Pasco,
Spokane, Whitefish, Shelby down. Still got Fargo, St. Paul, Milwaukee, and
Chicago to go.
About
Spokane: if you're ever wondering to yourself, what can I do in an hour an a half in
Spokane, WA starting at midnight, I suggest getting high and climbing a tree.
This is to say nothing of Spokane's excellent night clubs, and first rate
diners, which probably exist. However I found that, especially on a budget, the best way to
have a good time in Spokane is to get high and climb a tree.
A
couple of other guys from my college are on the train. We saw them at the
Portland Station, and I chatted with them a few times on my way to the lounge
car, and I remember thinking how it's awkward that it's been a whole evening
and we haven't said anything past hello. Then I remembered that we're on a two
day train, and we'll run into each other. We made a plan to explore Spokane,
and after about 15 dull minutes of that, one of the guys pulled out a
joint.
Of the
borderline sketchy things I've done in my life, this is pretty up there. Here
we are, college guys heading east with an hour and a half to kill--though no
more than that, because if we miss the train we're up the creek. In eastern
Washington. Had we run into a cop, or had they not let us back on the train
(not that we were that stoned) it would have really sucked.
But
that didn't happen. What did happen was we climbed a tree outside the Amtrak
station. It was someone else's idea, we were already high and Spokane on a
Sunday at midnight doesn't offer a lot of options. I figured we would just
stand around while the guy who suggested it struggled to get up into the first
row of branches and then we'd all give up. But that didn't happen. What
happened was, the tree turned out to be near perfect for climbing. We were
probably 25 feet off the ground, which would be high even if we weren't. We had
an excellent view of the less-than-excellent part of Spokane the Amtrak station
calls home. It was fun.
When we
got back, my traveling buddy was half asleep already. I got out my iPod, and
started listening to Cage the Elephant. After a few songs, it just didn't feel
right. Why were they singing so angry? Then it hit me: I was listening to the wrong
music. There's a whole genre of music designed to be listened to stoned! So I
made a quick playlist of Cat Stevens, Donovan, a little Bob Dylan, Simon and
Garfunkel, Matisyahu, that super chill Jack Johnson song, Upside Down from
Curious George the movie, and Kanye West. I was pretty high. I fell asleep
peacefully before Kanye's "Stronger" came on (though I really fucking
love that song) and slept through the night.
Don't act
like I never told 'ya.
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