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A storm in Heaven.


I can't believe I'm still alive as I watch the giants passing by so close to me. But of course I always smile gently at the bus driver as I greet him and ask for my ticket.
I pull my sight away from that other bloke, so I won't be misunderstood. I am never mistaken by chance, even though it has happened before.
But yeah, it's dirty. My thought in Friday is purely f*cking dirty. And as I smell scents from my childhood I am for some reason taken to my time in Sweden. I remember having found this scent, this perfume somewhere in Sweden. This time it's not Iceland. No sir.
And as I remember this I recall what I have noticed lately at work, that all my coworkers around me age are getting married. I certainly consider myself too young for marriage, since I am younger than my age,but, for some reason it bothered me a lil bit. For sure I am confused now, and this will be a confused weekend. But confusion means fun to me, so I pray the Universe for enlightment. But those visions, they have to be made true, at all cost. This smell I'm tasting is almost bringing me to my knees. I need to fall on my knees and bow to the universe and love. And as an ambulance passes by, the urgency of my heart has to be complied with as well. I WILL NO LONGER STARE AT THESE BUILDINGS THE SAME WAY. Universe, love, me, her. It's all a huge ball of energy. Positive energy.

I pull my sight away from him one more time. He looks at me as if he knows what I'm speaking. And the smell. PARA MIS AMIGOS, ES EL OLOR A TABLETAS FUYÍ,EL QUE ME TRANSPORTA, ¿CUÁN LOCO ES ESO? Dudo que alguien en el bondi tenga tabletas Fuyí.

Back and forth, back & forth. The sensation of my position in the time line goes back and forth. I WONDER HOW BORING IT IS TO LIVE ONLY THE PRESENT TIME, NO PAST, NO FUTURE. Now I am put right next to him, as he casts looks no longer to me, therefore no pulling me eyes from him is performed. We shall part and say goodbye. Dock Sud has just swallowed him into a different world of the unknown, what I do not know.

Why do I keep hearing this girl calling my name? "Mariano... ¡Mariano!" But I just hear the sound of her voice, not can I see her.
What was the name of that place with the people dancing? THAT PLACE, WITH THE COUPLE DANCING, AND THE LIGHTS. Right in Avellaneda, that reminded me of Reykjavik.
Back & forth, the breaking and accelerating of the bus can be compared to my motion through time. And my motion through time can only be determined by the state of my mood...

You see, my mood alone does all the movement. But sometimes I can also be stationary. Just get me a warm blanket, a cold rainy day and a cup of warm chocolate, and I shall remain stationary for a while :)
And while this stationary state I will do all the thinking there is to be done in order for all the things to take proper place in my universe, and the universe of those around me.
The people around me are subject to a law of attraction ruled by the stages of the moon, and the stages of my mood. My state of mind manager concepts that can only be understood by a few, and a few only, for not many will be allowed to stay too close, yet not too far.

I am, what I was supposed to become.

If I get this on a bus trip back from the office, can you imagine what comes out on a long flight to another place? Someone up for a long flight with me?

Good luck, I'm coming home.

Pet Peeves? I've got a few (dozen) and I'm sure you do too...
Top of my list this month relates to driving and aggressive drivers because the world doesn't have enough.

There was a time when we only had red and green lights. I was probably a kid when they added a yellow light to let drivers know the red light was only a few seconds away. The timing on the yellow varies depending on the length of the intersection and it allows drivers ample time to get through safely before the light turns red.

What's worse is the multi-lane left turn where they have an arrow (or arrows) and typically when the lights turn red, on coming traffic has the go-ahead. That doesn't stop 5 or 6 cars from pushing through their left turn on a red light, forcing oncoming traffic to wait.

Please, Department of Transportation, deputize me and set me up at a busy corner with full ticket recording video machines (and a full length bullet proof body suit) to catch offenders at an average of 5 for every 4 minutes it takes for the lights to cycle.

I'll work for commission. Tickets for running a red light are $75 and and 10% seems fair. That calculates to 48 tickets per hour or $360 per hour. I'll show up on rush hour morning and night 5 days a week. That's enough to quit my day job!

I haven't seen a driver's handbook in a few years, but a car approaching an intersection to make a left turn, is to remain stopped until they can safely complete the turn. You can be ticketed for crawling out and stopping diagonally along the median waiting for the other side to clear. While everyone does this, they've been doing it for years as though it's correct. The same thing goes for a right turn on red. They leave out a small detail of AFTER FULL STOP.

U-Turn yield to right turn. I was making a right (with a right turn arrow) and had to brake or a driver making a U-Turn would have hit me. Yeah... the sign (he ignored) was clearly there.
That's probably the same skill-set for the people who make U-Turns on a red light.

