Tripping Through the Enchanted Forest: August 2007

Grateful

Carl Rove announced his resignation from the Bush administration earlier this month.

Today, US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is expected to announce his resignation.

OMG it's Drac and Mangoes!!!!

Deception

We just came back from our visit to the great northwest. We flew in on Wednesday night and came back on Monday afternoon. I worked all day Thursday, Friday and Sunday. My only day off while up there was on Saturday. We decided to do something fun that we'd been wanting to do, to try to make up for the drama that preceded our trip. So we got up early and got in the car heading north.

Our trip north would normally have taken us up I-5, with us quickly reaching our destination. However, that was the first day of MAJOR construction on I-5 through downtown Seattle, so we opted for the longer drive up Hwy 99, also known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. We did end up cutting back over to I-5 before heading west on the Mukilteo Speedway, trying to reach the ferry terminal. There was a 90 minute wait for the ferry. Our plan had been to take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton on Whidbey Island, drive up-island to Deception Pass and then make our way back down-island, stopping as we went to check out a few places before taking the ferry back over to Mukilteo. A 90-minute wait would have made a huge difference in our return back that evening; Whidbey Island is the largest island in the contiguous US and takes about 90 minutes to drive each way without stopping. The other option? to drive all the way up to Anacortes and take the Deception Pass bridge to Whidbey Island and driving down-island from there.

I have an issue with bridges. Not with heights per se; I have no trouble with flying. I have trouble with bridges. Especially bridges with one lane in each direction, with no center divider other than a yellow line, and a 400-foot drop into the ocean. As best I can tell, this issue started with the Loma Prieta quake and the images of the collapsed stack freeway in Oakland. That and taking a "shortcut" through the hills east of Santa Barbara to get to San Luis Obispo. No one told me there was a bridge out there. One lane each direction, a yellow line down the middle, and a 400-500 foot drop into the canyon. All it would take would be a good earthquake. Or another vehicle who didn't stay in its lane for whatever reason. I usually avoid bridges that fit this description.

Bridges just like the Deception Pass Bridge.

We drove up to Anacortes, then headed toward Deception Pass. Wifey found a turnout near the "little" bridge. I got out and looked. I knew we would have to go across the bridge. I decided I could handle it better if I walked it, rather than driving it. I could hold onto the cable separating the pedestrian lane from the cars, and keep my eyes fixed straight ahead. I took some deep breaths and headed out across the "little" bridge to Pass Island. I walked steadily, holding onto the cable for dear life. As other pedestrians approached to pass me from the other direction, I squeezed closer toward the cable on the left, rather than the railing on the right (the drop-off side). I watched a semi come across the bridge from the other direction, and thought to myself, "no fucking way!" I would have had a full-out panic attack had I been in a car passing that semi. I made it to the island, stopped to catch my breath and take some pictures. Wifey caught up to me and we discussed my options. I could walk back the way I came and still have to ride in the car across, or I could walk across the big bridge and she would drive across and meet me there. I opted for the latter. It took me a good 15 minutes to work up to stepping out on the big bridge. Breathe. Foot forward. Eyes forward. Don't look down. Here and there the cable was intersected by heavy chain. Every time I hit a section like that, I held my breath and walked forward to where I could grab the cable again. About half-way across, I nearly lost it. I had to talk to myself quite a bit to make it the rest of the way.

By the time I stepped off the bridge onto solid land, my knees were like spaghetti. I looked back across the bridge I had just walked and nearly collapsed. I have no intention of walking that bridge again. But I did it.

Yemaya Dedication

This was our annual Sisters of the Sea ritual at Dockweiler Beach. The women pictured here are (L to R): Laura Janesdaughter, Anniitra Ravenmoon, Joanne Astraea and InannaMoon. The altar in the foreground was dedicated to the Sisters of the Sea: Isis, Nephthys, Aphrodite, Yemaya and Kwan Yin. Anniitra, already a Priestess in the Temple of Isis, was dedicated to Yemaya. A beautiful ceremony, and a beautiful day at the shore!