Leaving Highway 101 Towards Eugene

Highway 101, starting actually in California and running along the west coast, is a real beauty. I got to drive through numerous rivers and valleys, and everything is green. The closer you get to the ocean, the colder (and foggier) it gets, but the views are really impressive.

At Florence, I had to leave highway 101 and cut towards the city of Eugene, if I want to make it to the concert on time. Well, I had to accept the fact that I won’t get to drive through the entire highway 101—I will leave that to a follow‐up trip.

Very shortly after departing highway 101 towards Eugene, I realized that the views here are not less impressive. There are lakes and rivers that remind me of certain parts of the sea‐to‐sky highway (highway 99) from Vancouver to Whistler in the most beautiful piece of earth in the world, British Columbia. At the time of writing these lines, I am sitting on what appears to have been a bench at some point, right beside a wonderful river nestled between green hills. The sight was so pretty that I had to backtrack and find a good spot to stop, antagonizing my GPS device that kept on telling me to “make a U‐Turn as soon as possible” in a deep, authoritative female voice that reminded me of some girls from highschool.

It’s so green in here. I love it. I wrote in one of my earlier blog entries how happy I am to be in a green environment, surrounded by trees, water, hills and mountains. I feel like climbing those trees and jump from one tree to another, a feeling that confirms to me what Darwin said so many years ago, that the man is actually rooted at the ape. That said, I should note that some girls in my past have suggested a much simpler way for me to confirm my belief in that theory—they claimed that, in my case, a quick glance at the mirror should suffice.

Oh, the dear days of primary school.

There are lots of detached houses along the river. The temperature, whatever it is, is perfect. You know that temperature that is not hot and not cold, but right in the middle. I’m under the shade of a huge, beautiful tree (pictures to follow! I promise) listening to the birds chirping and watching some never‐discovered‐before types of insects walking on the very same bench I am currently sitting on.

It is this moment, and similar moments, that make this entire tour worthwhile. God / Jesus / Moses / Allah (pick your favourite sacred entity, I’m just trying to be multi‐culturalist here), thank you for this wonderful land you have created for us. I am sorry, on behalf of the human race I am a part of, for our continuing attempt to destroy what you have created.

Oregon… Oh, Oregon. I have heard so much about this state and was looking forward to visit. I am happy I did. Oregon’s people—you have a beautiful state—watch for it! This is the first part of the USA I’ve ever been to that can be fairly compared with Canada’s best scenery.

Time to go.