Vashon: Swimming Coast to Coast

 

 

“KEEP __________(name of city) WEIRD”.

I’ve been seeing these signs all over the place.

Well, Vashon doesn’t have to work too hard at it. 

I think living on an island is very isolating, even if there is a ferry to the mainland. It is both safe and confining. And the people of Vashon seemed content, but not happy, if that makes sense.

Didn’t smile and thought I was weird for smiling.

I had trouble not smiling, though, because aside from the people (and the hostel, which blew chunks) really enjoyed my stay there. The island is quite beautiful and it gave me good access to some beaches.

I honestly was not planning to go to the beach when I arrived there. I actually picked this hostel because the book I had said there were great bike trails on the island.

Ironically, I didn’t do any bike riding in the two days I was there, but I did go to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday and look at the overpriced fruit and veggies (overpriced due to it being an island and all… I’m glad I held out for Seattle’s Farmer’s Market on Sunday).  

It was a gorgeous day and there was a band and I felt very relaxed.

 

Band at Vashon Farmer

 

 

One of the people I spoke to said I should go to the beach.  I was surprised, but I went back to the hostel and threw on a bathing suit.

By the way, even though I didn’t like the hostel, it had a very interesting layout. I could have slept in  covered wagon or wigwam…

 

Sleep in a wigwam (teepee) or covered wagon in Vashon

 

…which answers the question from the beginning of the trip on Rt 66 in Arizona…

I ended up in a log cabin.  It would have been nice except, like some other hostels I have stayed at, there were to many permanent hosellers (living there permanently) for me to feel comfortable there. There is sometimes a very fine line between hostel and homeless shelter, and the Vashon Hostel was one of them.  And management was uncool, but supposedly the hostel is going to be changing owners/managers soon, so there should be improvement.

Everyone said I wouldn’t want to swim because of the cold water but they said that in New Hampshire…

 

Pre-New Hampshire Swim

 

 

…and in Chicago…

 

Post-Lake Michigan Swim (North Beach, Chicago)

 

 

But the water on the Pacific Coast comes from the north, so those are arctic waters I am dipping my feet into.

Still, I found an area where they docked boats and some swimmers jumping off the dock. I decided that if I was going to get into this water, it would have to be by jumping. 

Well, I have no pictures of me swimming, but here is the post-Pacific-Ocean-swim-wet-hair-shot:

 

The dock in the background is where I took the plunge! (Docton Beach, I think)

 

 

And then I went back to the hostel, showered, wandered around town and went to see a cover band in town at the local bar (very sleepy town for a Saturday night), and then almost hooked up with another hosteller because of my neverending Scotland fetish.  

I find Scottish accents SOOOO sexy. The only sexier way of speaking than a Scottish accent is the high Italian language (not the dialects).

One of the interesting things about being on the road is that there is so much possibility to have many totally deep and unusual experiences that would never happen one’s day to day life.  You can be totally intimate with one person one minute and then never see them again. It fascinates me.

And I’m not just talking about sex. I’m talking about conversations.  I got into a totally deep conversation with another group of hostellers at this Vashon location and it was stuff that I never talk about with most of my friends. But I probably will never see any of those people again even though I felt very close to them.

You know, in Vegas, when I travel alone, all the men that I run into that live in Vegas (bartenders, waiters, etc) are very forward with me sexually. More than in any other city. 

I think that is because, just like men, many women go to Vegas to cut lose and it is a place where one can do something, like have a fling, and not have it risk one’s reputation or rock the stabiity of one’s day-to-day life.

Being in the entertainment industry, I meet all of these very cute guys who are usually very single.  

I’ve noticed that people in The Industry – Los Angeles Industry, specifically – find dating a challenge and marry late.

I believe this is because the schedule – 16 hour days for weeks, often in far away locations – will take a toll on any relationship.

And whenever I find someone whom I think would be good companion, I hear in my head, “Don’t shit where you eat.” In other words, don’t date in the industry you work in. And it’s true. I have ignored this sentiment and dated other entertainment industry folks and then when it ends, it’s sort of awkward to work together, even if it ended amicably. 

I’m thinking of one director in particular that I dated. I wish we were still in contact and that we hung out. I’m definitely not interested in him romantically, but he was fun. He was a good tennis partner and a good connection professionally.

So all of this traveling has given me plenty of opportunity to indulge in an activity that I do not partake in at home, though I really haven’t “gone there” even though there has been plenty of opportunity.

I’m not interested in fucking my way across the country, but I have noticed that that I have met many very friendly, awesome guys in my travels, so the possibility of doing so has come up…

And I think that because I am traveling alone, this issue of lonesomeness has also come up. I mean, I’m really happy right now. REALLY HAPPY! But I have an awareness of an emotion that I don’t normally feel at home.

I think at home, any awareness of my aloneness is minimized because I distract myself with work or friends or, in retrospect, booze.

Now it’s just me and the road and I have hardly been drinking much, so there’s just me and what I’m aware of.

So the urge to connect with someone is not completely driven by sexual needs as much as emotional needs. While feeling this emotion and having this awareness is sometimes uncomfortable, it’s actually kind of refreshing, too, because it’s not been an emotional need that I’ve ever felt.

Weird, right? This trip is the first time I’ve felt the desire for companionship EVER. 

I’m not talking about friends. I have tons of them and I very much appreciate them. But I’m talking about a partner. Someone to travel with. To hold at night when the hotel is not the best. Someone to make a choice on which road to take when I can’t make up my mind. Someone to change the CDs in the car. 

Someone to acknowledge with me the beauty of the moments we are sharing on this glorious trip.

And I mean that literally and metaphorically.

Wow, that was quite a tangent. I’m just saying that it’s nice to meet people when traveling… especially when they are young, handsome, healthy, have cool personalities and might want to kiss me.

So on that note, this was a solo moment I had… a beautiful shot of Mt. Rainier from the Varshon coast.

 

Mt. Rainier: "From the land to the sea to the sky.." (Red Hot Chilipeppers song "HEY")