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The Time Machine

During this semi-isolation we live in now I’ve managed to get to some long forgotten projects. A quarter of a century ago, in 1995, we went to Sherborne, England for our first Home Exchange. We were still in an analog universe without digital cameras, cellular phones, social media and the high speed Internet we know today. So our negatives and journals, after a cursory perusal, went the way of all vacation memories at the time, deep in a drawer. We have decided to rediscover what we did and how we felt about it. Come along.

1995

Wendi has been organizing our very first European Home Exchange for over a year at this point. We fly out on March 23rd for a 5 1/2 week trip to England. We’ll be spending our first 3 1/2 weeks in Sherborne, Dorset at the home of the Rouses, two teachers at the Sherborne Boys School, one of a few exclusive institutions that molds entitled little rich kids into the leaders of tomorrow. Then we’ll be off to London for two weeks in a small studio flat in Covent Gardens.

This is a real act of faith for us. Leaving our home and business for almost a month and a half feels very risky. Our clients are a bit shocked and not particularly happy, as most are corporate types that get two weeks off at the very most. We’re not sure if there will be business when we return. Time will tell.

At this point I should tell you a little about the exchange. We have discovered that our exchangers, Tony and Jan Rouse, share the same last name but are, in fact, not married or even together. They are just good friends. When we were picked up at Heathrow it was explained to us that we could stay at either Jan or Tony’s house, but that Tony’s house, the Firs, was larger and directly across the road from Sir Walter Raleigh’s Castle. Wow, a house with a name, next to a castle, that’s the one for us. It was only after we were dropped off that the fatal flaws in our decision became apparent. Tony lives all alone, he’s a bachelor and all that entails, beginning with a very unfortunate kitchen and two bathrooms in crisis. As for the view of the castle, actually it’s about as charming as a huge crumbling pile of rubble can be.

I’ll feel better after a quick shower, but wait I can’t open my luggage. The name tag says Capt. Thompson. Who the hell is Capt. Thompson? I call British Airways, “Hello Mr. Peterson, we’ve been expecting your call. You apparently have Capt. Thompson’s bag. He’s on his way to Nairobi now, so we’re going to send a driver by your place to pick up the Captain’s bag and bring it here. We’ll try and get your bag out to you in a couple days. OK?” I pause as my jet lagged brain tries to think this through. “Mr. Peterson, you still there?” “Yes, but I’m afraid your plan won’t work for me. What I will do is exchange bags with you. Bring me my bag and you get the Captain’s bag.” After three solid minutes of dead air time she finally agreed. The driver arrives just after midnight, topping off the longest day of my life.

Sherborne Abbey

Christians have worshipped where the Abbey stands for over 1300 years. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1539 his good buddy, Sir John Horsey, acquired Sherborne Abbey with plans to demolish it. The townspeople, only about 2000 strong, rallied together and heroically managed to raise what would be over $445,000 today to save the church.

Our new friends have organized a little tour of the Abbey. Their friend is the cathedral organist and has promised to show us around.The organist was so kind and hospitable. To the surprise and delight of people visiting the cathedral, he even belted out a little ditty for everyone’s enjoyment. He then took us up the secret stairway to the roof for a view of the town.

After the tour we headed over to the Digby Tab for a few Imperial pints of Strong Bitter. The organist arrived after a couple rounds. I stood up and announced to the assembled crowd that he has the largest and most beautiful organ I have ever seen. I’m certain that they are still teasing him and laughing about the dumb American.

Don, Edith, Cyril and the Organist at Sherborne Abbey

Stonehenge

When you could still walk up and touch these magical stones.

Beer

A quaint little Cornish village perched on hillside overlooking the English Channel. We decided to stay here simply because it’s named Beer. Seemed like a no-brainer.

