Amtrack is insane! They’ve turned it into the living hell that is scheduled flying. You have to check-in! That’s right, I said ‘check-in’. Then there are safety announcements on the train and advice about walking. I didn’t think you could complicate a train journey that much! I think I’m going to stick to cycling.
It dropped me off in Centralia and after a quick breakfast and a near Christian conversion from Rodney, a pick-up driving local hunter, I was off. Ok, so you want to know more about Rodney. Not much more to tell, apart from halfway through the usual conversation about what I was doing, how long it was going to take, etc. he suddenly asks if I’m a Christian. Well, it’s not the sort of thing one expects immediately after breakfast, to be quizzed about one’s beliefs. I answer that my mother brought me up as one and that seems to quell the zealotry. I don’t think he trusted me though. A European in Lycra cycling to South America? Certain to be the devil’s work.
I quickly made my excuses and left.
The cycling to Cathlamet went through some lovely, and occasionally, flat scenery. Quite a few hills, but as I’m starting to appreciate the good thing about going up hills is that at the least it’ll level off and at best there’s a big downhill on the other side. Wheeee!
That over there is Mount St. Helens. What’s left of it anyway.
And I hope this is an amusing anachronism. But if not, then you know where to get your weak women.
Love
Pete
Patagonia Pete 
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