First things first, some music for you people given to me by my new friend Paula who kinda showed Moses and I the Missoula L Hiking Trail. After talking about the project Paula insisted I give this song a listen... it's very appropriate in relation to my journey.

The song is Society from the Into the Wild Film Soundtrack, Music by Eddie Vedder.. Damn I love it!
08%20Track%2008.mp3

So crossed the US/Canada border safe n sound. They took an eagle feather from me, which was given to me by a guy at the Sun Dance this past August. Eagles are an endangered species and unless your Native American it is illegal to carry them across international borders. I knew this, but when I asked Grandma Rosie about it.. she told me to take it, since it was a gift for me, and eagles don't understand human-made borders anyway. So this is what I told them, but at the same time I understand the need to curb international eagle hunting for shady trade.

Anyways it's only one eagle feather, and it happens sometimes that a sacred natural laws doesn't always work in unison with those created by us humans. But it's not about creating negatives, so I put down some tobacco as instructed by Rosie, so no harm comes to those who know not what they do.
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Coming across the US border the first thing that strikes me, aside from the anxiety of being in a different country, is how similar we are. Like the eagle, I don't feel I've really crossed any border at all. Whether this speaks to the land, or whether this speaks to the success of the capitalist monocultural machine, I'm not quite sure... but aside from some different signs, a different flag, and the fact that I have no idea how far I've gone, how fast I'm going, or how much diesel I'm getting at the pumps, it's pretty much uniform with where I've come from.

Pushed on by anxiety and a need to get as far away from customs as I can, in case they have delayed notions of searching the rest of my van, I put some serious miles on Veronica. She carries Moses and I down through the sunset in Browning and into the cold of the mountains. We sleep that first night in the frigid cold of East Glacier where we find a nice girl Molly at a corner store and a friendly fellow named Joe with amazing fries next door. After some chit chat and no real leads, we head to bed, me deep in my sleeping bag, Moses at my feet, not a care in the world, the husky in him happy as a lark.

Then we're off and running.. down to Missoula where we've been ever since. It's cold here, and from what people tell me, it'll be cold for a long way south too. So I'm thinking I might as well get used to it and adapt. I wake up in the mornings reaching out of my sleeping bag to run a finger across the window... ooooohhhh brrrrr as the frost slip until my nails. Sometimes we're lucky and Veronica starts after a few unconvincing overturns, then it's back in the bag until the air warms inside. Other times we're not so lucky, and I have to get dressed, shaking and shivering, and head outside, onto the roof, start the generator, plug in the block heater, plug in the battery charger, and then go walk the dog in circles trying to stay warm until she's ready. It's a rough life, but beautiful in its challenges and in it's ability to make you appreciate modern comforts. And if I'm right in this idea that our world is headed towards a serious shift, then, there's one thing we better all get used to, being a little colder and less comfortable than we currently are.

It may be cold here in Missoula, but the people are warm. I love this place already. Aside from walks up to the L with Paula, I was also invited to US Thanksgiving Dinner with two other new friends Dan and Kit. Moses leads me to these people when we're out walking and in that sense he's my guide dog.

In speaking with Dan about my work, he made one comment that left a deep mark on me. He said, "Well you have to think about it, we know we're in trouble and even we are having an awfully hard time not being complicit. And I think we're the minority, most other people aren't all that concerned, they're only worried with making the next dollar and buying more toys." I think Dan's right, and I think like him, we should take it all smiling, no point in letting it ruin your life, you can still make changes, but fear, doom and gloom gets us nowhere. And like he also said quoting his mother, "It's always been bad, it was bad in the 30's, it was bad in the 60's, it's always 'bad' but we find a way to muddle through!"

Me I'm not so sure we'll find our way through this time, but it's ok, as there's always an upside to every down.

peace,
d

Pictures
1. The Road to Missoula
2. Old Rail Bridge in Missoula
3. What can I say.. I have a thing for building bridges ;-)