Hey, all! I’m still here with my friend Denise in Olympia, Washington for a couple more days. I’ve spent most of the winter—and spring so far—here, and it’s been lovely, but I’m looking forward to returning to Portland for a sit with some of my regular kitties, Rocket and Einstein.
But today, I was heading downtown on foot, when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a city bus headed to the train station… and look what its readerboard said!
So cool: Dreaming + Amtrak! Perfect for me! (And this on top of the fact that all of Olympia’s city buses are fareless—you can ride for free! I did, on the way back up the steep hill from downtown.)
I am taking this serendipitous transit sighting as one of a constellation of green lights in my life, getting me closer to my dream of riding every mile of track in Amtrak’s network this year.
My first step is the California portion of my journey: riding Amtrak’s San Joaquins line for the first time. I plan to do that next month. The puzzle pieces have started to fall into place, though I still have a few more I need to complete. (Maybe you know people you could connect me with?) Realistically, I also need to raise a bit of money, so that I’m not dipping even deeper into my dwindling savings. But I always like to make bold plans first, and trust that the money will follow as needed! So far, so good on that.
At this point, I plan to depart Portland on the afternoon of Sunday, May 4th (May the Fourth be with me!) arriving in Emeryville, California on the morning of the 5th. I plan to do a cat sit in Emeryville until the 10th, and then attend my friend Mimi’s Global Vegan Waffle Party in Berkeley that afternoon! Then I will board a train to either Bakersfield or Fresno, depending on whether I manage to secure the cat sit I’ve applied for in Fresno. It looks like I have been offered a place to stay in a vegan, NVC-friendly community house in Bakersfield, so I’m looking forward to that!
I also want to visit the Japanese garden I have just learned about in Fresno. Also, while I am in one of those two cities, I am really hoping to find someone to carpool with me to Sequoia National Park, since I have never visited there. (The most massive tree in the world lives there!)
After my time in Fresno, Bakersfield, and/or Sequoia, I will board the train up to Sacramento, arriving late at night. (Not sure of the date yet.) I would like to stay a few days in the Sacramento area as well—though I would need to find either a cat sit or lodging to do so—and then return to Portland by train. (Or possibly, instead, work my way north toward the Avenue of the Giants and then back to Portland via southern Oregon, but that would require some careful carpool planning. But it would be really cool, so if you know anyone who might want to join me and carpool for any part of that journey, please feel free to put us in touch!)
After this trip, I hope to stay in the Portland area—or at least the Northwest—for much of the summer, cat sitting full time. During that time, I will need to find a way to raise significant funds, as well as come up with a logistical travel plan, to hit the rest of the Amtrak network in August and September. This will include places as far-flung as Maine, Michigan, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, to name but a few.
But I’m excited! As our nation and world face seemingly unprecedented threats (photos from my attendance at the Hands Off rally at the Washington State Capitol the other day below) I am still dreaming into the now, and the future, of my intention to connect with people, share healing and inspiration, and empower those dreaming into a better world at this time.
Here are some photos of Angel the Olympia kitty; signs from the rally; and spring blooms in Olympia, including some at the free, public Yashiro Japanese Garden. The last photo is from Sylvester Park, today.
Thanks again for all of your support in my journey!
—
Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a free, no-strings one-hour phone or video call with me!
Want to be notified of future blog posts? Use the green “sign up” button to subscribe!
Want to support my vision financially? I am in a continual process of manifesting $50,000 per year in lieu of a “salary” for the unconventional work I do in the world. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a Fairy Godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my patrons, contributors, and godfunders!)