Play Day

So today was the first day in a really long time that I gave myself over to the impulse to do pretty much whatever I wanted. I considered going to see a movie, especially Django Unchained. The sunny spring weather meant that I could not just go and sit in a dark room for three hours, even if that darkened room was filled by the flickering light emanating from the genius of Quentin Tarantino (not that he's always brilliant - but that's an entirely different discussion).

After I biked Elliot to daycare in the glorious spring sunshine, I puttered around the house a little bit. Patched some holes in the bathroom where the toilet paper holder used to live. Worked out for the first time in three weeks. Walked the dogs. Mundane stuff that shouldn't really merit mention in a blog, but I'm scene setting, right?

 I warm up the motorcycle and roll down Lombard to Belladonna Beads. Dev's sister Tiffany gave all three of us St Christopher coins a few years back. I have carried mine around with me in whatever bag I am using at the time. Even though I am not particularly religious (and never was Catholic), I *have* always had a weird affinity for St Cristopher since he is the "patron saint of travelers" according to Father Mulcahy from M.A.S.H. Since I like pretty much any activity that involves traveling (hiking, climbing, motorcycling, bicycling, and on), St Christopher seems like a natural fit. In any case, the lovely folks at Belladonna beads helped me set the coin on a hanger so I can wear it as a pendant and not worry about losing it or not having it with me.

After getting my new accouterment, I fired up the motorcycles and headed towards the Columbia River Gorge. I crossed over the Columbia River on I-5 and started east on Washington-14. Even though the first 20 miles wound through suburbs, the rest rose and fell through superb territory. I have driven along this stretch many times in the past, and the beauty of it never grows old. Crown Point. Beacon Rock. Bonneville Dam. Phenomenal. My hope was to grab some pub grub in Stevenson at The Walking Man Brewery. Sadly, they do not open until 4 pm most days. I spotted some other motorcycles pulling up to the curb in front of another joint, The Big River Grill. So I got a table, ordered this:

and tucked in (as the Brits say).

On the way home, I stopped at Cape Horn for this picture:

and this one:

and I just sort of hung out on the roadside for a few minutes, listening to the wind and the silence. As many times as I have driven along 14, I have never once stopped at this viewpoint. I was pleasantly surprised by how much quiet I found there for the 10 minutes that I stayed. It was not unlike the quiet I find on hiking viewpoints when I stop moving and just stand and listen. 

And watch. 

And be.

When I finally rolled back into my driveway, I had a raft of things to finish up. I needed to make pizza dough for tonights pizza night. I had to finish some laundry. The dogs needed another walk. Elliot waited for me to get her at school. All these things got done plus I got to try a new beer: 

The rose hips are definitely in there, but not in a disagreeable way. Good beer to end a good day.