tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84038839633352037192024-03-05T10:17:48.610-05:00The Blue Turtle BlogLori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-85030835219443005232017-07-20T11:44:00.000-04:002017-07-20T11:44:54.857-04:00Towards a Better Understanding of Moral Foundations and the Need for Peace LiteracyI know it's been a while since my last post. Since moving to Campbellsville, Kentucky, I am sad to say, I have not been on my bicycle much. Instead, I've been driving my dad's Cadillac to and from Lowe's where as I have been working for about a year-and-a-half. Now I can add more recent "retail sales experience" to my already lengthy resume. I don't really mind that. While I was in Santa Barbara, CA I noticed there were quite a few jobs in retail for which I was slightly under-qualified. That won't be the case in the future no matter where I eventually choose to settle down!<br />
<br />
Even though I am off my bicycle, my efforts to "wage peace" or to support others in their efforts have continued. Most recently, I had the honor and privilege to do the final proof reading of Paul K. Chappell's forthcoming book, <i><a href="http://a.co/7o1769D" target="_blank">Soldiers of Peace: How to Wield the Weapon of Nonviolence with Maximum Force</a>. </i>Once again I found myself inspired by his insights and new conceptual frameworks for understanding how to continue to move forward towards a better world.<br />
<br />
I reference some of those ideas in what follows along with another important book by Jonathan Haidt, <a href="http://a.co/eFwKET7" target="_blank"><i>The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion.</i></a><br />
<br />
In sum, I am more limited in my traveling these days, but taking the time to continue to "study" and to write occasionally. The material below is from a recent post to <a href="https://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Blue Moon Turtle Blog</a>, but I felt it was just as relevant to this blog and my ongoing efforts to "wage peace", so I decided to post it here as well. As always, feel free to comment below!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
So here we are, several months into the Trump Presidency. Oh, and in case you didn't realize it, my <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-four-year-old.html" target="_blank">last post</a>
was about him! That's right, I've been aware of emotional/psychological
"arrested development" in adults for almost 25 years now! Most of it is
caused by childhood trauma; i.e. <a href="https://www.indy100.com/article/spanking-children-child-abuse-discipline-corporal-punishment-smacking-abuse-7835816" target="_blank">bad parenting.</a>..but then, that has a
multiplying effect generation after generation, so it is no wonder so
many people are struggling with ordinary "adult" life, even in this
highly technologically advanced society. As Paul K. Chappell points out
in his forthcoming book,<i> <a href="http://a.co/4Oo0UaX" target="_blank">Soldiers of Peace: How to Wield the Weapon of Nonviolence with Maximum Force</a></i>
- in spite of all of our advancements in technology, we are
"preliterate in peace". In other words we aren't all that good at simply
knowing how to get along with one another!<br />
<br />
I recently
encountered someone with whom I shared a great deal in common...except
for "beliefs about God (and Jesus)." I walked away from that encounter
convinced that he was more interested in how I <i>believed</i> than how I <i>loved</i>, just as I was more interested in how he <i>loved</i> than how he <i>believed. </i>In spite of everything else that we <i>could have</i>
shared, mismatching on this point caused him to decide to end the
relationship before it really even got started. It saddened me and left
me feeling a bit "mad", as in "crazed" by this crazy maddening world
that left us unable to relate with one another more functionally. He
said he believed that "everything happens for a reason". If he had met
me 15 years ago, I would have agreed with him. Now, I think things
happen, and we try to glean some greater meaning from those experiences,
especially when they are particularly <a href="http://a.co/3BheSeN" target="_blank"><i>"Dynamic</i>"</a>
or traumatic. This encounter was both for me, and I'm trying now to
channel my response into more productive writing, as I will admit, I've
gotten a bit complacent living here in the heart of the "Heartland" in
Campbellsville, KY!<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I have continued to "study" and one of my recent "text books" was Jonathan Haidt's <a href="http://a.co/fDPQma2" target="_blank"><i>The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Religion and Politics</i>. </a>Wow! What a <i>tour de force</i>
in presenting his research on "moral foundations" in a clear and
concise way! I appreciated the content as well as the structure of its
presentation. Definitely one of my new favorite books!<br />
<br />
As summarized <a href="http://moralfoundations.org/" target="_blank">here,</a> Haidt describes five "moral foundations" for which there is strong evidence: <b>Care/Harm, Fairness/Cheating, Loyalty/Betrayal, Authority/Subversion, and Sanctity/Degradation</b>; and one for which the evidence is not quite as strong, but still important to consider, <b>Liberty/Oppression</b>.
