Today was a pretty slow day for me. Camille, however walked about 4 miles before breakfast getting me nausea creating painkillers I eventually couldn't take AND picking up both bikes, from the fire department, about a dozen blocks away from the hostel. Each bike took a separate trip there and back, with one being too disabled to roll without extreme effort. All was accomplished before the 11 am checkout mandated by the hostel.

We took a very slow, short walk around Pike Place Market, split a chicken sandwich, at the Athenian Restaurant, by this time we'd missed breakfast. Pikes Market was hopping, so many more people and entertainment, likely because it was a weekend. Fish were flying, musicians playing, magic acts and all kinds of horseplay between some of the venders. We started our trip southward towards Portland.

A peck on a cheek for both was required to be able to take their picture.. no problem, so fun and cute, too. They were pulling people in with all their antics, as well as giving away samples of some of the best peaches we'd ever had. Fabulous Gala apples and bosc pears, too.

Wind energy is much more prevalent on the west coast than what we have seen anywhere else except Minnesota. I find windmills very interesting to look at and watch, sort of like fire. My EVO phone takes really great pictures, but when from a moving car, it does some interesting distortions.

I have heard criticisms of wind energy as not as cheap as fossil fuels or nuclear. What exactly is cheap about plundering through the natural wealth of our world, leaving major problems for future generations, and having by products that are not only harmful to the environment but all living forms except cockroaches, (maybe on the cockroaches)?????

One thing is becoming very clear to me. That if we equate value only on monetary terms, we have missed one of the biggest points of our life on earth. A capitalist economy has to be separated from what it means to human... to be humane: characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy forpeople and animals, especially for the suffering or distressed. 

Distress in nature and humanity is everywhere. I am beginning to ask myself with nearly all my choices, what role does "cheapest" play?

We passed over the Columbia River and it was like a mirage in a very dry landscape. Impressive.

There was just enough daylight to stop at Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center. Understandably, hiking was out for me, so was anymore walking for the day. Mike and I went to Mt. St. Helens in the mid 80s, not long after it blew. We approached it from the east side and saw the gradual progression of destruction the closer we got. Eventually, it looked like the moon, really awe-filled. All gray 'sand' like terrain for as long as can be seen. The road on the west side approach, which we took, is a new access. From there, where the Visitor Center is located, it is far less devastating looking, other than the addition of 2 more lakes. 

We pulled into the Marriott Courtyard Waterfront in Portland and Camille met up with her birth buddy Marji for a night out on the town, while I relaxed in bed. Have I mentioned how great the Marriott beds are??????