Pretty Tiny Green Frog Size of a Toe Nail

Day 49 National Park 2011

I woke up at 4am and packed up camp.  I headed out for Battle Rock for sunrise.  I decided I would go straight to Bandon after and not return to Humbug that I needed to be at Bandon's Bullards beach campground no later than 9am.  I stopped by the restroom and made tea for sunrise.  I parked at the parking lot and saw fog blanket everything.  It was beautiful, and not what I thought for a colorful red sunrise.  I sat and just drank tea and looked out the horizon. 

I contemplated about karma, how it is still the same regardless who notices, who approves or disapproves, who recognizes or not.  It can’t be taken away because of this person’s story or spin on things.  None of it matters.   

Then I felt a depression, a weight on my chest and my mind drifted into dreams of drama, my mind wanders out of fear and reacts in the form of control.  This is movement of darkness within the mind.  The weight lifted when I realized this thing encourages harm and fear, not fearlessness, safe stability and peace.  So I stopped and the weight lifted from my chest. 

I stopped at the grocery store to get rosemary La Brae bread and I didn’t really like it.  I rolled into the campground at 9:14am.  Bob at the kiosk highlighted six sites on the map for me to choose from.  I asked for his recommendation so I didn’t have to do the run around.  He said out of these choices he liked B41 because there are neighbors to the left and right of the campsite.  He insisted I check it out and verify it before committing because people haven’t checked out from site B41 and I can’t register yet.  I drove to look at it and confirmed it.  It’s all tight sites here and packed in like parking lot spots.  People brought their giant RV and are holding their extended family reunions in these sites hanging Christmas lights and Dish TV etc..  I sat until 11am when I was able to finally set up the tent.  It was good I got to the kiosk early because the line got popular and long after me. 

I also visited yurts, I saw each yurt had three beds with heat and no cooking is allowed inside, it’s just $36 a night, what a steal.  The volunteer grounds crew said they reserve the yurt 50 people conference room once a month for volunteers potluck.  What a good idea.  This is a popular campground and there is a lot of staff keeping the place tidy and fast. 

While I sat in my car waiting for my site to vacate, I saw a big plump dog walk by.  In my mind I wondered if it was a dog or a pet mini pig.  I thought, “fat” and then felt the hit in my stomach.  The dog heard that and snapped back, threw crap in my third chakra.  All of it was true, I wasn’t mocking it. 

I set up my tent and hammock.  I moved the picnic table to a nice spot.  I am so excited about the hook up box.  I plugged my long extension chord in and heated the water and charged everything.  I used the induction stove all day.  I cooked napa cabbage in hot and sour sauce then the mung bean noodles in sate sauce. 

I saw a tiny little green frog the size of toe nail on a neighbor’s hook up box.  It was beautiful.  When I drove around the loop, I saw lots of little children on their bikes circling around the loop.  I watched how the older child upon seeing a car will stop, drop his bike and move to roll the little one out of the road in quick urgency.  I find it amazing and beautiful to see. 

I was so tired I took a nap from 2pm-5:45pm.  It was a great nap

My next door neighbor is from El Dorado County, a German man named Harold and his Korean Kauian wife Kim and their two dogs.  Kim gave me seaweed from Oregon beach.  I sat in their campfire and we chatted all over , Harold and I.  Seriously, I can like be silent for months and then I can just jump from that and chat nonstop.  I gave them a box of beautiful delicious Belgium chocolate but I found out Kim was allergic so I gave then cherries instead and Kim said she was hopping for cherries to begin with.  Harold told me about berries to pick in the area.

Oregon for the past few days was a good public, crowd, community, assimilation.  I am okay, I am not feeling too overwhelmed.  I do appreciate 10pm quiet hours.  It is too much all day long, human noise, human activities and all the chatter and interaction.  I was stuffed at 10pm and so I decide to write postcards, all nine of them to send and I charged my batteries.  It was after midnight when I was done.  I went for my shower.  It felt cool for the cold evening ocean temperature.  I had goose bumps and shivered as I showered.  The sensory light went off part way and I tried not be scared during the shower and I was.  I just jumped out of the shower and turn my headlight on.  The sensory light kicked back in.  I hope to not get sick over this.  Shower is included in the camping fee too. 

