The Constancy of Change. June 29. Day 8.

Dear Trail Friends,

This morning I walked the short distance between Barview County Park and the town of Garibaldi along the railroad tracks. This short walk turned out to be unexpectedly beautiful - here are photos I took collaged into photo 1. 

 

And photo 2 and 3 are ones I didn't fit into the collage 

 

After picking up my resupply box at Garibaldi post office, I met our friend Judy's friend Susan. Susan treated me to a mocha latte (yum) and brought me to her home in Tillamook.  Susan is a Marriage and Family Therapist, not retired.  In addition, she and Lee (a dentist whose office she helps run) met as teenagers and have seven children - some born when they were in their 20s, some when they were in their 30s and the youngest when they were 43.  I commented how unusual it was to have that large a family in our generation (they are younger than me, in their early 60s)  and they talked about the time Susan had t-shirts made for the whole family that said "Yes they are all ours and yes we are both parents of all of them."

Photo 4 shows their house in its lush green surroundings - and the old car that was the setting for their earliest dates and adventures. Lee hopes to restore it someday after he retires. 

 

Oops. I am falling asleep as I write. I want to tell you that these are two kind and generous loving people who have inspired me as trail angels do (they were volunteered by our mutual friend Judy to trail angel me and though they are not official trail angels they obviously have long been accustomed to opening their home to their children's friends.). They are playful and we laughed a lot together and also talked seriously. .  

We went out to a local Mexican restaurant where they joked and engaged with the owner and staff and Lee pointed out with pride the menu item El Patron named after him after he had asked for a special vegetarian tostado piled high with both guacamole and avocado. Lee is a dentist and used to come often with his office staff so they began to call the dish that he always ordered El Patron (the boss). 

Photo 5 shows them after dinner looking at some of the grandchildren photos that they shared with me. I hope the photo conveys a little of the way their eyes and faces light up with love. 

 

I keep literally falling asleep as I type. I think my body is telling me that U need to stop for now. 

Tomorrow more beach, more trails climbing up high to I hope beautiful overlooks,  more road walks.  Thanks for your presence - and sweet dreams. 

Oh -?just one more little thing. There are two photos I meant to share and didn't. Photo 6, The Constancy of Change" is from the climb over Tillamook head ( doesn't it remind you of "sometimes the river is still" and lily pads on the river?) - and and photo 7 is from the hike up and over Cape Falcon (I loved the archway in the tree and wanted to walk under, not around. But I didn't fit with my pack, I couldn't duck down low enough for me and my pack to squeeze through. I had to get down on my knees like a penitente and walk on my knees. A humbling reminder that this walk is a pilgrimage - perhaps part what makes walks inherently spiritual is that one is required to accept and adapt to what is in a. Sry literal and practical way. No point in blaming the arch in the tree for being too low, or taking it personally, or even blaming myself for not going around. You just have to get down on your knees (or whatever else is required) and go on. 

 

 

Thank you for walking with me. See you tomorrow on the beach.