We stayed at the Colebrooke House. At breakfast we tried to chat with the owner and asked if he had grown up in Beer and what he did for a living before starting a B&B. He immediately dressed us down for being far too farmilar and explained that the English would never take such liberties with a stranger. As soon as he left the room the ladies at the next table came over, introduced themselves and told us the landlord was full of bullocks and just being an old grump.

Tintagel Castle

A medieval fortification located on the island of Tintagel, the castle was built by Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall in the 13th century.

It has been a tourist destination since the 1930s when visitors began coming to see the ruins of Richard’s castle. Tintagel Castle has long been associated with the legends of King Arthur.

Geoffrey of Monmouth created the Arthurian myths that are still popular today. In the 12th century he described Tintagel as the place of Arthur’s conception in his mythological account of British history. Geoffrey wrote that Arthur’s father, King Uther, was disguised by Merlin’s sorcery to look like the Duke of Cornwall, so he could sneak into the Duke’s bedroom and have his way with Igraine, Arthur’s mother. A sort of 12th century date rape.

Trevigue, Crackington Haven, Cornwall

We drove to Trevigue down a very narrow country lane after dark. The fog was so thick that we didn’t realize that just 15′ to our left was a 100′ cliff above the Irish Sea. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, Trevigue has been a farm since before the Norman Conquest.

Further North

Warwick castle

London

It’s Easter Sunday and we’re on the train to London for our last two weeks. We’ve rented a very small apartment in Covent Gardens from Mr. Almaz. Apparently it’s his son’s place and the old man puts him out whenever he can get a renter. It’s teeny but clean and the son has tons of movies. We haven’t turned on a TV in over a month.

The Imperial War Museum

Much to my surprise, this place is great. World War II is clearly England’s defining moment and this extraordinary museum gives you a real feel for the devastation and aftermath of the conflict. We even took a simulated bombing run over Berlin.

The Tower of London

It’s not really a tower, it’s a walled fortification that encloses a jail, an armory, a jewel house, chapel, royal houses and apartments. The Beefeater that served as our tour guide told us that in centuries past it was a very unpleasant place that the Royals would only come to when there was a threat of attack. The sewer system in particular was suspect. It was designed with the thought that the tidal river would wash the waste out to sea twice a day. Apparently it never worked and left the whole place smelling like an open septic tank. A lot is made of the famous beheadings that took place on the Tower Green, but apparently most executions took place outside the complex on Tower Hill so the bloodthirsty public could attend. Executions inside the complex were more solemn affairs not meant for immediate public consumption.

The Queen’s Apartments, The Tower of London

The condemned entered the Tower through this passage.

Anne Boleyn and countless others spent their final days in this very room.

Touring With Her Majesty

An Imperial Pint at the King’s Arms, London

Sneaky New Friends

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During this Infernal Isolation I have been unable to get close to friends, so I’ve been forced to make new ones. Although there’s not too much communication, I’ve found that Squirrels and Scrub Jays make fairly good, but somewhat limited, company. The squirrels seem to have only two expressions. The first is relaxed and adorable, a lot like puppies.

The second and more common look is “Caught in the Act”. These sneaky little devils are friendly but always seem to up to no good.

We are really drawn to the little Red ones. We have formed a bond with a pair of these skittish little rascals.

We’ve named the female Roxy and the male Rocky. Roxy won’t get too close, but is still hugely demanding. She will sit in a tree and squawk at us insistently until we put some goodies in her favorite spot. Although Rocky’s very nervous, once you’ve established a little trust he’ll take a peanut from you. Over time Rocky has become equally demanding. The little guy will sit on the rail and chirp at us in the kitchen until we bring him a treat. The two squirrels get along most of the time, but if Roxy gets a little too close to Rocky’s nuts all Hell breaks loose and they chase each other frantically all over the yard, all the time switching roles as the pursued and the pursuer. I think they must be married.

The Scrub Jays have only one expression and it’s way more nefarious. Every encounter with them feels like a stand-off as they give you that Evil Eye Stare. I’ve taken to wearing an amulet and reciting “no evil eye” three times to ward off any dark spirits.

