Nothing So Familiar: 2021-09-19

Hey y'all. Bruce writing to you while looking out my 12th story apartment window in the heart of Mumbai, India (aka The Maximum City),

and doing a lot of reflection. First, talking to Chiara and having her read over the blog posts, I realized that I am not 100% sure my motivations for this blog any more. I mean, it was obvious when we cycled and traveled for a year that it was meant as a way to compile, catalogue and communicate with friends and family back home all the amazing and crazy things that we experienced. So much is different now, in the world as well as in our own lives and communication is light years ahead of where we were 5-6 years ago when we had spotty cell reception, random, slow wifi and often nothing at all. Now we are communicating with people half way around the world instantaneously and at times ad nauseum. So, is this long-winded, flowery description of minutiae really all necessary? Well to answer that I will simply say that, for one I did receive many compliments on the prose of our posts (though I am sure I could find just as many people out there with the opposite reaction) with people encouraging me to continue posting updates, and second I understood the value of all the time taken in creating this bl-iary (blog - diary?) when, a few months ago, I came back to it after many years and was reintroduced to so many places, people and happenings that I had forgotten. Therefore I have decided that even if no single sole is interested in reading the random collection of excerpts from the mental menagerie floating endlessly through my brain, I completely understand. But, never-the-less, I persist so that one day when I am no longer able to talk about these things, the stories and events will continue to live on for whomever stumbles upon them. Now back to the task at hand - telling you what the hell we went through just so I could be sitting here looking out my window and writing this post!

I will give you a little thumbnail sketch of what our summer looked like here in a minute but one other thing I need to get off my chest here is that being true to yourself without limiting possibilities is hard....really hard. I will leave it at that for now and circle back later... now let's discuss where we have been.

We left Portland and drove east starting May 15th.

Saying goodbye to a great little house

We made our way through the Walla Walla, Washington (yes, this is a real place and not just a creation of loony toons...those of a certain age bracket know what I am talking about) to see old friends from Portland, Jacob and Shelley and their amazing family. Thank you so much for letting us take over for the weekend, it was memorable.

The whole weekend was kinda like this...

After that we drove through seeing a few more friends in Idaho and on to Montana. Here is when things took a true "apocalyptical year" turn. We went to sleep after a nice mid-May, early summer-ish day and awoke to 2 inches of snow and temps in the mid to high 30's!?

Petra can never resist eating snow

And this wasn't just a little blip, no the temps didn't climb out of the 40's for almost 2 weeks and it rained pretty much non-stop.

We were supposed to spend a week or two camping, hiking, swimming and just enjoying the western Montana outdoors with our good friends "Unkie" Mark, Hope and their sons Liam and Oliver. They made a special trip out from Washington state in their van - of course they have a camper van...they live in the Pacific Northwest, in fact it was one of the reasons we had to leave, first there was Portlandia and second was the conversion van mandate (I kid of course, we love you PNW!) - to spend time with us before we left the area.

Petra and Oliver escaping the rain and cold.

Now, in most situations this wouldn't be unbearable, however for us, this was just one bit more chaos than the rickety apple cart of my psyche could handle. See the other thing was that we had decided to pay movers to take our stuff from Portland and put it into a storage unit in Helena, MT rather than drive to 2 vehicles both loaded down and pulling trailers. The idea being that we could take our time, see friends and sites, not rush and, at least at first glance, for not much more money than doing it ourselves. Well, see Chiara or I had never used "professional movers" before (I use the term very loosely in the case of this company) and not only did we find out the quoted price isn't necessarily the final price but this...

This was just when you open the door...it actually got worse the deeper you dug. Broken furniture, crushed boxes and just complete disregard for anything and everything!

was what we found when we opened the storage unit. Apparently this is what passes for a "professional" move?! Lesson learned...the hard way. Anyone doing a long distance move let us know and we will definitely let you know which Florida based moving company (should have been our first

clue they would suck!) not to use.

So, needless to say, we were a bit upset and as anyone knows who has done a big, life altering uproot, your nerves can be a bit raw. Piling on the weather, a wet, tired and cranky 4 year old and no idea which direction was best to head we did the obvious thing - we stayed put, got rained on and were miserable. At least until Unkie Mark and family came to our rescue. Without getting into the weeds, which will serve no one here, let's just say I owe a big chunk of my sanity (and maybe my marriage) to these guys! Thank you for always smiling, laughing, hugging and helping keep perspective when I really thought my tether on reality was slipping. We love you guys and owe you more than you will ever know.

Unkie Mark attempting to ford a creek- not because he had... because it was there

Finally the rains stopped, the temps warmed to a seasonal level and we continued on east from the mountains of western Montana (the part everyone assumes you are talking about when you tell them you are going to MT) to, what is actually the bulk of the territory and geography of the state, to see Chiara's parents in the booming center-of-it-all, Sidney, MT.

For those who have no idea what I am talking about...

