my 2000 Honda Insight named Skate

Skate & Oregonman’s Journey
Here’s Skate & I mileage report and gas purchases, more number crunching needs to be done, Skate, a 2000 Honda Insight performed beautifully, tire pressure, regular oil changes and the switch to synthetic oil later in the trip helped and sometimes the need for a higher octane gas had an effect on miles per gallon (mpg), as well as the wind, hills or mountains, how fast we had to drive on certain routes, the weather, and rain does lessen mpg. Skate over-heated in the mountains of California due to my blocking of the air vent that helps cool off the batteries, without the electric assist the car still ran and continued to achieve great gas mileage, some worry on my part during our 400 miles push across Nevada with the engine light on to find a dealer, and than at an Immigration stop in White Sands, N.M. when the temperature was 103 degrees sitting for 30 minutes. We do not have AC, in the South it would help with cooling down the batteries and in storms when we could not roll down the windows, AC would help defog windows.
The Batteries at 130K are wearing down, yet still working, someday they will need to be changed, not sure of the cost for replacement. Honda has discontinued this model, and it’s a perfect 2-seater for the road, not sure why. Skate, its look and gas mileage have excited many folks around the country about the potential gas savings to be had, will it take a big diesel pick-up hybrid to help turn America’s head?
Skate performs best at about 58 mph, 2500 rpm, 3rd and 4th gear were the best use of energy, we used 5th gear above 62 mpg, although this did not seem to be the best use of gas, but enabled us to keep up.
Skate is a perfect blue highways vehicle, a small two-lane blacktop car if ever made.

Buxton, Oregon to Bainbridge Island, Washington
63.2 mpg/ 264.6 miles
5.4 Gal @ $2.89 = $15.50
Bainbridge Island to South Bend, Washington
60.3 mpg, 390.6 miles
South Bend to George Washburn State Park
N. of Florence,Oregon
63.4 mpg, 241 miles
9.5 Gal @ $2.96 = $20
Florence to Del Norte State Park
S. of Crescent City, California
63.9 mpg, 209.9 miles
4.79 Gal @ $3.09= $14.81
Del Norte to Arcata
55.6 mpg, 56.5 miles
Arcata to Napa
61.3 mpg, 277 miles
Napa to Yosemite
58.5 mpg, 272 miles
7.25 Gal. @$3.64= $26.43
Yosemite, California to Tonopah, Nevada
60.3 mpg, 449.3 miles
9.5 Gal@ $3.95= $37.50
Tonopah to Zion National Park, Utah
63.9 mpg, 351.4 miles
5.79 Gal.@ $3.14= $18.26
Zion to Bryce Canyon to St. George, Utah
65.8 mpg, 363.5 miles
8.56 Gal @ $2.96= $25.41
St. George, Utah to Lee’s Ferry, Arizona
66.0 mpg/ 280 miles
Lee’s Ferry to Slow Low, Arizona
65.8 mpg/ 407.2 miles
8.23 Gal @ $3.16= $26.01
Slow Low to Silver City, New Mexico
67.9 mpg/ 284.4 miles
Silver City to Gila Hot Springs
54.0 mpg/ 141.1 miles
9.27 Gal @ $2.90= $26.87
Gila Hot Springs to Roswell, New Mexico
66.5 mpg/ 369.8 miles
Roswell to Guadalupe State Park, Texas
58.0 mpg/ 165.7 miles
7.11 Gal @ $2.79= $19.89
Guadalupe to San Angelo
66.5 MPG, 368.6 miles

San Angelo to Kerrville
Kerrville Folk Festival
54.2 MPG, 242.1 miles
7.56 Gal @ $2.68= $20.24
Kerrville to Austin
55.6 MPG/ 214 miles
6.04 Gal @ $2.80= $16.91
Austin, Texas to Sulphur, Louisiana
55.9 MPG/ 365.3 miles
7.8 Gal @ $2.80= $21.83
Sulphur to Lafayette to Natchez, Mississippi
59.6 mpg/ 276.2 miles
4.34 Gal @ $2.66= $11.57
Natchez, Mississippi to Waynesboro, Tennessee
62.9mph/520.8 miles
6.22 Gal @ $2.80= $17.41
Waynesboro to Franklin, North Carolina
60.3 mpg/ 381.2 miles
9.22 Gal @ $2.72= $25.00

