USA USA USA!!!

the first two pictures are during the return trip from jasper.
back from canada. usa usa usa. next stop seattle.

the next picture is me on my way to meet molly rose. the small flying saucer looking thing just to the right of the street sign is the space needle. then, of course, is the wonderful molly. i was able to hang out with her while she finished up work, then we walked down the street, ate dinner, and talked for a couple of hours. mostly catching up over the past two months, since the last time i was up here in seattle.

we said our goodbyes and i then had about 18 hours to make it back to the train station to catch my train.

the next two picture are from a store i ended up standing in front of while waiting for a bus. (sorry to any adults, or peers for that matter, who find the pictures inappropriate. they are funny to me...) once i got on the bus i had no idea if it was the right one or not. i ended up riding the first one until it was the end of the line and got kicked off. i just walked about 2 blocks and got on the next bus. i did this a couple of times. soon enough i had zero idea of where i was. for all i know i could have just been going around in circles. i really didnt mind though, because it let me stay off of my feet and out of the cold.

i finally found my way to the general area of union station. about 5 blocks away there was what seemed to be a very "hip" and "happening" club. i felt at home again. i just stood outside very awkwardly for i think like 2 or 3 hours. watching. my legs were getting tired. my bones were getting cold. so i went to find shelter. as i was leaving i saw one of the most ridiculous vehicles i have ever seen in my life. it was a hummer raised, pimped out, fugly as all get up.

i like the trains. especially after last night. there is no indoor enclosure whatsoever anywhere in seattle. it turned out that last night got to be my first real all-niter. when i was in vancouver i had to wander the streets for quite a while in the middle of the night, but that didnt start until like 2am, and the train station opened at 5am. last night in seattle i was on my own on the streets from like 7pm until now 7am.

it was very cold. i guess not to terribly bad, 46º, but with the wind, only one sweatshirt, a thin blanket, and 10 hours, it got very uncomfortable. the whole night i was trying various ways of keeping worm. covering up on the ground. hiding in a bus stop. trying to keep my mind off of the cold by taking random pictures at 4am.

i like to think that the night officially ended at 530am when a starbucks across from the train station opened up and i was able to get hot coffee and sit in a warm room. the last picture is from when i start this blog that is now finally fully up to date. i will try to update daily, but it may not happen. especially since like tonight when i get on the train at 445pm, its a 45 hour train ride to chicago, then i have about a 4 hour wait, just to get on a 10 train down to memphis. we will see what happens.

im having a great time......