There's no way I can sum up all the various aspects, undercurrents, and sublime nuances of The Oregon
Country Fair. You just have to go there and experience it for yourself.
I had a lovely time. . .
"That's it!?," you say..."No stories!?". . It might be easier and less time consuming
for me to just give you a list. So here:
You know what? Never mind. I just can't write anything that could do it justice. It's like trying to describe the color
orange. Sure, you can do it- but it's kind of a subjective thing, and I should really just show you orange and let you form
your own opinions. So maybe I'll see you next year.
I will say that I was enchanted, delighted and enlightened by a Sun Gazer at the OCF. He goes by Hira Ratan Manek. He
is on a speaking tour of the world. I had the opportunity to see him present his ideas to Oregon. Even if I am still a bit
skeptical, his state of being is in and of itself amazing. To see what the hec I'm talking about go to
www.solarhealing.com
Now we are in Eugene, OR awaiting a show to start.
On my left is a Mexican-American video store/used car lot/moving boxes for sale establishment. On my right is an
abandoned dilapidated old car wash that may be somebody's home. In front of me is a freeway overpass and a park- also looks
like a few somebody's are living there. Howdy neighbor's!
Well. . .we left Sisters, OR yesterday. The temperature dropped 20 degrees as soon as we
crossed over the mountains to the west side. We actually hit fog at two in the afternoon. A nice break from hundred degree
heat and five gallon bucket "showers".
I left a little reminiscent of the quaint yuppy town where we could ride our bike to five different
custom jewelry stores in two blocks, buy overpriced natural foods and feel like we wandered into a beautiful used car lot
selling only giant SUV's. But, all that aside, we did have a good time and make a few new friends.
We stopped at a natural Hot Spring in the mountains for a warm bath. The trail was overgrown with ferns
and only small boulders seperated the spring from the icy river beyond A fine mist clung to the overhanging spiderwebs
revealing their beautiful and mysterious networking.
A young Canadian couple on vacation wandered into the spring and chatted us up. They eagerly
talked about politics with us- immigration policy, social reform etc. . .The Canadian governments view of society as a "mosaic",
as opposed to America's "melting pot".
They left saying they had to get back to the "treadmill" (work). One of the ladies had lived
in the states for a year when she was younger. She pressed us to tell her of any towns we had recently been to that we found
Okay. A long silence followed. Not because I was thinking, but because there seemed to be a blank spot in that particular
mental inventory of mine. After a while I stammered "uhhh. . . Sandpoint area, ID; Joshua Tree, CA, The North Cascades, WA;
Parts of Northern CA. . .Northern Wisconsin?"
"Well, thanks," She said. "It's nice to meet some young Americans who can think. It's inspired me. It's
so easy to get stuck in our own little worlds at work or wherever. It's nice to know there are people out there doing other
things, inspiring people. Thanks."And they left.
So here we are outside of Eugene, OR parked on the side of a residential street (I guess any street
we park on could technically be called 'residential') where I am pirating a wireless signal from the friendly local post office.
Today we head to the Oregon Country Fair.
