The End

I came into Seattle for a job interview, landed it, and am now calling it home. I spent the weekend after accepting the offer running around exploring neighborhoods as quickly as possible, and then focused on finding a place. I ended up finding a bungalow converted into a duplex in Ballard that was available immediately and rented out the first floor plus basement/garage level. I moved very quickly! You can learn a bit more about the job on Linked In, but as far as this public blog is concerned that's all I share.

What a trip it was. In then end, sporadic access to hot showers, being tired of being behind the wheel, and a readiness for continuity drove me to get off the road. After feeling unsettled since I started planning a return to the US in February, I'm now very eager to feel "settled" again and have moved quickly to make that happen. It does feel good to be back at a place called home, reunited with some nice furniture, and just four hours by plane from my family. Weekend trips to visit are possible for the first time in three years, and just keeping in contact on close time zones is already making a huge impact to how I perceive this as "home."

Parting words of wisdom? Live the question. Every day is a new year. Now is the time.

I didn't know what I sought when I set out on this trip, but I knew that it would be good for me, and so I took off and explored myself and the world, looking for answers to questions I didn't know. I saw the opportunity for extended travel—and seized it. I took the time to reflect and set new goals; there's no need to wait for a new year to set a resolution, go and get it. I wanted a certain type of job at a certain type of company where I could be part of "defining the future." As ambiguous as that was, I went after it deliberately, methodically, and I achieved it. Your life, your future, are unwritten—go and write the future that you deserve.

And with that, I'll wrap up this blog. Keep in touch via email, Linked In or Facebook.

And they all lived happily ever after.
The end.

Photo Credit: howardignatius

Mt Zion, Seattle, WA

The end draws near, friends. Job hunting is approaching its zenith and my days unencumbered are drawing to a close. I took a ferry across the Puget Sound and then drove out to a forest service road and hiked up Mt Zion via the Deadfall trailhead. It was a solid workout at 8 miles and some 2200ft elevation, an average 23% grade.

And may I just say? Mt Rainier is HUGE, always looming in the distance.

Oregon Coast

This picture is from Nate’s paragliding club’s launch at the top of a bluff that towers over the Pacific in Oceanside, OR. We also took a hike along the Cape Lookout at the namesake state park. Beautiful countryside if chilly, especially when the clouds broke. Great meal at The Schooner, with simple local ingredients. Great company with Nate, April and David.

Mt St Helens

I went for a quick day trip to Mt St Helens, as it’s under two hours each way to get there. Learning about the May 18 1980 eruption was fascinating. Photos show it took just a few seconds for half of the mountain volcano to break free and become the largest land slide in recorded history, releasing pressure and a pyroclastic flow that devastated the surrounding area. The mountain (why do I keep calling it that?) looks as though half of it is missing. The crater has slowly filled in with a new lava dome during subsequent 1989-91 and 2004-08 eruptions. The 2004 eruption built the lava dome at the rate of one dump-truck load per second. At that rate, it would take 100 years to build up all that blew away in 1980. AMAZING.

Table Mountain Hike

David and I went for a hike up Table Mountain on the Washington side of the Colombia River. Took us just 45 minutes to drive out there—very accessible from a big city. Took us about six hours to do the 8 mile loop with 3350ft elevation gain. A lot of the elevation was very steep, including a lengthy on-all-fours scramble up a boulder field.

Stunning views from the top—it was a clear day so Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Adams and Mt Rainier were all easily visible.

Portland, and a pause

I arrived in the Portland area after Boise and met up with David and Rachel again, where Rach is having an internship (we're actually across the river in Vancouver, WA). The first few days were busy with the Fourth and birthdays and an amazing dinner at Ox, an Argentine steak house. I needed a break from the road, and access to regular hot showers, so I booked a room for a month and am taking a break. I’ve actually begun working on my CV/resume and applying for jobs, so break and pause may be disingenuous words. I’m here, for now, at least!

Boise, ID

After Moab and Arches I drove up to Boise for two nights and a day. It came recommended and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a small for a big city (214,000) with a well arranged downtown, mountains around, a river running through the center, a university, and some government. I spent most of my day meandering downtown and then watching the US soccer team lose to Belgium in the World Cup, so by the time I walked down to the main park that has a zoo and a few museums they were unfortunately closed. I had a great meal that evening at Fork where everything is local. Trout on kale with mushrooms.