The moral foundations are things most people can grasp intuitively, or
at a "gut" level, what he refers to as "intuitive ethics". However,
through culture we learn to give more emphasis to some of the
foundations rather than others, or to express them through specific,
sometimes very elaborate behaviors and rituals. That's where things
start to get messy and conflicts arise: not from conflict over the
foundations themselves, but through conflict over their interpretation
and behavioral expressions that vary considerably across nations,
cultures, religions, and political parties. What Haidt seems to call for
in his writing is a deeper recognition of our moral foundations, what
we actually share in common, and less emphasis or distraction by all of
the different ways humans can embody and express those foundations.<br />
<br />
Also,
as I have seen for myself, almost every one of our "intractable" social
issues arises from an unresolved conflict between moral foundations.
For instance, the abortion issue pits "care" for the unborn against the
"liberty" of a women to have control over her own body. State sponsored
"welfare" is about "care" for those in need, but again, it is in
conflict with the "liberty" of taxpayers to control their own resources,
or to freely choose to support other charitable organizations rather
than have their money taken from them and used through the government
bureaucracy. (Keep in mind, this applies to those who are against
"corporate welfare" and "bailouts" as well!) There seems to be a
general pattern of thinking that goes: "I want my individual <i>liberty</i> (to do whatever I want), and if I make poor choices, I (also) want the government to be there to <i>take care of</i> me (even if I have no respect for the government and its authority)." <br />
<br />
The above statement reflects what I have referred to <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/you-get-what-you-play-for-2016.html" target="_blank">here</a>
as an "Individual Biological Moral Code". Haidt also points out that
the U.S. represents more of an "individualistic" society, where it is
believed that "society is there to serve the individual", while at the
other end of the spectrum, China adheres to a more "collectivist" view
where the "individual is there to serve society". As I recently
discussed with Paul K. Chappell, I wonder if either of these cultures
would be able to continue as they are if it were not for their
interactions with one another? Our individualism is great for generating
new ideas, new technologies, etc., but not all that great for finding
people willing to do the rather monotonous work of reproducing them. The
Chinese are not known for innovation, but they do just fine reproducing
products <i>designed in the U.S, </i>something I can speak to very directly given my many years experience working in the production-line sewing industry! <br />
<br />
Finally,
Haidt suggests that we are "90% chimp and 10% bee". In many, many
regards our behavior is similar to that of lower primates. We form bonds
with certain members of our society and not with others. We form
hierarchies. We will care for our own infants as well as infants
belonging to other members of our family group (as necessary), but may
even kill the infants of non-related members or of rival groups. We can
be faithful or unfaithful to our sexual partners.<br />
<br />
In
addition, however, we also have an enormous capacity to cooperate with a
much larger group of otherwise total strangers in order to share a
common experience (like a rock concert) or achieve a common goal (like
winning an election). That's the "10% bee" part. Furthermore, as Yuval
Noah Harari explains in his book, <i><a href="http://a.co/i50eTg9" target="_blank">Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind</a>,</i> it seems one of our greatest talents as humans is to <i>tell stories </i>(like
those expressed by all religions concerning the nature of "God" and/or
the Universe) as a framework for moral behavior, which can be applied to
a much, much, larger group of otherwise unrelated individuals.<br />
<br />
Which
brings me to one of the points of Haidt's book that really stuck with
me: Moral development, learning how to function well and peacefully in a
society with other human beings, depends on one's association with a <i>smaller group</i> or "moral community" in which one can be <i><b>held accountable</b></i> for one's actions. There has to be some kind of <i>feedback</i>
system that allows for "course correction". If you do not grow up in
such a community, if you do not feel at least some concern for the good
opinion of others, or at least, feel some sense of dependency on others
for your overall survival and well-being, then you can behave however
you want, without any real moral development taking place, even
throughout the course of your entire lifetime!<br />
<br />
Furthermore,
if you are inclined to think highly of yourself for being one member of
the "global community of humankind" without any real connection to a
smaller community, one to which you feel more directly accountable,
then, again, you can actually live your life as an otherwise immoral
person, with no one to stop you, unless your immorality leads you to
break laws for which you can be removed from the larger society through
incarceration.<br />
<br />