I will be honest though, for all my concerns about spending 2-3 weeks in this uber-conservative, red state outpost which, lord-only-knows-how spawned the bleeding-heart liberal Maltese family, we had a great time! Petra and I swam in the community pool a bunch, I finally got to see and appreciate the region of the US which spawned and molded the personality of the woman I love so dearly, and Petra gave grandma and grandpa a new appreciation of the "peace and quiet" that would return once we finally left. Also Petra had a birthday and turned 4 years old while we were there! My baby is growing up into a beautiful little girl!

Grandpa and Petra playing fetch.

Petra with her superhero themed birthday celebration

Petra and Grandma watering the flowers

If you are looking for us...start by looking in the nearest body of water

But in all honesty if you are ever in the region of eastern Montana/ western North Dakota be sure to check out both Teddy Roosevelt National Park and Makoshika State Park - both are well worth your time!

Makoshika State Park

Spent a lot of time trail running on this trip

Prairie dog town

Amazing vistas at TRNP

Continuing east we had a relatively benign experience (at least compared to how the journey began), the weather continued to be seasonally warm and dry and we spent a lot of time driving through areas without much to see or appreciate. One event, however, stands out and I have been looking forward to talking about it here for a while. See, in the flattest, hottest and most (sorry North Dakota) boring part of our journey we had a little hiccup with a truck tire. It seems a plug I had placed into a small hole in one of the tires started leaking again. It turned out that once again a "professional" didn't do their job correctly, but I guess I can take away that I learned a lot from both of these experiences and I know that I am better off in the long run. Anyway, since everything in this part of the country is shuttered with only a faint hint of habitation left we found it hard to find even a simple air inflation pump to get us to the next large town. We did, however, find Jack. Jack was an older gentleman who I approached and asked for guidance in finding a fill station, since he was the only thing alive that I saw for miles. He said the thing that I dreaded and I pervade to you earlier, there was nothing left open around that area and that we better just follow him to his home a few miles away and he would help us out. Not only did he help fill up our tire, which was leaking pretty bad at this point, but he found and called the only open tire repair shop within 60+ miles and his wonder wife took Chiara and Petra in their house and gave them a cold drink and helped entertain a tired little girl. All this with smiles and friendly banter and refusing anything in return, just the request to pay it forward. But the thing that was craziest and I have come back to so many times since is something Jack said to me when just he and I were discussing our lives while waiting for the tire to fill with air - he said, without any irony or aggression, that he lives out there because "he doesn't really like people"...

Now I kind of get his sentiment in light of the angry, divided political motivated times we unfortunately find ourselves, but what I didn't say to him, but I wish I had, at that moment was, "Jack, if you didn't like people, we wouldn't be here right now having this discussion..." Let's all continue having these discussions - putting us into contact with the people with whom we assume we have nothing in common and exposing us to ideas that we likewise assume we will not like. With out this there is no possibility for change.

With some new things to think about we continued to drive east toward my parents. We made a few stops including at the headwaters of the Mississippi River! This where Petra got "baptized" (she can't keep herself out of the water- apple doesn't fall far from the tree) as well as getting her first experience with leeches

Lake Itasca state park and the Mississippi headwaters

We stopped over in Minneapolis for a few nights to stay with Chiara's aunt and pass Petra off to my niece to fly back to NY to spend an week with my family to get spoiled to death and we got a week to drive, camp and enjoy ourselves without the lil girl.

Devon joined us in Minn. before flying back to NY with Petra

Walker art center in Minneapolis!

It was a nice drive though we hoped to go north and through Canada and drop back into NY via Montreal (not possible due to the pandemic and subsequent Canadian border closure) but instead we drove through the upper peninsula of Michigan and along Lake Superior and down Lake Michigan.

Hard to believe this is Michigan

View over Lake Superior in UP

Cape cod or Michigan? You decide...

Beautiful free campsite

This was a place that I had hoped to visit when I cycled cross country on the northern tier route many years ago but was not able to due to early fall cold and snow in the region. Therefore we decided to take this route now as we had no timeline to fulfill. The UP (as most from the region call it) is remote and serene with many hills, endless forests and lots of parks to camp. It is also a place that out-of-state plates (ours were from Oregon) will get you many a long glaring look with the feeling pervade that "you aren't from around here and therefore we don't trust you". Now I know I just wrote in the last segment that we need to go to these places and interact with people but something was a bit different about this spot. And having talked to people I know that grew up in Michigan, this is not unique to our time and place but is the prevailing sentiment of the UP natives toward anyone they don't know. It reminded me an awful lot of my time living in far western North Carolina where the Appalachian people looked upon any and all persons they, or someone close to them, didn't know as untrustworthy and therefore to be watched closely.

I could go into a long discussion here about the Scots-Irish who moved to the early colonies from Great Britain to escape persecution only to find similar situations. They then moved deep into what was then the uncharted regions to be left alone and live as they saw fit. The ancestors of these people still reside in these areas of what we call "Appalachia" and live in a very similar way to the early migrants. This is a super interesting topic that I highly encourage anyone that enjoys this type of history to research further.

