Monday, June 23- Tag and the Street Kids

So much has happened in just the last two days, which doesn't leave a whole lot of time for writing. Here's the scoop:

I got off of the light-rail and walked over to Lindsey's (and my) apartment. She helped me reload my backpack, and because I decided to take my bike on the Greyhound, we broke it down together and stuffed it in a bike box. I brought the bike because I wanted to make sure I'd be able to get around up in the North West without the hassle of bus schedules and bus fares.

Lindsey walked me to the Greyhound station, and we said goodbye for the second time, which was just as hard as the first. I plan on being back on the 15th of July so I could see her before she moves to California. After that, I'm going to Oceanside, California for a family vacation the 18th through the 27th of July. Hopefully we'll be able to meet somewhere out in California, too.

The bus ride from Denver to Portland was long but fun. I was on the bus for a total of 31 hours. After leaving the Denver station two and a half hours late at 2:15 AM, I got settled in and started talking with an older black guy named Randy who was headed to his step-father's funeral in Sacramento. After small talk, we both curled into our seats and tried to sleep. One row up, a mother failed to diffuse her wound up toddlers who ran up and down the isle of the bus, screaming and singing songs until the sun came up.

When we stopped for breakfast in Evanston, Wyoming, Randy motioned me out of view from the bus and pulled out a stone pipe for some early morning 'tea'. Needless to say, I was finally able to sleep for a few hours.

I met a 50 year old woman who was on her way to fulfill her life-long dream of going to truck-driving school in Salt Lake City. I met Beau, a guy who's headed home to Seattle who wants to go hiking in the Cascades with me. Getting off in Portland with me was Mariel, an 18-year old expecting mother. The most interesting person I met on the bus was Five, a pony-tailed, healthy-looking hippy in his late forties. His birth name is literally 'Five', and he works for a company who pays him to hitch-hike around the states to pick up cars for delivery. He owns multiple vehicles, is world-traveled, smokes a lot of pot, and makes enough money to build his own earth-friendly 'green' house off of his hitch-hiking job and his own business renting out Jeeps. I've always wanted to hitch-hike across the country, and Five gave me plenty of pointers. He also told me about the Rainbow Gathering-a modern day, non-electric Woodstock that is held every year in a different national park.

When we stopped for a stretch break in Bend, I met my new friend, Tag. I met him when I was trying to bum a smoke, and after he sold me a cigarette, we got along great. Tag was headed back home to Portland after visiting his daughter in Bend. He is currently studying information technology at a school in Portland, but has no home. He spends his nights illegally camping with his friends at a camp-site they cleared out themselves in a well-hidden grove in Washington Park, which is walking distance from down town. Tag invited me to stay with them as long as I would like, so I think I'll stay tonight and head out to the coast tomorrow.

I got into Portland at about 6:00 this morning, and had been on the bus for 31 hours. After pulling the pieces of my bike out of the bike box and putting them back together, I wished Mariele good luck with her new baby, said goodbye, and went with Beau and Tag to Denny's where we ate breakfast. Beau had to hurry back to the station to get on the bus to Seattle, and Tag and I set off through the city as he taught me its basic geography and layout.

Portland is more beautiful and scenic than any other city I've ever been in. The Willamette River cuts through the center, dividing Portland into east and west, and Burnside St. along with the Burnside Bridge divides the city between north and south. Enormous green, leafy trees are intertwined throughout the city's high-rises, public art brightens up the streets, and strangers are never afraid to offer a 'hello'.

After walking across the Pearl District, China Town, and Old Town, Tag led us to the Burnside Skate Park, a famous park beneath a bridge that is featured in the original Tony Hawk video game. It was 8:00 on a misty Portland morning, and the skate park was empty. Tag dropped in and wove in and out of the park's massive pools, and I watched, happy to be breathing in the air of a city other than Denver.

After a stop at a bike shop so I could pick up some gear, Tag brought me back to the camp, which turned out to be more of a small commune than anything else. Apparently, Tag and his friends have all been squatting there for over four months now, and have no plans on leaving.

After getting his bike from the camp, Tag led me back into the city where he introduced me to some of the other street kids. It was about noon when they began to gather money for their supply of green for the rest of the day, and I told them I'd meet them back at the camp after going to the library to buy an online bus ticket so I could head to the coast the next day.

When I left the library, I decided to do some exploration on my own. Portland is an easy city to navigate. Mom-n-Pop places decorate Portland. The odd-ball public artwork gives the city an air of intellect, and the people here are generous with their courtesy. Recycling bins are every half-block, there are as many bike lanes as there are roads, and there is a net of electrical lines that is woven throughought the city to harbor an incredible public transportation system.

As for today, my exploration is finished and now I think I'll head back to 'the camp'. I'm so happy right now- a feeling that I haven't had for so damn long.

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to loose" -Janis Joplin, "Me and Bobby McGee"