At 1am, April, John and Dad and the rest of the family were still talking.  It’s good that they have good relationships like that to bond over family.  Sharon, the sister complained yesterday of the quiet hour volunteer patrol who came by to remind them it was quiet hour.  She connected to when she was six years old and in Yosemite, she happily set up a squirrel trap on the trail and a ranger on his horse told her it was illegal.  That shock crushed her and she still has issues of park authorities today.  I can’t believe in her 50’s, that she is still carrying that and said she still has issues with authority over it. 

Then I wondered what issues do I still carry?  How am I like Sharon this way?    

On a Car Ferry For the First Time

Day 44 National Park 2011

I got up at 6am and packed everything in 30 minutes.  I rolled off at 7am.  I felt ready to move onto my next adventure.    As I drove the sky was grey and I knew yesterday’s sunshine was a gift.  I stopped at Walmart in Port Angels and spent $33 on pasta, sauce, bread, salad, potato and chips.  I took one last look at Mt. Olympus and the Hurricane Ridge, ah….beautiful.  Honestly, I find it a scenic obstruction with all these concrete buildings, street lights, etc….. 

I followed an RV to Port Townsend, I figured it was going to the port where I wanted to go and this was a good feeling I followed.  I didn’t know where the ferry port was and this RV led me to it.  The ferry was $11.70 for 33 minutes to Courville.  I loaded my car onto the ferry for the first time, I was very excited.  Reservations had first boarding and the rest of us are on standby.  I parked in the reservations lane, I didn’t have reservations.  On the ferry, it was a rough and bumpy ride.  People got out of their car and went up to the deck.  I sat in my car, ate fresh hot rustic bread from Walmart bakery, crispy on the outside and fluffy hot on the inside.  When I stepped out of the car to put food back in the trunk I felt dizzy, ocean sickness and I knew why I had to stay in the car and not move around the ferry like everyone else. 

I drove to Anacar Port, it took me an hour after passing through lots of farms.  I stopped at a cherry stand and bought two bags for $11, delicious cherries.  It was the right size and sweet in flavor, I waited all summer for this.  Living in the Bay Area I am spoiled with access to best produce and fruits.  In traveling, that is what I miss the most. 

 I crossed the street to a café to use the restroom and to pay for a cup of hot water to make tea.  The restroom was clean and the staff gave me a cup of hot water for free.  I was feeling sick like an onset of a cold and the hot Darjeerling tea really hit the spot. 

The San Juan Island is $53 per car, a flat rate.  In terms of time and directions it really didn’t make sense to travel up this way.  I even thought of turning around at the toll booth.  I followed what I saw and I got in line for the ferry, ate cherries, and drank the tea.  I loaded onto the second deck of the ferry.  I saw chromates on the nest by the window harbor.  I slept the entire one hour ride to the island.  I was so tired, I had been driving nonstop for six hours, and I was feeling ill. 

I got off at Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, it was a sunny and beautiful day.  The port looks like any touristy port.  I first went to the west part of the island where the locals said the best view of the Olympus mountains and Canadian islands were.  I had no idea where I was going, I didn’t have map, just followed the feeling of adventure.  It worked out well.  I mean it’s a small island, just don’t drive off the cliff, stay on the road.  I drove to the coast looked at the cliffs, passing farms, state park, and made a u-turn into the San Juan County park.  I needed to use the restroom.

I walked to the edge and looked out at the other islands and Canada.  The campsites were all full here.  Filled with extended families who reserved and brought their giant BBQ double grill set, actual couches facing the ocean to whale watch.  I hear this is the spot. 

I met a high school councilor from Santa Barbara who takes this trip every year and stays at this campground.  She said she was at the school for seven years and was laid off this year due to budget cut and then rehired or reinstated.  I helped her set up her tent in the wind at the walk in site.  She needed a hammer too.  This was a great place to camp on the island in terms of the whale watching. 

I decided to not camp at this part of the island.  I decided to leave the island.  The feeling of the entire island is nice, “You can rest your weary soul and body here, you will be safe and it’s alright.” “Thank You for the offer.” I responded.

Towards the end of my journey on this island, I had to pull over to the side of the road and contemplate the subject of sensitive, turbulent relationships that arose with affliction.  I thought about ideals and  projections people place on each other and expectations from things neither party agreed to or sign up for or is even aware of.  It’s all based on assumptions that somehow our own internal world of workings is the only one and that the rest of the world is to follow our own rhythm and command, like the flow of gravity.  With such demands of, “Well, why wouldn’t they?  Why shouldn’t they?  How dare they don’t?”      

