Into North Dakota - Clouds Merge

Leaving Miles City there appeared a wonderful opening in the sky above Big Frank. It looked like a magic cave in the sky, the kind of cave that when you enter you suddenly find yourself in the midst of great adventures that in the end enrich you in friendship and wealth - along with amazing stories to tell everyone. Unfortunately this sky cave was about 4 miles straight up, and if you look closely you can see some kind of a troll cloud approaching to cause trouble. So Big Frank sped on underneath and further on down the line to NORTH DAKOTA (almost as a good as a sky cave).

Then just to the west of Fallon, Montana a wonderful display of soft blue tinted clouds painted the horizon above the wide green plains. Big Frank could now actually smell North Dakota. Onward!

NORTH DAKOTA. OK, this sky was somewhat of a disappointment. The badlands underneath are gorgeous - this is NORTH DAKOTA. Finally Big Frank is here, but the ky? What's with the sky - it is raining!

Cloudy in Miles City

Big Frank spent the night in Miles City, Montana. This morning he is having coffee at Brewsters and looking at a mixed sky. The darkness that hangs over it could either lift or overpower. Big Frank is betting on the blue. Next stop is Glendive, Montana and then a sprint to the North Dakota border and a real breakfast under North Dakota skies - can't wait to see what that sky holds in store. The woman in the booth next to Big Frank is talking about her unusually high blood pressure. However, the woman she is sitting with is having none of that and is telling her about a good low calory sour cream to use in a recipe. Over the speakers Big Frank is surprised to hear the cafe is playing Death Cab for Cuties' "You Gotta Spend Some Time Love!" Who would have thought this song, which Big Frank was just playing would be played in a cafe in Miles City.

Trailing Clouds of Glory

Big Frank is on the road. He is currently in beautiful Bozeman, Montana uncertain how much further he will go this evening. Certainly, without the lure of the clouds on the horizon it is going to be less of draw to keep going. However, night-clouds! That might be something to check out.

Heading out of Spokane and through Idaho there were no clouds at all in the sky - a prefectly blue sky showed Big Frank over the July 4 pass and into Montana where the first glimpse of clouds appeared on the eastern horizen as Big Frank entered Missoula listening to Cold Play's "Viva La Vida" (a father's day gift from Gina!). Then it was a chase to get to those clouds and it didn't happen until Anaconda where Big Frank took the first shot at a rest area over some old piece of metal that probably has something to do with mining. Still those clouds were a ways off.


Then when he hit the western edge of Butte suddenly the cloud was all over Big Frank, an amazing spread of a cloud that reminded Big Frank of the story that that cloud surely had never told anyone, but Big Frank knew it as he drove under it. This was the spreading of a great idea that sprang from a deep feeling. Look at the deep blues on the under belly of this spreading idea - those are the feelings the undergird it (yes, Big Frank is aware that the prevailing wisdom (so-called wisdom) is that feelings spring from ideas - but who hasn't had ideas that sprang up to reach their goals - set with feelings?). As deep at the mining pit in Butte so high was this inspiration for Big Frank.



Going over the pass from Butte to Bozeman the rain came down in buckets and lots and lots of vehicles went in the ditch. Ambulances, firetrucks, police, and EMTs streamed past Big Frank to deal with the wreckage and injury of the terrible downpour which lay water down like oil spreading vehicles right and left. Big Frank slowed to 25 and made it through unscathed. Then as he approached Bozeman the beauty of the passing storm hit Big Frank again in the display of clouds to the north of Bozeman. This resonanted with Big Frank - the calm that comes after a traumatic incident with distant rumbling matching the fading turbulence.




[All Photos by Big Frank Dickinson: 1. above Anaconda, Montana, 2. above Butte, Montana, 3. above Bozeman, Montana.]

Global Human RIghts & Wetlands Restoration

Big Frank spent the last two days attending meetings and a workshop for the Northwest International Education Association, which had its annual workshop, which was on "Human Rights in a Time of Global Crisis". the keynote was on how media is used to monitor and inform on human rights. Such websites as Second Life, for example, enable through virtual reality a kind of simulation of an alternate reality - such as life in the detention center in Guantanamo. Virtual activities have sociological promise and problems. Dr. Ron Brabill from the University of Washington Bothell also talked about The Hub, an interactive community for human rights where anyone can upload video, audio, or photos in an attempt to education people from around the world about human rights violations. Take a look at their interactive map. There were lots of other great presentations on topics such as "Human Rights and Development", "Women's Rights in Iran", and "Use of Technology in Global Education".

A suprising part Cascadia College/University of Washington Bothell is the location of the campus. It is situated adjacent to a 58 acre wetlands restoration project. The project is only 9 years old and already it is well on its way to achieving its goals.


Lastly, a photo of the clouds that hung over the eastern skies of Bothell. To Big Frank this scene has a kind of Thomas Hart Benton feel to it - similar to his landscapres with their twirls and geometrical balance all implying restrained energy ready to explode at any minute.

Here's Benton's painting - "The Bicyclers": the landscape is poised. Despite the seemingly tranquil scene there is latent energy there. However, that couple should get on those bikes and ride.


All photos by BFD.