Home sweet home in Seattle...

I'm back home in Seattle... and getting settled in. I went over to Ellensburg, and saw Roy and Joy... The drive was great! I just took I-90 East from Seattle into the Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest... up and around Snoqualmie Pass... next to Keechelus Lake (Elevation:2516ft)... Kachess Lake (Elevation: 2253ft)... and Cle Elum Lake (Elevation:2224ft)... which are the main water supply East of the Mountains (in the desert), and contains hydro-electric power plants. Continue down the other side of the mountains along the Yakima River, and south east of Lookout Mountain, to ellensburg (Home of Central Washington University.) When we got there, Roy took James and I North up Reecer Creek RD about 10 miles to the North end of the Kittitas Valley... turns into FR 35... goes about 10 or so miles up steep grades, and a cliff side one-lane road. This is a hard drive for the faint of heart. The road continues for about another ten miles before you would be forced to use a trail to procede... however this is the furthest paved road that goes near the top of Table Mountain, at the south end of the Wenatchee National Forest. There you will look out across the jagged cliffs of the Cascade Mountains... The city of ellensbutg... the kittitas valley... and over to the dessert. We then went back into downtown E-burg and visited "the tav" (the tavern of choice.) It's good to see everyone again

People on the Train!

I've met alot of people on the train (as expected.) The first day I met a couple girls from Virginia who were going to Portland. (the empire builder splits in Spokane WA and goes to Seattle WA and Portland OR) Their names were Angel and Natalie... and they were moving out there. I met a Canadian guy who was going to Victoria BC, and I guy who was going to a Hostle in East Glacier south of Glacier National Park. I met a bunch of curious children who asked me all kinds of questions about my hair. When we were passing by the Mississippi River I had dinner with a Man fron Britain, and A student with his mother from Switzerland. It was an excelent conversation on why the Great plains are not dessert... and Glacial run-off creates the Missourri and Mississippi Rivers... and the Rocky Mountains create a Rainforest... Cedar and Red wood trees create rain... and similar places in Europe. I met an Amish man who was very impressed with my Laptop Computer, Digital Camera, Cellular phone, Cellular Internet, Optical Mouse, 1 GB memory card (although I somehow feel he didn't quite understand... other than a million copies of the bible...) I wasn't suprised to hear that he didn't see how these devices could run your life... but I was suprised that he didn't think his life style created a greater sence of community... although, that just kinda shows how we mis-understand eachother... I also directed a couple who was visiting family in Squim at the north end of the Olympic Penninsula. I've also met a Girl Tiffany who is moving to Seattle. She got off tonight in White Fish MT with Snoopy... but She met a friend of hers that she is going hiking with in Canada before she gets to Seattle... I'll meet up with here when she gets here, and take her for a tour of the City... and I hope down to the Oregon Country Fair... when we will pick up Angel in Portland. but the trip is going well, and should be fun.. later

On the train again...

Today I got on the train in Ann Arbor at 8:30AM, and traveled coach to Chicago on the Wolverine Express. In Chicago, I enjoyed free drinks and muffins in the Metropolitain Lounge (open only to people in the sleeping cars)... however, I walked down the street to a stand where a lady sold me two peaches, a cup of grapes and a cup of strawberries for $4. After enjoying a bit of my fresh friut and watched CNN for a bit ("State of Emergency" because of 2 shark attacks and rummy is still full of shit; I love that guy, hecracks me up every time) I switched to the Empire Builder, where I am traveling in first class all the way to Seattle... My roomette has seating and sleeping room for two, which means that I am very comfortable in my room. I'm on the first level of the train, which made me very happy because I didn't have to carry all my shit up the narrow stair way... although, I think that the view is better up stairs. Our lounge car was deemed unsafe, so it was replaced with a dinner car, which I imagine will be good enough, even though they won't have the movie... I think the children on the train are the only ones really put down by this development. I'm looking forward to the train ride, and I have a feeling that I'll start meeting people soon... considering the people across the hall just invited me to join them... so that being said... It's time to start drinking... as we get to Milwaukee

Goodbye Puff..

Today we all said goodbye to puff... and then he went away... I suppose it had to be done... so it's a sad day.

In Michigan till...

I'm leaving to go back to Seattle on Monday the 27th of June. I think the trip will be even better now that I have a roomette in the sleeper car. It will be a great trip back to Seattle. I just got a new digital camera, and it works great! I've been taking lots of pictures and short videos of around the house, and I should have a video tour up on the site by the end of the month for sure...
About the site... imthefrizzlefry.net is going to be done with initial construction by mid July. I need to finish my template classes, Database, and then the little details... I have the user login system, and I'm done with most of the flash site. It will be a sweet site when I'm done!

The party was canceled... :,(

Yesterday, I couldn't get anyone to come out to Fenton for my kegger. I ended up canceling the party and just hanging around Troy for most of the evening. Too bad it seems like nobody wants to go out to the F***ing bar... oh well. I suppose this week will include alot of driving.

The new cottage at Houghton Lake!

This weekend I took Anderson, McCoy, Satain and McGu up to Houghton Lake. It was exciting to see the new cottage, and everything is in perfect condition. Aunt Joanny came up with Dave and Dennis; while Doug and Aunt Liz came up by themselves. It was good to see Doug again. We shoveled dirt onto the driveway, and we mowed the lawn during the day, and even though we didn't play a game of Go, doug and I still performed unstructured Yogo style streaches on saturday evening on the lawn by the lake. We took the canoe out, and the seat caved in on me... oops (sorry Bill.) I suppose toward the end of the weekend Aunt Liz and I weren't seeing "eye to eye" exactly, but a little quarrel never hurt anyone... and overall, the weekend was a great time.

In Michigan at Last!

I've arrived in Michigan, and I stayed on Scott's couch last night. I'll be happy to sleep in a bed tonight. I switched trains from the Empire Builder to the Wolverine Express in Chicago, and I must say that the two-floored super liners ride much better than the single-floored day trains. It was great to see the house again, but at first it was odd to not see Frizzlefry anymore. I miss that cat... just a bit. but it's ok, cause I'll get over it.

Long day of travel

Today... well, I would say that today and yesterday are pretty much the same day. The only thing keeping me sane on the train is the liqueor and people. Last night we found a group of kids heading to White Fish, Montana. We sat with them after we picked up the lounge car in Spokane. After a two or three hour nap, we decided that we were going to be unable to sleep... sleeping on the train in nearly impossible. Today is a day of watching Glacier National Park, Talking to Nine, Cassie, John, jack, and a number of people I've met around the train. Greg and I seem to be the life of the Party on the Empire Builder... and the Great Northern Railroad is our party spot!

On the train!

Today, Greg and I rode the bus down to the train station in downtown Seattle. We made it to the station with just enough time to check a couple bags, get our tickets printed, and sit down for a drink. The beginning of the train ride took us up the puget sound, and across the rain forest through Steven's Pass in northern washington. After we made it down the other side of the mountain range, we saw our surrounding turn from rain forest to desert.