a mosquito plague. Not great timing for a few days of camping. They swarmed me at every stop of the pedals—biting even my face when everything else was covered. At one camp, I was compelled to answer the call of nature. While performing that brief duty, my hindquarters suffered no less than 18 bites from the cursed creatures. I soothed the attack by cycling to a nearby creek and jumping in its deep snowmelt.
Creek in Oregon. If you look carefully to the right, you might see a mandolele player happily seated above the current.
Mosquito camp along Highway 58.
Before I left that camp, I had a moment of absolute tranquility. I rose in the predawn chill, packed my bags and cooked a light breakfast. While sipping from the tin cup that warmed my hands and sweetened my palate with hot chocolate, I watched the daylight form through the trees in utter silence. No mosquitoes. No traffic. No breeze. A nice long breath. I blew the steam from my cup and took a long swig of that simple pleasure passed along from inhabitants of the Americas long ago.
Shortly after this photo of my Bach study break, I watched an osprey nab a gigantic fish and carry it across the lake in the rain. Later that day, I saw another osprey bring a snake back to its young. Oregon!
Down along Highway 58 towards Eugene, I had some great surprises—such as the town of Oakridge, which had the finest hostel I’ve ever stayed in and perhaps the coolest local pub. In Eugene, I had the immense pleasure of staying with Mike and Nancy Myers. These two and their three children opened their home to me and shared some great conversation and a little music. Aside form the standard ecological practices of composting, etc., the Myers raise chickens and rabbits in their backyard, which brings the mutual benefits of dietary contributions (only eggs) and the companionship of pets. More importantly, Nancy also has a company called LunchSense that makes the great lunch boxes that you can see below (see also: www.lunchsense.com).
This eco-friendly and super practical lunchbox was developed by my hosts and their friends after facing frustration with making kids' lunches work with less reusable or less functional products. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors. Handy for kiddos and adults. Classy, sleek, practical, and built to last. Check out the next picture for more info.
Here's the same box unfolded. Great for cleaning and storage. If you pack a lunch to work or have children, LunchSense might make your life easier with the added bonus of being more environmentally conscious. Every element is sturdy but easy to use and reuse. Check out http://www.lunchsense.com/
Bunnies love compost
As always, the experiences I’ve shared over the past few weeks are far too great to repeat in this meager blog. For those of you who have shared this time, THANK YOU! I will miss you all dearly, and I appreciate all of your contributions. Thank you especially to hosts Pam Kerr, Lance Peeler, Bill Gazeley, Mike and Nancy Myers, and Griff and Liz.
Solar panels at Good Samaritan in Corvallis. Nice work!
A few weeks ago, I cycled down small country roads that meandered their way through the walnut groves south of Yuba City. As I cycled in the steady noon sun, I felt the alternating sun and shade shower my browning skin. The pace of the shade on my face matched the visual wonder of passing rows of trees that stretched well beyond my vision and perspective would allow. Below those trees, the soil was rich, dark and welcoming. At one bend, I stopped and reached down for a handful of it. I rubbed its rich texture against my palm and through my fingers. I smelled the not-dry elements that would someday aid in the process of life. I thought of the land around me—not of who owned it, but of the generations that had experienced it before and now pass that experience along to us. It is our inheritance—not that we are to possess it, but that we participate with it. Our being is inseparable from the land. It is an inheritance of interdependence. We can squander that. But in so doing, we waste ourselves.
Marion berries in Marion County, Oregon.
We all participate in the economy of compassion. I hope this post finds you a little richer than before. Know that you are my fortune, and nothing you can do can exhaust those riches.
Until we meet again
More enriched than we thought possible.
Was Van Gogh from Oregon?