Mountain and Music

 

“Of all the fire mountains which like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest.”- John Muir 

Mount Rainier is the tallest mountain in Washington and the most glaciated peak in the continuous US. We were hoping for a clear day, when we visited the national park, so we could really see it. We got one and were truly amazed by this “noble” mountain. Mark watched Starbaby so I could do a long hike in the park. I loved every mile.

Today is our last day in the area. We’ve had unusual, clear and sunny weather for our stay so we didn’t grumble yesterday when much needed rain came. We took the opportunity to meet longtime friends, Tom and Karen, for breakfast at a diner.

Tom knows more about music than most anyone I’ve ever known. He and I met on a music tour, sixteen years ago, in England. I was fascinated, at the time, by Tom’s music knowledge but also his brilliant idea of disposable clothes for traveling. Before a trip he gathers clothes whose life cycle is over; items from lost-n-found, thrift stores or his own closet.….just regular clothes to wear one last time before discarding. By the end of a trip his suitcase is practically empty and available for any new items he might have purchased in his travels; new clothes, souvenirs, music memorabilia.

Tom is also one of those rare people who possess a wealth of knowledge no one else seems to know. He told us at the end of our visit, we could probably pick up an AM station, on the radio, (where we are staying) called KBRD 680 that broadcasts a nostalgia format unlike any other radio station. The owner of KBRD (k-bird) started the station from his living room, 29 years ago, naming it after his bird, BJ. The goal was to preserve music from the first half of the 20th century. It’s like a music museum. Today, we’re listening to KBRD, and thankful for a lifestyle that allows us to discover so many new things while reconnecting with far away friends.