This brings me to one final, more recent
observation: There are many minority groups in our society whose
individual members take great pride in being part of those groups based
on their race or gender preference. What is more obvious with race, but
maybe less so for some with respect to gender preference, is that both
of these characteristics are an expression of a person's <i>biology, over which they have little or no control.</i> No one <i>consciously chooses</i> to be "Black" or "White," "Asian" or "Hispanic," etc. I have yet to meet a homosexual who claims they are <i>choosing </i>to be homosexual any more than someone else <i>chooses</i>
to be heterosexual. And even with religion, at least until fairly
recently, a person would be hard-pressed to find others who did not
agree with or follow the religion of their birth. Granted, there are
opportunities to "choose" to "believe in Christ and accept Him as your
Lord and Savior" within various Christian communities, for instance, but
if you don't, you may also face shunning or excommunication. At the
very least, as long as you continue to be a part of that community, you
will also continue to feel the pressure to choose as those in your
family/religious community have chosen before you.<br />
<br />
So, to a great degree, with regards to race, religion, gender preference, physical disability, etc., no one is <i>actively choosing</i>
these identifiable characteristics. However, if there is anything truly
unique in the animal kingdom with respect to human beings, it is our
capacity for choice with regards to <i>how we behave in our
relationships with other human beings, in our relationships with
non-humans, and in our relationship with this planet we live on.</i> In his book, <a href="https://paulkchappell.com/books/" target="_blank"><i>Peaceful Revolution: How We Can Create the Future Needed for Humanity's Survival</i></a>, Paul K. Chappell describes several "muscles" that all human beings can learn to strengthen including the "muscles" of <b>hope, empathy, appreciation, conscience, reason, discipline, and curiosity</b>. These are aspects of our shared humanity that (apart from some forms of mental handicap) we <i>can choose</i> to exercise, no matter what the superficial dictates of our biological, religious, or cultural heritage.<br />
<br />
Therefore, rather than focusing so much on the things we <i>can't control</i>, like
what race or culture we were born into, or how our brains were wired
during development to affect our gender preference/identification, or
how intelligent we are, it seems we would be far better off focusing on those human qualities or capacities that we <i>can control,</i> and measuring ourselves, and holding each other accountable, according to how we <i>exercise or demonstrate those capacities</i>.
In addition, rather than merely identifying as another member of "the
whole of humanity", or even some other broadly recognized majority,
minority, secular, religious, or political group, we need to come to
embrace and appreciate the importance and power of smaller groups and
communities to shape individual and collective moral behavior, to allow
ourselves to be held accountable, ideally, for our capacity to exercise
our truly human "muscles" of <b>hope, empathy, appreciation, conscience, reason, discipline, and curiosity!</b><br />
<br />
Finally,
to begin to bridge the seeming gaps between secular and religious
beliefs as well as political ideologies, we need to give more direct
consideration to the underlying moral foundations of <b>Care/Harm, Fairness/Cheating, Loyalty/Betrayal, Authority/Subversion, Sanctity/Degradation, and Liberty/Oppression </b>rather
than seeing only the surface expressions that vary so widely from
culture to culture, religion to religion, and between political
parties. <b> </b><br />
<br />
We must realize we all hold
individual responsibility to be Moral Actors and to mature as Moral
Actors through the course of our lives and to be held accountable by the
smaller communities we either grow-up in or consciously choose. No
matter how technologically advanced we become, our long-term success as a
species and our individual and collective well-being in the here and
now depend on our learning to live together more peacefully.<br />
<br />
In <i><a href="http://a.co/cPqPD3Z" target="_blank">Soldiers of Peace...</a>, </i>Paul
K. Chappell explains that the majority of human beings were once
illiterate with respect to reading and writing. At a certain point in
human society we realized that learning to read and write was critical
for our survival. Now we have reached another critical point in human
society where we are mostly "illiterate in peace", and our survival
depends on our becoming "peace literate". I look forward to continuing
to take part in and contribute to that ongoing education effort!<br />
<br />
Sincerely and Respectfully Yours, In Peace...Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-3793313275902371152016-10-13T13:21:00.000-04:002017-07-19T09:22:48.850-04:00“You Get What You Play For!” - 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