I thought about what a monastery is for, it’s a place to plant blessings and connect positive affinities. I thought about what to follow, it’s the sound of wisdom and compassion, and not any one person.  With such conclusions, my island tour came to a completion.

I parked my car in line for the 6:30pm ferry at Friday Harbor.  I went for a quick stroll around the port and did window peeking.  Everything is overpriced.  I ended up at a café and had their vegetarian cauliflower fennel soup for $5.  It was hearty yummy.  I tasted cauliflower, fennel, sweet potato, a touch of tumeric, cumin, carrots, celery, peas.  I set the leeks aside and the chef said leeks are suppose to clear fungus and so is garlic.  I told her it give me bad gas and she was less offended by my lack of willingness of eating it.

The ferry loaded up at 6:16pm and rolled off at 6:25pm five minutes ahead of schedule and docked at 7:32pm.  I was parked next to the roars of rumbling hot generator.  A nap for an hour on the ferry was just what I needed. 

I drove to i5 and listened to the radio.  It rained and I made it back to Seattle at 9:30pm.  The buildings were all in slate grey and dim, set against the tungsten blue sky with layers of various rain clouds in different density accenting the sky that reflected the ocean and city lights.  Wow, what an amazing beautiful scene.  I could just park and watch the city change colors.  The image was so vivid.  All hands on wheel on this wet road conditions and I didn’t try to photograph this while I drove trough Seattle complex curved highways of many changes.     

Trying to connect to i410 was complex, I got lost over and over in Kent, Auburn, and Enumclaw.    I stopped at Auburn to get gas and to find a clean restroom.  The Albertson’s toilets lock at 10pm.  I had to keep driving and then stop at Enumclaw to use the Safeway to get produce at 11:30pm and use the restroom.  I contemplated sleeping in the parking lot.  I was somehow not tired so I kept on driving for the next three and half hours until 3:15am.  Although I was tired at 1:45am I kept on driving.  Yes that was dangerous considering how tired I was and the road condition was foggy.

In the White River area, I saw lots of women, ghosts wondering about for the past century.  They looked desolate.  Some of them were mix native.  They looked confused.  They lived in confusing times back then. 

Even in the dark, I can feel the beauty of Mt. Rainier National Park.  No visible moon tonight.  I saw three deer at three different times.  I had to drive in dense fog for 2 hours in the park.  I had only twenty feet visibility.  The good thing is there was no other traffic, I was the only car on the road.  It was a very dangerous driving condition.  I drove super slow.  I was pretty determined to get to Cougar Campground but I didn’t find it with three different attempts.  I finally pulled over at the Paradise Inn and rested sitting up in the car to wait out for day light. 

Super cold here, all snow, the grounds are all wet from snow melt.  I am amazed how I am alive and that my car is okay and that no animals were hurt.  I was hoping to see cougars and bobcats at night.  They might have seen me and dashed away.  In this fog, I can’t make out what is what and where is what.  I felt dizzy and my body felt like it just got off a ship, swinging, spinning, and still moving. 

Miles Driven: 456 Miles

Hours on the Road: 16 Hours

Restroom, the Nightly Hangout Spot

Day 43 National Park 2011

Woke up at 6am but I didn’t roll out of bed until 8:30am.  Opened my eyes and saw the sun shine through the tent window and said to myself, “If only I had gotten up at six I would have noticed the sun and I sure would have enjoyed that much more sun today and the sunrise.”  I recited and meditated.  I noticed my body was tense from all the distress of all the things I wanted to get done by 10am and it just wasn’t going to happen because I did not get up at 6am. “It’s done, it’s too late, let it go,” was all I could tell myself. 

I squeezed fresh orange juice with five oranges into 32oz bottle to pack for my day trip.  Seeing how the sun was out, I took paper towel and wiped down my tent to get as much mud off the outside and for the inside, as much puddle as I can.  The mud rolled into clay balls when I wiped.  I had to get over how muddy I was becoming in this process and how the mosquitoes were having a feast over me.  In this process of cleaning I also found pee spots from birds on my rainfly.  This morning’s challenge was to not complain and get upset or fuss over the things that still had to be done or the process of it.   

