History never dies

I knew that I could never escape my past but I didn't know it would still be this overwhelming. Dreams bring back memories of lots of experiences. I wake up with scenes that I thought got buried but seem to still be thriving above ground. People and conversations flank me constantly throwing the past at me. Should I moan because of this or should I rejoice? I am really quite torn. At times life seems like it would be wonderful if I could wipe the slate and start creating those new memories that will rejuvenate rather then sting. The real question though is what would I lose, who would I become? Show me a person who lives without a memory and I will show you an imbecile. Besides this rather nagging but necessary intrusion of the past I am doing okay. I have found job in the local diner and while it is not the dream job (not exactly sure what that is) it will pay the bills and look after me (feeds me like crazy). I have set my tent up in a junkyard for free which has all the qualms that you might expect from a junkyard including a dog that is as tough as a burnt steak. There are a couple of glimpses of the sun over the horizon including an apartment at this friends house which is right smack in the forest- oh the beautiful forest. Not to mention that in my royal junkyard there is a camper that as for the moment is siting empty and well I will let you fill in the blanks! As for now I am settled geologically but not emotionally- updates to follow. -Nat
P.S.-Nelson I regret to inform you that I passed my sax long to one of my musician friends.

Paradise

I have finally reached Hope. After many deliberations and setbacks and quite honestly wanting to lay down and stop where I am's. I became weak and bought a luxury bus ticket for the last leg of the stretch. it is mostly what I remember it to be and the first walk around town found me smiling and quietly humming to myself. I was reacquainted with the quaintness of this small town, from it's crazy grocery store to its locally run cinema. It seems like the big over reaching finger of commerce and commercialism has not reached this small town. Sure it has a Subway and a McDonald'a but I wouldn't be surprised if they go out of buissness here. Most places are locally run and to top it off I think there is about 5 second-hand stores here. Oh what majestic wonder. I have met a couple people in town already and hope it will be a starting ground for meeting many. For now it is the tent until I find emplyment etc. Peace-Nat

Wilderness

I set out from Black Diamond with full intentions of walking with my little pull-behind cart. I ran into a guy while I was walking who had seen me on the highway the day before and gave me- yes actually gave me- his bike. So after much thanks and show of appreciation I set off with me bike- I managed to bike 10 hours that day. It was still hard going because I had a cart of at least 100 pounds and I was beginning to arrive in hilly county. While I was slowly peddling my load along these roads 100's of cyclists started passing me- these guys -and girls- with fancy tight pants and helmets that looked like axe-heads and glasses that looked like they grew out of their faces. I felt quite foolish and even do know in recollection of that day- me slowly pulling my cart while these cyclists whizzed by me. I made it to Bragg Creek that night and found a campsite to settle down in. Not only was my body completely sore from being burnt to a crisp the first day of walking but now my legs were sore and my but felt like a tenderized piece of steak. Needless to say I was sore all over and it didn't as much hit me until the next morning when I woke up and could barely move anything. Even though I was in this state I told myself that some good ol' exercise would work out these sore muscles. I kept on heading down the road to a place where it actually ended. At the end of this paved road was a trail that was no passable by vehicles but only a hiking and biking trail. It is called the powderface trail and is 34 km and connects the kanaskis county with canmore and banff. I went to bed at the beggining of this trail with full intentions of attacking it the next day. I had stocked up on supplies enough food and water to last me for a couple of days. I woke up the morning of and just started bawling- I was one big ache. My but hurt so much it hurt to sit walk even just standing made my cute cheeks sore. Not to mention my legs- every single one of the muscles ached with every single action I did. Now some situational clauses must be applied here- I was in the middle of nowhere. Sure I was at this campsite but there was no one else at the whole campsite. I was also in the middle of bear, cougar, and elk (don't laugh about the elks- they can be just as dangerous) and here I was having a hard time moving anything. I seriously thought it might be the end- I layed in my tent until about 2 in the afternoon before I managed to pack my stuf up in the cart- bike to the very quiet highway, ditch my bike and hitchhike out of there. I am now in Canmore and awaiting further adventures- Nat