How fast is "fast enough"

    Ever since I first learned to drive one truth has been self evident.   No matter how fast you drive, somebody will want to pass you.  This question is not about them.  They are welcome...nay encouraged to answer it, as is everybody, but this question is about the self.  How fast do you think is fast enough?  or as I am currently answering (well explaining, to be followed by answering) the question, how fast is fast enough for me.   The answer seems to be temporal in nature.  I have found that over the course of years, I have gone through several stages of relationship with the speed limit.  From thwarting it at every opportunity, just because I could, to strict and fierce adherence.   What can I say...people change, they are changing all the time, and I am no exception.   

    I am typing this in April of 2020, at my desk in my home in Donald, OR,  USA.    It is a unique time because much of the country is not commuting, which has freed up the highways and byways.  Those of us who are still commuting have found fewer restrictions from other people, and much more freedom to find a comfortable speed for us.  There are still police officers pulling people over, so the sky is NOT the limit, but within the buffers of the legal system, there is space for every person to drive at a personally comfortable speed.  My personal comfort speed is 70 miles per hour.  At least on the Freeway, I am happy to drive 70mph all day long.   In my state most posted freeway speeds are 55-65 mph, although a couple of years ago I found in the very rural areas, it does go up to 70 mph.   I find when there is space, if I set the speedometer to 70 mph, it's fast enough that I feel efficient, but I do not fear getting a ticket, or being a hazard to others.  obviously, I cannot drive that fast during a typical morning commute.  But with lessened traffic 70 mph works.  I don't like it for rural highways.  Where the speed limit is typically 55 mph, sometimes 45.  For that I don't like to go above 60 mph, and am happy to stay at 55.  The primary reason is that there are a lot more unknowns on the rural roads.  Deer, joggers, bicyclists and a whole lot more curves.   55 mph is plenty fine, and is also the speed limit mostly, which is convenient.  

    And that is about it.  This question has been rolling around in my brain for a while, and it needed an outlet.  I apologize to those of you who were expecting a metaphor.  All I can say is that, if you really want to see one, you can build a metaphor in there.  It might take some work, but it would totally be worth it.  I am curious about what other people think of as "fast enough" and how the conclusions were reached.  I know there are people out there who think "if there is empty space ahead, I can go faster."  and that is fine,  I do wonder why though.   It is good to get that out of my head.  

Vacation Log Supplemental

Reflections on a Fire stick

     Do you ever wonder about the first "medicine stick" or "shaman stick"  I wonder if it started as a fire poking stick.  We have a nice piece of driftwood with a blackened end which has been serving as our fire poking stick.  It had obviously been used by others before us.  And every other campfire I have ever witnessed or been a part of has had a special stick used to poke and never burned.  And when people want to adjust the fire they ask for that specific stick.  Admittedly sometimes in the beginnings two (or more) people will start their own fire pushing stick.  But it always settles down to one stick and the others get burned.  Generally (and to my memory always in my experience)  if there are to be multiple fires over several days (ie a camping trip)  the same stick is used for the duration.  (occasionally in a bit of a ceremony we will burn the fire pushing stick as the last item added to the last fire.)  But this is human nature.  Every campfire I have ever seen somebody has a special fire pushing stick.  And I have come across several old campfire sites which had an obvious fire pushing stick.  (relatively big, sturdy, one end blackened)  there is never more than1 fire pushing sticks at these sites.  (In my admittedly anecdotal experience)  So my theory is that way back when fire was a survival necessity rather than a camping comfort & treat, the job of keeping the fire was much more important.  Perhaps almost as important as hunting/gathering food.  Most probably a job to take pride in.  I can see how a fire keeper might decorate his fire pushing stick so it looks more like a tool of office important and worthy of pride and less like just a pointy stick with a burned end.  I can see the passing of the fire pushing stick to an apprentice being a super-big deal.  (at least to those involved.)  And, I an see how a fire pusher who keeps the secret of fire, might  when he felt slighted, try to enhance his position.  Merely by letting the fire go until he receives the respect he feels he deserves.  From there it is not a giant leap to inventing "fire spirits" who need to be appeased in order to keep the vital fire going.  From that stone it is merely a hop to inventing other spirits for other things.  Soon the fire is left behind.  The fire pushing stick has lost it's burned tip but kept it's decorations of office.  The once humble fire tender is now tribal medicine man, and secure with power locked in by shaping a culture over time fire need not be kept a secret.  It can be shared with all.  Yet the fire pushing stick remains.  Locked in human genetic memory pointing back to where it all began.  Or not, who knows.  But it's an interesting thought to play with.  I bet I am not the first to think of it.  I am going to do a Google search when I get home.