Although I have tried hard not to get sucked into the ongoing dramas of Election 2016, I have enough friends who are posting about it on Facebook and Twitter, and the topic has come up in the break room at work as well, so that my efforts to resist have been futile. This morning I awoke with my brain generating ideas that I felt needed to be shared, so here I am, sharing them, in spite of my resistance. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in 2014 I wrote a post here entitled, <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/you-get-what-you-play-for.html" target="_blank">“You Get What You Play For!”</a> In it I made a distinction between what I called a “Social Moral Code” and an “Individual Biological Moral Code”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example, one could say that “The Ten Commandments” are a type of social moral code in that they establish certain rules regarding how people should interact with one another (and with “God”). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<img id="img" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zLTmeif46iI/UBgq-6j59FI/AAAAAAAAFXM/6CMGl9-dJro/s640/Bonnie+religious+ten_commandments.jpg" style="height: 298px; width: 403px;" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By contrast, an “Individual Biological Moral Code” only applies to
individuals. I proposed that the "rules" of such a “code” might be, “If
it feels good do it!” and “Survival of the fittest!” <br />
<br />
If you take, for instance, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” from “The Ten Commandments,” it’s pretty easy to understand how this applies in a “society” or “community” of people:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For very primal reasons, as well as for legal ones (regarding the transfer of property to one’s legitimate/blood-related offspring), both husbands and wives might take issue at having a third person’s DNA brought into that mix! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Resulting interpersonal conflicts could in turn be disruptive to the stability of the affected families and to the larger community. In fact, seven of the ten commandments address issues of interpersonal and community relationships. That’s what makes “The Ten Commandments” a type of “Social Moral Code”. Contrast that with, “If it feels good do it!” and the distinctions are clear. Whether married or not, if it “feels good” for me to have sex with another person, so be it! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Furthermore, if it “feels good” for me to drink until I’m so intoxicated that I can’t see straight, but I want to drive anyway, so be it! If it “feels good” for me to speculate recklessly on the stock market with other people’s money, so be it! If it “feels good” for me to eat my way into disease and disability and expect “the government” to pick up the tab, so be it! If it “feels good” for me to have unprotected sex all the time, with one partner or many, and bear children that I cannot otherwise afford to raise, and expect "the government" to pick up the tab, then so be it! If it “feels good” for me as a man to act in a sexually aggressive way towards women, because it satisfies a deeper biological drive to increase this species’ chances of reproduction, then so be it! The list goes on and on and on, and ALL of these things can be justified as “moral” under an Individual Biological Moral Code, founded on the principle, “If it feels good, do it!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I have suggested above, the second principle of this Individual Biological Moral Code is “Survival of the Fittest”. In this culture, “fitness” is usually recognized as celebrity and/or material wealth. Once again, those who achieve greatly in either or both of these categories, no matter how they actually got there, can justify their positions because they are simply “playing by the rules”. There are no greater measures of “fitness” required – like personal integrity, honesty and fairness in one’s business dealings, voluntary care for the health and welfare of one’s employees, let alone members of the larger whole of society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consequently, just like in the natural world, this adherence to an Individual Biological Moral Code leads to a highly skewed distribution curve with a few “apex predators” at the top and the vast majority of “feeder species” comprising the bottom of the curve. It should come as no surprise then, that that is exactly what the <a href="http://utrend.tv/v/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact/" target="_blank">"wealth distribution curve"</a> looks like for our society!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nevertheless, if you are thinking it is time for a “revolution” – think twice! If all the “revolutionaries” want to do is Trade Places with the current “apex predators”, without a fundamental change in The Moral Code Itself, then that Distribution Curve Will Not Change! Sure, it might change for a generation, but if we persist with the same Individual Biological Moral Code guiding us, we will eventually be right back where we started!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So it is not the <i>players</i> that have to change, it’s the real, underlying <i>moral code</i> that we've agreed to that has to change. Furthermore, it is my contention that in order to create such a new and better code, we first have to come to an agreement that a) Human Beings are SOCIAL not Solitary creatures, and b) Our ability to function cooperatively with larger and larger groups of individuals has been a hallmark of our evolutionary development. Therefore, an <b>Individual</b> Biological Moral Code WILL NEVER WORK for the <b>Social</b> species that we are! Consequently, we have to develop and agree to a different code, a <b>Social</b> Moral Code.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