Vacant Places

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With everything either closed or out of business, it feels so much more sedentary and unchanging now. The whole world is on pause and slowly turning into one big vacant place.

In town, all I see are solitary masked figures scurrying away in order to maintain proper spacing. Social distancing seems to becoming, if not easier, then at least more normal.

People seem very reluctant to engage at all. When you suddenly come upon someone they seems startled and taken aback, not exactly sure how to react in this new paradigm.

Of course that’s just for people. The world around us hasn’t even paused.

Quiet Roads & Empty Trails

Fair warning, if we live through this I’m going to hug more.

Strange Days

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“Strange days have found us
Strange days have tracked us down
They’re going to destroy
Our casual joys” The Doors

Road Sign – I’m thinking this is a passive aggressive reprimand.

Well, strange days have definitely found us, as to whether or not it will destroy all our casual joys, the jury is still out. I like to think there’s still a lot left to do just around the neighborhood.

“When you’re strange
No one remembers your name
When you’re strange” The Doors

We can all dress up in funny clothes. Sure she’s strange, but she’s festive.

Our Version of Isolation

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Isolation is a relative term. We live way out west in rural Washington and it can feel pretty remote sometimes, but during this period of self-imposed seclusion, it has been a blessing. We have friends living in city apartments and their idea of isolation and ours are two very different things. Even though we can’t hug and kiss friends and love ones, as long as we take precautions and avoid people, our mobility is in no way hindered. We have taken to long solitary walks on the beach. A beach that, now free of tourists and tire tracks, feels somehow more vast and expansive, and still has small untouched details.

Road Trips

Yes, like all good Americans, we just couldn’t wait to get out on the open road, at least for the day. So we packed a lunch, filled the gas tank, loaded up the face masks, latex gloves and hand sanitizer and set out on a little excursion to some very small towns where there just aren’t many people around in the best of times.

Fort Stevens, Oregon

Fort Stevens was an American military installation built near the end of the Civil War to help protect the mouth of the Columbia River. Now it’s a small settlement built around a military history museum.

Fort Stevens is named for former Washington Territory governor and slain Civil War general Isaac Ingalls Stevens. A little guy with a lot of courage. Isaac stood just 5′ 3″ . He is said to have died holding the Regimental Colors high and shouting “Highlanders! Highlanders! Follow your general!” while leading his men in a charge against Confederate forces at the Battle of Chantilly on September 1, 1862.

Brownsmead, Oregon

With the exception of a hand full of very creative souls there is not much in this tiny unincorporated community. It was built out on the flats on the south side of the Columbia River along Saspal Slough. Located on a bend in the river, Brownsmead’s chief claim to fame is as the northernmost settlement in the state of Oregon

Warrenton, Oregon

The area began developing as a small fishing community in the late 1840s. Warrenton was platted in 1889 and incorporated as a city in 1899. The town was built on tidal flats and relied on a system of dikes constructed by Chinese laborers to keep the it from flooding.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Warrenton, Oregon

St Francis De Sales Mission Hammond, Oregon

Raymond, Washington

Founded in 1907, Raymond was named for it’s first postmaster, L. V. Raymond. The downtown was originally built on slits, six feet above the tidal flats below. Starting as a rough and tumble lumber town Raymond fell on hard times but has now reinvented itself as Pacific County’s marijuana manufacturing hub.

To be continued. Stay safe.

The Road to Tonopah

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We left Bryce in the euphoria of early morning sunshine and set out on the long and uneventful journey from Utah across the center of Nevada. But, before we had crossed into the Silver State, ominous clouds began to form in the west. With the road stretching out across the desert before us, Wendi at the helm, we plunged head long into the maelstrom. For half the day she fought bravely through snow, sleet, hail, fog, rain, thunder, lightening and cattle.

