Six Places

Today's installment of the Ten Day Challenge asks us about six places. Here's my two cents worth.



1. As a place this one's as big as it gets. I've always been fascinated with space.I took an astronomy class in college and it captured both my rational understanding and my imagination. With every answer we get, there are at least a hundred questions that follow.

Courtesy of NASA.gov

2. I mentioned the Pacific Ocean before in my lists of "Loves". I've enjoyed beaches from Baja to Washington. Running in the early morning hours along Moonlight Beach. The Blow Hole in Ensenada. Crabbing on the Oregon Coast... A lot of fond memories.

3.Washington DC is an amazing place. I went there about twenty-five years ago. I toured the Capitol Mall and was in awe of all the history that surrounded me there. The Lincoln memorial wowed me, but the most humbling experience was standing in the middle of Arlington Cemetery. I didn't know a single person who'd been laid to rest there, but I found myself standing there weeping at all the loss. I've never had a place move me like that before or since.

4. There's a place in eastern Oregon  near Sunriver where there are lava tubes underground that you can walk through. We went during the summer and even though the temps outside were in the 90's, the temp in the caves was only around 40. It stays pretty consistent throughout the year because they are about seventy feet below the surface. Walking through them with the family holding lanterns and flashlights was pretty cool. Literally and figuratively.

5. One of my favorite places is San Francisco. I spent my young adult life living about an hour north of the city. Italian food at North Beach...yum! Giants and 49ers games at Candlestick Park...usually pretty cold, but a bunch of fun. I always got to play tour guide when friends would come to visit. BTW- October is usually a great month to go there. Even though I've lived in the Portland area for more than ten years now, I still consider the bay area home.

Photo By: Rich Niewiroski Jr.

6. Midland Texas is one place I have absolutely no desire to ever go to again...Ever! My oldest brother and his wife lived there for a brief time many years ago. Mom and I went there to visit once and I can remember it being the flattest place I've ever seen. I think the highest hill there was actually a freeway overpass! I also remember experiencing the wildest thunder and lightning storm ever while there. We were in a mobile home and that did not help me feel any more secure.