The most irritating and dangerous is 'charging the intersection' aka anticipation turns. Back to the 6 lane road with turn lanes and wide median. You're driving along in the outside lane, no one behind you. A driver from oncoming traffic wants to make a U-Turn (or left turn) and starts his turn BEFORE you reach his car. That means he's already 110 degrees into a 180 turn. If someone in front of you shows down and you hit the brakes, the driver making the synchronized U-Turn has a good chance of hitting your rear side.
I was in the middle lane when someone made a wide right turn into my lane at the same time another car was charging the intersection. Anticipation of a disaster, I leaned on the horn and both drivers realizing their stupidity, cut back avoiding a 3-car collision.

That should qualify my pet peeves for the month of December. Stay tuned there could be a cameo later in the month.

...continuation...

Campsites for backpackers and bikers can be found at Carter Creek, 8.3 miles from the tunnel (just past the Bandera sign) and Alice Creek, an additional 3 miles down the trail. McClellan Butte trail shares the signpost with Alice Creek, dropping sharply off the side of the rail trail to the north.

McClellan Butte is named after George B. McClellan, a Civil War general and surveyor during the mid 19th century. In search of the most viable mountain pass for the proposed transcontinental railroad system, McClellan surveyed the Cascades Mountains in 1853. Ignoring nearby Snoqualmie Pass, which would eventually be the actual mountain pass used by the Pacific Railroad, McClellan's efforts did not go unnoticed and "McClellan Butte" was named in his honour.

One of the most popular hiking and climbing destinations in the region, McClellan Butte, a distinct horn-shaped peak rising above South Fork Snoqualmie River Valley, offers a combination of easy hiking trail or a more difficult summit scramble for rock climbers.

Past the signpost marked Garcia and the subsequent gravel road thusly named, two young mountain bikers drop fearlessly off the perpendicular side of the trail into heavy bush and descending trees. Two worn paths indicate where this has been a favourite drop-off for youngsters needing a challenge.

The long curve of Mine Creek trestle at 22.5km (mile-14) offers more spectacular views and a heart-in-mouth peek over the edge as tires bump unevenly over concrete slabs, replacing former wood planks. Approximately 2km (one mile) west, the Change Creek and Hull Creek trestles span two more seemingly bottomless gorges along the precipitous rock face of Deception Crags.

Late afternoon, clouds descended, hiding prominent McClellan's Butte and greasing the sheer bluff of Deception Crags, a favourite spot for rock climbers. Frequently, climbers can be seen both directly above the trail, and across the valley, northward. Taking a rain jacket is highly recommended on a cloudy day, as it's more than likely to rain than not. Riding through clouds, over trestles traversing seemingly thin strips of rivers hundreds of feet below, swirling mist allays height fears.

Twin Creek hiking trail descends steeply 17 miles past the summit towards Twin Falls. Numerous waterfalls and creeks splash noisily down the mountainside disappearing deep beneath the rail trail. Rarely was a stream or creek on the hillside seen to exit directly below the trail. Rushing water can be heard far below, but it's noisy exit, invisible.

A mile further, "Ragnar" signage (pic) indicates where the storage yard and old depot was located. A large meadow is home now to piles of rusting metal, mounds of removed creosote soaked ties, and greyed wooden beams. Coasting past the dilapidating piles of railway history, Boetzke Creek trestle marks the final trestle on the almost 30km (18.5-mile) bike ride, and more spectacular views over the Yakima Valley and Snoqualmie River.

Cedar Butte and Boxley Creek indicates the 33.79km (21-Mile) mark, although there are few signs indicating milestones on the trail. One sign painted as 11.2-miles is the only indication you are halfway to your destination. Signage for visitors would be most helpful in gauging where you are, how far you've travelled and how much further you have to go.

Twin Falls signage, along with everything but Rattlesnake Lake, mark the entrance to the parking lot off the trail, unless one chooses to ride further towards Twin Falls. Again, no signage indicating Rattlesnake Lake is a little disconcerting when it's getting late and you don't want to be on the wrong trail as dusk descends. Weaving through unmarked forested trails, the overflow parking lot is a short jaunt from Rattlesnake Lake.

...continued...

I was born in New York and wondered what it would be like to visit Old York. I'm thinking, if there's a New York, they're must be an Old York... kinda like a parallel universe where Mister Spock has a goatee in one universe and clean shaven in the other!

That also has my curiosity about Old Jersey and if it looks the same as New Jersey.
New Haven... Yup, what's the connection with Old Haven.

Does New South Wales resemble Old South Wales?
Should I travel down unda... I'll have to check things out.

I'm sure there are similarities in New Mexico and Old Mexico as they probably make good tacos there.

Last on my list (for now) would be New Caledonia and how it compares to Old Caledonia.

I used to live in the Northeast section of Miami and the same street exists in the Northwest section. Similarly, they have the same house numbers over there and sometimes, I'd get mail intended for the person with the same street and house number but NE instead of NW. I'm sure they got my mail by mistake.