Vacation Log Supplemental

Reflections on an Earlier Time

As I sit here staring at the fire I think what life must have been like in a "simpler" time. Once your basic needs were taken care of your time was totally free & unobligated. (In my imagination anyway) This is not to say it was not stressful. I am sure making sure those needs were met took a lot of time and effort. But those times when there was plenty of food and good weather must have been very nice. Rest meant something more back then I would think. Judging by the weaving & dolls & other items I saw in the museum there was time for patient and detailed tasks. I am sure boredom was an uncommon disease. In many ways it kind of makes me want to become a subsistence farmer. A step in-between primitive & modern. Where you plan your needs meeting ahead of time and then see to it. You set out the days chores and when they are completed your day is done. Again, NOT EASY, high stress and probably requiring knowledge I do not posses. But the reward. Rest is meaningful. And in both these systems (subsistence farming & "primitive") your time is your own. The way it works now is your my time is not your my own ever. I am fairly certain most people suffer form this. your The work schedule is set by your the employer, which means the rest of the schedule is set by the employer. If all chores are done, you are not done. You have to keep busy. Vacation HAS to be requested. You can't say "i have built up enough to be secure for a time, I am going to weave, or explore, or carve, or just plain rest." you just keep going & hope that you will need be ready for and able to take the vacation that was scheduled 3 months earlier. On the other hand it is much easier and less stressful. The system rewards the ignorant because he just has to do 1 job. Not all the jobs.

I think there is also a disconnect that the "modern" system has built in. We don't matter to each other anymore because we don't have to. A person can get a job, earn enough money for himself & buy all he needs (and a little more) And not ever worry about anybody else. In subsistence farming everyone bands together to get the job done so that everybody eats.. If one person does not do his job, everyone suffers & less gets done to compensate. So everybody has a vested interest int he health, welfare, and work ethic of everyone else. It is important to teach the children rather than just sending them to school to learn, "What they need for modern society."

Hunter gatherers/ primitive societies were (probably) even better for the whole human connection aspect. The elders while perhaps weak & unable to work were needed for their knowledge. The young had to be taught work ethic & the value of everyone & caring for everyone. A sickness or injury had to be cared for or it was one less necessary task that got done. I think that's one reason pride is so prevalent in primitive cultures. Pride gives a personal reason to care for & belong to the group. "I am special because my people are the ________ and we _______!" Pride is especially good for teaching children to care for society. (most) children are naturally selfish & need a personal reason for motivation.

I think pride is another huge loss in modern times. Honestly if we actually had pride as a society would our politics be the way they are? (possibly, but I don't think as bad) some would say there is no justification for pride but there is. A huge national infrastructure, discoveries. Up until recently a working representative republic, All working with each other and taking pride in ourselves. rather than shaming each other and trying to change it all. Which is not to say never disagree. Disagreement is healthy and brings change and growth. But if a people are proud of their society. Then they can put that first ahead of pettiness. That would be a cool and strong thing. But perhaps only possible in small groups. I don't' know, but it's not my job to figure out. I just need to learn how to rotate the corn & how to know if the cows are ripe enough to pick.

