Afterword

Centralia, Washington

Our short but memorable trip to the 49th State. I’ve officially visited all 50 states — a bucket list I’ve been picking off for 25+ years of road trips and other travel. Alaska is easily one of—if not the—most beautiful.

It was a busy week full of social events and soccer. My coworker had a BBQ yesterday and I hosted a neighborhood potluck at the park today. I was too busy to take many photos, but it was a good turnout. I’m really trying to organize and build community. It’s the hole in my life I’m trying to change.

In the same way, this morning I also went to my second ever Catholic mass. I went alone to the 8 am. I’ve been trying a few churches out to see how I feel about them, community-wise.

While I’m agnostic, I’ve always been interested in Catholicism from a community perspective. I recently realized—or had the epiphany—that many of the best people I’ve ever known have been Catholic. I definitely prefer the hocus pocus over the worship rock bands at Protestant churches, too. At very least, it’s a great personal ethnography.

Yesterday we headed over to the coast for the day, which we hadn’t done yet this year. It was 30° cooler at Cannon Beach than it was at home in Portland (100°).

I saw this and had to pull over.

And a few more photos from my trip.

I spoke to the man on the bike once he got to the top of the hill. He said he was en route to Chehalem Ridge Metro Park.

It’s the prey drive.