Franklin to Dunn
61.5 mpg/ 353 miles
6.77 Gal @ $2.80= $18.95
Dunn to Nag’s Head
60.1 mpg/ 251.6 miles
8.86 Gal @ $2.83= $28.29
Nag’s Head to Beauford to Durham
62.0mpg/328 miles

Durham
52.4 mpg/ 60.3 miles
Durham, North Carolina to Natural Bridge, Virginia
59.9/ 209.4 miles
8.89 Gal @ $2.87= $25.52
Natural Bridge to Front Royal, Virginia
59.9 mpg/ 244.3 miles
Front Royal, Virginia to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
58.5 mpg/ 120.7 miles
6.99 Gal @ $2.86= $20
Gettysburg, Pa. to Tabernacle, New Jersey
60.1 mpg/215.8 miles
Visiting Jersey Relatives
54.O mpg/ 151.4 miles
Tabernacle to Ancramdale, New York
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
59.2mpg/ 233.7 miles
6.47 Gal @ $3.09= $20
Grey Fox to Greenfield, Massachusetts
60.1/133.1 miles
6.7 Gal @ $2.99= $20
Greenfield to Pantuckaway State Park. New Hampshire
(near Raymond)
61.5/ 142.2 miles

Pantuckaway N.H. to Portland, Maine
59.2/ 126.8 miles
8.48 Gal @ $2.96= $25.10
Portland to Acadia
57.8 mpg/ 159.3 miles
3.38 Gallons @ $25= $10
Acadia to Cobscook
Cobscook to Baxter
58.2 mpg/ 123.8 miles
8.6 Gal @ $2.95= $25.50
Baxter to Banger, Maine
61.5 mpg/ 142.3 miles
Banger, Maine to Crawford Notch State Park
Mt. Washington, New Hampshire
62.9 mpg/ 199.3 miles
8.61 Gal @ $2.90= $24.94

Mt. Washington to Little River State Park
Waterford, Vermont
56.6 mpg/ 217.4 miles
Waterford to Grand Isle on Lake Champlain
Burlington, Vermont
59.4 mpg/113.5 miles
9.58 Gal @ $2.94= $28.17
around Burlington and the Isles
59.4 mpg/207.9 miles
Lake Champlain, Vermont to Fish Pond State Park, New York
58.7mpg/ 155.5 miles
Fish Pond to Utica
59.6 mpg/ 173.4 miles
Utica to Niagara Falls, New York
60.1 mpg/ 303.9 miles
10.03 Gal @ $3.03= $30.51
Niagara Falls to Allegany Mountains, Pennsylvania
to Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio
61.2mpg/ 332.8 miles
Geneva-on-the-Lake to Detroit, Michigan
62.9 mpg/ 249.5 miles
9.14 Gal @ $2.99= $27.41
Detroit to to Sleepy Hollow State Park
Laingsburg, Michigan
60.3 mpg/ 112 miles
Sleepy Hollow to Sleeping Bear Dunes
Michigan
60.1/ 339.5 miles
8.87 Gal @ $3.18= $28.28
Sleeping Bear to Tahquamenon Falls
Paradise, Michigan
61.1 mpg/ 234.1 miles
8.62 Gal @ $3.16= $27.24
Tahquamenon Falls to Whitefish & back
64.3 mpg/ 56.7 miles
Paradise to Houghton, Michigan
65mpg/ 255.7 miles
Houghton to Hibbing, Minnesota
63.9mpg/ 449.1 miles
9.08 Gal @ $3.11= $28.33
Hibbing to Lake Bemidji
59.6 mpg/ 188.1 miles
Bemidji to Fargo, North Dakota
65.6mpg/ 197.3 miles
Fargo to Lake Sakakawea State Park,
Pick City, ND
62.9mpg/ 325.9 miles
9.03 Gal @ $3.10= $28
Pick City to Williston
59.9mpg/ 326.7 miles
8.39 Gal @ $3.15= $26.42