*******</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In his book,<i> Peaceful Revolution: How We Can Create the Future Needed for Humanity’s Survival </i>former Iraq war veteran turned peace activist, <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/" target="_blank">Paul K. Chappell</a>, discusses seven “muscles” he feels we need to learn to “exercise” and strengthen in order to create a better future for all of humankind. These “muscles” are as follows: (realistic) hope, empathy/respect, appreciation, conscience, reason, discipline, and curiosity. The development of these muscles helps us develop our full potential as
mature human beings, human beings who are capable of interacting more
functionally and peacefully with one another.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1f/4a/ea/1f4aea669c69044f318968dcb590359e.jpg" id="img" style="height: 449px; width: 320px;" /><br />
<br />
Along with our own "Bill of Rights" and the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html" target="_blank">Universal Declaration of Human Rights</a> established by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, these could form the basis of a new Social Moral Code.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another principle to consider is that expressed in the title and elaborated in the book, <a href="http://www.echelonfront.com/extremeownership" target="_blank"><i>Extreme Ownership…</i></a> by Navy SEAL Officers Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. “Extreme Ownership” is not one of those things that “feels<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>good.” It demands both vulnerability and courage to acknowledge and accept full responsibility for one’s decisions and actions and their consequences. It is especially important for those in positions of leadership, but it has implications for every person’s life on a day to day basis as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been my observation that there are many in the world today who, for various reasons, are waiting on “God”, “Jesus”, “The Government”, “Extra Terrestrials”, etc., etc. to either swoop in and solve all of our problems or bring an apocalypse. In other words, they are <b>not</b> accepting “Extreme Ownership” for any of these problems themselves. I’m afraid that is the “double-edged sword” of “faith” – for some it makes them feel <b>more </b>responsibility and accountability, for others, it <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">relieves</b> them of responsibility and accountability. Like the underlying “Individual Biological Moral Code” that I believe is currently guiding us, this dual aspect of “faith,” when it comes to responsibility and accountability, is another foundation of our culture that needs to be reconsidered with respect to how it might aid or compromise establishing a more beneficial “Social Moral Code”.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To summarize: We might change the players, but the outcome, the “skewed curve” of wealth distribution in this society and others, and all of the “inequalities” that it perpetuates, will not change until we actually change The RULES of the Game we are playing! In my mind that means we have to change from an Individual Biological Moral Code to a new and better Social Moral Code.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In either case, it bears repeating, “You Get What You Play For!”</div>
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-52311955568467565132016-07-20T16:06:00.002-04:002016-07-28T17:34:53.130-04:00To Be or Not to Be a Tracker...? Is that the question?<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In my bedroom I have a small book shelf. On three shelves it holds the books that have had the greatest impact on my life so far in chronological order of when I read them. The first book on the first shelf is my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bible</i>, the second is a hard-back copy of Kahlil Gibran’s, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prophet-Borzoi-Book-Kahlil-Gibran/dp/0394404289" target="_blank">The Prophet</a>, and the third book is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tracker-Tom-Brown/dp/0425101339" target="_blank">The Tracker: The True Story of Tom Brown, Jr...as told to William Jon Watkins</a>.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I decided to start re-reading these books, or at least, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Prophet</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tracker...</i> as a way of helping me fall asleep at night. However, when I started reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tracker...</i> I recalled not only how it impacted me originally, but how I have been further inspired by actually taking <a href="https://www.trackerschool.com/" target="_blank">tracking and survival skills</a> classes from Tom Brown, Jr. as part of my cross-country cycling preparations back in May of 2011. When I had the resources to do so, it was the first thing on my list that I Really Wanted to Do followed by riding my bicycle cross-country.