“The storm is threatening my very life today. If I don’t get some shelter I’m going to fade away.” – RS’s

Tonopah, Nevada

By late afternoon the clouds parted revealing a welcomed oasis ahead. Tonopah, Nevada may not be paradise but it has everything people in our predicament could want; beer, buffalo wings, a bed and a 3,275 lb meteorite.

Rags to Riches

Legend has it that sometime around 1900 prospector Jim Butler went looking for his perpetually wandering burro. Having finally discovered the disobedient creature hiding under a ledge he picked up a rock in frustration but before hurling it at the beast noticed it was unusually heavy. He had stumbled upon the second-richest silver strike in Nevada history. Jim Butler, named the settlement, from what is thought to be Shoshone for “hidden spring”.

In 1902, a some time buckaroo and cattle drover, 24-year-old George Wingfield arrived in Tonopah. He dealt faro-cards at the Tonopah Club. Once he had a small bankroll, he talked Jack Carey, owner of the club, into taking him in as a partner. Wingfield began investing his profits in mines and by 1906 was worth more than $30 million.

The Mizpah Hotel

We’re staying at the historic Mizpah Hotel which sprung up in 1907 during the great Nevada silver boom. When it was completed the following year, the five story building was the tallest in Nevada. This high class hotel’s bar and restaurant was the center of social and economic activity in Tonopah all during those heady boom days. Many political and mining notables of the day frequented the bar that boasted boxing promoter Tex Rickard and future heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey as bouncers.

The Lady In Red

“Lady in Red” – Charles Webster Hawthorne

It was in the 1920s when Rose, the lady in Red, was murdered in room 501 of the Mizpah Hotel. Stories vary but the most excepted version of the gruesome event suggests that Rose’s husband returned to their room after having missed his train only to discover his wife had been in bed with another man. The husband flew into a jealous rage and savagely stabbed and strangled Rose.

She still haunts the hotel, whispering in men’s ears and leaving pearls from her broken necklace on guest’s pillows.

Bryce Canyon

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The snow was already falling as we entered Bryce Canyon. It would continue to come down sporadically for the next two days. The snow was punctuated with magnificent sunbreaks. Each one would have us dash off to the next lookout point to discover another amazing vista.

The park has hundreds of trails that lead down into the various canyons. Most are weather dependent. Before you head down into the rocks you might want to have a quick look at James Franco’s great film “127 Hours”, just so you know what you might not want to do.

The Land of The Hoodoos

These spires and ones similar show up in various places around the globe and, as you can imagine, there is a lot of science and geology around their formation, but one thing they all have in common is that they are truly magical.

“Before there were humans the Legend People lived in that place. There were many of all kinds – birds, animals and lizards, but they had the power to make themselves look like people. For some reason the Legend People in that place were bad, so bad that Coyote turned them all into rocks. You can see them in that place now; some standing in rows, some sitting down, some holding onto others. This is the story the people tell.”

Indian Dick – Paiute elder – 1936

Parting Shot

Do they travel with their own booties or does the bus driver provide them?

Tempe, Arizona

Yosemite Valley

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Yosemite Valley is completely surrounded by granite peaks prompting the indigenous people to name the area “Ahwahnee” or “big mouth”.

At this time of year water run-off from the high country creates so many waterfalls that the mouth is said to be “leaking”.

Killer Rocks

The name “Yosemite” means “killer” in Miwok and originally referred to the name of a renegade tribe which was driven out of the area and possibly annihilated by the Mariposa Battalion in 1851. It’s not just the Mariposa Battalion that has killed people in this beautiful valley. Since 1905 at least 120 people have died attempting to climb the 3,000 foot El Capitan.

