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On this page I’ll post words and pics while on my poetic journey from Wheeler Hill to California and back. I’ll be leaving June 13 and returning by July 27. Along the way I’ll be camping, visiting friends and giving poetry readings. My intention is to try to post as close to daily as possible. I’ll also post a few times before June 13 as I prepare to head out, so check back often.

Feel free to send an email with any comments or questions you might have about this journey. poetguy@foothillspublishing.com

This is the latest planned route I’ll be taking to Marysville, CA when I leave June 13. Tentatively, three motels, four nights camping and two nights at a friend’s place. I’ve added in two nights camping at Point Detour Campground in Frog Bay Tribal National Park along the shore of Lake Superior, the first Tribal National Park in the country. I also will be part of a reading in Billings, MT on either Saturday, 6/17 or 18.

Scheduled Readings

June 18 – This House of Books, Billings, MT

June 23 – House Reading, Marysville, CA

June 25 – Chateau Davell Winery Reading, Placerville, CA

June 26 – Reading, Sacramento Poetry Center, CA

July 1 – Reading, Soot Sprite Farm, McKinnleyville, CA

July 8 – Ontario Community Library, Ontario, OR

July 12 – House Reading, Missoula, MT

July 15 – The Bookstore, Dillon, MT

Day 1 – June 13

Day 1

Left the hill at 5:06 with the waning moon and Jupiter hanging out in the lightening eastern sky. A nice visual image to hold onto for the next six weeks.

Fog hung thick in the valley for a couple of miles after I got off the hill.

I drove north on I-390, the first time heading in that direction for one of my long journeys. All other previous journeys have had me driving east of west on I-86 or south down US 15/I-99. I travel I-390 often, on my way to Rochester or Buffalo. I was heading to Buffalo this time but then continuing on into Canada, traveling across southern Ontario to cross into Michigan at Port Huron.

In Canada I stopped at Windmill Point, along the Lake Erie shoreline, about 10 miles from the border crossing. I was curious if there was still access to the lake there. I used to go fishing in that spot more than a half century ago, wading out in the lake on a rocky reef fishing for black bass. The access was still there, but private land on each side of the little lane and “no parking” signs.

The Welland Canal connects Lake Erie with Lake Ontario, allowing the big ships to navigate from throughout the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence. We stopped there once on the way back home from Minnesota and were able to stand right next to the canal as a big boat went through one of the locks. I was hoping for a boat to be going through when I got to Port Colborne, and there was one. But, huge disappointment – the canal is fenced off now so one can’t be as close as we were that time long ago.

For maybe a forty-mile stretch there were wind generators constantly in view amidst the farmland. Hundreds and hundreds of them with blades in constant rotation. Interesting juxtaposition of some old barns and new white wind turbines close to each other.

The flatland of the lake plains gave way to some swells of land for awhile. Not quite hilly, but swelly!

Crossed the Thames River and recalled time spent in Oxford with my friend Bart last Autumn.

I was hoping to be able to find a mural in Saginaw that I found out about online. An artist painted all the words to Paul Simon’s “America” song in various places around Saginaw back in 2010. There;s a line in the song, “It took us four days to hitchhike from Saginaw.” It was, and still is, one of my favorite traveling songs. I was hoping to find one mural in particular that was more than just some words from the song. (See below).

When I checked into the motel near Saginaw I called a tourist information place and the woman there had no knowledge of this. She directed me to another place I might get info, but then I remembered there was some info on the mural’s pic that I saw online. It was a phone number, and I was able to get in touch with the artist, Eric Schantz. He was in the midst of painting another mural and said he didn’t think any of the “America” art was still around. We had a nice chat about art and creativity and doing the heart’s work.

I was disappointed that I couldn’t see the mural I was hoping to see.

On a drive into downtown Saginaw though, I came upon some other intriguing artwork on an old gas station. I’ve included pictures below. I was fascinated with this work and then realized this was more work by Eric! When we talked on the phone he said he doesn’t do social media and doesn’t have a website. I’d like to learn more about him and his interesting work. Unfortunately, I have to leave early in the morning for another long day’s drive to far northwestern Wisconsin, where I’ll be camping for two nights. I’ll plan on calling him sometime for another chat. Might even have to plan another visit to Saginaw just to see more what he has done.

I closed out the day with my regular Tuesday evening ZOOM program. Nice to be able to share the day with that community of friends. Now, on to sleep for another early out the door and on the road day tomorrow.

Click on thumbnails for larger picture.

Day 2 – June 14

Long day on the road ahead. First leg is about 200 miles on I-75 to Mackinaw City, at the top of Michigan’s thumb. Then 380 or so miles on non-interstate roads (yay!) through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and  northern Wisconsin to Point Detour campground on the shore of Lake Superior. I’ll be there for two nights, a nice break after two long road days.

Left motel and 5:30, Moon and Jupiter once again greeting me upon stepping outside.

Fog for the first part of the drive. Thick in places, but not hindering the driving at all. Very few cars on the road this time of the morning.

Presently in Mackinaw City having breakfast. I’ll get a few pics before crossing over the bridge to the UP. Cool, upper 40s temp and light fog at the moment.

After about an hour or so of driving the landscape turned from farmland to woods and some small hills, the north country of the lower peninsula. Stayed like that all the way to Mackinaw City.

Yellow caution sign: Elk Crossing next 12 miles.

Another north country indicator: Exit for town of Wolverine.

Feels good to be on the road again. First long road trip since 2019 and I haven’t missed a beat.

After crossing the five-mile long Mackinac Bridge I drove along the north shore of Lake Michigan on US 2 for a ways. It brought back memories of a cross-country trip I took on US 2. Grayson went with me on the western part and there’s a picture of him wading into the waves of Lake Michigan somewhere along the road here. That picture is etched in my mind, though it was a long, long time ago.

I intended to buy a pasty for lunch today and did so at Lawrys Pasties Shop in Marquette, MI. Josh, who works there, told me it was the oldest pasty shop in the UP. I got a veggies pasty and it was delicious. Nicely baked shell and stuffed inside with assorted cooked veggies. (pic)

I made it to the campground about 5:30 PM. It’s a rustic one that’s part of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s Frog Bay Tribal National Park. Presently I am the only one camping here. I’m quite tired from the long drive today so will be turning in early. I look forward to exploring the area tomorrow. I’ve already seen a few wildflowers and the view of the lake, just a minute walk away, is splendid.

Click on pics to view a larger version.

Day 3 – June 15

No driving down the road today. At least not heading west.

I slept well in the tent. Usually the first night camping is a restless night of sleep, trying to acclimate on laying on the ground again. I think I was so tired from the 590 mile drive that I could have slept ok just lying on the ground outside. That is theoretical, as I would have been eaten up by the mosquitoes! They were quite voracious, so I couldn’t really hang around camp comfortably. Before leaving though I took a few photos of some of the flowers at camp: bluebead lily, Canada mayflower, starflower and bunchberry.

On the way out from camp an owl flew across the dirt road and landed in a tree. I was able to watch it for a couple of minutes before it flew off. Not sure what species of owl it was, but exciting nonetheless.

I drove out to The Apostle Islands Little Sand Bay National Lakeshore location. This is a put-in point for kayakers and other boaters heading out into Superior. I talked for a few minutes with a woman who was working for Outward Bound, taking a group of young people kayaking out to the Apostle Islands for a week of camping. I didn’t know the Outward Bound program still existed. I mentioned to her that I had a friend who, back in the 1970s, was an OB instructor on an island off the coast of Australia.

The Little Sand Bay Visitors Center had some wonderfully informative displays about the people who lived and fished here for decades. Also a lot of information on the Ojibwe natives here. I was impressed with the quality of the presentations.

I wanted to get in a little hike and decided on a trail that is part of the Red Cliff Tribal Nation land. The trail wandered through the woods out to the Lake Superior shore. All in all, about a two mile hike. There were signs along the way naming trees and animals in English and Ojibwe.

Afterwards I drove to the small lakeshore town of Bayfield, a few miles away. I’m there currently, writing this entry at a picnic table in the center of town. A touristy town centered on the Lake and the Apostle Islands. Less than 600 people live here but the town has three bookstores, undoubtedly for the tourist trade. I bought two used books – a biography of Robinson Jeffers that I wasn’t familiar with and a book on understanding images in your dreams, both used books.

A mostly relaxing day today after two long days of driving. I have two more long days ahead of me on my way to Billings, MT where I’ll be visiting with friends for a couple of days and giving a poetry reading on Sunday.

Click on the pics for a larger picture view.

Day 4 – June 16, 2023

Broke camp early in morning, tent wet with dew.

On way I had to brake for a deer and then a little later two turkeys. In both cases I probably would have hit them had I not braked.

Breakfast at Arnold’s Café west of Proctor, MN. Young guy server with rings in nose and ears. I mentioned I was a poet. He was intrigued,

Said he tries to be present in  moment. I gave him a book of mine, there is only this moment.  He was moved by the gift. Ran his fingers over the stitching, exclaimed that I wrote an inscription to him.

Wisconsin landscape – woods. Northern Minnesota landscape – woods, wetlands, lakes. Western MN landscape, farms. Eastern North Dakota landscape, agricultural fields and “pothole” ponds.

