Tue. 9-17-02

Well, we didn't get poured on & we never had to pay the 6 bucks. We just biked over 25 miles. I had a short asthma attack. I've never had one like that. Actually, I've never really had one I don't think. But anyway, before we left, we went over to the Pacific Ocean. My first time seein' it. We both walked topless. The only other people walkin' were too far away to really notice. The scenery along the way (we're in Raymond now) was ******* beautiful! The ocean, huge hills covered w/ trees, big puffy white clouds & blue sky. Now we're sittin' in some small park, drank tons of water, Brett's eatin' again & I'm done writin' for now. We're gonna' try & bike another 20 miles. (side notes)- As we ate our breakfast at some small grocery (bread, jalapeno chips, olives, cheese, kidney beans- all together) some man w/2 little dogs, Chomper & Julie, talked w/us & gave Brett 10 bucks! - Called my gram. Gonna' try to call more people. - Biggest slug I've ever seen on our tarp at the campsite!

Mon. 9-16-02

Yesterday we wasted time (not by choice) & by nightfall we just couldn't find anywhere to sleep. So finally- I don't even know where we were- I bought us a night in a motel. We got to take a couple- or a few?- hot showers! Now it's rainin' a little bit & cold & we're on a bus to Olympia. Our bikes are on the bike rack. It's almost 1:00pm. We had some cereal this mornin'.

We found out we could take a bus to Aberdeen. So we did! We biked over the Wishka- & the banks are muddy! Then we got a large cheese pizza at this small joint. First hot food in a week! It was SO good! Then we found out we could take a bus- for 50 cents each- to Westport, which is right by the coast. So now we're in 2 Harbors State Park, campin' out. Costs 6 bucks. But the lady didn't have any change for my traveler's checks, so we didn't have to pay 'till mornin'. It's real wet here, 'cause it poured out last night. & we'll probably get poured on tonight. We need a tent! The past 2 days have been full of ghettos & incest victims!

Sun. 9-15-02

I'm hungry. & my back tire is goin' flat kinda' fast. We started on our way again down highway 5, but they were doin' road work, so we lost the shoulder. We found a little spot through a few trees to get off & started goin' down back roads & now Brett's inside an Albertson's we found gettin' some food. & I recently found a deer tick on me. I'm quiet today so far. Not really tired I don't think. I mean, I got really good sleep. I'm just quiet today.

Well, we're in Tacoma! 5:00pm. Brett's going insane & we're still dealing w/my flat tire & the bike pump broke. We're gonna' try & find a bike shop I think. But it's Sunday & they'll be closin' soon anyway. We're sittin' in a small park & all Brett's doin' is screaming.

Tacoma is the *********, most ghetto city I've ever been to. It's all about sexual exploitation, trash & alcoholics, junkies, etc. We- I just walked FOREVER! Seems like miles. I'm beat. Brett walked too though for a while. We just FINALLY found a gas station w/ air (first gas station's air was out of order. I wanted to give up. Are we in hell?) & now we've gotta' deal w/my flat tire. AHHH! We want OUT! Keepin' my mace at hand!

Sat. 9-14-02

While we were unpacking our bikes, a man (40's, 50's?) & a woman (late 20's?) stopped to talk to us. We told them what we were doin' & they saw our instruments & told us we should join in (they were gonna' play). & the man- after asking us where we sleep- told us they have an extra room in their house. Anyway- we stayed, drank coffee, ate a little & watched- I mean listened- to them play for 4 + hours! It was wonderful- but I was getting so tired! Afterwards we took them up on their offer. Their names are Shannon & Karl. We got to sleep on a bed! Indoors! Our own room & a bathroom that one other roommate shares. We just had some cereal & now we're gettin' ready to leave. We're gonna' try to work our way to Vashon Island today.

We're in Burien, WA now at a Safeway grocery eating some food. We're not doin' the Vashon Is. thing anymore. We called twice & the guy was an ***. So now we're just ON OUR WAY DOWN!!

We started bikin' today without even thinkin'. From the time we got up, till about a quarter after 7. Mostly along highway 5. (Lots of hills- or was it one big hill?) Of course we stopped a couple times. & I called my mom & talked to her & Zeus. -Brett just said that our Seattle map is officially of no use to us anymore.- Anyway, we just set up camp in some woods off the freeway. (During this night, Brett woke up freaked out because something was pushing his head up from the ground under our tarp-we had no tent. He woke me up & I laughed saying, it's probably just a mole or something. We also saw a pure white cat once when we got up to pee. We joked it was a guardian angel.) Tomorrow we reach Tacoma & hopefully right on to Olympia. So I guess now we can say we lived in Seattle for a week. Brett's playin' sax now & I'm flinging strange- looking spiders off my sleeping bag. It's goin' on 7:30. We'll probably smoke our resin soon & chill.

Note on the pic- this is a recent picture I took of the spot where the coffee shop/bookstore was. It is no longer the same place.

Part of journal entry, Fri. 9-13-02

There was no food bank. They got rid of it. I like the Fremont area. Brett got us a can of split pea soup, corn, artichoke hearts & mixed it all up in some soup cups I got & ate it all cold. Very good though! Oh- & crackers crunched up in it. We had a can of chunky tropical fruit for dessert. & drank the juice! & some guy named Dave stopped to talk to us. Some 20 something hippie guy. He was all smiles & very amused at what we're doin'. Bikin' south & all. Anyway- he gave us some organic, outside, nug-yummy weed- & now we're layin' under the Arora bridge stoned. Brett's playin' guitar & it's another completely clear day. Yay!

