I just traveled round trip across the country to see Joni Mitchell in concert. Stopping at National Parks on the way there and back home. The furthest west I went was to Cannon Beach in Oregon. Saw the Haystack Rock and the Pacific Ocean for the first time, first time seeing out west too. I went to the Badlands, Yellowstone, Mount Rainier, Cannon Beach, Grand Teton, Yellowstone (again), Theodore Roosevelt, and then the Indiana Dunes Nat. Park (which was the worst, there was a huge gas plant right next door and smog and pollution filled the air).

First time experiencing such large, expansive landscapes—I mean I've seen wide open spaces before, just nothing like what I saw near Yellowstone and Mt. Rainier. On my way from South Dakota to Montana, I took Route 212, which eventually leads to the Cheyenne Reservation, but that road was barren. Hardly any population, no exits, etc. just a two-way highway with big rigs flashing passed you. If you want to pass the person in front of you, you'd better calculate it right. Apparently it's one of the most dangerous highways in America. I rode that for hours, driving across flat, spacious lands and up through the Custer Gallatin National Forest.

I got off 212 before Billings, MT and that's where I first came across the Yellowstone River. That night I stayed in Bozeman, MT and in the morning spontaneously decided to go to Yellowstone. From there the adventure really began. White capped Mountains came into view for the first time, nearing Bozeman. I was so emotional driving to the West entrance of Yellowstone. It was early morning and the moon was setting over this snow covered mountain range, and the sun rising over it all. You wind down this long road, along rivers and through valleys—in the thick of nature (Route 191 from Big Sky, MT to the West entrance of Yellowstone) After Yellowstone I headed for northern Idaho, then finally Quincy/George, WA area where I stayed for a few days before seeing Joni in concert.

Joni was incredible. I was expecting my mind to implode but when I saw her but I was just like, yup there's Joni Mitchell. It was natural. She was so sweet and jovial and it was just the icing on top of this unbelievable journey, that was only just beginning. Following the concert I traveled to Mount Rainier. Going through Yakima county which was desert like, until you start nearing the park area. Just near the end of Yakima county you can see the rivers are turquoise. Then the farther you get into the mountains, the lakes are bright blue, glacial blue. Mount Rainier hangs in front of you, following it deeper into the mountains. Eventually I arrived in Packwood, WA and took a back road "Skate Creek Road S" to the Nisqually entrance. That went through deep woods, following a river until you hit a stretch of road with huge trees towering over you. By the time I reached the park the morning mist had fully moved in, blanketing Mt. Rainier.

マナティ

Olafur Eliasson (Icelandic-Danish, born 1967) 

Nothing special, 2011