A short conversation with cashier clerk in grocery store, Jamestown, ND. He was intrigued with my journeying as a poet. I recited one of my poems to him.

A Short Winter Hike

walking knee-deep

through unbroken snow

wind howls, flakes fall

soon, even my tracks

will disappear

He responded, “Shit, that was a good poem.”

What more needs to be said.

Day 5 – June 17

Another long-driving day. 540 miles to Billings, MT.

Vast farmland through North Dakota. I was surprised to also see a lot of water. Various size ponds or water holes. On one I noticed two white pelicans!

Nearing Bismark, at the top of a rise in the road, after miles and miles of farmland, civilization suddenly stretched out in front of me! An abrupt change from agriculture to cityscape.

The highlight of the day was stopping at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in ND. The south unit is right off I-94, which I was traveling on. The park is situated in the badlands of North Dakota.  

I took about an hour and a half walk on the Jones Creek Trail in the late morning warmth, bordering on hot. It felt good to get out on my feet after hours in the car. The landscape is dry earth and nearby rock outcroppings. One of the first exciting things I came across was prickly pear cactus in bloom, just a short while into the hike. Also, very common, was a plant I’m familiar with back home, sweet yellow clover. It is quite thick here and it is an invasive plant. Another familiar plant was goatsbeard, or salsify. I always marvel at the intricate pattern of the plant’s seed head. Another flower I was familiar with from previous journeys out west was sego lily. I found one in bloom right near the end of the hike.

Two new birds for me were spotted towhee and lazuli bunting. Both of these birds were singing from the top of trees.

After the hike I pushed on westward, arriving in Billings, MT about 6 PM. I’m staying with two poet/friends, Bernie Quetchenbach and Cara Chamberlin. I’ll be here for two nights. Tomorrow I’ll be reading at This House of Books with Shirley Steele, whose first book of poetry will be released by FootHills in a couple of weeks. Bernie worked at setting this reading up.

It’ll be good to stay in place for a full day again. I’ve driven about 2,100 miles since leaving last Tuesday. But now I’m finally in the west and won’t have too many long days driving ahead of me.

Day 6 – June 18

Early morning I sat outside by the front of Bernie and Cara’s house sipping my tea and writing on the laptop, surrounded by pots of flowers. Pleasant temperature and no mosquitoes!

Wonderful flowing conversation with both of them after I came inside. Poetry, places, a little politics.

In the afternoon I had my first poetry reading of the journey. Shirley Steele, the co-reader, is 97 years old and we (FootHills) are releasing her first book of poetry in a few weeks. She chose to go first and read from the proof copy of her book. Shirley gave a wonderful reading of poems that spanned decades of writing. Most of the audience of about 25 were there because of Shirley. I followed her and recited a few poems, read a few others from books and then a few selections from my poetic memoir, Becoming Who I Needed to Be. My work was well received and had good conversation with folks afterwards. Julie, the manager of the member owned store, This House of Books, was very friendly and accommodating. This was a good start to the readings I have scheduled for this journey.

Afterwards, Cara, Bernie and I went to Pictograph State Park, just a few miles from Billings. The park contains three caves, one of which has old pictographs on the wall, one that has been dated back to 2,100 years. Unfortunately, the pictographs were not very visible from the viewing area as they have faded quite a lot and also the day was too bright. But, we had a nice saunter through the park and to just be in the presence of these caves that sheltered people for millennia was moving.

After a tasty and fulfilling dinner out we took a long walk on the sandstone rimrock that borders the city to the north. It towers hundreds of feet above the city with terrific views of the city and mountains beyond. We sauntered on the paved walkway for maybe two hours, checking out various wildflowers and talking all the way. As we walked back toward the car the setting sun illuminated the rimrock to the east of Billings and colored the scattered clouds that were hanging about in the sky. A pleasant ending to a wonderful day!

Day 7 – June 19

Before leaving in the morning for the road I asked Cara to give me a tour of her garden. A nice variety of flowers, herbs and trees.

A very nice stay in Billings with them. Hopefully we’ll connect in person again sooner than the 16 or so years between this visit and the last.

I-90 to Bozeman. I stopped there for food supplies for the next two days while camping near Yellowstone. Also grabbed a Chinese lunch, which set me up till the end of the day.

I’m camping in Custer Gallitan National Forest, about 11 miles from the west entrance to Yellowstone NP. The campground is adjacent to Hebgen Lake. The campgrounds in Yellowstone were full when I was making reservations to camp. This was a good alternative and I still get half price camping because of my lifetime senior pass!

After setting up camp I drove into Yellowstone for the last three hours of the daylight. A light rain was falling at times so I didn’t go out too much on foot. I didn’t intend to anyway, as I just wanted to catch a few scenes today and spend most of tomorrow in the park.

There were two traffic jams in the park, both caused by bison herds crossing the road. It took about a half hour to get through both of them.

The mature bison look quite ragged as they are shedding their winter coat. The young bison are quite the contrast with their light brown young coat.

As I was walking back to the car at one point I noticed a woman taking a picture of three small dolls she was holding, with the steaming Celestine Pool in the background. I asked what it was about and she said she’s doing an alphabet picture album for her nieces and this is for the Y, Yellowstone. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do for X! We chatted as we walked to our vehicles and she said she’s been sleeping in her car. The campgrounds in the park are full. I mentioned the National Forest campgrounds to her and she thanked me for the idea. When I told her I was a poet on tour she exclaimed “how wonderful.” Before parting I asked her if she’d like to hear a poem. She wanted to, so I recited my “Seeing Eye to Eye With a Chickadee” poem.

I’m sitting in the tent while I write this. A little light rain falls on the tent roof. The forecast called for a slight chance of snow overnight!

Click on images for a larger photo.

Day 8 – June 20

Left camp at 5:30 to head into the park. Even at that hour, just before 6 AM at the entrance, there were a few cars in line.

Whenever I am at Yellowstone I recall the words of Henry Beston from his book “The Outermost House” – “Creation is here and now.” I feel like I’m experiencing what the creation of this earth was like.

So, I decided to stop at a number of the places where the underneath is bubbling up to the surface. That is evidenced in so many places in the park. Some very dramatic (i.e. Old Faithful) and many, many other non-descript places. I won’t go into it now, but I posted a few pictures of these.

I took an hour and a half hike along the Solfatara Trail. A pleasant walk through woods and open fields. Quite a number of Bison “pies” along the way, so had to watch where I stepped at times. No Bison though. Also, some most likely coyote scat and possibly bear scratchings on some trees. Some views of the still snow covered in places Gallitan Mountains. When I returned to the start of the trail I noticed a sign on the board I hadn’t seen before saying that this trail was closed!

Before returning to camp I took a mile long hike to Harlequin Lake. Another pleasant jaunt (as most hikes are!) Along the way I heard a Swainsons Thrush singing and possibly a Mountain Bluebird.

I stopped in the town of West Yellowstone and while there had a nice exchange with Elizabeth. I was watching a groundhog in a vacant lot between two buildings when she stepped up to watch, too, wondering what it was. We got to talking a bit and I asked where she was from. When she told me Sacramento I immediately mentioned that I’m a poet and will be reading in Sacramento a week from Monday. She has never been to a poetry reading and said she should maybe go. I recited two poems for her and then she walked me over to the car so I could give her one of my contact cards. She then realized, disappointingly, that she has to be in San Diego the day I’m reading on Sacramento. I told her I had a few other readings in the area and she should check my schedule. A pleasant people exchange.

I like mentioning I’m a poet to people and enjoy reciting a poem at times. The worst response has been slight indifference, but most people seem to enjoy the exchange, the experience.

Tomorrow on the road again. Staying in Wells, NV on my way to Diane and Roger’s house in Marysville, CA the following day. My long days of driving on the road will be put aside for awhile after I get there.

Click on images for a larger photo. All the pictures are from Yellowstone.

Day 9 – June 21

Crawled out of the sleeping bag at 6:00 AM, broke camp and drove out of the campground at 6:31. 26 degrees!

Passed over Targhee Pass and was disappointed that there were no signs there noting the pass. There used to be in the past, stating the name and elevation. It has always been a special place for me ever since the original US 20 journey in 1996. Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce traveled over this pass, fleeing the US Army.

From Idaho, beautiful distant view of the Tetons off to the east.

I had decided to eat breakfast out in Idaho Falls, about a two-hour drive from the campground.

As I was driving through the city I passed a diner and decided to turn around and go there. I’m glad I did. Usually I just keep going if I pass by one, wait till the next one shows up.

This was the North Hi-Way Café. I walked into a nearly filled space, Fortunately, there was one open booth. I soon learned that the café opened in 1934. The staff was very friendly and the food was excellent.

One of the workers seemed to be the greeter and obviously knew a lot of the patrons. We ended up talking a bit and she told me she, and her husband, were the owners, buying it last year, though having worked there for awhile previous. She said it is the longest continually run restaurant in Idaho. Veronica told me that she really doesn’t work anymore because she loves what she does. I told her that I feel I haven’t worked for nearly 30 years either, since I do what I love. I asked if I could take a picture of her and she consented. Often I have had readers comment that I don’t take enough people pictures. So there!