Williston, North Dakota to Shelby, Montana
60.1 mpg/ 428.0 miles
Shelby to Rising Sun Campsite
Glacier National Park
62.5 mpg/ 166.7 miles
8.54 Gal @ $3.23= $27.68
Rising Sun to Avalanche, and over Logan Pass
68.1 mpg/ 112.7 miles
Avalanche up Logan’s Pass and back
63.9 mpg/ 81.6 miles
Glacier to Colville, Washington
71.6 mpg/ 358.9 miles
8.69 Gal @ $3.36= $29.21
Colville to the Cascades
61.8 mpg/ 242.4 miles
North Cascades to Mt. Baker to Bellingham
60.1mpg/ 251.8 miles
8.5 Gal @ $3.49= $29.76
Bellingham to Bainbridge Island
61.8 mpg/ 122.2 miles
Bainbridge Island to Buxton, Oregon
59.9mpg/ 252.2 miles

Special thanks to the Honda folks that helped maintain Skate during the trip and our McMinnville dealer that maintained the car when home in Oregon.
Moving back to Portland after 10 years in the countryside of Oregon for the winter, hoping to save Skate for another ride by using mass transit at home.
Skate my trusty side-kick & I will ride into a town near you on another day, soon!

Right know we are in Texas on a small side trip, heading back to Oregon later this week.
More on this trip, as well as a couple of slide shows.
Oregonman will be blogging about politics, people, food and Oregon this Autumn & Winter, hoping to get back on the road in the Spring.
See you on the blue highway of life!

Home Sweet Home!

Home-Trying the Knot
Bainbridge Island to Buxton, Oregon
59.9mpg/ 252.2 miles traveled
Start mileage: 112,968
Finish mileage: 131,706
Miles Traveled: 18,738.2 miles traveled
Interstate Hwy: 240 miles
Blue Hwy: 18,498.2 miles

Bainbridge to Buxton: Rt. 305N to Rt. 3S to Shelton, Rt.101S, then Rt. 108W, Rt.12W, Rt.107S to Rt.101S to Rt.4E to Cathlamet, Rt.409 to the Ferry across the Columbia River to Westport, Oregon, then Rt.30E to Hwy. 47S to Buxton, Oregon
The final leg, after a leisurely morning on the island, then helping Tom & Maureen with moving of some large rocks, it was time to journey home, the final leg of this journey to Jeff & Kim’s house in Buxton for a week of catching up, then the annual Labor Day BBQ weekend.
A perfect NW late summer day, 80 degrees cloudless sky, pass all the familiar sights of the first day of my journey, I am not stopping today, most pictures are from the car as I race southward to Oregon, this day is different in feeling, not looking for the unknown or discovery, yet a new meaning on travel is in me, I must not forget those feelings of traveling alone on back roads, side roads, some dirt, some very narrow, up steep mountain sides in low gear, then coasting down them with just enough brake not to fly off in a Thelma & Louise moment, driving a hybrid car gives one perspective of how a car works, what’s mileage on the way up, and can I make it up going down, how can I get 71mpg one day, then 59 mpg the next, in years past a wrong turn meant frustration, not anymore, just wait then read ajust to ones error, are mistakes’ mistakes, we are told not to make them, we cover them up, don’t admit them, we shame ourselves for them, we keep them secret, if we have a destiny our mistakes will help take us there, a past lover told me the time we spent together was a lost time, I disagree, it’s part of the process, gleam what you can, learn for those mistakes and grow them into a better truth, give praise and thanks to struggle, a year ago I would have said bull, my struggle was 23 months long, thousands of dollars for a lawyer, two jobs, sometimes not enough money to pay even the parking meter at my second job, drinking a 40oz of PBR was my quality of life, yet I survived and am a better man for it, no past regrets, yes it could have been done some things better, yet as a collected group of people we influence each other, as a solo flyer we much adjust to our own medicine and decisions, so choose wisely, back to heading home, down the road to views of the Pacific, a burger in Cosmopolis, to the ferry to cross into Oregon, missed the 8pm, thoughts of racing to the bridge, wait 30 minutes it will be OK, then standing on the front of the ferry like George Washington crossing the Delaware, the sun has set, the moon over the water I am guiding this vessel to the shore, I kiss the ground, my home of 30 years Oregon, then Rt.30 to Hwy 47, my home for the last 10 years, up the Devil’s Spine, a bit dangerous with large elk about at night, around hairpin curves upward to Vernonia, buy some good Oregon beer, then down the hill like water looking flowind towards the sea, into a gravel driveway late at night to spend time with friends, my family, Home Sweet Home!

