This page's focus is on my recent trip to Idaho and Oregon. This is Part 1 of that trip. My newest novel, What's Next~An Epic Journey, is available to the general public. The book is a sequel to the The End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey. You can purchase now by clicking here. (Scroll to the correct title.) A picture from the successful book signing on Saturday, June 25, at Re BOOK. David Riggs joined me in the signing. To the End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey is available via Amazon and Kindle. It will grab you from the start and carry you to places you have never been. The book contains many diverse ideas and is a great love story filled with adventure and intrigue. Questions? Email me. To read more click here. To go to Amazon, click here. A number of individuals have sent some wonderful reviews. You can read some of them in the Forum Section below. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ • Two Poems: Now and The Slate • Vignette: Exploring • Recommendations     Powell's, Portland, one of the largest bookstores in the world, over a million books available Opening Comments from Bob This Page: We recently traveled the Northwest including Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The focus this month is on Idaho and Oregon. Next month will be on Washington State. The two poems, Now and The Slate, focus on more serious ideas. The vignette discusses exploring. To follow me on Facebook, click on Poet Bob, and ask to befriend me. Echo Reservoir near the I-80 & I-84 intersection Snake River Gorge, Twin Falls, IA   .Two Poems this Month Now The roads traveled       are sometimes straight–       others filled with hairpin curves. The views fade       into vestiges of our past. Where they lead       remain unknown. Only of the now       are we aware. Senseless time spent       worrying about this and that. Why not delight       in what we have? Wrap our arms around       this moment, our treasure Comment: None needed. The Slate All would enjoy continual days       of wine and roses       where life is flowing perfectly,       and we are on a high       which no drug could compete. Sadly, life rations       these everlasting moments. Instead, we must deal       with the lows       that cause our hearts to ache       and generate frustrations       that make us want to scream. Alas, we cannot run       to escape       for they are part of us. Our hope is that the perfect days       will return more often       as we transcribe the slate       that describes       our daily lives. Comment: None needed Enjoying the Portland Rose Garden   Jake's, Portland's oldest seafood restaurant   Crossing into Washington from Oregon (much more next month)     Enjoy the convenience of shopping online. Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! To support, click here. To view the product page of other unique gifts, please click here. Of course being the month of the U.S. 4th of July celebration, we needed at least one fireworks shot. Columbia River in Oregon. Picture was taken just outside of the River Lodge. Vignette this Month: Exploring How do you view life? For me, it is exploring, sometimes taking roads well-traveled and other times less traveled. Allow me to use the analogy of a recent trip we took in exploring the Northwest of our beautiful country. For speed and distance we initially took the interstates, I-80 and then I-84. The drive was beautiful as the miles flashed by. Once in Oregon we chose to travel a portion of old US-30. Suddenly, time slowed down as well as distance covered. The switchbacks required speeds of less than 15 mph versus 75 and 80 mph. Yet, the beauty that unfolded before us including crashing waterfalls and majestic views made one forget about traveling miles and instead focus on one of the reasons for the trip, exploring majestic beauty. Isn't life like that? Traveling the roads less traveled offer many challenges and sometimes trying situations. However, I have found that they are often worth it from the rewards one receives in enriching life from the mundane to a journey far more spectacular. Alas, for my personal survival I choose to travel both types of roads but usually receive the most joy from the one where speed slows down and savoring occurs. What about you? If you have a guest vignette you would like to submit, please do so. Not only will I enjoy reading it, but if agreeable with you and space permitting, I will print it in a future issue. The vignette should be written in paragraph form and relate a personal story or event. Equally important, it should fit the overall tenor of this newsletter. Ideally, it should not exceed twenty lines. Please send to bob@poeticaljourneys.com. .............................................Columbia River Gorge taken off of old Rt. 30 Recommendations River Lodge in Boardman, OR: This renovated lodge at a bargain price is worth an overnight, especially for the view. While the service in the restaurant was rather slow, the food was excellent. Much to recommend on the drive to and in Portland! Here are just a few: Take old Rt.30 in Oregon; visit Powell's Bookstore; enjoy the seafood–Jake's downtown is excellent; and enjoy Blue Star Donuts (pictured below)–the best I have ever devoured. (Jake's, Powell's, and Blue Star are within a block of each other.)     Please take a look at the online book and gift pages. Scenes taken from the Japanese Garden in Portland –   The vast farming regions along the Idaho and Oregon section of I-84. There are a number of falls along old Rt. 30 in OR. Pictured is Multnomah Falls Collage from the Portland Rose Garden.   Below are additional pictures from the Portland Rose Garden   If you are reading this and have not signed up for your free subscription to the Poetical Journal, please click here. -........Top -...Oregon 2002 Click on the icon to go to the homepage.