I stopped at a store in Pocatello, ID and the cashier, a young woman, had numerous red butterflies tattooed on her arm. When I asked her about them she told me her great grandmother loved butterflies and her favorite color was red. I told her it was nice that she honored her that way. Her grandmother lives in Arizona so she doesn’t get to see her very often. 95 years old.

I cruised from there down to Wells, NV without stopping. Very few towns. Sage covered land and some nearby treeless mountains.

Nearing Wells, where I had booked a motel room, there was a range of mountains that were still a little snow covered. Wells was just before reaching the mountains.

I had never felt such a run-downess in a small community like here in Wells. I’ve posted a number of pictures illustrating this. All of these were taken within six-tenths of a mile, the length of the downtown. I’m sure I-80, which passes by town, has something to do with the decline. This is a town that was on the California Trail and also a stop on the first transcontinental railway. It did suffer a big earthquake in 2008 and that probably has some bearing on the present town’s appearance.

I did get a take-out meal at a food truck, Taqueria el Compa. While waiting for my food another waiting customer walked up to me and we started chatting. Wayne is a long-haul truck driver. He asked if a nearby truck was mine, thinking I was a truck driver too. When I pointed out my car he noticed my NY plates. I told him I was a poet on the road. He then told me he writes haiku! He recited one for me and then asked me to recite a poem. I did, and then told him I write haiku. I gave him a copy of my haiku book and he immediately opened it and read a couple.

The burrito I had was large, tasty and quite filling.

Click on images for a larger photo.

Day 10 – June 22

Left Wells early this morning after mailing a couple of postcards to my granddaughters.

Interstate driving day, for the most part. I-80 for about 350 miles through Nevada, and another 80 or so in California. Then about 45 miles on regular roads to Roger and Diane’s house in Marysville.

On the drive through Nevada mountains were visible all the way, though always a little distant. Not until after Reno did the interstate come into the mountains.

Sage brush country. Dry. The mountains in Nevada were treeless. Quite different from the mountains that have been part of my journey for the last few days.

Another difference is the price of gasoline. I paid $4.37/gal. at one place. I did notice that often diesel is cheaper than regular gas, which is just the opposite of back home, where I think diesel is quite a lot more than gas. I wonder why the difference?

And of course, casinos are everywhere in Nevada. I’m glad I’m not drawn to gambling.

Entering California, the mountains were everpresent. The interstate cut through and over them, many with still remaining snow.

As I headed west and came out of the mountains into the flatlands, an intriguing, small, isolated group of mountains lay off to the west. They stood out starkly amidst all of the flat land of the area. I learned later (thanks Roger) that these are the Sutter Buttes, rising about 2,000’ above the surrounding land. They are remnants of a volcano that erupted over a million years ago! (Ah, that geological time frame again that is so hard for me to wrap my head around.)

When I arrived at Diane and Roger’s place I was overwhelmed with the jungle of a garden they have in front of their house! Before going inside Diane gave me a tour of everything that is planted there. Very impressive. I’ll share photos in the upcoming days.

I first met Roger and Diane on my Tuesday evening ZOOMs. They have become part of the special community that evolves around the weekly ZOOMs that I started when the pandemic began. I continue to do them each Tuesday, even while on this journey.

I met Diane in person when she was back in NY last year for a reading I co-host. I had never met Roger in person before. So, another expanding of ZOOM acquaintance into in-person connection. Two other members of the Tuesday ZOOM community have traveled from the east to visit with Roger and Diane.

I’ll be here for a number of days. Diane set up four programs for me. Tomorrow, the first one, is a house reading here with a few of her non-poet friends attending. I look forward to it and hope to make a few converts to poetry!

Day 11 – June 23

Morning tea outside by the lush garden here at Diane and Roger’s place.

Went out for a morning walk with Diane and Roger at Hammon Grove County Park. A quiet, peaceful woodland area along Dry Creek and the Yuba River. There’s a nice growth of Blue Oak trees in the park, a new tree for me. It has a limited range in areas of California and is the areas most drought resistant oak. There were a fair amount of flowering plants there, too. Some new to me, some old familiars from back east: Queen Anne’s Lace, Mullein, Moth Mullein, Horehound, Passion Fruit and others.

In Marysville they showed me the old Chinatown area, which was where Chinese pioneers helped settle the area back in the mid-1800s. There is still a museum and Buddhist Temple here and the history of this Chinatown is still celebrated and honored. Other than that, it is not really a Chinatown in the sense of an ongoing, vibrant community with stores and restaurants.

In the evening we had a wonderful potluck and poetry reading at the house. Good food, beverages (especially Diane’s homemade limoncello), conversation and poetry. Roger, Diane and Vikkie each read a few poems and I shared poems and stories in the comfort of the living room. Everyone had a grand time and a number of my books went home with folks.

Once again, I very much enjoyed the intimacy of a house reading. If you are interested in considering hosting one, drop me an email and let’s talk!  

Day 12 – June 24

Morning tea outside again, accompanied by an unidentified hummingbird flying near me.

Farmer’s Market in Chico. I bought a loaf of rustic rye bread that, if I had my eyes closed and didn’t know where I was, I could swear it was my own bread that came out of the woodstove oven on Wheeler Hill.

Also bought a few peaches, which are in season here.

After a couple of store stops, Trader Joe’s and Goodwill, and a late lunch at Café Coda, we took a walk on Commanche Trail in Chico. A pleasant, easy woodland walk following Commanche Creek. Was nice to walk in a shaded, woody area. Nothing spectacular, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Was nice to have a day of doing nothing major. Tomorrow Diane and I are reading at Chateau Davall Winery, an hour and a half drive from here. Then the next day I’m reading at the Sacramento Poetry Center. So, busy two days ahead. Good to have an easier one today.

Day 13 – June 25

A poetry and people day.

A hour and a half drive through agricultural and woodland California country to Chateau Davell Winery in Placerville, CA. Diane and I were the featured readers at this monthly series hosted by Lara. Pleasant weather (which here means not too hot!) so the reading was held outside. About twenty people attended and the open mic after our reading was of high quality.

Afterwards, Lara and Brian hosted a dinner at their house in Diamond Springs. Lara has been a moving force in the poetry community here. She was just finishing up a two-year stint as Poet Laureate of El Dorado County.

A dozen or so people attended dinner and the food, wine and conversation flowed easily. An interesting, friendly, creative group of people. A number of people expressed the hope that I would return again and one person offered to host a house reading when I do come back.

That was the second of three readings while I’m here at Diane and Roger’s place in Marysville. Monday evening I’m reading at the Sacramento Poetry Center and a couple of musicians will be joining in when I present “Elegy for the Road/Kerouac’s Ghost”, with the director, Patrick, speaking the part of the dream killer!

Click on images below for larger photo. 

Day 14 – June 26

Day at home and little exploring in town. Walked around the old Chinatown district again for a little bit trying to imagine what it was like when this was a thriving community. While doing that I came across a mural on a side wall (actually on plywood panels attached to the wall) that depicted what it was like back then!

In the evening we drove over to Sacramento, about a 45 minute drive, where I was giving a reading at the Sacramento Poetry Center. I had spoken to Patrick, the director, about presenting my “Elegy for the Road/Kerouac’s Ghost” piece with musicians. So he arranged that, with himself on guitar, and Steve on standup bass. The performance was well received. Patrick was the second voice, the dream killer voice, and did a great job with it. It was wonderful to have musical accompaniment. The last time I performed it was in Buffalo a few weeks ago, with John Burroughs, the National Beat Poet Laureate being the dream killer voice. It went over very well, but the music does add to the overall effect.

My whole reading was enthusiastically received by the audience of around 20. A good open reading too. Patrick was a welcoming, easy-going host, making everyone feel comfortable there.

Another late night arriving back at the house, after the night before’s late night return. No more poetry readings till this Saturday, but I will be doing my usual Tuesday ZOOM this week.

Click on images below for larger photo. 

Day 15 – June 27

I’ve followed my morning routine regularly while here. I get out of bed around 6 AM, heat some water and get my teapot ready. I brought along my organic looseleaf tea – Five Peaks Green Dew Green Tea. I place that in a tea ball and after the water gets near boiling I fill the pot and steep the tea for five minutes or so. At that point I go outside with the tea and my laptop and sit at a table by the front garden. When ready, I swirl the tea ball clockwise in the teapot 72 times, my age, while focusing my energy on a particular person. I like starting my day out that way, thinking of someone other. Then I usually stay outside at the table for an hour or two.

I did take a drive over to Yuba City, just across the Feather River from Marysville. I wanted to get out walking a bit after working much of the morning on the computer. As soon as I crossed over the bridge there was a sign for the Feather River Parkway. I tuned in and then went for a mile and a half walk in the park that borders the river. It was a pleasant, easy walk in the late morning, starting to get hot summer air. A pair of redtail hawks flew by and there were quite a number of mockingbirds throughout the park. Also, a lot of elderberries starting to get ripe. These are related to the elderberries back home, but they are light blue in color instead of purple. They can be used the same as the eastern ones, for jelly, pie, etc.

