All day driving yesterday east out of the mountains and across the potato-growing plains of Washington state. Tried to get up to Mt St Helens but road closed due to snow (this is a volcano so you would think if the Americans could put a man on the moon they could divert a bit of that volcanic heat to provide some under-road heating). Overnighted on a campsite after a hearty meal of beef spare rib (without the rib) cooked over a pine log campfire - poncy TV chef...

On a "wilderness" campsite on the lower slopes of Mt Rainier, which is considered (at least by Wikipedia) to be one of the most dangerous active volcanoes in the world. It could do a Mt St Helen's anytime in the next geological second (which I guess is about 200 years). At over 14,400 ft it is so powerful it makes its own weather. It served up snow today! Hoping for sunshine tomorrow. Cooking over a campfire by evening (great) and the relative luxury of an R...

A few short lines to describe Seattle. Free public transport. Vagrants and beggars. Tourists. Fish throwing (apparently). Asian and East African immigration. Inhabitants more Muslim headscarf than Stetson. Bistros more humus than fries. Living in past, perhaps: Space Needle and bumpy monorail both circa 1962. Rain - don't forget the rain! More hybrid and less turbocharger. Cyclist commuters. Definitely more slim Jim and less fat Larry. In fact might not th...

A rainy Thursday morning in Seattle

Spent day in Seattle.