Spent Wednesday driving around in the Columbia River Gorge area with Chris, Kristie, and Michael. Michael is staying up that way visiting his family. He and Chris are best friends and I’ve known Micheal since the 1999 WTO Seattle experience. He gave us the full tour, showing us things that only a local could show. We watched kite surfers catch waves on the Columbia, walked around in the Elementary School that was named after Michael’s father. Michael took us to his teenage hang out, a bridge down a trail off a dirt road. After trudging through briars and mud, we came up to a burned out bridge. We drove through BZ Corners, and I had to take a photo to prove the village existed. We visited White Salmon. We ended the day in Pucker Huddle, the street where Michael’s mother still lives. She had a nice house with a beautiful view of Mt. Hood.
from left to right: Great shot of Mt. Hood out of the car; Don’t blink or you’ll miss BZ Corners, WA; Yep, Pucker Huddle does exist; Mt. Hood from Michael’s Mom’s backyard; Chris sips lemonade and chills on Michael’s mom’s porch
Michael told the story that Pucker Huddle got its name from the settlers who wintered huddled under tents with nothing but pickles to eat. His mom told him his story was a lie and told a different one where a settler decided to have a party in his small house one night. The party got big and a man was overheard by a local newspaperman saying “there isn’t any room to pucker or huddle in there!” When the settlers were trying to find a name of the small village, Pucker Huddle stuck.
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Didn’t get to crazy with the schedule today. Feeling sore for the last few days of long hauls across Portland (and carrying a backpack for 3 hours last night kept the shoulders sore) so took her easy today. Left NE headed to the Carfree Conference, but had to stop by the Steel Bridge and SE Esplanade to photograph last night’s stencil business. Asked a few locals on bikes for directions and got to the bridge via MLK.
Portland’s Steel Bridge seen from the SE Esplanade
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Monday morning came soon enough after the long long walk to 25 Ave with Chris and his busted bike. We’ve gotten into a routine of waking around 9 p.m., having coffee and fruit-laden cereal, and planning out the day. This morning, Chris was up and ready to fix his bike. He’d also discovered that his phone’s main screen was busted. It still worked, but he had no way to navigate inside his device.
We threw the bikes on the back of the Nissan and went to Mississippi St. to a bike shop and a cafe. We got bike maps of Portland at the shop, which made me extremely happy since I didn’t really know my way around this city via bike. Unfortunately, the bike map doesn’t name streets other than the ones that bikes frequent. I’d have to use a two map system.
After a quick office visit (checking emails, updating the blog, etc.) I split the cafe and headed over to Williams Street for a lot depaving event. Chris had to go buy a new cell phone and register for the Carfree Conference. The Carfree Conference was at the depaving event so Chris met me there.
Volunteers ripping up the parking lot for an upcoming garden planting
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Sunday flew by today. Woke up this morning to coffee, cereal, and serious conversation in Eugene at our hostess Sue’s house. She has been an activist/radical since 1963 and was sorely missing the 1968 revolutionary feelings and sentiments in today’s world. But Sue has a good heart and a green thumb. Her garden looked amazing, and was full of great edible food. Her fig tree reminded me of my great grandmother’s fig tree in SC.
Saturday ended up being a full day. Chris got up early to call the mechanic to fix the Nissan in Yreka. They were open and on top of things from the beginning. They ran tests on the starter systems of the car and it was the starter itself that needed replacing. They had the part in town so we were on the road around noon.
Rolled into Eugene in time for Chris’s talk at Tsunami Books. Grabbed pizza beforehand across the street (a gourmet pizza place right beside a Domino’s???) and then I went to hear Chris’s talk. About ten people showed up, all middle aged white men except for a young male teacher and a woman. The woman spoke the most at the discussion part of the talk and she was an amazing activist working in many interesting projects.
Stencil Nation presents at Eugene’s DIVA center
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The first day ended with a fizzle tonight, after filling up the tank in the ‘96 Nissan in Yreka. Chris and I were on track to head up a bit further to Siad Valley (on the Klamath River) and spend the night with a friend of his. Wine, fresh salad, and good conversation awaited us in the wood of Norther California. Friday the 13th had gone smoothly so far. We did have a later departure out of San Francisco than planned, but all our stuff fit in the car, the bikes were nicely set up on the bike rack. We had a few bags of good food, a cooler of stuff, and AC to get through the hot day. No clouds covered Mount Shasta (The snow pack on top was terribly low as was Lake Shasta. Lake Shasta was about 50 feet down! The drought is here.) and traffic wasn’t too bad.
Chris’s photo of the much-depleted Shasta Lake
Turn off the water when you wash/bathe…. not much snow left to fill the supply!
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Heading up the West Coast to a book store near you. Stop by and introduce yourself.
Stencil slide presentation and Budget Stencil Gallery at each stop
Sun., June 15, 1 PM
Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts (DIVA Center), Eugene, OR
Mon., June 16, 7:30 PM
Powell’s Books Downtown, Portland, OR
(with window display by Vinyl Killers and Tiago Denczuk)
Fri., June 20, 7 PM
Last Word Books, Olympia, WA
(SOULE will be in town and at the event)
Sat., June 21, 2 PM
Elliott Bay Books, Seattle, WA
(with window display by SOULE)
Wed., June 25, 7 PM
Spartacus Books, Vancouver, BC
Sat., June 28, 7:30 PM
Camas Collective Books & Infoshop, Victoria, BC
Sun., June 29, 1 PM
Camas Collective Books & Infoshop
DIY stencil-making workshop
