Hi from Spokane:
Odysseus and I came down through the last of British Columbia this morning, passing big ranches at first, and then, later, going through the high desert where they grow all manner of fruit: apples, cherries, grapes-- I could not begin to name them all. Once again I have to say that I am very taken with British Columbia. It is certainly one of the most beautiful and rugged places I've been, yet it also has nice towns and excellent roads. It certainly has a lot going for itself.
Shortly after lunch, Odysseus and I crossed over the border and made our way into upper Washington State. It was rolling prairie up there, with gigantic fields of wheat and hay that stretched as far as the eye could see. Some of them were still green, and others were a beautiful ripe gold. They stretched on mile after mile.
Now I am back in the lower 48 states. I have come full circle, and I can tell you that it feels good to be back -- everything is so much cheaper for one thing. Gas, food, motel rooms -- bargains abound.
And so, my summer's adventure is winding down. Map Quest tells me that I am 12 hours from my son's house in Wyoming. It is Interstate all the way. With any luck I will be there tomorrow evening. A visit there, possibly some motorcycle riding in the Black Hills with my son if he still wants to do that, and then its time to take Odysseus back home to Mt. Carmel. I am certainly looking forward to seeing everyone again.
I thank all of you who followed me on my blog. In case you couldn't tell, I had a marvelous time and learned a lot. I saw tons of wildlife, met many wonderful people, and explored places that I will never get to see again.
Soon it will be back to school for my final year of teaching. In March I plan to ship Odysseus to Germany, and then next summer, if all goes as planned, Odysseus and I will head off to explore more of this beautiful world. I hope you will join me for that trip also.
Saint Augustine once said: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." I have a lot of reading yet to do.
More later,
Ron