The Legend Of The Face On Half Dome

When the old Indian woman and her husband arrived at the valley she carried a beautiful but heavy basket while her husband walked alongside carrying nothing but his walking stick. As the day grew hot they discovered a mountain lake. The old woman began to drink first. She drank so deeply that by the time her husband bent to drink the lake was dry. This caused a drought and the once green valley turned brown. The man grew so angry that he raised his walking stick to strike his wife who ran from him as her tears stained her face. She stopped and threw the heavy basket at her husband and as they faced one another in anger the Great Spirit transformed them both into stone because of their wickedness. The white man knows them as Half dome and Washington Column. Tears still stain her face.

John Muir Goes Camping With Teddy Roosevelt

As a result of the westward expansion and the romance surrounding it, by the turn of the century, beautiful for spacious skies and purple mountain majesties had become part of the American identity.

Naturalist John Muir, who successfully lobbied Congress for the Act that created Yosemite National Park in 1890, had been writing about the need for further preservation noting that wild forests were quickly vanishing under the wheel of commerce. The original rough rider himself, President Teddy Roosevelt, was familiar with Muir’s writing and, although most of his advisors argued that the wilderness was far too large to ever be depleted, he decided to see for himself. In 1903 he wrote to Muir requesting a personal tour of Yosemite saying, “I do not want anyone with me but you, and I want to drop politics absolutely for four days and just be out in the open with you.” Muir agreed and Teddy headed out for California. A small entourage began the wilderness adventure on horseback but after the first day Muir and Roosevelt slipped away from the rest of the group and disappeared. For the next three days nobody in the world knew where the President was or if he’d been eaten by a bear, a very real possibility at the time.

The President returned refreshed and full of Muir’s observations on the natural history of California. He pressured congress to protect wilderness areas and by 1905 had established the U.S. Forest Service, created national monuments, parks, and wildlife sanctuaries, saving about 230,000 million acres of public land for all Americans.

Yosemite Valley has been inhabited for nearly 3,000 years, but humans first visited the area from 8,000 to 10,000 years ago

Designated a World Heritage site in 1984, the park set a visitation record in 2016, surpassing 5 million visitors for the first time in its history.

“The Hellhole of the Pacific”

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Lonesome Town *“where the streets are filled with regret”*

Anyone passing through Aberdeen, Washington might suspect that it’s seen better days. More prosperous, sure, but better, maybe not. Founded in 1884, Aberdeen lagged behind its neighbors Hoquiam and Cosmopolis until 1895 when a Northern Pacific spur line was added, but connectivity to commerce never seemed to shake Aberdeen’s boomtown mindset. By 1900 it had been nicknamed “the Hellhole of the Pacific” for its countless salons, whorehouses and gambling joints. But things may be picking up a little.

Artist’s Avenue

Sure it’s a little sketchy looking, maybe not a place you want hang around all day but, despite appearances, it’s clear that a few people around here are having some fun.

A Diamond In The Rough – Steam Donkey Brewing Company

2nd Anniversary, Great Beer, Laid Back. Give Them A Try

Some Nice People

Despite a sordid past, quite a few famous people have hailed from this lugubrious lumber town. Aberdeen’s most famous son seems to be Nirvana founder and frontman Kurt Cobain. The town also spawned world famous photographer Lee Friedlander, Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers, Physics Nobel Prize winner Douglas Osheroff, “Gentle Ben” author Walt Morey, world class painter Robert Motherwell, professional wrestler Yukon Eric and serial killer Billy Gohl.

Billy “Ghoul” Gohl

By the early 1900’s Aberdeen was also dubbed “the Port of Missing Men” for it’s extremely high murder rate. Billy Gohl arrived from the Yukon already an accomplished criminal. He became a low level Union Official and bartender at the Sailor’s Union Hall where he began to prey on sailors passing through town. He would separate them from their valuables, murder them and drop the bodies down a chute below a trapdoor in the floor that led to the river where the corpses would drift out to sea. Although Billy “Ghoul” Gohl was only convicted of two murders, he was believed to be responsible for over 140 homicides.

Billy’s ghost is said to still haunt the bar.

BruceWPeterson Photography

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