After the walk I finished getting ready for my regular Tuesday evening ZOOM, in which I spoke and shared photos about the last week on the road. That was followed by the usual last Tuesday of the month Open Mic Theme evening. The theme was “On the Road.” A lot of good poems were read by many of the 27 people who attended. I’m glad I decided to continue these Tuesday ZOOMs while on the road. It’s good to connect with that community that has developed over the last three years of doing these programs. That is one of the pluses that came out of the Covid years.

Day 16 – June 28

After breakfast Roger and I went out to South Yuba River State Park for a hike. The park is on the west side of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

We walked on the Buttermilk Bend Trail, a total of 2.2 miles out and back. The trail parallels the South Yuba River on a high rim along the north side of the river. There were many wonderful views of the river as it rushed over granite ledges and rocks. There were also a few wildflowers in bloom, though it is late in the season for that. Roger said when they were here a couple of months ago there were numerous wildflowers to be seen.

Toward the end of the hike it was starting to get a bit hot out, though it was still late morning. The weather has been cool here, they tell me. Highs in the 80s and at night in the 50s. Not as humid as back home, where 80s are draining for me. But all of that is changing the next few days as it will be over 100 out and there are heat warnings posted. Fortunately, I leave for the coast Friday morning when the heat warnings start taking effect.

yesterday and today I was wrestling with getting some video editing software so I could trim the video of my reading and upload it to the webpage and youtube. After two software downloads and no success being able to work with them, I came across one free one that I was able to actually understand and use, Shotcut. It was a relief to finally work that out and get the video posted.

One more day here at Roger and Diane’s place before heading over to the coast for another reading Saturday at Diane’s son and daughter-in-law’s small farm in McKinleyville, CA.

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Day 17 – June 29

Final day here at Roger and Diane’s.

I went out to fill up the car with gas. $4.29 a gallon. I passed a gas station charging $4.89. Diane said I should fill up here as it is more expensive on the north coast, where I’m heading.

Also stopped in the Silver Dollar Saloon. Roger told me there’s a lot of interesting things inside. He was right. I posted a few pictures from there. I was told the Grand Hotel, which is above, was the longest running brothel in California, from 1850 to around 1970.

In the evening Diane, Roger and I wrote a renga, a Japanese linked verse poem. It took us probably about 2 1/2 hours to complete the 36 verses. I had suggested writing one and it was a nice way to spend the last evening together.

Tomorrow I head out early, making my way to McKinleyville, on the coast. I’ll be driving through redwood country and plan to stop along the way to get out on foot underneath these elder beings.

Day 18 – June 30

One final morning with my tea and laptop in the front garden.

It’s been a wonderful week with Diane and Roger. Poetry, people and nature. It all flowed seamlessly. I look forward to seeing them again when they come out east this September.

Today I drove west, through the Sacramento Valley, over the Coast Ranges mountains, through some of the redwoods and ended on the Pacific coast in McKinleyville at Soot Sprite Farm, Diane’s son and daughter-in-law’s place, where I’ll be reading tomorrow.

Once I entered the Coast Ranges there was continuous driving through mountains till I neared the Pacific. Enjoyable.

The Coast ranges are quite dry on the eastern side. Not as many trees because of the dryness. Much different from mountain ranges in the east.

I stopped a couple of times and walked through the Redwoods. Ancient beings that are hundreds of years old. Some maybe even 2,000 years of age. What am I in comparison to them? With age comes wisdom, or so they say. How wise are these ancient ones?

Drove a few miles beyond McKinleyville up to Trinidad. A beautiful small town on the Pacific shore. A place I have spent a bit of time at. Good to see once again.

So here I am, on the far western reaches of the country, a continent behind me. The journey halfway over. A lot behind, a lot yet to experience ahead.

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Day 19 – July 1

Elias and Chanté’s Soot Sprite Farm sits on the edge of McKinleyville, a small city of a little over 16,000 people. They have plans to develop the place as a permaculture site and are in the early stages of that long-term plan. They also host various events. Today they had a plant swap in the afternoon.

Soot Sprite is a menagerie with goats, a pot belly pig, chickens, ducks, geese and a couple of dogs. Also, a few other people live there, too. They actually didn’t have a spare place for me to stay but plenty of room on the grounds, so I slept in my tent while there.

In the afternoon I went out for a little walk by the ocean. Tomorrow I turn inland, so will not be spending much time at the Pacific shore. As I was walking on the trail through the sand I noticed a couple of people set up with a table and some literature. I walked over and had a nice chat with Hannah and Iona. They were sharing information about the Western Snowy Plover, a threatened species that nest on the sand along the coast. before leaving I recited my “Seeing Eye to Eye with a Chickadee” poem.

After a little time walking by the shore I drove into Eureka to visit a friend, Susan Bloch. She has been on some of my ZOOM programs and used to live in my area back in NY. She gave me a tour of her studio and some of the glass art work she is currently working on. Here’s a link to her website:

https://www.susanbloch.com/

We sat outside in the pleasantly cool north Pacific air and had a wonderful time catching up on each other’s lives.

Susan also came to my reading that evening at Soot Sprite Farm. She was one of ten people who attended the informal reading around the firepit. I recited and read some of my poems and shared a few oral memoirs. Three other people also shared some of their work.

Afterwards we shared good food and stimulating conversation. I went off to sleep in my tent fully contented in all ways.

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Day 20 – July 2

I woke early, dismantled tent and took off on the road before anyone else was up at the farm. I had a long day’s drive ahead and had said goodbyes the night before. I will certainly visit again when I’m out this way.

My route today took me up the coast as far as Crescent City. From there I angled north and east, with my final destination for the day a motel in Madras. OR, a little over 400 miles away.

Was a pleasant drive north on US 101 along the coast, with very little traffic this early in the morning. I’ve driven this road a few times before so knew what to expect – winding, up, down road through beautiful woods and ocean views along the way to Crescent City.

The road from Crescent City, inland, was also spectacular. Redwoods, mountains and very little straight passages.

My route took me near Crater Lake, only an hour out of the way, so I made that part of the journey. I had never seen the lake, though having been there once before. We were out west for the solar eclipse in 2017 and visited Crater Lake then, but the lake wasn’t visible because of thick smoke from numerous wildfires.

Many people who had visited Crater Lake exclaimed about the amazing blue color of the water. Being so close, I needed to finally get a view of it. For a little while I wondered if it was worth it. The line of cars at the entrance was unbelievably long and just creeping ahead slowly. But, I decided to wait it out. It took 55 minutes in line before getting into the park.

From the entranceway it is a nine-mile drive to the lake. Along the way are some wonderful views of nearby mountains, some snow covered. Some of the places right next to the road were still snow covered, too. The lake itself sits at over 6,000 feet elevation.

When I parked the car and walked up to one of the first viewing sites of the lake I sort of knew what to expect, but didn’t really know. The first glimpse took my breath away! The rich, deep blue color of the water was something I had never seen before. Beyond just the color, the lake, sitting in a volcanic cone, was rimmed with rock and nearby, still snowy mountains. An utterly spectacular site. The near hour wait in line was well worth it.

From Crater I drove northward, passing through Bend, OR and ending at the motel in Madras. Along the way were views of the Cascade Mountains off a ways to the west. Some were familiar mountains, from having driven through them on US 20 a number of times: Three Sisters, Broken Top, Three Fingered Jack. Sort of like seeing old friends. Heading up toward Madras, two other mountains were very prominent: Mount Jefferson, and a little further north and more distant, Mount Hood, Oregon’s highest mountain at 11,249’.

So, a pleasant day on the road. Tomorrow I head over to Union, OR, a five-hour drive from Madras through high desert, eastern Oregon. There I’ll be staying with a friend, R’Chel, for the next five days, hoping to explore the high desert, a place I’ve always found fascinating.

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 Day 21 – July 3

I don’t know if I’ve ever had such a pleasant day of driving!

I drive a lot, obviously, and don’t mind it. I drive because I have to and it’s not an unwelcome choir. But I can’t say I drive for pleasure. But that’s what today was, a pleasurable day behind the wheel.

I stayed off of I-84, which would have been the quickest route between Madras and Union. Instead, I chose the little longer route on mostly Oregon State Routes. A little ways out of Madras the road start traversing around, over and through the Blue Mountains. The first half of the journey the mountains were dry and treeless. The second halfthey were all forested. In both stretches, there were very few straight, level sections of road. Uphill, downhill, hairpin curves. Occasional steep drop offs with no guard rail and almost no shoulder. What made the drive so enjoyable was that I had the road almost entirely to myself. I wasn’t following any cars and no cars were following me. Only near the end, after about 200 miles of driving, did I come up behind a couple of vehicles. Otherwise it was my own private route of totally smooth roads with nary a bump at all.

I did stop a couple of times for little walks in the woods. Saw a few wildflowers around: two kinds of lupine, yarrow, cinquefoil, clintonia, wild roses and western Indian paintbrush.

I arrived at R’Chel’s house around 5 PM. She is someone I’ve only seen twice before, in 2017 when we were out in this area to view the solar eclipse. We had a wonderful conversation and the next day we bartered some of my books for some of her homemade items she was selling. Those two times totaled maybe an hour at the most. We have kept somewhat in touch through Facebook since, but not to any great degree. Even with such little actual previous connection, the connecting in person now flowed easily.