Home is place where a person or family lives, perhaps spends much of their time, or where a person is comfortable being. While a house (or other residential dwelling) is often referred to as a home, the concept of "home" is broader than a physical dwelling. Home is often a place of refuge and safety, where worldly cares fade and the things and people that one loves becomes the focus.
“Welcome Home” Kerrville Folk Festival greeting
"Home is where you hang your hat."
"Home follows the family."
"Home is where the heart is."
"Home is where you make it"
"Love makes a house a home."
"There's no place like home"
"You can't go home again."
"An Englishman's home is his castle."
"I'm only at home when I'm away."
"Everybody wants to go home."
"Make yourself at home."
"Home is where the hurt is."
"Give a dog a home."
"Home Sweet Home."
"Charity begins at Home".
"A home is in all hearts"

Journey can refer to:
Journey (band), an American rock band.
Journey (album), their 1975 debut album.
Journey (video game), an arcade game which featured the band.
Journey: The Quest Begins, a 1989 computer game.
Journey (book) (2000), by Danielle Steel.
Travel, the transport of people.

My journey was to explore the smaller roads across America, it will take a little longer, it’s not a straight line, there are stop signs and lights in most towns, there are school zones with small town cops to make sure you do it right, on the record I was never stopped, yet one day after being back in Oregon, I got pulled over in Forest Grove, I showed him my route on the map, no ticket, my journey was a general direction with decisions made daily, occasionally I pushed past a point on the map had I known better, on to an unknown, be patient it works out, on a long journey one loses the date, the day of the week, the newspaper was seldom read, yet the news stayed the same, then I look at the big map to realize why Canadian radio is on, the weather can be dealt with without the weather channel, just let me know if something big is coming, dirt roads have pot holes, and please take time to talk to the locals and listen to their stories, our stories.
The other aspect of this trip was rural politics, America is a great country, our people are real, and our Government has too much power, so remember you are the America, stand up, and look pass the bull, we as a free society that stands for something bigger, we will pay the price for true freedom, that is our cost, not killing innocent people and bad ones too, that Gods job, local is better, local is America, treat the rest of the world like your neighbor, stay out of their yard, unless you want to mow the grass, speak kindly to all, if offended quietly walk-on, share what you can with others less fortunate, this journey has taking me to a lot of door steps and backyards, forests, mountains, deserts, valleys, towns and cities.
Most small towns across this country struggle with economic needs, social pressure to keep their communities intact as they are told to be patriot, and that freedom is killing folks in other countries, at home schools struggle to teach our children basic skills, health care for the poor and young people does not exist, hunger is an on going problem, we dump the mentally ill on the streets, the local church tells people support the troops, I do support anyone that kills in Gods or Jesus or Muhammad’s name, many small towns are empty with the big box stores with low prices down at the crossroads, that’s all of our responsibility, is it a lack of knowledge, we must support small local business, pay a dollar more, we do for gas, and why are all goods made in China, our debt both individually and nationally is astounding, we all owe, can we not take care of ourselves, all people need good leadership, democracy is were everyone listens and we come up with a plan for the people, the corporations will get theirs, but let’s be real, on the morality issue, let anyone who loves another do it, the modern family should be diverse, damage done in shame, guilt and persecution is not right. We need to get back to common sense and have honest talk with our neighbors.