My brother asked if I could visit him in Dayton, Ohio. Oddly he has a neighboring city of Miami. I suppose there are people eccentric enough to buy houses in different states with the same named cities and the same street and house number.

I could use Google Maps and research dual houses with the same city name, street and house number. I'd need a pile of money to convince the residents of both houses to move out and let me move in. Then I could start a YouTube channel and upload videos about my move back to Miami... Florida and Ohio.

After I get the hang of it, I'll explore the same having houses in both New and Old.

...continuation....
Heading half a block further west, Compass Outdoor Adventures rents bikes and offers a shuttle to Snoqualmie Tunnel from a second storey retail space. A steep ramp behind an overhead garage door leads up to the office/store where you're greeted by one of their friendly staff. A yearling company, they offer corporate packages for team building, as well as children's summer camps, bike rentals and the shuttle. Driving from North Bend to Snoqualmie tunnel, the 20-minute drive through the pass affords visitors the opportunity to view parts of the trail from an alternative perspective.
Reaching the parking lot, snow lays in quickly melting mounds on the mountainside, and in the runoff ditches near the tunnel entrance, having been plowed away from the immense doors only two days prior.

Dropped off, there is only one way back to town, and that's through the spooky tunnel that evokes imaginings of the worst kind, and over trestles to challenge any fear of heights. Alone, pedalling slowly through puddles of water from still melting snow, a sudden blast of frigid air displaces the humid heat, chilling bones and raising hair on arms and back of neck. There is nothing but the mountain around you, and the curve in the path before you. Where are those icy fingers of air coming from?

Rounding the corner, massive wooden doors stand open to blackness so thick, it seems to seep out of Snoqualmie Tunnel. Despite the heat of the day, the tunnel, 2.3 miles of blackness so dense it swallows photons, the only light visible is the exit, a tiny pinpoint in the distance. Like a beast lurking 457 M (1500 feet) under the surface of the lower slopes of Mt Catherine in the Cascade Mountains, it funnels warm air into its belly from the west, exhaling it's raw breath in frigid gusts to the east.

Like a runaway train, imaginations careen wildly as the tunnel blindfolds its inhabitants in sightless dark. Auditory senses acutely magnify drips from rounded ceilings and your own breathing, (that was yours, right?) echoing with tires crunching on packed dirt and gravel. One can almost hear the shouts of the men in the 3,624 M
(11,890-foot) length, the longest in the railroad's system in 1908. Detonating 340 tons of dynamite, blowing it up 100 rounds at a time, approximately 2,500 “tunnel stiffs" removed 180,000 cubic yards of rock, finally completing it in August 1914. Built to by-pass avalanche prone areas in Snoqualmie Pass, the first train entered the tunnel in January 1915, keeping Seattle and the Midwest connected.

Donning a jacket against the chilly dampness, a 505 LED lumens attached to the right front fork of a bicycle barely pierces the deep caverns. Pinpricks of light and reverberating footsteps are the only indication of other tunnel inhabitants, impossible to gauge how far away or near until almost toe to toe. Alone, the tunnel has an eery silence, initiating a faster pace through its creepy sightlessness.

Nearing the west end of the tunnel, still immersed in inky darkness, sounds of ceiling drips are masked by the roar of rushing water, seemingly overhead. Emerging into light and warmth, you get a definite sense of the weight of mountain you've been cycling under and exactly how much earth is overhead. To your right, a stream crashes its way over rocks and deadfall, carving a steep path to the distant valley below.

Heavily laden grey clouds swirl around towering evergreens, veiling surrounding mountain peaks. The Iron Horse trail, a gradual 2.2% grade, winds its way through thick forests, disappearing into the distance. Ribbons of silvery streams reflect the cloudy conditions, peeking through far-off valleys, hundreds of feet below. Hues of near-by summits fade from forest green to paler shades of blue on the horizon.

...continued....

...continuation...

Picnic tables gleam wetly from a recent rainfall, and lily-like wildflowers bloom abundantly along the trail edge. Steep drop-offs remind you of the 3,352M (11,000-foot) elevation at the tunnel, down to 440 feet in the valley. Iron Horse trail is an ideal trail for kids and adults alike, regardless of fitness level, due to its gradual grade. Twenty-two miles long from the tunnel to Rattlesnake Lake, it's an easy downhill ride from peak to valley.

From the nearest curve, two hikers with long walking sticks trudge up the gradual incline. As they grow closer, one sported a full head of gleaming white hair and bushy, snowy beard. Suspenders held up beige corduroy trousers and a camouflage work shirt completed his mountain man ensemble. His co-hiker is less noticeable, but no less prepared for the hike. (picture). Shortly behind them, five more women and men catch up to join them. Friendly, curious, knowledgeable and helpful, they imparted their wisdom of the trail and its nuances prior to entering the tunnel and being swallowed in its darkness.

