I've Been Busy!?

Ok June 29th: Sonja and I met up with Ian and Odele, our lovely pregnant friends, for an adventure in the San Juan Islands...actually they needed a ride up to see Ian's father and Sonja and I were on our way to Vancouver Island B.C. for a wedding in Sooke. Our friends Amanda and Paul were to be married at the highly esteemed Sooke Harbor House...man did we eat well! Glorious view of the water and did I tell you that this is my first trip to Canada? What a place! I love our 51 state so much now!

I was trying to figure out how to get citizenship while I was there I enjoyed the vibe so much. Ahh the Canadians were just so interestingly similar to us...and yet not...strange how we went to a "Roadhouse" type restaurant and bar and it was surrounded by beautiful forest and a pond. Also we stayed with Ursula's Bed and Breakfast and may I just say that woman is awesome? She totally has a heart of gold and is a true blue transplanted German Hippie. Wait no. You cant call her a "Hippie" because she is the real thing in her heart. She is like 60 and she travels the world and roughs it in Mexico with her boyfriend for fun!

While at the bed and breakfast the first night Sonja and I had Schnapps (homemade) shots with a few friends of Ursula's and talked about Love, philosophy, simplicity...you know the real issues we all yearn for. Then the next day after breakfast I had the great opportunity to learn about the psychological-biological bridge that exists as well as spiritual chakra healing with Colin a British musician of about 50 yrs old. He could play some beautiful guitar and more than anything I really enjoyed getting him talking all about the wisdom he has gained through his crazy life. He inspired me to start playing guitar and that who scene at the bed and breakfast in general was really peaceful with mucho deep conversations between strangers...damn that is good living...but are all Canadians like this? haha

Sonja had a nice run though the residential neighborhood right before the wedding. Saw some deer and many picturesque houses...its clean in Canada and its obvious that western civilization has only been expanding out here in the past 200 years since Lewis and Clark. Mucho space still. But for how long at this rate?

On the way back from Canada we had the pleasure to boat over to Waldron Island and spend a night at Ian's Dad's place. Simplicity is riding in the back of an open bed truck riding through deep forest and singing. Larry is so cool, caring, and down to Earth. He is the real deal. I loved riding on his small boat past the seals and drinking a beer with him and Sonja as we motored down.

On 4th of July Sonja and I had a grilled hot dog at her mothers before spending the evening at Andy and Jill's for a BBQ at their new home site. Congrats to Andy and his new castle. I hope he puts in a moat and tames that dragon. Just a beautiful house out in them trees.

The next day Michael H. and the rest of us all woke way too early and started our hike up to Deep Lake and Cathedral Rock. The weather was perfect. At lunch at Squaw Lake I took a skinny dip with Mike and Andy but quickly got out since it was FREEZING! I dont know how they stayed in truthfully. It was quite a wake up and cool down though. Beautiful since we had the entire place to ourselves since it was Thursday.

There have been two nice inventions created that made life easier while hiking: the compact water burner and the portable water filtration pump. I dont know how we would have made it if we had to carry all that water up ourselves. So we hiked up through snow and were on the top of the world there. I wish I had my camera there at that point. Everyone was eaten by mosquitoes quite heavily at Deep Lake so we camped up on the ridge the second night. Played a few card games and frisbee on top of the world. I brought a flask of tequilla and the pipe Andy gave me which was nice to enjoy as the sun sank. The small pleasures such as no bugs and easy access to water were missed though. Its nice to appreciate so many little things since I have been back.

I really was inspired too by my friend Michael who for some strange reason (he is crazy afterall) hiked all the way down to the truck at the trailhead that night and then back in the dark! It was probably a 5 hr hike at a quick pace....at night. haha! I mean you begin to stretch your beliefs in what the body is capable of after you conceive of feats like that.

Mike also showed me the hilarious ROBOT CHICKEN spoofs on Star Wars! Then Andy did an excellent job of cleaning my teeth...what friends huh? I love 'em. May we have more days together again.