I rolled off for La Push village and Second Beach at 1pm.  Second Beach is a part of Olympic National Park.  The zoning in this area, in terms of what belongs to who is difficult to navigate without a map as private land and enterprise seems to mix in.  When I entered the area of Olympic National Park, I felt I hit the zone, the bubble of protection for National Parks.  It’s clean, it’s clear, and has a standard of pristine chi that is recognizable like a good Chan meditation hall. 

The trail of .7 miles into the beach through rainforest terrain was beautiful on this sunny day.  I missed the sun.  I looked at the ocean and thought to myself how I can spend a week on the coast like this. 

After La Push I went and did Twilight tourist things.  I saw the following signs,

“Jacob Black Vacation Rentals”

“Treaty Line, No Vampires beyond this line”

“Twilight firewood”

“Bella First Aid”

Lots of menu items are named after Twilight characters.  I followed the Twilight tour map from the Visitor Center.  I drove to the hospital and there was no Dr. Coullen Sign.  I drove to the Swan House and it really wasn’t it.  Neither was True Value Outfitters where Bella worked.  The only thing that was true to the movie was “Welcome to Forks Sign”. 

I ate at the super market, the only one in Forks, I ate out of the deli.  I didn’t want to cook and I wanted something hot to eat, not a good choice as most super market deli are the same mostly fat and carbs. 

At the parking lot I saw local native Quilout.  They looked Chinese Philippino Pacific Islander, I see why people assumed I was local.  They looked angry, unhappy, and miserable.  I wondered which came first, their addiction to pain and grief that brought them to this life as native Americans in reservations or the other way around?  Is pain, suffering, misery the only history they have, the only stories to tell?  Make new history, stories, and cultures!  How was their experience different than all the Chinese tribal villages of the past 5,000 years of war, unrest, change of culture, killings, and lost of land?  The road sign says, “Don’t DRUG and Drive.”  There are big flashy casinos everywhere.  There are more casinos than grocery stores.  That sure says something about the states of Washington and Montana.  There are giant Casinos with road kill giant flashing Las Vegas multicolor fancy electronic images billboard that lights the street instead of street lights.  Am I the only one who sees something is terribly wrong with this?  I don’t understand.  I thought the natives are suppose to be spiritual, full of wisdom that others look up to.  What is freedom?  Is freedom to hunt and log enough?  Are drugs and alcohol and gambling American’s freedom?   

It’s a Monday and when I got back to camp at 7pm, all the sites were filled.  A male deer had dinner next to my tent.  He was beautiful with velvety antler.  I tried to meditate tonight, I struggled through it.  I was just too tired.  I think it was all the junk food I had at the deli, all grease and sodium and microwaved.  I picked up second wind in the restroom after heating up hot water to wash my hands and face with.

In the restroom I met Girls Scout kids from Cilbourne, Georgia troop 1640.  They are bright girls. I chatted with the staff and one complained how my day was better because I didn’t have eight girls with me.  This restroom chat room was becoming a nightly thing.  It’s like the coffee shop, pub hangout, it’s the hot spot, the happening place at 11:30pm.  I noticed when people commented on my clothes and things I had, that it wasn’t about the things themselves, it was a female acquaintance friendly way of validating, in awe, seeing exchange saying, “You exist and you are beautiful”.      

I thanked the park for their support and hosting my growth and transformation during my stay here.  I told the bugs I was leaving and it would not be my fault if they are injured and died during the process of tent packing tomorrow morning.  The rain was not the lullaby that sang me to sleep tonight.  The birds and the river was my lullaby.  How wonderful I finally got to listen to them on my last night here. 

He Was So Beautiful I Couldn't Look At Him

Day 38 National Park 2011

I woke up at 5am.  I didn’t get much rest.  My eyes were blood shot red.  My pad and sleeping bag are both damp and wet.  I felt a depression wrap the bottom left of my heart.  I prayed asked for a healing.  My hips hurt and burned all night last night.

The rainfly was very drenched.  I folded the tent and the foot print to keep the inside from getting wet. 

I stopped at Forks to shop at True Value Grocery store and had fresh baked La Brae sourdough bread.  It was hot and crispy, totally yummy.  I don’t know how I lost 90 minutes in the store.  It’s funny how everything in Forks is called Twilight this, Twilight that; Twilight firewood.  It’s quite funny. 

The sky was overcast with rain today.  I really like this weather.  Everything is beautiful here.  The road side is covered in rainforest trees and wild flowers.  My ankle hurt the whole drive over to this campground.  I found myself dizzy and exhausted after just 75 miles of driving today.     

