Road Trip from Minnesota into the West and British Columbia with Patrick from Ireland Aug 1 - 5 - To the Rosen Method Global Congress Whistler BC

Rosen Trip to the West to BC Rosen Method Global Congress    Aug 1 – 14   2014 Summary.  

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DAY ONE  Friday Aug 1.   Patrick McGinnity and I left the Twin Cities before rush hour, and arrived in Mankato and asked where we could get a proper typical American meal. Patrick had arrived on Wednesday the 30^th from Dublin via Newark and we decided it would be prudent to allow some recovery from jet lag so he said in St Louis Park on Thursday until we could leave on Friday.      Here is Patrick walking out of Blue Bricks into  the mall with the large Kasota limestone in Front of Blue Bricks, a local watering hole with American food, where many younger college types seem to hang out

  

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Day 2   Sat Aug 2 Sioux Falls SD to   Moorcroft WY

While driving down MN 60 southwest of Mankato, through the fields and wetlands of the open Minnesota prairie, a bird suddenly flew up from the left and hit my van.   Smaller than a goose and larger than a songbird, I noticed it did not fall to the other side.     As we had just filled up with gas and food in Mankato, I choose to keep driving until we found lodging in Sioux Falls.   Here is what I found when we stopped after dark on Friday; a mallard duck had wedged itself under my luggage rack, and likely had a sudden painless death.   This photo was taken Saturday morning as some of the Harley Riders on their way to the Sturgis SD Rally noticed this right away as well .    I committed to find a respectful resting place and as we drove west on a country road we pulled over 

 Here is the green marsh land next to the dry harvested hay along the road were I offered some tobacco for the spirit of the mallard duck.

--> Here I am, after  a ceremony for the duck at a roadside wetland to return the lifeless body back to Mother Earth.   I am still wondering about the lesson of this bird’s giveaway.  Life is fleeting is what occurs to me, and to be grateful for each breathe.    Mitakuye Oyasin.  Photo by Patrick

 
--> Large hay mounds in the fields as we approached Mato Tipila, Bear Lodge (White Man’s name Devils Tower National Monument) Patrick commented that small mounds were once common in Ireland and now like here in the US of A , more bailing with large --> bails with tractors.

 Another view of the hay mounds in Wyoming.

 
--> We arrived at the Wyoming National Monument in the late afternoon, and drove up the visitor’s center to walk around the base on a trail.   Then we noticed people pointing up, and sure enough we witnessed 3 climbers through my binoculars, half way up to the top by one of the grooves. Also noticed around the base, colored prayer flags and ties, here as I sense this is a place for hanblechia and other ceremonies

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Here is Patrick on the north side of Mato Tipila, as the sun was setting.   We drove from here to the small town of Moorcroft where we found lodging and Patrick engaged the local cattlemen in a conversation about cattle feeding at Donna’s smoke filled café.

 
--> Day 3  Moorcroft WY to Butte MT via Greasy Grass Battle Field in MT - We arrived in the heat of the day at the  --> Greasy Grass (Grass that makes the horses fat, in indigenous language) ,Little Big Horn Battlefield,  as the dominant culture refers to the river that flows through the site, where Custer met his end, on Sunday .  We watched the movie that named issues on both sides of this conflict and the cultural misunderstandings that still arise for some folks, and then sat in the shade looking at the hill of Custer’s last stand and listened to the spiel  the Park Ranger memorized for the event. .

 Dryness of the open fields here with the green of the Little Big Horn River valley below. 

 View of the newer monument for  the Indian tribes at the battle. 

Values of Sitting Bull, Tetanka Yotanka, Generosity, Compassion and Sacrifice for the people. 

Honoring the Zuya Wichasa, The Warriors of the Oceti Sakowin, the Seven Campfires of the D-N-Lakota Oyate.   The list of warriors here at the battle.  For more information about the meaning of Zuya, Life's Journey, read  my teacher,  Lekshi Albert White Hat Sr's  Book Zuya. 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13587632-life-s-journey-zuya

We stayed in Butte MT, and Patrick was able to watch his Armagh  Gaelic football quarter finals on the computer late at night.  For more info see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_football

 He explained that there are some 32 counties in all of Ireland, and that Gaelic Footboll is very popular   I have to say the short shorts are much more attractive than the over stuffed helmeted American collision "sport" that damages so many American men,  more to see and appreciate. :-)

DAY 4 Longest Driving Day.  Butte MT to Vancouver BC - About 730 Miles and 11 hours of Driving. Patrick was up early and we got on the road soon after 7 AM.  First long stop in Wallace ID. I had visited here in 1969, and visited a family of a Carleton Guy I only remember as "Dode" in  Kellogg ID when the silver mines were active and I put on a hard hat and went down a 1/2 mile or so, where it was really warm ,  Bill Benson I think was a Carleton Guy from Wallace. 

Arriving in Idaho in time for a late breakfast, I pulled into downtown Wallace with my magnesium pony, Dodge Caravan here on the left. Across the street we spied the The 1313 Club Historic Saloon and Grill,

 
Remembering from Bill and "Doad" that the area was infamous for a lot of bars and prostitutes, it is interesting to see all the memorabilia in this cafe' bar.  Wonder if Bill or Doad ever come back to the area....
  
Downtown Wallace with the old buildings and the valley trees in the background. 

Patrick leaving the 1313 after our warm breakfast with our chosen beverages of tea and coffee.  From here we drove back the big lake in Idaho, through Spokane into the dry palouse and noticed it is very dry.  Temps were up to 103 F as we drove toward the Columbia River Crossing, then up across the pass into teeming traffic of Seattle.  Followed I 90 to I 401 North and entered Canada after being asked about how many weapons I owned :-) by the Canadian Border guy - We drove through the dark on BC 99 straight into Vancouver through Surrey and other suburbs, to find that Niko, my Rosen Method roommate lives with his partner, within walking distance of the Granville Island Market.

 Awoke Tuesday AM to the gentle light in Niko's apartment, with no screens on the windows, an insect buzzing in my ear, reminded me it is time to get up! 

 Here are Niko and Patrick with the Granville St Bridge above enjoying the after breakfast walk on Granville Island.  My understanding is that prior to the Olympics there was more industry here.  Now a mecca for tourists.   http://granvilleisland.com/discover-island/island-heritage

 Buildings now ecologically designed with the Ferries of all the Rainbow Colours nearby.

 Sign, a reminder for this man, of the openness of Canada to diversity, and having small boats to move across the bay

 Patrick checking out the fresh fruit in the Granville Island Market, early in the day Tuesday.

Patrick and the author here, in the market.  Happy for the friendly rainbow flag over my left shoulder.   Patrick and Niko went back to Niko's flat as Patrick had a friend from Ireland to visit and I wanted to take the ferry over to downtown Vancouver to check out the Gay Pride Neighborhood.

Patrick and Niko looking out at the Burrard St Bridge into downtown Vancouver . Nike directed me to the ferry (see the small boat going under the bridge) that took me from Granville Island to Sunset Beach on Bowen Island, where downtown Vancouver is built. 

 Another view of Vancouver from Granville Island 

 Davie Street area, where rainbow flags and even and rainbow crosswalk, see right side, are remaining from a recent Gay Pride Festival.  Warm day .  I did not have any one to give me a tour and that was OK.   My goal was to get Patrick and me Safety to the Rosen Method Global Congress in a good way. For future reference. 
 http://www.mydavievillage.com/PrideEvents.html