Food: lots of good to great eateries out there, in Orick, California at the Palm Café, a great greasy spoon, delightful creamy cheese at Cypress Grove Creamery in Arcata, in Utah, always good food, it’s in their blood, wholesome comfort food, in Panguitch great smoked turkey and peach cobbler at the Cowboy Café, at the Flying M the worlds’ largest Cinnamon roll, two days of eating, then to Springdale outside of Zion, the Spotted Dog for world class in the country food, BBQ Ribs to die for at the Lee Ferry Lodge on Hwy 89a around Marble Canyon, Arizona, then in the Gila Wilderness, NM at the Wilderness Lodge B&B for Dean’s wonderful breakfast and hot springs to boot, on to Texas for lots of great BBQ, folks know their smokers there, the County Line (Austin) for the best BBQ beef ribs and in Fort Stockton for Mexican at Mi Casita for my best lunch, enchiladas from heaven, back in Austin, Churra’s with most unique salsas like toasted Pumpkin and great Tamales, in Dime Box at the general store for a $2.25 pulled Pork Sandwich, farther down the road in Cleveland great Brisket and an excellent chef telling me has sauce recipes and sharing chef/food stories, into Louisiana for Cajun, BBQ Shrimp it’s a different type of BBQ, and dancing to work it off, on to Mississippi were good food dots the map in Natchez for Mr. Smith’s freshly smoked pork butt and sauce at 8am to the Blue Levee in Rosedale for a great plate special on to Clarksdale, the home of the Blues and another Pulled Pork Sandwich at Abe’s, since 1924 at the crossroads, on into the south, Tennessee for grits and smoked ham for breakfast, North Carolina for Vinegar based BBQ sauce in the western part of the state to the east for smokery sweet, and biscuits all the time in the south, then on the coast for steamed crab and shrimp, good enough to quiet the whole family sucking the sweet meat out of the shell, back into the interior for more good BBQ and Fried Chicken, and soul food if you look in the right places, Pennsylvania around the Amish for food that sticks to the bones and warms the tummy, oh yeah, pies, from Utah to Texas and the whole South, Fruit Pies, yummy, on into Jersey for great Pizza and Cheese steaks, Pretzels and Tastycakes, on to NY for great Italian Food, and great Garlic Knots, then there’s Submarine Sandwiches for a meal that a single man can live on, into Maine for Lobster everywhere, every nook along Rt. 1, Lobster Rolls for lunch, steamed whole lobster for dinner, into Vermont for Ben & Jerry’s and great cheeses, a wonderful organic movement here with farmers supplying the local chefs and wonderful downtown of Burlington, Vermont,
back though NY for more great Italian, wonderful thin pizza, just enough cheese and a little sauce to make me smile, into Michigan for a downtown celebration in Detroit and BBQ, so good, folks wait in line for hours,
more great fruit pies in the north, all types of fish from the Great Lakes to be had, Up State for home-made jams and jellies and Pasties for a hungry miner or a passing tourist like me, on to Hibbing, Minnesota for a good healthy portion breakfast on a rainy Sunday morning without Bob, further west Wild Rice and Walleye Pike dot the menu, Mayville, North Dakota for a counter-top lunch $5.99 for beef, mashed potatoes and Gravy with a cup of soup, topped off by homemade pie and coffee, salt of the earth folks here need good food, into Montana for more great pies, Huckleberry anyone, back into the NW for our great seafood, oysters, an excellent meal at the Boundary Bay Brewing in Bellingham, then back to Bainbridge and Seattle for more of the same, and of course NW coffee, my fav, a 4-shot Latte in a 12oz cup, read the blog for more details.
Beer nationally is better, almost every state has a local micro-brewery, always good, some great beer full-bodied ones too, read the blog for more insight about food and beer, and I am fixing to put together a slide show of the trip and a separate one of food.

Quest, a voyage towards a higher goalA knight-errant is a figure of medieval chivalric romance literature.
"Errant" meaning wandering or roving indicates how the knight-errant would typically wander the land in search of adventures to prove himself as a knight, such as in a pas d'Armes. Many knights-errant fit the ideal of the "knight in shining armor". A knight-errant performed all his deeds in the name of a lady, and invoked her name before performing an exploit.
In the romances, his adventures frequently included greater foes than other knights, including giants, enchantresses, or dragons. They may also gain help that is out of ordinary; Sir Ywain assisted a lion against a serpent, and was thereafter accompanied by it, becoming the Knight of the Lion. Other knight-errants have been assisted by wild men of the woods, as in Valentine and Orson, or, like Guillaume de Palerme, by wolves that were, in fact, enchanted princes.