At the Hol Rain Forest Entrance I saw a male buck elk with velvety antler this morning.   It was a beautiful adult elk.  I pulled into the pay kiosk and a ranger walked up to me, a beautiful, solid, stately young man.  He took my word that I had an annual pass and signaled me to move on.  I saw he was very concerned over the safety of the elk and humans.  This ranger was so beautiful, full of good character, integrity, and proper righteousness that I was afraid of looking into his eyes or at his face.  He and I actually conversed as spirits in the True Value parking lot.  He expressed how he would be overwhelmed by my generosity and lacked understanding of it,  he didn’t need, he didn’t want.  He is a “if we all took care of ourselves then no one else needs to extend and reach out because we are all capable self reliant and self sustainable” kind of a person.     

The Hol River water level looked low at the Hol Campground.  I picked Loop C and #75.  It took me three runs around the loop to decide on a spot.  I got a bit disoriented going round and round.  I did see a charcoal black rabbit this morning, it had giant hind legs that were light brown.    

There is one restroom per loop.  The restroom is rusty, old, has flush toilet, light, and outlet access.  No wash sink access here, it is locked.  People are using the potable water station for drinking water and wash.  The backpacker’s loop is full tonight.  The C Loop was almost full at 1pm with two sites left. 

So I pitched my very wet tent in the open meadow without anywhere to hang a tarp canopy.  The ground was muddy from the rain.  Getting the stakes to stay was a challenge in the mud.  I had to get over the fact that everything is muddy and damp outside and inside the tent.  Even my hammer rusted overnight last night.  I managed to set up camp right before the downpour. 

The visitor center parking lot was full too.  I spoke with two rangers, one of which was Mark Coon who went to Fremont High School and was the class of 1957.  Both backpacker rangers whom I spoke with had strong clear eyes.  Their spirits were beautiful.  They highly recommend I backpack to blue glaciers that it is the only hiking trail around here.  I felt uplifted after this at 1pm, my energy totally changed with strength of hikers and backpackers.  I then sat in the car and looked out the windshield to stay dry and view the campground while I ate lunch.  It really had the best view out of the entire campground in my opinion.  I so needed a nap.  I decided to recite and meditate sitting in the car and I ended up falling asleep for three and half hours.  I don’t know where I went or what happened.       

My tent was covered in mud splatter.  I decided I would not cook in the rain.  I was too lazy to put up a tarp canopy somewhere to set up shelter for cooking.  I don’t mind the rain, standing in it or walking in it or sitting in it.  It just feels so god to sit and not do anything in the rain.  I saw a lot of CA license plates here, it means I am getting closer to California.  A spot of blue sky opened up for 15 minutes and the closed up for the day. 

I finally got around to morning ceremony at 5:30pm.  The sky thundered and roared at 5:36pm.  With all this downpour, I sang my heart out in the car.  I am the only one sitting in my car, everyone else had a canopy for their sites. 

On my way to the tent tonight, I saw a black tail young deer grazing next to my tent.  I see why I chose that muddy open spot for my tent.  The beautiful animals come by, deer, elk, bunnies and others.  I didn’t look forward to getting into damp sleeping bag, it’s pretty damp, I’m getting damp from being in it. 

Miles Driven: 75 miles

Hours on the road: 1 hour 15 minutes

Told Me 7mph and Wrote 12mph Over

Day 28 National Park 2011

I got up at 5:30am and was done with packing at 5:47am.  I am getting better at this.  I parted with Rex and Timber who was doing his insulin shot at 6:44am.  The pie shop was not yet open when I passed by.  I made an extra forty mile detour because I missed the connection from Paradise to St. Regis because there was only a sign for i90 going south and I didn’t check the town that it connected to.  When I made a u-turn, my gut got all tight and angry for not having perfected that, missing the connecting turn.  I yelled at the anger and shut it.  It was a scenic drive, a very scenic detour.  I wouldn’t mind camping in that area.  A turtle decided to sunbathe on the highway off the river, it was very dangerous spot to choose to sunbathe. 

