Days 8-15: Big Foot Country
- Karen Derrick-Davis
- May 1
- 4 min read
Highlights:
Bald Eagle flying through our campsite (too fast for a photo!)
Remains of a 1906 shipwreck on the beach
Multnomah Falls
The endless flowering azaleas, rhododendrons and dogwoods
The Columbia River
Hiccups:
nail in our tire
Perhaps you won't be surprised that while listening to a book about psychedelics -- and winding along the Oregon coastal highway and the dense forests of the Cascade Mountain Range -- I saw Bigfoot out of the corner of my eye, multiple times!
In my headphones, Michael Pollan is reading his book, How to Change Your Mind. This book is amazing. It is about the complicated political and societal history of psychedelics, and their extremely successful clinical applications for addiction, as well as their helpful effects on mentally healthy people. I highly recommend the book. I believe Michael Pollan will change your mind -- or at least cause you to reconsider your opinion, if negative, on psychedelics in society. It's made me curious to learn more, though I am not quite ready to micro-dose mushrooms.
Part of the psychedelic experience is the dissipation of the ego -- which I practice when I meditate. People on psychedelic trips describe their fear and apprehension as their self slowly disintegrates, but before the trip, their guide encourages them to follow the feeling when it comes, rather than run from it. Most people are then able to push through the fear and report feeling a beautiful and life-changing one-ness with the universe.
I do believe the ego is the root of struggle and suffering in our life. When the ego dissipates -- which allows us to let go of our needs and apprehensions, the background noise of life's play-by-play in our head, and our comparing ourselves to others -- we feel connected to and one with all. I know it sounds hokey and "out there," but I have had brief glimpses of this liberating feeling while meditating. And, as reported in psychedelic research and for me, some of this feeling stays around after the initial experience. Having this awareness during meditation or on a psychedelic trip allows you to carry the feeling into your daily life.
*****
The book and this trip get me thinking -- again -- about humanity and our communal existence. As we drive across the country -- through hundreds of communities full of thousands of people -- I wonder as I see each front yard and get a glimpse into each family's life, "Why can't we all just get along?" I'll admit, during this incredibly divisive time in our country's history, I have to dig deep when I see a yard sign that pushes my buttons, or see one that sparks a silent "Go, team!" if it supports my values. I try not to jump to "othering" or "us-ing" -- but boy, is it hard. I really have to take a breath and stop my natural human-brain tendencies and remind myself that I have something in common with everyone -- a love of gardening, a hope for our children to be happy and successful, a desire to travel, an addiction to coffee in the morning, a need to create through hobbies...
We all live in this wonderous world where there would be enough for everyone to live a great life, if not for greed and fear of the "other." I'm coming to believe that these really are the two main culprits that keep us all from finding salvation in this life -- as we say in our Unitarian Universalist community. Why wait for heaven? Let's live in peace and harmony, now, on our beautiful blue boat home. If the masses can find common ground and realize we are more similar than different, the greedy elite cannot divide and conquer.
Our last day in Oregon began with the first rain of our trip and a shipwreck. I actually wasn't that interested in seeing the shipwreck, but once there, I was impressed. The Peter Iredale ran aground in October 1906 and has been rusting on the beach ever since. Just as impressive is a nearby stump of what appears to be a giant redwood. How it got there, I have no clue -- washed ashore after a long journey? And the find of the day was a full sand dollar!
Upon our arrival to Grayland Beach State Park, we saw one of our trailer tires was low and found a small nail we had picked up somewhere along the way. We expected tire issues in Alaska, not in Oregon. Oh well, we are prepared either way. We switched the tire with the backup we brought and will take the punctured tire to a shop for repair before we cross the Canadian border.
It is getting real, folks. We plan to cross into Canada in 5 days!
Side note: This is my 50th blog post! Thanks for reading along on our Alaska journey and don't forget to check out my other posts from genealogical travel trips across the US.
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