When driving the road less traveled often one takes a wrong turn, part of a journey is to do just that, then let the unknown reach out to you, and enjoy a new found discovery, William Least Heat-Moon writes in blue highways about the word error, it comes from a Middle English word, erren, which means “to wander about,” as in the knight errant. The word evolved to mean “going astray” and that evolved to mean “mistake.” As for mistake, it derives from Old Norse and once meant “to take wrongly”, he explains he had been mistaken and in error, taking one wrong road after another, as a result he had come to a place of clear beauty.

My quest was to allow myself to be the best of me, to learn to be better for me and others, to wander, to find home in other places, to give thanks to all places
and to find peace in my thoughts and actions, and clarity for the each day and I have found faith in my process and my spirit to find truth in my actions and deeds.

Thanks to my friends in Oregon, I value you all, to all the folks that let me ask questions and gave me their time, even thanks to those that don’t know their own neighborhood, if you work in the service industry learn your surroundings and please do a better job waiting on me, I am blessed to have many great new friends all over the country, special thanks to all the musicians,

both live and the ones that showed up in my car, a sincere thanks to my family, our reunion was healing, one without my sister Donna who passed away in December, her memory lives on, Bless You, and my kids Abraham & Anna with new grandchild Gianna,
and to those that followed me around this great country on this blog.

We lock ourselves into a life to survive, and create a space of comfort, work, pay bills, raise children, see friends, use our small bits left to find rest, our mind may wander, our body ages, open the roadmap that is tucked away somewhere in the car, go ahead open it up, pick a spot and go, a good day is one where you don’t go back, explore a curious thought, drive down that dirt road, talk to your fellow wanderer, look at a new wonder, don’t let your dream stay stuck in your head, life is too short, approach everyday as your last, it may be, go ahead and live your dream. Paradise can be found!

a special thanks to William Least Heat-Moon and his book 'blue highways', an excellent read and inspiration for me on my journey.

Completing a Loop, Knot not yet Tied

Completing a Loop, Knot not yet Tied
Bellingham to Bainbridge Island, Washington StateAfter an enjoyable night in Bellingham, having dinner at the Boundary Bay Brewing company, great Pulled Pork Tacos and Black beans, beer so good you can chew it, wonderful full bodied and the taste excellent, here's were there approach is to render excellent examples from classic styles. In some cases--such as with thier IPA, Imperial IPA and Imperial Oatmeal Stout--they push the envelope and make a very big and flavorful brew. Like a new kind of music, it may take a few samplings to build your palette but soon you will be coming back for more. Then later that night, I was to be taken by an employee to a party, these great young woman I meet sitting at the bar, take me to the outside patio area, it's Reggie night with Hula-hoops, most much fun.
Bellingham is far enough north of Seattle, and just under the Canadian border, with the Mountains to the East, and the Sound to the west, all the usual gray skies, cool evenings, breeze from the west, the relaxed feeling of a small hip western town, without the hype, must see more, yet I feel complete this trip.
Heading south to complete the loop, getting to Bainbridge will be a loop, still not yet home.
Head down Chuckanut Drive, leaving another Paridise then down Rt. 11S, beautiful views of the sound, salt-water, this is not a large lake, pass Larrabee State Park, down off the ridge overlooking the Sound to flat farmlands, with farms and nurseries, a great 4-shot Latte and muffin to start the day, lots of potato farms here, though Blanchard, then one mile of Interstate 5S to Rt.20W heading unto Whidbey Island, stopping at the Valley Café for breakfast, one of the best I have had, except the coffee, not NW coffee, just outside of Bayview, it’s worth the stop, then on to the Island pass Deception Pass.
History:
In the spring of 1792, Joseph Whidbey, master of the HMS Discovery and Captain Vancouver's chief navigator, sailed through the narrow passage that is now called Deception Pass and proved that it was not really a small bay as charted by the Spaniards (hence the name "Deception"), but a deep and turbulent channel that connects the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Saratoga Passage, which separates the mainland from what they believed was a peninsula (actually Fidalgo Island and Whidbey Island).

