This is a picture from the garden where I live and work. My tent is located off to the side (sweet view, right?!) First week here went by super fast, I just kind of jumped into things here and am starting to get a handle on how things work. This week we pruned the fruit trees, planted all our many verities of tomato's, seeded a ton of beans and weeded everything! There are also chickens, ducks and a rooster named Demetre (who wakes me up in the morning). The garden seems about to explode, we are right on the cusp of being able to harvest a lot of our plants. The summer internship started this week too, so we have quite a full house (16 interns, 3 work-traders, and 8 staff)! we have three communal meals a day 5 days a week. Many fine cooks and lots of yummy food from the garden and other farms near by. We had an amazing dance party in the woods on Wednesday to honor the full moon. I am having a great time exploring cottage grove and the forests around Apro!
love.

footnote-
if you want to look at the pictures from our drive chronologically you have to start with my first post in the archives and then work back. If you don't care, then it can be enjoyed from finish to start....its up to you.

It should not be denied. . . that being footloose has always exhilarated us. it is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression and law and irksome obligations, with absolute freedom, and the road has always led west.

--Wallace Stegner

This was one of the last photos we took before getting to Berkeley CA, where Emily and I spent a couple days. Emily flew back to Philly on the 11th, where she is living until she leaves for her year long Adventure in China! Hope y'all enjoyed this taste of our journey. I can not express how much gratitude I feel toward her for coming with me and supporting me while I make this move. I have felt so lucky to have the friends and family I do, who have been so wonderful over these last months in this whirlwind of change.

As for me, I got to my final (at least for now) destination yesterday. Cottage Grove, Oregon. I am living and working at The Aprovecho Community- center for sustainable research until mid October. I am working on their wonderful garden and living and working in the beautiful lush green that is Oregon.

I will post more as more comes along, I am new to the blogging world but am trying to be more hip to all this stuff.

much love to all.

Views from Route 1.....quite the drive!

ELEPHANT SEALS!!!! a whole beach full of the amazing creatures, found along route 1 up the coast on our way to Northern Cal.

WE MADE IT!!! Emily and I get our feet wet in the beautiful Pacific Ocean....

A close up of "Das Van"

This is the van of a friend we made in Santa Barbara CA.

One of several delicious stops we made on our tour of L.A.

And from Flagstaff to L.A. What a bizarre city. Emily and I stayed with her Uncle Mike, who was such a wonderful host to us and took us all around the city!

Here we are...if you notice I am standing about a foot or more in front of Emily. It took me about 30 min to work up the courage to stand so close to the ledge. A fear of heights is not super useful when visiting the grand Canyon.

Where I feel at home....

More fun with photo opportunities at the grand Canyon.....

After several attempts we got the perfect "Emily in the air" shot. One for the grandkids for sure

sight seeing at the grand canyon....

We made some bangin chili our second night! I have learned that everything tastes better when you are camping.

This is our campsite in Flagstaff. We camped for two nights and sent a day at the grand Canyon. many people stay here when they are exploring the canyon of grandeur. we had a grand time to be sure!

Emily and I checking out the sites and generally being in awe....

Also for Bridget....

This picture is dedicated to my dear friend and trip guru, Bridget Kane. I wish I had a real giant bunny to ride....maybe someday.

Our last stop on the way out of Holbrook....

yeah...thats right! I hump public art, you dont?

This is outside of this great little diner were we started our day with enchiladas, eggs and coffee....I think I could get used to this.

And this is where we spend the night....our very own concrete wigwam! Total bliss!

Holbrook is called the "city of petrified wood"and there are many cool places to look around and find some, this being one of those places.

In the town of Holbrook Arizona we found many treasures....

amazing weird place on the side of the road

random beauty

Outside the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum in Tucumcari, New Mexico....

And here is Emily getting serious about her steak....

At dinner, where I did NOT attempt to eat a 72 oz. steak in an hour or less, thus obtaining it for free. I am the minority in this it seemed...people attempt this regularly, and even more crazy people succeed. Oh Texas, how I love thee.

Here I am, cooling off in the TEXAS SHAPED POOL before dinner!! yes its true!

From Harley and Annabelle to The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo Texas. The place is divinely tacky in every way. Every moment was more hilarious than the next.

Largest cross in the Northern Hemisphere....yikes!

This is me entering the "Hill-Billy Palace" or home of Annabelle and Harley...guess what, there was more stuff there! and a set of stolen cars...compliments of Harley.

I think we took more pictures with Harley and Annebelle than we did at the Grand Canyon!

And here we are! New friends in Oklahoma. better folks are hard to find.

The whole place is coated with stuff! everywhere you look there is just more and more stuff. and they have a storage space across the street where there is....MORE STUFF!

View from inside the store.

This is Annebelle in the junk store.

This is the outside of Harley and Annebelle's store in Erick. Two of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Emily and I chatted with them for over two hours!

This picture was taken at the town center of Erick Oklahoma, before our meeting with Harley and Annabelle....

We camped at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, and were fed strawberries and beer from our old man neighbor in the camper next to ours...does it get better than that?

This is a picture from Beale St. in Memphis Tennessee. Emily and I ate lunch here. She claims the pulled pork is really good. It was our first adventure in southern eating, and would prove to be far from our last.

One of my life long dreams came true one the second day of mine and Emily's aventure. Dollywood is the theme park of Dolly Parton and I give it four stars. The plan (after meeting up with Emily in Philly) was to drive along route 66 to California over a span of a week and a half. I can not imagine a better way to transition from graduating.

bye folks,
And with the end of one story begins another...