The Scenic Route to Centralia


Our destination today was only 90 minutes from Portland. So we didn’t rush getting out, but ended up hitting the pavement by about 11:30. We stopped for coffee at a Starbucks and it was such a nice morning, that we sat in the chair set aside across the parking lot for smoking. No one was there, so there was no smoking, but it was right in the sun. I took off my shirt and enjoyed my coffee while River sniffed around the trees and bushes that were in the area.

Once on the road, it wasn’t long before we were going over the Columbia River, on which there is a sign saying “Leaving Portland” and another saying “Entering Washington.”

I drove a few miles until I got to Vancouver and decided I wanted to take a detour. At the rate I was going, if I went directly to the motel, I’d arrive hours before the check in time. So we went east.

I didn’t have a plan, but ended up doing some pretty cool things. The first really cool thing I noticed was Mount Hood way off in the distance. Can you see it?

I'm sorry. It looks like in the translation from being emailed and then posted here, the video lost enough resolution to completely obliterate the mountain. But I promise, it's a spectacular sight.

We drove on a road along the Washougal River, and stopped at one point so River could get his feet wet in the same.

A bit later, we stopped for a picnic lunch near Dougal Falls.

We took the Lewis and Clark Highway back west after lunch, and passed by Cape Horn, which was all beautiful and worth coming back to see again.

We got to the motel at a little bit after four, which gave me enough time to do a load of laundry before heading out to teach tonight’s class.

So, with my newly washed patriotic shorts and white V-neck T-shirt that has become my official uniform of this routine, I headed to the space to teach ROCKIN once again. This time it was at the newly established Embody Movement Studio. Christina Mae Wolf is the proprietor and my producer for the class, and she has a gorgeous, spacious studio in what seems like ‘old town’ Centralia.

It is a brand new space and there hasn’t been much time to establish a Nia community, but we had a pretty good turn-out and those that were there had a blast. The reception was warm and passionate and we’re hoping to be able to do it again there, soon.

Lunch earlier today has a bit of a funky taste to it. Just the chicken. So I didn’t eat but that one bite of the chicken. I ate only the vegetables and didn’t take my chance on the meat, since it has been four days since I cooked it, and I may have gotten a bit lax on the changing of the ice in the cooler, so the temperature may have risen dangerously high.

Dinner, as well, had a funky smell to it upon opening the tupperware, so I didn’t eat any of it. I threw it all away and taught class on an empty stomach. Now, it’s almost 9:30. I hope it’s not too late to order a pizza in Centralia, because I’m famished!

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