Vacation Log Supplemental

TREES OF MYSTERY

I only have traces of Memories & a couple of photographs from my childhood. Even that is suspect & subject to interpretations. But when we drove past the Giant Paul Bunyan & Babe it struck a huge Chord of recognition. I have no specific memory of a visit. But I remember pictures and perhaps a Coloring book, or postcards, or something. Still...when I saw those two I knew I had been there and that I had to visit again. Partially in hopes of restoring memories and partially to try to makes sense of "snapshots" of memories of my childhood. (A vivid scene I remember completely walking over a bridge with a display of the 3 billy goats gruff and some kind of talking box in a wooded setting.) It didn't happen. But, I had a most magnificent and enjoyable adventure with my family which should not get lost in the mists of childhood.

Malika taking pics of Paul & Babe. Malika not wanting to climb on Paul's foot. The gift shop does not hold many memories other than the cribbage boards had no pegs & had no coolness factor. So we will have to hit gift stores. OR...Steal some "fallen" redwood so I can make my own. I REALLY want a cool redwood cribbage board. I was surprised and intrigued by the "coonskin" caps. I remember all 3 of us boys had hats very similar to that as children. I wonder if it's a coincidence or not. Stupid memory.

We left the gift store. Paid $14 apiece ($42 total) to get into the "Trees of Mystery". My wife in an impressive display of hiding her feelings was skeptical. She thought it would be a touristy lame wast of money. (She admitted it was worth it at the sky deck place.) So upon entry it was...okay, but they reeled you in quick with the "Family Tree". A humongous tree which has other trees growing out of some of it's (quite large) branches. Cool to see & surprising It wasn't just branches with weird angles. You could see they were actual trees with branches & offshoots of their own. There was a "lecture box" which gave a little talk about the Tree & what was coming up down the trail when you pushed the button. We stopped to listen to every single lecture box.

Next was a little garden with a water feature. It was neat. Then was the "Elephant Tree". Total lame sauce. I mean, yeah I could kind of see it. But the Fallen Giant far surpassed it. My favorite tree of the main trail was the Lightning Bolt Tree (I don't have a decent picture. The link is to a fantastic picture of it I found with a google search) In it's quest for sunlight the tree took some fantastic angles & looks like a lightning bolt. At the ending of the main trail was the "skylift". WOW cool sky-lift ride & the view was astounding, indescribable magnificence. Even the man-made staircase & trail looked cool from the pod. There was a hiking trail down which would have been cool but difficult. So I let my wife talk me out of it.

Trail of tall tails had fantastic carvings and decent (ish) Paul Bunyan stories. Although some of them seem "borrowed" from other stories. But the carvings were good. We wound up back at the gift shop. So we visited the "Trails end Indian Museum". It had baby carriers from just about every tribe I can imagine. From almost "silence of the lambs" style strap ins to supported mummy bags. it was very cool. And the doll things WOW totally awesome. But the weaving was the most impressive. Just the time & precision it must have taken astounds me. I don't know if I could do it. Saw a game ball or caramesh? And in the pacific northwest Indians display I saw a Lacrosse net & Balls. WOW I know I haven't played other than in High School and I shouldn't be surprised. But I thought Lacrosse was either french ("La" cross) or Scottish. (they thought up Curling and Golf so I figured they were tuned into the weird sports.) So even that was cool and educational.

In the end I didn't relate to my childhood other than the initial recognition. BUT I did learn stuff and I did have a solid experience of wonder with my wife & child. I hope that someday my child can pass a similar experience on to her children.

So far that has been the highpoint of my vacation, and will go on the upper end of my "life experiences list" (not top shelf, but on the upper end for sure)

QUESTIONS INSPIRED BY TREES OF MYSTERY:

Was "Red Thumb" a politically correct Johnny Apple Seed ripoff? How does his story effect the "Babe Sneezing the Redwood forest" story?

My daughter pointed out that (allegedly) the Indians considered the "Trees of Mystery" area Taboo & forbidden. The area of "The Oregon Vortex" was also (allegedly) taboo & forbidden. Crater Lake was also (allegedly) taboo & forbidden. Do white men make tourist traps out of any lands the Indians treat special?