One of the most unique stops on our way through Michigan was outside Traverse City (a very hip beautiful town) where we spent a night at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan.

Obviously...

Sleeping Bear Dunes

Dune hike

This is definitely a spot worth visiting as it is about the furthest thing you think you will come across in what is considered the mid-west of the US. What seem like endless mounds of sand rolling for miles all along the shores of Lake Michigan. Some reaching heights of nearly a thousand feet in elevation. Miles of beautiful sandy beaches much with a fine black sand that must be from pulverized rock from eons of glacial and water erosion. You can really get a feel of geological time in this area and the massive powers that worked to create this wonderous region.

Relaxin' aint easy

Our last stop prior to reaching my family was in a little out of the way spot in western Pennsylvania. Through the fantastic websites for minimalist travelers (freecampsites.net was the one we were using but there are a few others) we met Martin (per his bumper sticker a self-affirmed "Liberal Red-neck") and his cows, pigs and beautiful slice of Americana that he has carved out in a region that may be -at least by the sheer volume of propaganda posters- the most conservative, right leaning region in the whole US- and that comes from people that have been a few places. What a surprisingly wonderful oasis this one night stop over afforded us. If you are ever traveling on I-80 just north of Pittsburgh I hope you will look him up and let him know Bruce and Chiara say "Hello"!

Camping on Martin's land

Trail run along the Allegany River

Well here we are in "good", old New York state. Been a long time since I made the long journey from one coast to another, and last time looked a lot different from the vantage point of a bike saddle. Things hadn't changed - though they seldom do in this area- which may be why it is easy for my parents and the rest of my immediate family to keep calling this area "home" when I gave up that moniker long ago. The area is not short on beauty and the term bucolic often comes to mind with its rolling green hills, rocky outcroppings, small old villages and all the bodies of water. But having spent the first 18+ years of my life here I am in very little hurry to spend too much more time than required to see my family as there is not much else that draws me here...except, f course, the SWIMMING! And man did we ever do our share. The beauty of the north east is there are countless, truly thousands, of swimming opportunities. There are rivers, lakes, ponds, the ocean and pools...and in the summer time they are all warm, refreshing and open to all comers.

Petra and I may probably spent 1/4 of our time this summer in the water but Chiara - let's just say she is more akin to a feline in the way she approaches getting wet. There is a strict set of guidelines she abides by before entering any liquid but most important there is some magic ratio of air temperature to water temperature, on which I am still not completely clear. But that is her loss because if it is wet...Petra and I will be in it!

If it's wet...were in it!

Slip-slide with the family

Oh...the beautiful Rhode Island beaches

Lil surfer girl

We also got to be around to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary! It was wonderful - we rented a house in the Finger Lakes region of western NY in the small city of Ithaca. We went wine tasting (NY is no France or California but there are a few varieties that they do well so give it a chance if you ever find yourself in the region) and just generally relaxed and enjoyed each others company. My sister and my nieces did an amazing job organizing and decorating and my niece Brenna put together a fabulous slide show of old pictures and videos that left nary a dry eye in the room. Here's to you Bruce and Maxine - well done!

The last of our time on the east coast was spent with our friend's Patrick, Ali and their daughter Sylvia at their friend Craig's place in Connecticut. This is the epitome of New England and once again involved countless hours in the water -

Craig's place

Countless hours spent

Chiara and Ali - So happy together

Petra and Sylvia being super silly

and with family. This time was very special for everyone with the unknowns of our future year still hanging in the ether.

Lil Nanny time in the kitchen...a rite of passage

Petra nap time? - same as it ever was

Pretty Princess game - bday gift from Aunt Kristin

Putting everyone to work

Beach time with Nanny and Poppy

The time flew by, as it is ought to do when you are enjoying yourself, and like our time with Chiara's parents in Sidney, we were shocked to see our departure date for India quickly approaching. See up until this point we were still very unsure if it would be possible to even get to India as they were still coming out of their second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and most of the country was in some state of lockdown. Chiara, more sure than myself that we would be able to travel, had been doing many hours of work preparing for our move overseas, which ended up paying off as for about 2 weeks before our scheduled July 31st departure date we got the word that the school would be opening for in person classes for the the year. Though still with many restrictions - I, or any parent not employed by the school, would not be allowed to enter the school facilities - that would make my experience more challenging in some ways but considering the fantastic reputation of the school this would be an amazing opportunity for both Chiara to work at and Petra to attend. Therefore, with this in mind, and the fact that we literally had NO back up plans at this point (a bit short sighted on our end for sure, but nothing really out of the ordinary for us) we decided we were all in!

I continued to have some misgivings on a personal level for me as I found out there was absolutely no way to work as a nurse in India and that now I also would not be able to even enter the school grounds or volunteer. Therefore my options for things to do for the contract school year were extremely limited - this made for a rough start to our time in India but more of that to come. For now we organized our meager belongings that had made the journey cross country, packed away what we were leaving behind, said our farewells to family