In the early years of the 20th Century, travelers of the horse-and-buggy era used an unscheduled ferry to cross from Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island. To call the ferry, they banged a saw with a mallet and then sat back to wait.
The bridge, one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest, is actually two spans, one over Canoe Pass to the north, and another over Deception Pass to the south. Construction began in August 1934, and the completed bridge was dedicated at noon on July 31, 1935. The Wallace Bridge and Structural Co. of Seattle, Washington provided 460 tons of steel for the 511-foot Canoe Pass arch and 1130 tons for the 976-foot Deception Pass span. The cost of construction was $482,000.
In September 1982, the bridge was declared a National Historic Monument.
Down though Ebey’s Landing where Isaac Ebey, a person significant in early territorial government and the first European-American settler to claim land on Central Whidbey Island before Washington became a state; the story of settlement under the Donation Land Claim Act between 1850 and 1855; the explorations of Captain George Vancouver in 1792; and the development and growth of the historic town of Coupeville.
Continue on Rt. 20 to Keystone, take the ferry across to Port Townsend,

a place I would have liked to have stopped at the beginning of my journey, a wonderful coastal town, an annual Wooden Boat Show brings folks from all over, a beautiful red brick buildings downtown, two breweries here, Port Townsend Brewing and Water Street Brewery, and a place called the Boiler Room, a safe place for youth, a place for well being , a coffee shop and then there a Writers’ Conference, for more than thirty years, writers from across the country have gathered at Centrum in a community devoted to the art of writing and the writer’s life. Centrum is a place that encourages exploration. Participants work closely with the distinguished faculty to open doors of perception, exploring new ways of communicating. The Port Townsend Writers' Conference is guided by Artistic Director Rebecca Brown.
Down Rt.20, pass the ship building and industrial side of town to Rt. 19S, turn left to Rt.3 over the Canal Bridge, look for submarine because they are down there, occasionally pulling down a small fishing boat, on land I think we are ok, the Rt. 305 to Bainbridge Island and the sanctuary of Tom and Maureen’s house and the Yankees are in town, a bad house guest I am to leave hours after arriving for a ride to Seattle on the ferry and a baseball game.I am Bad yet Good!
One more segment to publish, Home.

Tom and Maureen are helping me leave, is it time?
61.8 mpg/ 122.2 miles traveled.

One of my many joys has been listening to DIANA JONES, notes from her website and a short poem inspired by her work: Finding the roots of her raising.
HER VOICE sounds like the smoke from a hand rolled cigarette, the day’s sweat clinging to sun-baked flesh and the exhaustion of working in a sharecropper’s dusty fields. It is old-time, perhaps even out-of-time, and it draws you in with its musky, dusky tone and emotional nuances that glow like dying coals. It is not a voice that Diana Jones found easily, but it has served her well.
A resonant vintage folk/bluegrass bender, My Remembrance haunts with its tales of displaced people, the brutality of the world, and the irrepressibility of the human spirit.
“I found my voice," she acknowledges. “Literally, found out what my voice was supposed to do - and it was in these songs, finding the stories that really resonated and felt connected to someplace deeper. And it’s funny, once I got to the truth, it was easier to write about than anything else. Not just the songwriting, either, but knowing myself in a deeper way. Once I found it, once I wrote those first few songs, they just kept coming and pouring out.”

THEY CANNOT DAM THE SKY
My name is Horse, My name is Deer, My name is Moon, My name is Fear.
What they could not take with bullets, They took with the red blankets, Scaling the skin, Boiling our blood.
When they weren't strong enough To strip the mountains of men, The white eyes Brought the brown liquid fire.
When the mountains Still held up the sky, They did the worst That can ever be done: They took our young.
Torn from their hogans, Given pirate names, Put in Jesus schools, Pounded by foreign rules.
The evil isn’t strong enough, Distance isn’t long enough, To reach behind the eyes, To make the Spirit die.
There are always the mountains and the sky. There will always be the mountains and the sky. For all the dispossessed across the world
For all the dispossessed across the world. David Matthew August 2006