Northwest part 2

So, After Olympia, I took a bus up to Seattle to spend some time up in Dancylvania with Eli and some of the Iji folks. Glucosamine!! Vegan rueben!! A lot of vegan stuff actually. One of the main reasons I went up to the northwest was to go to folk life, experience the crust punk dream, see friends from around the way, and play some tunes myself. I got to hang with Amelia and Hannah!! Raccoon Raccoon!! west coast punks and people I did not expect to see. Saw my friend Greg from San Diego, I met him there at least, and he was looking great, had some life in him. at one point of the 3 day event, I was MC at one of the stages, which was pretty fun. Slow Teeth, Matador, Pale Robin, and Raccoon Raccoon. Everyone sounded great! after those few days my knee was still bumming me out. I decided to go up to Canada for a couple of weeks! I got a craigslist ride across the border, which was pretty nice. That night I was meeting up with my friends in a band. Slam Dunk! and so I made my way to downtown Vancouver on the sky train thing. I couldn't remember what bar they were at, Main and Hastings, all I saw was a place called Richards? Anyways I go up to the door, before I even ask any questions I see a flyer on the wall, Touche Amore. My friend is in that band too! So I say "oh funny, Touche Amore is playing here" not knowing that it was that night. A few minutes later out comes out my good friend "Perry Monjinboo and the great escape of tragic fate" or Elliot! short shorts wearing man like myself. I love this guy, we hug, hang for a bit, but then head our separate ways. I find the bar where Slam Dunk is playing and join them for the fun!! great night last till sunrise. uhh. Next morning we take the ferry onto Vancouver Island! On the way to Victoria I figure out that there's a rock lottery going on. What is this? it's a band composed of 5 strangers, and you come up with a 30 minute set in about 5 hours, go to a bar and play. So I'm in, i've got my ukulele and someone let me borrow a trumpet. out of 4 bands, my band headlines and performs an amazing set, it was beautiful, I kinda lost my voice on the last song from singing to horrendously! A satisfying night. Victoria was a great place, Canadians living and drinking really expensive alcohol. the city had a lot going on. It was nice spending time with Jordan, Luke, Caitlin, Duncan and JOE. What the fuck! Joe is such a funny guy. I Stayed at a house called the banana stand. It had chickens in the back, a loft, and Joe. joe would drink his strongbow Cider while he would make the smartest jokes I've ever heard from an alcoholic. haha. Anyways, towards the end of my stay in this city, I got a chance to play trumpet once again in Slam Dunk. super fun night! Crowd surfed like forever!! Pushing inside the mosh pit, soo cool. A long night, followed by another long day, with a halfpipe music show. Gobble Gobble played and tore shit up, made some people really uncomfortable, but still, everyone had a good time. And it was my time to leave, I made my way over on the ferry with olivia, a Victorian local, and met up with Slam Dunk once again on the ferry, for the 3rd show I would see of theirs. Another great show, followed by some great days of  hanging out in Vancouver. Olivia was a great hostess, and showed me around some of the dark spots of Vancouver. We played some tunes and there's actually a picture of her playing below! from there it was time to get back to Seattle, and with my knee not being too good, I decided not to bring my bike up to Canada, So I hitch hiked back south. It was a bit hard to get a ride up in Canada. i managed to get a ride a few miles from the border, so i just walked. Kinda sucked do to the knee thing, but I made it, went through customs, had a good convo with the guy who searched my bags and on I go, I get out and walk a hundred yards or so, and get the first ride out of Blaine, Washington. Canada was done. Getting back to Seattle was a breeze. and took me no longer than a few hours to get a ride east toward Minneapolis! So. I packed and was soon to be on my way. It was a bummer that i could not enjoy the whole ride from Seattle to Toronto on my bicycle. I got yet another Craigslist Rideshare and I was on my way east....