I was tired of driving.  My right ankle hurt on the second hour of driving.  I was sleepy at the crossing of states again.  At west i20 I got a $158 speeding ticket in the section of 60mph change to 35mph change residential area that was a tiny small town of 10 shops.  I didn’t step on my breaks to break from 60 mph to 30 mph.  I was experimenting on how long it would take for my car to naturally slow down to 30mph.  The cop was parked right there at the change waiting to ticket.  I think that is all that he does all day long, there isn’t much going on here in this tiny town of ten buildings.  I was at 40mph when the 30mph sign rolled around.  I didn’t bother to talk when the cop pulled me over.  He said the speed limit was 35 mph and I was at 42 mph and I was over by 7 mph.  He said I should slow down and not accelerate.  I didn’t.  I didn’t step on my breaks so there was no break light for him to see.  I didn’t argue.  He wrote me a ticket for speeding over 12mph the limit.  I didn’t see this until he left.  I did a u-turn to chase him to locate him over this but I didn’t find him.  I don’t think he will rewrite my ticket.  I was too exhausted to be upset over this.  

I got gas at Coulee where everyone seems to be.  I had no idea that Forth of July weekend means cars and RV show off.  As I drove I kept asking myself, “Am I there yet?”  It’s been a super long day.

After pulling over at a cherry stand, I finally made it to Newphalem Campground.  I decided to skip the creek.  The campground is $12 per night.  I chose B54.  There is one restroom per loop.  The restroom is made of cedar.  The cedar oil smells wonderful.  I can live in this restroom. 

The tent is squished in a spot because the other parts are on a path and my other choices were all wet with puddles.  The chi flows well here. 

I was dizzy when I got out of the car.  My head spun as I stood in the restroom.  I couldn’t stand without feeling I’d fall, pass out and not get up anymore.  I don’t know how pilots, flight attendant, astronauts, and truckers do it. 

Everyone was asleep at 10pm, the place was super quiet.  I was the only one moving about at 11pm.  I saw an ant that was 1 inch long. Are they still ants when they are that big?  It is so cold tonight I can see my own breath, but it is warm in my tent. 

Miles Driven: 632 miles

Hours on the road: 14 hours and 45 minutes

Grocery Expense: $46

Leave Better Than How They Arrived

Day 26 National Park 2011

The wind finally stopped this morning.  With all this rain and wind, my tent and car both got a good cleaning.  No mosquitoes too, they were smart to avoid the rain and wind.  The birds are singing again, which means the weather is sunny.  I got up at 5am.  The tent required cleaning from a collection of water that gathered underneath and a bit of dirt around the edges.  This made the tent take down twice as long.  That’s how it is, otherwise I’d be getting water and mud into other parts of the tent.  Packing up took an hour.  Somehow tea took another forty minutes.   The drive to Apgar Campground via Two Medicine Lake and Goat Lick took 2 hours and 40 minutes.  This short drive put me in massive fatigue. 

When I pulled to the gate, a grandfather, an elder in skin and bones, did not shake, took my credit card for a new annual pass for national parks.  I perked up here.  As I pulled into Apgar Village for the campground, I proceeded with what I saw and ignored everyone else’s good experience and advice.  I just saw the area where my site would be and chose #A59 across from the restroom.  A loop is on the left towards the lake.  My driveway can fit six Honda Accords.  The tent area is standard national park size, so is the picnic table and the fire pit.  The water spout is in front of my site.  The bugs refused to get off my tent this morning so they are all here on this side of the park.  I was worried they wouldn’t survive the packing and the car ride but they did.

I watched my neighbor Everet use the water pump spout to learn how to control it.  It is not meant for a cup, a bucket is more like it.  A young teenager runs around the campground in loops, what a good idea.  People ride their bikes here.  Lots of people packing out and lots hammers hammering away in setting up.  It’s going to be a busy weekend.  Lots of people drove up in a car to get a site for their family and friends who will be coming up this weekend. 

Everet is from Cincinnati Ohio and loves Rocky Mountain National Park who recommends I take a train in Colorado one day.  He saw me trying to move the picnic table off the tent platform, the only spot not on a slant on this particular site.  Everet is in his late 80’s and he came to offer help in aiding me on moving the picnic table.  But I didn’t want to trouble his aging body so I told him I liked it as is.  I moved it after he left.  I slide it off the platform. 

The tent set up didn’t take too long.  I swept the inside where there was a collection of dirt.  I hope the wet part of the tent will dry and not mold.  I put food on the dash of the car for solar heating.  It’s all cooked just freezing cold. 