We went to a coffee place/bookstore/tea place & read there's gonna' be a free folk music jam at 7:00 tonight. I wanted coffee so we went across the way to park our bikes & we found the food bank! Brett went in, but they said they were closed or whatever, but told him of another one that they thought was open till 5:00. It was almost 4:30. So we go all the way up the hill to the place & they closed at 2:00! But we got super, super yummy samples of food at this one place. One was apple stuff wrapped in a sweet bread & one had yellow rice & stuff in it. & Brett bought some really good, sweet, soft bread for 65 cents or somethin'. Then on the way back down, he bought a 40 & now we're under the bridge. After we finish the 40 we'll probably go up & get coffee, read books & wait for the music.

Summary of Journal Entries...

The Lord took great care of us while we were away from home. There are going to be many entries I skip of course, because I don't plan on writing all of them! I just want to quickly share where we ended up sleeping every night. The first night in Seattle, we biked to the university & sneaked into an unlocked door after hours. We climbed the stairs & slept in a classroom. One of the windows was open, & it was a beautiful view, although it got a bit chilly. I was a little worried about waking up after the class was filled with students! But that never happened. The next day Brett found us some free showers near Green lake, which we then used during our stay in the city. The 2nd night we slept on the rooftop of a building directly bordering some one's yard. I believe it was used as storage units or something. Again, the view was beautiful. It seemed we were right under the space needle. The 3rd night we slept on the beach, hidden by some bushes, right next to a path people were walking on all evening. We were in a nice little clearing & read the bible together when we woke up the next morning. The next night found us on the rooftop yet again. Stoned & paranoid about helicopters flying above us with their spot lights grazing us. But nothin' bad ever happened. For food we usually shopped cheap at grocery stores & ate very simple meals. We didn't even bring a pan to cook in. So we mostly ate sandwiches & the like. The first day we were there, we were relaxing near a big park where a family & some friends were celebrating something. Brett walked down the hill to the park & helped himself to some food, as if he were part of the gathering. When he came back I took my turn. No one ever asked us anything. We often collected lots of blackberries. They were perfectly ripe that time of year & were delicious! we also once tried to eat at a food bank, only to find after biking quite some way to get there, that it was closed. The next entry I'll do will be of our last night in Seattle. Peace.

Note on the pic- This is a recent picture I took of the spot on the beach area we slept in. Living in Seattle now, years later, I'm trying to get pics of all the spots we slept in.

Straight from My Journal 9-7-02, Sat.

It's goin' on 11:00pm, & Brett, my ma, Lee & I are all waitin'. We got here at about 9:00pm. I go up to the lady at the desk & ask how/where we get the boxes for our bikes. She says, "We don't have any." & goes on to say (while I'm slowly startin' to flip out) that they're out of them, but that they ordered some & we find out, well, we can come back a different day to leave. On a day they have boxes.

Well, isn't that just wonderful. I almost start to cry. We have 2 hrs to come up w/our own boxes big enough to fit bikes in. Brett says he can go through the dumpsters around here & find some boxes & they'll get some duct tape. My mom says that's wishful thinking. Brett & my mom leave, & Lee & I go to sit down. 2 men were putting their bikes in boxes & Lee was wonderin' how they got 'em. "Cause some man brought them out for them. So I say I'll go ask.

They were from Victoria, Canada & were here for a biking commute or something & they were headed back to Seattle also & takin' a ferry to Canada. (The train has just started moving)-Anyway!- Um...the boxes were theirs. & they already overheard we had none. So I tell 'em- yah- they're lookin' through dumpsters right now.

I go back to sit down, knowing I need to pray soon. So eventually I get up, tell Lee I'm goin' to pee, lock myself in a stall, plug my ears to completely zone out, & pray. Pray that everything works out. & this & that & this & that. Then I pee, come back out & sit down w/out a worry or care. Knowing that soon Brett & I will be on the train talking about how freaked out we were (& we recently did just that).

Brett & my mom arrive soon after & from then on, the 3 of us, plus the other two biker guys from Canada, are puttin' together our own boxes. & now we're sittin' down w/ everyone else in the car asleep, hittin' some Jack Daniels.

Welcome!

I'm creating this blog to share some stories from an adventure I had in the not-so-far-away past. I'm actually trying to get up the motivation & find the time to write a book from the almost 5 notebooks I kept while I was livin' it.

God was there with us, shown not only in the beauty we experienced, but the people we met, & the times we were helped out of trials/tribulations. We were living life one day at a time. Not knowing where we'd sleep, what we'd eat, who we'd meet, or where we'd end up the next day.

We left our homes in Minnesota, with each a backpack of clothing, & bikes we got at the thrift store. Mine was $11.00. My mom told me it was a big waste of money. Wow, was she wrong! :) We said goodbye to tearful family, it was the first time I saw my dad cry. Being a mother myself now, I know how hard it must have been to let your 20 yr old daughter leave, while she tells you, no, she doesn't know where she'll sleep once they arrive. My dad sent me off with a gift- some mace.

A lot of things happened to us on our "adventure". I thought we'd be gone for a month or two. We came back 2 yrs later, baby in my belly!

I don't only want this blog to be of this time in my life though. God is shown every day. Although now, I'm living much more conventionally, a bit too comfortable I think, it's still possible to live in faith every day. Close to God & far from worldly things, although surrounded by them. How do you live away from something that's all around you? It's hard! I hope others enjoy reading this blog. My whole purpose in writing something public like this is to simply share my experiences with God. To give Him glory through everything I've been through & am going through.

God bless!