I’ll be here for the next five days. A lot to explore in this eastern Oregon region I find fascinating. A lot of delving to do.

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Day 22 – July 4

A day of mostly staying in place.

Morning routine similar to when I was at Diane and Rogers. Morning tea and laptop outside. Here I sit on the back deck, where the sun shines in from the east. Pleasantly cool, but still short sleeve weather.

In the house, we open windows in the evening after temperature outside drops below inside temperature. Then the process is reversed in late morning. The temps at night get down into the mid 50s and during the day the upper 80s. But it is a dry heat, not humid, so easier to take for me.

I took a little walk up the road from here around noon. A field of freshly cut hay fragranced the air as I walked by. Saw another goatsbeard seedhead, which I always enjoy seeing, marveling at its intricacy. This is the third time on this journey I’ve seen one, a familiar from back home. Also, a tiger swallowtail butterfly on a milkweed flower. The milkweed was different than the ones back home. This was a showy milkweed. R’Chel later told me that they don’t have monarch butterflies here.

Fourth of July, a time for family gatherings. R’Chel’s brother, Mark, and sister-in-law, Beth, live next door and were having a cookout, which I was invited to. He likes grilling and did kebobs on his wood pellet griller. Good food and enjoyable conversation, getting to know them.

Late in the day, a mule deer was in R’Chel’s backyard under the apple tree. They are very common here. One of their striking features that differentiates them from the whitetail deer we have back home is their large ears.

My dinner was interrupted by having to do my regular Tuesday ZOOM. I had a little to eat just before the program, and there was food waiting for me afterwards. We all then went into town to watch the fireworks display. It’s been a few years since attending one and it was enjoyable. Typical to any I’ve gone to, especially the slow wait to exit the place afterwards, with cars jammed up on the streets.

Tomorrow I’ll get out and about, exploring the area a bit.

Day 23 – July 5, 2023

Out to Mount Emily, a little north of Le Grande. This is one of the mountains in the Blue Mountains Range that I drove through on the way to Union the other day. Mount Emily is 6,114 feet above sea level and rises almost 1,700 feet above the valley floor. R’Chel and her brother Mark mentioned it as a place I could hike and probably find some wildflowers. They were right.

I drove up a dirt road aways till it cut a little to rutted and bumpy for my liking. So, I parked at a trailhead and started walking. This trailhead was for ATV vehicles, which much of the Mount Emily Recreation Area was devoted to. So, the walking was on vehicle trails, not foot paths. Still pleasant, as there were no ATVs in sight or hearing.

The trail climbed steeply at first and I took a number of rest stops, which were easy to do because of the various flowers in bloom. They weren’t profuse, but enough new ones to make it interesting for me.

Before identifying any flowers I saw what may have been an Anise Swallowtail butterfly, though I didn’t get a good enough look or a picture. It’s a black and white butterfly that stood out quite prominently as it flew by.

Flowers I identified that I was already familiar with from back home: spreading dogbane, chicory, yarrow, goatsbeard. New flowers included: Ocean spray, a beautiful flowering bush with white drooping clusters, Lewis mock orange, another shrub with clusters of large, white, four petaled flowers, Centaurea cyanus, a beautiful blue flower that is invasive,  an Oregon checkermallow, and a final new one, another shrubby plant shinyleaf spiraea. A rewarding outing for finding new flowers.

There was a beautiful view of the Grande Ronde valley and nearby mountains from a cliff edge. As I sat there I noticed off to my left a small US flag, a white cross on a rock and some plastic flowers. I realized this was probably a homemade memorial marker for someone who died falling off this precipice.

I also found some fresh wild fruit in this dry environment: some ripe Saskatoon serviceberry! There were only a few ripe purple ones, but quite a few unripe ones on the various small trees growing in one area.

While hiking back to the car another person was walking up the trail. We stopped to talk a bit about the trail and I told him what I had been seeing. I mentioned I was a poet and asked if he’d like to hear a poem. He started making as if to start walking away and said, “I don’t get involved with those things.” I told him it was  a fun poem but he said no thanks. But then he asked if I’d like to hear a story. I said, “Wait a minute. If you tell me a story then you have to listen to my poem.” He again said no and started to move away. I encouraged him to tell me the story. He stopped and then said, “You first.” So I recited the Chickadee poem and he actually said he liked it. I replied, “See, it wasn’t that bad, was it?” He then didn’t want to tell me his story. “Not after that.” I said I really wanted to hear it so told me, with the warning, “I hope it doesn’t scare you.”

He then told me about sleeping in his car here one time and at 5:30 he awoke with someone trying to open his driver side door. Then they tried the other side. He got up and discovered it was a barefoot distraught teenager. He was worried about what her intentions were. She told him her mother had been abusing her and she had to get away. She wanted to get to La Grande and he drove her there suggesting they go to the police station. She didn’t want that and had him drop her off at a house in town.

When he finished he said, “I hope it doesn’t scare you about being up here.” I said no it doesn’t. As we parted I asked him his name. “Michael.” I told him that was my name, too. We shook hands and went on our own ways.

On the way home I stopped in downtown Union and walked the couple or so blocks to see what was there. You don’t see as much driving by, even at 25 mph. A few empty storefronts and various businesses, official buildings, a museum, etc. I walked by the post office and remembered I had a book to mail. At the post office I mentioned I was mailing a poetry book and that I was a poet. One of the clerks told me she likes Wordsworth and Coleridge. Not poetry in general but the Romantic era. I then recited a couple of poems for them and they both thanked me and said it was special.

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Day 24 – July 6, 2023

Every morning I’ve been getting up a little before or after 6 AM. I make my tea and go sit on the back deck in a short sleeve shirt. Pleasant.

The weather here in Union has been consistent. High in the 80s, low in the 50s at night. 80s back home would be uncomfortable because of the humidity. Here, it is hot, but a dry heat, so not as uncomfortable. Always clear, too.

Spent most of the afternoon exploring out of town. Took a couple of short hikes, one in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and the other in Catherine Creek State Park, both places to the east of town. Once again, finding a few blooming flowers. One I was excited about because I had just been talking to R’Chel about it and had shown her a picture I had taken of it years ago – Elegant Cat’s Ear. Unfortunately, it wasn’t totally open yet. I’m tempted to drive back out those 12 miles tomorrow to see if it is fully opened. I looked but didn’t see any others growing nearby. A solitary plant. Also saw a few beautiful western columbine blossoms.

R’Chel told me that she gets her drinking water from a spring out the way I was going. I found it and filled a jug and water bottle with the cold, refreshing water. Reminded me of when we used to get our drinking water from the fish hatchery in Bath, NY.

In the evening, before dark, as we sat on the back deck, we watched and heard a nighthawk hunting in the sky overhead. Like the Elegant Cat’s Ear flower, this was a lone nighthawk. It was enjoyable watching it dip, dive, twist, turn in the moving-toward-dark sky. Its call is reminiscent of a woodcock’s peent.

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Day 25 – July 7

A day spent at home, for the most part. My final day staying here in Union, staying at R’Chel’s.

My only going out was to drive 14 miles to the Safeway store in La Grande. I had offered to fix a seafood supper for us and there is only a small grocery store in Union. Not that Safeway had a lot of choices as far as fish goes. I try to not buy farm-raised fish, so the choices were minimal. I did end up purchasing some frozen wild caught cod.

On the way back I stopped at the Union Library to say hi. I had talked with the director, Tiffany, before leaving home about maybe doing a memoir workshop. She couldn’t get enough people interested in this small town, so we didn’t do one. The library is a Carnegie Library, as many libraries I’ve done work in are. We had a pleasant chat and who knows, maybe next time I’m out here we can interest more people.

After getting back I went next door to visit with Mark and Beth again. An enjoyable hour or so sharing stories and a little laughter. Good people.  

R’Chel owns and operates Cats Paw Soapery & Sentiments. She hand makes all of her over 800 available items.

From her webpage:

At Cats Paw, we understand that you’re searching for more than just another product. You want synthetic-free solutions that are crafted with care, using small-batch production and high-quality, toxin-free ingredients. Our goal is to take your skin care routine back to nature’s basics, ensuring visible and tangible results that you can truly feel.

What sets our products apart is our commitment to avoiding cheap fillers and potentially harmful substances like Palm Oil, Parabens, and Phthalate-laden fragrances. Instead, we prioritize skin-loving oils, butters, and extracts to create formulations that deeply care for your skin. We believe in transparency and take pride in the fact that we genuinely care about what goes onto your skin. If you’re still reading, it’s clear that you share our passion for clean and nourishing beauty.

When I first met R’Chel, six years ago, she had just recently returned to this path after leaving behind work as a med tech person. She has stayed on this path through some difficult times but is committed to her business and truly loves helping others move toward natural-based products and a healthier lifestyle. She is a good-hearted sincere person trying to make it in this world doing what she loves and helping others. Support her business if you can. Check out her webpage to see what she offers and look into her blog on the site. The most recent one, written today, is Homemade Ice Cream Delights: No Ice Cream Machine Required!

https://www.catspawfarm.com/

After I did laundry and packed away some stuff into the car I fixed supper: Baked cod with an olive oil, garlic, lemon, cayenne topping, fruit salad and garden salad. A good, simple, healthy meal.