It’s like an RV show here.  People are rolling out their fancy mobile homes on wheels.  My site is perfect, the bus stops two sites over behind me.  The ranger said the bus will start running tomorrow.  No wash sink here and the restroom is full of rust.  No shower facilities here either. 

I met the campground host John who stood there greeting people and he had mountain eyes.  We chatted for awhile he was very nice, warm helpful, held his own space really well.  John told me about Fish Lake Campground, how the campground host there is very militant and monopolizes the campground for Fish Lake campers only.  That those hosts are on sensitive grounds for stepping on so many people’s toes for chewing out other campground hosts for sending people that way for showers.  John vented and stated it all as a matter of fact that supervisors pay attention to such things and that they won’t be here for long.  Affirming how the staff here is to help people.  They hope people come in one way and leave better than how they arrived, transformed.  The staff is here to assist people in that process and not make people unwelcomed or don’t want to come back.  John had integrity and is a good steward, guardian that the park called in.  I felt safe in his jurisdiction.  I recognize his sound.  I sing it the same.  He was strong like a rock, like earth, not moving, just there. 

I went to both Apgar Visitor Center, and Lake McDonald Lodge.  The restroom at the Lodge where there was hot water for the sink.  I stepped onto the deck of the lodge to look at the lake.   

I then drove straight to Avalanche Lake Trail and Trail of Cedars where all traffic stops because it was the end of road access blocked by snow.  The trail of cedars smelled wonderful.  The trees were beautiful and had an air of lightness around them.  The sun flashed in and out.  The moss covered the floor bed.  The trail had planks.  I like planks, the grounds are protected this way and so are the tree roots.  The cedar trees and cottonwood trees have shallow roots, they cling onto the stony mountain.  I had fun looking at trees, barks, needles, branches, and roots.      

I continued up Avalanche Lake Trail and saw a sign, “trail partly closed due to flood damage”.  I proceeded anyways to get a workout.  The trail was magnificent.  “Lord of Rings” came to mind and Gandalf the Grey, “You shall not pass” came to mind.  The running cascade and waterfall were so pretty in light matcha tea color.  It was so clean and clear, it looked delicious.  I put my hands in to feel the water.  This was my dunk for the day.  Others put their feet into the water.  I found the river to be super healing. 

I had fun getting my photos taken.  I felt so light and happy, I skipped and hopped.  At the east side of this park I felt like running.  If it wasn’t for my injured ankle I’d do split leaps, cheer jumps.  I also photographed other people for them, couples and families.  I had fun.  I am happy and grateful. 

The overflow parking was the Avalanche Creek Campground Loop A.  I parked at A153.  After my hike I snacked in the car and saw a deer swing by my car from the back to the front counter clockwise, then disappeared into the woods.  What a pleasant surprise.  It was a very playful deer going here and there. 

I proceeded towards Lake McDonald and pulled over at the various pullouts to look at the river, waterfalls, cascades.  I drove into Sprague Campground and found it to be very small loop.  One side faces the lake other the road traffic.  I pulled over the lakeshore access and ate most the cinnamon roll.  I sat on the fallen tree and listened to the high tide roll in.  The water is a beautiful green blue color.  I had fun, what a treat. 

Then I stopped at the Apgar Village and walked around the shops.  I came across a man looking at huckleberry shelf.  We started talking about huckleberry.  He said they pulled over on the way in to pay twenty dollars for a giant huckleberry pie.  The shop is on i93 next to a cherry stand.  The woman closes shop at 3pm.  That when I see a windmill, I am to turn right.  I hope that means right my direction on the way out. 

I stopped at Fish Creek Campground.  It’s quite a ways away from everything even though it’s two miles away from here.  I wanted to see the sites.  There was a super long line to check in at the kiosk.  I decided it was alright to skip showers and be nature clean. 

I felt so tired I just wanted to skip dinner.  I made it back to camp at 6pm.  Everet along with other campers had their fire going.  I decided to duck away from all the campfires.  The camps felt quiet in a packed campground.  The reason is that each campsite has plenty of space allocated for privacy and nature.  I had told Everet earlier today that I wanted to sit at a campfire and now tonight I didn’t want to.  He made a nice campfire and I did now show up.  I did not find his wife feeling warm towards me and I felt it was best to not intrude into their vacation.  This life, Everet and I are 45 years apart, yet we conversed like we were great spiritual friends of the past.  It was a beautiful delightful reunion.