Movin' On

July 5^th

Left Rufus and headed toward the North Cascades National Park driving along the Yakama River Valley. This is a productive area for Delicious Apples, wine and cherries. Very well irrigated by the river and further on toward the north again the Columbia River. It is dry, high desert and hot. About 90 degrees.

Before we left Rufus, I send Madeleine Saxe, about to enter the 6^th grade, To Kill a Mockingbird. It is on her summer reading list and I re-read it after about 45 years. It is celebrating its 50 year anniversary as being one of America’s greatest novels. It’s a great lesson in the need for equality.

First stop on the road was at Toppenish which is a mixed and diverse city on the Yakima Indian Reservation. Had a long discussion about the tension that exists in the community greeter at the information center. He mentioned he was in the Marines in Maine and I didn’t talk like I was from Baa Habor. He mentioned that the Native Americans in the area get at least 2,000 a month from the federal government for not being able to fish because of the dams and more for the leasing of land they own to white folks. Also made a comment that they were free to give an amount of money to political campaigns. He shrugged when I mentioned the Supreme Court decision re. corporation as individuals. I have to give him his due that he wasn’t totally racist but implied that the Native Americas were.

I have become hooked on artistic murals. It seems that many of the towns here record their history on local buildings in the form of murals. I took a few pictures in The Dalles, OR and Toppenish,WA. where there are many to their credit. Apparently there is a Mural Society that directs and approves murals –they have to be before 1945 historically. We spent a lot of time today walking the town taking pictures which I hope to share. Each year on the first weekend in June the Toppenish Mural Society gathers a talented group of artist together to complete a mural in one day. This began in 1989 when “Clearing the Land” was created. Since that first mural more than 20 years ago, the local mural society has continued to commission artists each year for the event. Now there are 72 murals in the city depicting the city’s history.

Long day driving to Lake Chelan. My Lamaze teacher and honorary Vice President of the Sierra Club and New England Chapter member, Abigail Avery spoke of this area often. Abby was a staunch supporter of the club and always mentioned we should always recycle ourselves within the club of course. While the town itself was quite a disappointment, more lake Naples, ME – the first view of the lake from above was impressive. the state park not a place we could stay – only one site left and so crowded – definitely not our style – so off to greener pastures. Abby was one who came in the spring for the migratory bird sighting and helped create the wildness area in the northern part of the lake far from the maddening crowd.

On our way north we passed a number of parks and wildlife areas. – Not far from the highway was a mother osprey and babies on their nest atop a telephone pole. we finally have come to rest today at Dew Campground in the Ogandan nation al forest. We are the only camper here. The site we are at is on the point with the confluence of two roaring creeks bringing the melting snow from the mountains down to meet the Columbia River. We have seen the snow packed mountains in the distant off an on our drive. First Mt. Adams then Rainer and now the Cascades. Mt Baker tomorrow I am sure.

This has reminded be of the book, Encounters with the Arch Druid. A good read for anyone. David Brower, America’s pre-eminent environmentalist and form director of the Sierra Club goes along with those who would despoil the land for monetary purposes. It’s a series of venients - One with a minerals and min in expert, hell bent to mine the North Cascades Mountains. Guess what – National Park now. Also am reminded about Floyd Dominey and the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers all the while I have been here in the Northwest and the Southwest. Since we have been to Hoover Dam – think we can skip the Grand Coloee which is about 50 miles from here.