Just as we finished eating, Brian, Mark and Beth’s son who I met on the 4^th, came over to say good-bye to me. We talked a bit about writing and I encouraged him to send some of his work to me sometime.

Afterwards we sat on the back deck, listened to an owl “clacking” while it hunted. I have never heard this before coming here. Then, before turning in, I went out to my car for something and noticed Scorpio hanging low in the southwest. Inside, I mentioned it to R’Chel and we both stepped out to view it for a moment or two. We are both Scorpios and the constellation is slowly working its way out of view till next year. A good ending to the final day here.

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Day 26 – July 8

A final morning with my tea and laptop on the back deck of R’Chel’s place. It’s been a nice morning routine that I start around 6 AM. Each morning the temp was probably in the upper 50s. Pleasant, before the day heats up in the upper 80s or so.

R’Chel joined me a bit later with her cup of coffee. I had a few things to still pack up into the car, but waited till she went next door to take a morning walk with Mark and Beth. Each morning they alternate between maybe an hour walk or an hour of yoga. Before she went over we took a selfie, hugged and then she went off next door and I packed the car and moved on down the road.

Moving on down the road. That’s what a traveler does. Have the experience, move on, have another experience. I have often said that I get a lot of wonderful glimpses of places as I travel, but they are just glimpses. A little time here, a little time there. Sometimes those glimpses turn into something more though. Angola, Indiana. Winchester, Virginia. Pasadena, California. New Orleans. Tupper Lake, New York. Other places where I’ve returned to after that first glimpse. Other people I’ve returned to after a first glimpse.

This has been my first western journey since 2017. That was six years ago. This has been a long-miles journey and I’ve had no problems with the driving, the hours behind the wheel. Still, I’m not getting younger and when I get glimpses now, will I still have the energy, the ability to return, to make those glimpses something more than just glimpses.

On the way to my 1:00 reading at the library in Ontario, OR I stopped to visit Hoss Haney in Baker City. Hoss was a forest ranger that I had two good talks with back in 2017, the same time when I met R’Chel. We’ve stayed minimally in touch through Facebook. I sent him a message about being in the area so we made plans for a visit on my way to the reading.

We had a vibrant hour talking, getting to know each other, amidst the watching over his two boys, 1½ and 4 and a nephew, 8. He was apologetic, but I assured him I know what that is like. We could have talked for hours, but I had places to go. We will get together again when I come back out this way, expand the little connecting we’ve already had.

I’ve read at the Ontario Community Library three times previously. There has never been a “large” turnout. Today there were six people. I presented a program of stories and poems from the hiways and biways of America. We sat in a circle which made it feel more intimate. Everyone seemed to enjoy it very much and one person said it reminded her of when she saw Garrison Keillor in person. Ah!  

Afterwards I talked with a younger guy who was in the audience. He had been looking forward to this program all week. Mid-30s and has gone through a lot in his short life. Used to write, and now getting back into it again. I encouraged him as much as I can, gave him my memoir book and asked him to stay in touch.

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Day 27 – July 9

A day of mostly driving.

Left Ontario, OR about 8:30 with Missoula, MT as my destination, 340 miles away. Another hot day too, into the 90s.  

Filled up on gas before leaving as I was going to be driving through a long stretch of road with barely any towns. $3.89/gallon, so a little better price than it has been since Nevada.

I drove through the Salmon River Mountains, following along the Little Salmon River and then the Salmon River. Mostly dry, with only scattering of trees once in awhile. Following the course of the rivers naturally led around many curves and through some canyons.

Later on, further north then east, the route traveled along Clearwater River and through the Clearwater Mountains. These mountains were totally tree covered. They reminded me very much of the Adirondack Mountains back in New York.

In Missoula I stopped for a light supper at a Vietnamese Restaurant, Pho Vi. I had an excellent, and very filling, Spicy Tom Yum soup. Then off to John and Judy Holbrook’s house, where I’ll be staying till Friday morning. More on them and Missoula tomorrow. Now, I’m off to bed after a long, tiring day.

Day 28 – July 10

Rain overnight! Not much, but the first rain I’ve experienced since Day 8 of the journey. It did rain at times during the first half of the day. Not a lot, but whatever amount is very welcome here.

Spent the morning hanging out with John. The wetness from the slight rain overnight dried up in the morning hours, so we sat outside under the apple tree that has around 30 varieties of apples on it.

John is a poet and we have a second FootHills book of his coming out in the next month. He was an influence on my good friend and poet, Craig Czury, in Craig’s early years when he lived here in Missoula a bit. John and I talked about the poet-in-schools work each of had done in the past. Interesting to share stories and realize we had a lot of the same kind of experiences doing that work.

Afterwards I went out to walk around downtown Missoula. I’ve been here before but never really explored the city much. The Clark Ford River flows through downtown and nearby mountains span the horizon. The downtown is a bustling area with numerous stores, restaurants and other businesses. No empty buildings that I saw.

I stopped in at Fact and Fiction, the premier bookstore in Missoula. Mara, the current owner, was published by FootHills as part of the Montana Poets Series #4. https://www.foothillspublishing.com/2021/panich.html

She suggested I go visit the new Missoula Public Library that just opened two years ago. I’m glad she did, because it is a beautiful space that won an international award. From their webpage:

MPL WINS INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE YEAR AWARD

Today the International Federation of Library Associations World Congress in Dublin, Ireland announced that Missoula Public Library is the Public Library of 2022. This award is presented to a newly designed library in any country which has excelled at combining open and sustainable architecture with IT solutions, learning technologies, and local culture and landscape. 

I was hungry a bit, as I hadn’t eaten any lunch before heading out. I went over to the coffeeshop in the library and saw that they did have salad and sandwiches listed. I asked about soup, but the clerk told me they only have that once fall comes around. I said I’d come back after touring the library more.

I explored some of the space and was impressed. On the fourth floor they have an outside area called The People’s Terrace, which affords nice views of the city and surrounding area. The People’s Terrace, open to everyone, not just paying customers at a fancy restaurant.

I went back to the coffeeshop and ordered a salad. Had a wonderful conversation with the young woman who worked there. We talked about creativity and life. She would like to be a tattoo artist and is working toward that end. I told her the two Thoreau quotes about dreams and recited a couple of poems before I left. She seemed moved by the experience. I also let her know about Wednesday’s reading and invited her to come.

Ah, the encourager in me! I often have connections like this because I’m not afraid to ask questions, to share that I’m a poet to others. It doesn’t matter the age of who I am relating with. I want connections I make to be vital and vibrant. They can’t always be, I know. Yet, I hope some of what I share, even though I might never hear from that person again, might have a slight influence in their life.

Maybe she’ll show up at the reading.

In the evening Dave Thomas came by for a visit. John, Dave and I, later joined by Judy after she returned from an away day, sat under the apple tree and conversed for a couple of hours. Dave is another poet here who has been published by FootHills. Was good to get to know him better, to share stories of the poetic life.

Thus ends another day in my poetic life.

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Day 29 – July 11

After my morning ritual of tea and laptop work under the apple tree, Mark Gibbons picked me up and we spent half the day together. Mark is the current Poet Laureate for Montana and a FootHills poet. He also organized the reading/gathering we are having at John and Judy’s place Wednesday evening.

As Mark drove through Missoula he pointed out various landmarks and places: Mount Jumbo, Sentinel Hill, places where he had lived, etc. Then we took a hike up Waterworks Hill at the edge of Missoula. This is about a 600’ hill on the north side of the city that affords views in  all directions. It is an open, not wooded, hill, so the hike was in the sun the whole way. I stopped at times to take pictures of flowers and to just rest a minute or two along the uphill saunter. Our conversation flowed continuously, mostly centered on our lives as poets. Along the way the view kept opening up till, at top, the whole panorama unfolded. Just below, mostly to the south and west, the city of Missoula. Further south and east Mark pointed out other mountains. To the north more distant mountains, part of the Rattlesnake Wilderness. It was good to be up there, getting a sense of the lay of the land here.

Later, we went over the Charlie B’s, an iconic old Missoulian bar. Back in the 60s and 70s, when it was Eddie’s Club, photographer Lee Nye took portrait photos of the patrons who frequented Eddie’s. These photos grace the walls of the bar now. Scores and scores of them. They are sensitive portraits of Missoula residents and the denizens of Eddie’s a half century and more ago. Over the years Craig Czury has often mentioned this place to me, telling me stories of when he lived here in the late 70s. It was a must stop for me. I avoided going here the other day when I was walking around downtown. I wanted to wait till I could come here with Mark, who could give me the lowdown on what this place was.

We walked in the back door entrance from the alley and ordered a bowl of Gumbolaya from the Dinosaur Café, which is part of and at the rear of the bar. We then took our food up to a table next to the bar. We ordered two beers from Cheyenne, the bartender, who Mark knew. When she brought over the beers Mark introduced me as a poet and his publisher. I asked her what she did creatively. She said she wrote. I asked her what kind of writing. Poetry. I then asked if she could recite a poem before we leave. She said no, but she could read one. When she walked back to the bar Mark mentioned that he didn’t know she wrote poetry! Later, she read a very good poem of hers. I invited her to come to the reading on Wednesday.

