SNAKE DREAMSCAPE, near Snake River Gorge (II.18.2008) [ click photo for next . . . ]

At the low point left of center IMAGE, one crosses the rim
of the Snake gorge with a drop here of some 500 meters. This drama
of the sudden opening up of the ancient river landscape is beyond
all compare.

I of course could be wrong, but from my Earth-pilgrim's point of
view, I feel very strongly that one needs to maintain contact with
the surface of the land. One hears the sound of the wind and gravel
underfoot, perhaps even smells something of the distant sea. After
all, once you cross that rim in the distance, there is nothing
between you and the Pacific Ocean almost a thousand kilometers away.
A car, even one that ran on water or sunlight, because of its
necessarily self-isolating, very much accelerated mode of movement,
turns all this natural beauty into just another film clip
in fast forward.

On the road in the Northwest of America.

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