Cruising on the gravel path, approximately 4.5 miles down, an aging snow shed still stands, the pungent scent of creosote permeating the air. Thick cables hold the beams in cement slabs against the mountainside. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific railway built snow sheds at strategic places where avalanches were common.

Designed to protect the track from being blocked by avalanches, an avalanche would flow over the top of the roof of the snow shed, missing the tracks, preventing blockage, or worse, derailment. Looking up the steep mountainside above the snow shed, you can see a wide treeless section of hillside, an avalanche chute, a testimonial to their power and devastation. This part of the track was a prime location for a snow shed. Although there were many snow sheds along the railway, this one is the only one left standing, the others all being demolished in 1997-1998.

Cycling through varied terrain, from thick forests to open meadows, talus slopes (pic) and sheer rock face, the scenery is nothing less than spectacular with unparalleled views. Approximately 11km (7 miles) down the trail (remember, we are in the US), the rush of highway traffic from I-90 competes with the roar of water as Hansen Creek trestle spans the deep chasm. Thick, loose gravel on the trestle makes cycling a bit slow going and unwieldy. Gearing down makes it manageable, although there is plenty of width to dismount and walk across. At the first of the trestles, the noise and height is enough to frighten any confirmed acrophobe. Chain link fencing lines both sides of the trestles, but anyone with a fear of heights understands that fencing of any kind is irrelevant. The scenery across the valley is phenomenal; - looking down is optional.

Numerous hiking trails dissect the old railway line, the Annette Lake trail crossing a mere 6.75km (4.2 miles) from the tunnel and just before the snow shed. As with the rail trail, waterfalls, wildflowers and mountain vistas abound and hidden in their midst, the pristine Annette Lake is surrounded by Humpback Mountain and Silver and Albiel Peaks. Cycling is restricted to the rail trail. The hiking path crosses high above Humpback Creek, its deafening roar is muffled by distance and sheltering trees.

Past Hansen Creek trestle, an old sign announces Bandera with views to the north of Bandera Mountain and Granite Mountain. Low clouds shroud their peaks on this day, lending a mysterious air to the hidden peaks, fingers of mist swirling amongst the trees. The rush of traffic on I-90 is audible as it winds through the mountain pass, periodically visible amongst the dense forest. Burgundy, pale pink and white glacier lilies dot the trails at this elevation in spring, and yellow wood violets bloom haphazardly in mossy areas.

....continued....

Lets makes this world the most beautiful place on earth There is enough sunshine for all of us. Everyone can enjoy the sunshine and life to the highest level.
Regards

we all experience some form of time travel , no matter where we are on the planet ,it can be summer in one country and winter in another ,the same applies with night and day,
but then you have countries with time zones so if you are travelling you usually gain time as you move into each zone , the usa has four time zones that can affect your travel ,russia has eleven which is no great surprise being that it is the biggest country on the planet, and yet france believe it or not has the most with 12 time zones ,
so man can really accomplish time travel all be it by the clock ,,
but is that it ,,,do we as individuals experience another form of time travel that some label as premonition
,,could it be that we actually did travel forward in time to see what might befall us in the near future ,,
with out ever feeling it ,or do we travel in our dreams ,,as we tend to some times vividly see a place or an event that has no special significance to us in reality ,,
nostradamus predicted many things long before they happened and they were frightfully true ,so did he travel forward in time ,,it certainly looks like he must have done ,,
and if that is the case then we all have the ability to travel in time ,and probably most of us have with out ever realising it ,
as i am sure we have all encountered being some where new for the very first time ,,and yet got the feeling you had been there before or even seeing some thing there that rings a bell with in you but you do not know why ,,,
and i am sure that many of you reading this will have encountered at least one experience in your time ,,
and as a foot note to this ,,then yes time travel does exist ,,but only going forward in time ,,as going back in time would serve no purpose what so ever ,,,or would it ,,,,,

Our first real snow storm, here near O Canada, eh? And as usual, a gift from our northern neighbor friends. But at least it's not a n'oreaster, huricane like, and with half a meter of the hard to clear heavy white stuff. But while I used to love the season, including all sorts of outdoor activities, over the last decade, corresponding with the troubling shrinkage, I now get away, ie, OOOOOT of this place, for warmth, climate, people, food, vinho verde, and sunlight. Muito obrigado, Portuga!

Helped a fellow sailor install an amateur radio/single side band radio/back rig antenna on his 34 foot sloop here a decade ago. He was bound for the Med. by way of Nova Scotiia and the Azores. Chickend out on his offer to join in the crossing. Rationalized the presence of young twins, etc. But kept in touch via short wave daily, and relayed the info to his wife by phone in her home in Bethel, Alaska. Vicarious travel. Regret it to this day. Bucket lists. Carpe diem.