Mark toured me through the bar, pointing out various pictures of people who he knew. The bar/gallery is treasure trove of Lee Nye’s wonderful work.

As we were leaving a gentleman walked up to us and asked if I published Dave Thomas’s books. I told him I did and he said he loves Dave’s work and buys all of his books. Two copies, one for himself and one to give away. I thanked him and invited him to the reading, too.

The rest of the day I hung out at Judy and John’s place. Had a free flowing conversation with Judy about our lives, sharing stories from our younger days. It’s been very pleasant, easy and stimulating being here at their place.  I’ll be here till Friday morning when I head down to Dillon, MT to visit with a friend and give a final western reading before heading back east.

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Day 30 – July 12

Poetry reading day in Judy and John’s backyard!

Mark Gibbons organized this reading for me, inviting poets who have been published by FootHills and other people, too.

Late morning we organized their beautiful backyard for the evening’s event. Grass was mown, tables, chairs, benches repositioned. The weather forecast was ideal. Sunny, dry and, by the time of the reading, temperature would be comfortable, as opposed to the heat of mid-day.

Fourteen people attended the reading, half of them FootHills poets, a couple who I was meeting for the first time. The shaded backyard and comfortable surroundings with flowers and birds helped make the reading relaxing and informal. ZOOMed Carolyn into the event for a few minutes for her and the FootHills poets to “meet”. All of their books were produced by her hands. Then later, Craig Czury joined in from PA on ZOOM. He started his poetry “career” here in Missoula decades ago. He also initiated the FootHills Montana Poets Series back in 2010 and edited the first three series, with six poets each go round. Mark Gibbons edited the fourth series and is now in the process of getting the fifth series rolling.

People responded well to what I presented, poems and a few stories, and I sold a number of books. We then had an open mic, which Craig led off, reading a poem about Missoula.

It was a vibrant evening of people and poetry. Another fulfilling day on this western journey that will soon be turning east.

Day 31 – July 13

Last full day here in Missoula.

After my morning tea under the apple tree I took some pictures of Judy and John’s backyard, where I’ve spent a lot of time in. A very comfortable place for work and conversation. Colorful flowers abound and almost constant birds, either chickadees, finches or sparrows.

Went out to lunch with Mark Gibbons. It’s been great getting to know him better. Prior to this visit, we’ve only related long distance over email and phone, mostly connected with publishing work. We’ve published four of his books

https://www.foothillspublishing.com/2020/gibbons.html

https://www.foothillspublishing.com/2017/gibbons.html

and he is also the current editor of our Montana Poets Series, now in its fifth series.

After lunch we went once again to Charlie B’s. After just a few minutes talking with the bartender, Kate, she wanted to buy my poetic memoir book. I wasn’t even trying to sell it and was actually going to give it to another poet friend, Roger Dunsmore, who was going to join us there. But, I sold it to her anyway and could get another copy for Roger from back at the house.

Poet Robert Lee joined Mark and I. He is another FootHills poet who was at last night’s reading. He and his wife will be coming out east in August, so we’ll probably get a chance to visit again, this time on Wheeler Hill.

A little later Roger Dunsmore walked in and joined us. He drove down from his home in Coeur d’Alene, ID, nearly a three-hour drive away. I met Roger maybe a dozen or so years ago in Dillon, MT. FootHills published a book of his in the first Montana Poets Series in 2010. He was teaching at the college in Dillon and had me visit his classes a couple of times and also give a reading at the college. It was always a vital and vibrant visit with him when I was there.

It was great to see him again. We hung out at Charlie B’s over a beer for an hour or so. When we left, Roger and I sat outside on the grass in the shade and conversed for another couple of hours.

My Daily Spontaneous Poem for the day:

Daily Spontaneous Poem #3094 (7/13/2023)

we talked for hours
after not seeing each other
for years and years and years
we could have talked
for hours and hours and hours
more

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Day 32 – July 14

A final morning with tea and laptop under the old apple tree.

It’s been a wonderful stay here with John and Judy. Very comfortable, very engaging. A lot of good talk but also time to do the work each of us needs to do. Wonderful backyard, too. Great place for working outside amidst flowers and birds. Also, a perfect place for the reading. Much appreciation to them for hosting that and hosting me for this week.

It was also good to connect with Mark and the others while here. And to get to experience a bit of Missoula, get a little better feel for it.

I look forward to getting back this way again.

I departed Missoula around noon, making my way to Dillon, about a 2½ hour drive south. A pleasant drive that heads more into the mountains. Along the way, at Deer Lodge Pass, I crossed the Continental Divide. On the western side of the divide the waters flow into the Pacific via the Columbia River. On the eastern side, they join the Missouri and eventually the Mississippi and end up in the Atlantic in the Gulf of Mexico. I believe I’ll be in the Mississippi watershed for the rest of the journey, as I head east when I leave Dillon Monday morning.

I’ve been to Dillon a number of times over the years. I have a reading Saturday at The Bookstore, where I’ve given readings previously. I stopped in there upon arriving in town to see Deb, the owner. She exclaimed when she saw me and we had a nice, friendly hug. She loves books and has an obvious love for what she is doing. She was a little concerned about turnout tomorrow, as a lot of people are out of town or busy doing summer things. I assured her the numbers don’t matter and I’m fine with whatever the turnout.

Afterwards I went over to Elaine’s house, a dear friend who I met here years ago but haven’t seen for at least six years. She is an artist, yoga teacher and reiki practitioner. It was great to see her again and catch up on our lives. I’ll be here for the next two days and hope to get out into the mountains a little bit before heading east Monday and leaving the mountains behind.

Day 33 – July 15

Back to my usual morning routine while at other peoples’ houses on this journey – outside at a table with my tea and laptop!

Elaine had a some obligations this morning so I went out by myself to the Farmers’ Market. Not much “farmers” at the market. Mostly crafty stuff. One booth was some dance students selling home made sweets, cookies, etc. to raise money for going to perform at Disneyland next year. I donated a couple of dollars instead of buying the sweets. Another booth was selling various flavored popcorn made by three young girls who started their own popcorn business. I did buy a snack bag of jalapeno cheddar popcorn to support them.

The other purchase I made was from Jeri, an older woman who made various cloth items. I bought two notecards that, for the cover of the card she used scraps of material from other projects. I thought that was pretty unique and bought two of them for $2 each.

I then explored the downtown area on foot. The first place that intrigued me was a western outfitter store, Atomic 79. I was very curious why it was called that. I couldn’t make a connection between cowboy hats and boots and Atomic 79, whatever that referred to. I went inside and inquired of Everett, the young man working there, about the name. He said that 79 is the atomic number for gold and that this was a gold rush area in the past. Made sense. We talked for awhile and I recited a couple of poems for him. After I recited the first one, A Short Winter Hike, he commented that it sounded like Robert Frost. I was pleased that he made the reference, telling him Frost was my first influence. We talked for a bit, with Everett sharing some info about the building and the area. A very pleasantly conversive young man. When I left I gave him a copy of my chapbook, Ten Days in Huntington Wildlife Forest.

Further down the street a sidewalk sign in front of The Golden Bar grabbed my attention. In big letters at the top was written P. O. E. T. S. Underneath, in smaller letters, Piss on Everything Tomorrow is Saturday!

In the afternoon I had a reading at The Bookstore here in town. It is a wonderful store owned by a wonderful person, Deb. She has owned the store for 32 years and the store is celebrating its 40^th year next year. I’ve read there a couple of times in the past and always cherish seeing the joy and love Deb has for books, writers and readers.

Only a few people showed up, which we expected, as two big events were happening north and south of Dillon: a folk music festival in Butte and Bannack Days at Bannack State Park.

One person who attended, Josie, came because she remembered hearing me read in Missoula seventeen or so years ago and wanted to see me again. She now lives here in Missoula.

We had a pleasant hour with me sharing poems and stories and when I read from my memoir, Becoming Who I Needed to Be, it inspired others to share a story of their own.

The rest of the day was spent hanging around the house and talking. Tomorrow we’ll head out into the mountains.

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Day 34 – July 16

A day driving, exploring the mountain terrain around Dillon with Elaine.

It’s so different here compared to home. Dillon’s in a valley with mountains nearby and out in the distance. There are hills back home. Here there are mountains, some with snow still on their peaks.

We pretty much did a circle route to the west of Dillon, driving through small towns in Big Hole Valley then along the Pioneer Scenic Byway. Jackson, Wisdom, Wise River. All old settlements with just a few handfuls of people living in them. We talked with one old timer in Jackson. He’s lived there his whole life. 74 years. He told us 34 people live there now. Maybe was up in the 60s at one time.

Captain William Clark stopped by the Boiling Springs in Jackson on the return trip from the Pacific. The water was too hot to bathe in. He was able to hold his hand in it for three seconds and he times how long it took to cook different sizes of meat.

At one point we drove on a National Forest road and then took a short hike to Pintler Falls. Was good to get out on foot for awhile.

The Pioneer Scenic Byway is about a 40 mile long road that runs by and over the Pioneer Mountains. There’s a number of historic sites along the way about the settlers who grubbed out a living on the land.

Near the end of the Byway we stopped at Elkhorn Hot Springs for a soak in the mineral water there. About 102 degrees and very relaxing. After that a few minutes in the hotter water sauna. Only a few minutes because it was hot.

Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat in the rustic lodge building. There are also cabins that are available to rent. The place has kept its rustic charm since it was built in 1922.

We arrived home late, tired and well satisfied with the day’s outing. Goodbye hugs before heading off to sleep, as I was leaving early in the morning. Maybe seven years since last seeing each other. How many years before getting together again?

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Day 35 – July 17

Back on the road again, beginning the eastward trek toward home.

I left Dillon early with a drive of over 500 miles ahead of me, to Casper, WY. I headed northeast on state roads till I joined on I-90, driving that east through Montana. The sky was clear and the shadows from the low morning sun on the mountains to the east were fascinating.

The clearness didn’t last too long though. As I headed east on I-90 the air was hazy. I wasn’t sure at first, but soon realized it was smoke in the air. It got thicker as I continued east. Again, like back home earlier this Spring, smoke from the Canadian wildfires made the air hazardous to breathe. I kept windows closed on the car and just circulated the inside air.

Along the way I stopped briefly at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Once again, the value of the senior America the Beautiful pass, free entrance. Otherwise the entrance fee was $25. I would not have made the brief stop if I had to pay the fee.

I had been here before and this time I just wanted to see the Native memorial that I was impressed with last time. What a contrast the metal memorial is to the phallic monument for the cavalry soldiers. (See pics)

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Day 36 – July 18

These are the long drive days, making my way back east. Today and tomorrow I will be driving on US 20, my road.

About 25 miles from Casper is Glen Rock and the Rock in the Glen. This is a large sandstone outcropping that was a marker point for those traveling the Oregon Trail. Settlers etched their names in various places of the outcrop. I walked up to the top, took a few pictures of the etchings and then walked back to the car. My throat felt a little funny from the smokiness of the air. I decided then that I would limit my outdoor activity for the day, though I was planning to do a little hike in the sandhills of Nebraska.

Van Tassell is the last town on US 20 in Wyoming before crossing over into Nebraska. When I made the original US 20 journey the population was 8, elevation 4736’. When I drove by here in 2011 I think the population was 13. The current population is 22! Elevation is still the same.

In Nebraska I stopped at Fort Robinson State Park. This is where Crazy Horse was murdered in 1877. Whenever I pass by here I stop at the site.

This part of Nebraska is where the buttes are quite prominent. This is sandhill country and the sandstone buttes are quite striking. Again, I had planned to hike a bit here, but the smokey air was a deterrent.

The rest of the drive to Ainsworth, where I had a motel reservation, was enjoyable, but uneventful. It was nice to cruise on US 20 again through these sandhills, with the road rising and falling over the contour of the land.

Ainsworth is on the eastern edge of the sandhills. Heading eastward from here, I’ll have left the west behind. I feel that the sandhills are the beginning of the west, along US 20 anyway.

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Day 37 – July 19

It’s 184 miles from Ainsworth to the eastern border of Nebraska, in South Sioux City, along the Missouri River. In those 184 miles there are about a dozen little towns, the most populated being O’Neill, with a little over 3,500 people. Two other towns have over 1,000. The rest range from a few dozen to a few hundred. A sparsely populated region along US 20.

I stopped in Sioux City, Iowa at the Chris Larsen Park along the east side of the Missouri River. There are playgrounds, paved walking paths, basketball courts, a splash pool, the Anderson Dance Pavilion, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and much more. It’s a beautiful, just renovated park that stretches out along the Missouri.

I kept moving eastward today. Driving, driving, driving on the new US 20 through Iowa. It’s a four-lane highway that has replaced the original route that traversed through many beautiful Iowa towns. I had a long way to drive, so, I took the four-lane and bypassed the towns. I have driven through them many times in the past. Today I just noted the exit signs to those towns as I whizzed by. I guess I’m being apologetic for taking the fast way. Ah well, life is a matter of compromises and there is only so much time in a day and so many miles to go before I sleep.

I will be in Angola, IN by late afternoon tomorrow, so still a lot of miles ahead of me. One more long driving day then a short drive and a few days in place again, in Ann Arbor, MI.

Days 38 and 39 – July 20, 21

So much for what was planned!

The evening of the 19^th, in a Waterloo, IA motel, a stomach bug hit me. A rough evening and night. Fortunately I wasn’t camping, or even at someone’s house.

The stomach difficulties passed by the morning, but a slight fever and achiness took over. Driving wasn’t very taxing, so I hit the road. I was planning to stay in Angola, IN at my friend Lou Ann’s place for the night. Because of feeling ill, I decided not to do that and opted for another motel.

On my way, a rainbow appeared ahead of me in the eastern sky.

The following day I was going to go up to Ann Arbor for the weekend to spend with another friend, Daniel. I decided to wait till the morning to decide if I would go or not. If not, I would make my way home.

I had a restless night, not sleeping very much. In the morning, with still a slight fever and achiness, I decided to head to Wheeler Hill instead of Ann Arbor.

I barely ate anything the day before and my stomach problems had abated. I was hungry so decided to stop for breakfast at the Speedtrap Diner in Woodville, OH. I had passed by it a number of times in the past but never stopped in. A very unique place, both inside and out (see pics). The breakfast actually tasted good, and I was hoping it would settle ok inside.

As I was getting ready to leave I struck up a conversation with three people at a nearby table. The woman, Barb, after I mentioned I was a poet, told me that her daughter is one, too, and has one book published.

She and I had a pleasant conversation. I told her about my Twenty Days on Route 20 book. She then told the waitress, Dakota, to give me a Speedtrap Diner t-shirt. I told her I’d send her a copy of my US 20 book, as I didn’t have any left with me. She said she’d give me a copy of her daughter’s book, but when she went to get it from the car shoe realized she didn’t have one with her. We talked a little more and then took a picture of us in front of the diner’s outside mural.

After she went back in and I started to drive off, a police car went speeding by with lights flashing and siren blaring. A car was pulled over, I assume for speeding. A perfectly apt scene as I departed from the Speedtrap Diner!

The rest of the day was uneventful. I drove over 500 miles to get back to Wheeler Hill. Tired and achy, but I made it.

I’ll be home the next two days and will write from here. On Monday, 7/24, I have a final reading for the tour, at my friend Teri’s house in PA, about 75 miles away. I’m still a little run down and achy, but should be better by then. That will be the official ending of my Western Journey.

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Days 40 and 41 – July 22, 23

Home, taking it easy, building up my energy after the draining previous couple of days. Will be fine for doing the last reading of the tour Monday at Teri’s house.

Gathered a little over two pounds of chanterelle mushrooms from the woods here. Nice to be able to forage some, as last year was extremely dry and basically a no mushroom year. Fixed some as an appetizer, sauteed with pepper, salt and garlic. Then made a meal of creamed chanterelles over toasted sourdough bread. Salt pepper, thyme, butter, leeks and heavy cream. It was excellent.

I guess that was the bonus for deciding to come home these two days instead of going to Ann Arbor to visit Daniel. I would have had no energy for the visit and really am only almost back to feeling normal this evening. By Tuesday, when I would have returned home, these chanterelles would have been a little too old to harvest.

I did go out and took pictures of some of the wildflowers in bloom. (see pics)

So, tomorrow I head down the road again, 75 miles south to Teri’s house for a final reading: Stories and Poems from the Highways and Byways of America. I’ll return Tuesday morning and that will be the official ending of the journey. Soon after settling back in at home, after I’ve done a little reflecting on the journey, I’ll post, on this site, a wrap-up of the six weeks.

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Days 42 – 43, July 24, 25

I’m sitting outside with my morning tea and laptop on the back deck of my friend Teri’s house in Liberty, PA. This is an appropriate way to be ending the journey, morning tea and laptop outside at the house I am staying in. Everywhere I stayed on this journey I have had the same morning routine. There was only once that rain precluded me doing so at someone’s house.

Teri hosted the last reading of the journey yesterday. Ten people attended and we sat outside toward the end of the day. It had rained earlier, but the sky was clearing and it was the perfect setting. I mostly told oral memoir stories. We advertised the house reading as “Stories and Poems from the Highways and Byways of America.” I divided the stories into two groups, “Hitchhiking” and “On the Poetic Road”. There are so many stories from both categories that I only was able to relate a few of them in the hour or so I spoke. Everyone enjoyed it and we had good conversation afterwards, just like we had beforehand over food. Some of the people attending I just met for the first time. Hopefully there will be more opportunity to get together.

After my morning tea Teri and I talked for awhile before I headed out on the road toward home. Before leaving I took a few pictures of her garden and land.

Because of the journey sickness detour and being home for two days before this last reading, this coming home wasn’t quite the same as returning to the hill after a six-week absence. Nevertheless, as I drove up the three quarter mile long drive through the field, I thought of how forty-three days ago I drove out this same drive on the start of my first cross-country journey in about six years. I was full of anticipation for the experiences that lay ahead. Now, as I drove in, I was full of the memories of those experiences that occurred.

The physical part of the journeying is over. In the next day or two I will post a wrap-up piece that reflects on the entirety of the journey.

Thank you for following along.