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRXMEhhtLcm_PLxe7l3syALp4e0AMsDbn0upIawDLKEaNBFpA1RDf2niLY4v4c4LlDfjvSI07fgwfLUtiiPbQq1FGJnY7gW-q4iNWvgE_gxeQTfukfDNmMOqLAVQRFfgEQdGq0kKOd8Fs/s1600/SignedTracker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRXMEhhtLcm_PLxe7l3syALp4e0AMsDbn0upIawDLKEaNBFpA1RDf2niLY4v4c4LlDfjvSI07fgwfLUtiiPbQq1FGJnY7gW-q4iNWvgE_gxeQTfukfDNmMOqLAVQRFfgEQdGq0kKOd8Fs/s320/SignedTracker.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Given my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4CQQ3VukNs" target="_blank">history with my mother</a>, given that most of my early life was consumed by Her story of “Us”, it has taken the rest of my life to try to figure out what My Story really is, what my deepest motivations truly are and how I can focus my attention on pursuing those motivations successfully.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I will admit to feeling some envy for talented children whose parents have no problem supporting their child’s natural motivations. Whenever I watch shows like “America’s Got Talent” or “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation” I am awed by the level of ability some children are able to demonstrate in part because they were simply given the support they needed to embrace and express those talents early in their lives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That just wasn’t the case for me. The first <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">20 years</b> of my life were all about what my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mother</i> expected of me and what she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">needed</i> me to be for her own ego-gratification/sense of self-worth. It was only after she was formally diagnosed and committed to a mental hospital that I was set free to figure out what My Life Purpose was supposed to be For Me, how best to learn and to give My gifts to the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve literally been “all over the place” with that quest. Starting from Tennessee, I was on the road with the carnival for several months, lived in Montana, England, on the island of Kauai, and in Colorado where I joined the Navy. From there I went to Great Lakes, Illinois for boot camp, was stationed on an aircraft carrier for three years, home ported in Norfolk, Virginia and made two "med cruises" to places like Greece, Italy, and the Arab Emirates. Shore duty brought me to Maryland where I lived for a few more years before attending Tracker School in New Jersey and riding my bicycle cross-country.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNPPtr4o0VTc8Bye7_fitO_FJQ77Uf2Bby8YTMxIuGBiiYbd4_z_eIiLuQHecUw2yXERKsn9q7hgBE9OE02B0v1UzETjgz2izcHiI-atAXGGpdJQCcoX82W_xcrXFDpWTJ6ErkEQ1OTzm/s1600/MeShelter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNPPtr4o0VTc8Bye7_fitO_FJQ77Uf2Bby8YTMxIuGBiiYbd4_z_eIiLuQHecUw2yXERKsn9q7hgBE9OE02B0v1UzETjgz2izcHiI-atAXGGpdJQCcoX82W_xcrXFDpWTJ6ErkEQ1OTzm/s320/MeShelter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As documented in this blog, that adventure took me first (by car) to Williamsburg, Virginia where Hurricane Irene gave me an opportunity to practice shelter building. From there I continued by car to Jacksonville, Florida. I actually started by cross-country cycling from Jacksonville Beach and continued through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and into Texas. Texas was also the venue for all of “Stage II”. In between I lived briefly in Santa Barbara, California and Millville, Pennsylvania, and after “Stage III”, Columbus, Georgia and now back “home” with my dad in Campbellsville, Kentucky.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Although I was trained as an Electronics Technician while in the Navy, I finished my Bachelor of Science in Social Science in 2010, a program I'd started 18 years earlier as a student at Tennessee Tech. However, I was so "beat up" being on my own, working full-time, going to school, and having to deal with a long string of dysfunctional living arrangements, including a brief marriage and divorce, that I did not have the motivation to pursue my formal education beyond that. Looking back, once again, Mom was the one who thought I’d be the next Margaret Mead or something, not me!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mom also thought we’d be writing books together. Over the course of the last several years, besides writing this blog, I have made numerous attempts to write a book – philosophical, practical, autobiographical, etc. Most recently, I thought I would write a book focused on <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2016/05/i-recently-finished-reading-this-book.html" target="_blank">parenting as leadership</a> incorporating the principles I learned from reading a book entitled, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057/157-7375719-0899727?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1250067057&linkCode=as2&linkId=JLIWL6YB57FZPTS2&redirect=true&ref_=as_li_tl&tag=jockpodc-20" target="_blank">Extreme Ownership</a>...by Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. I don’t know so much about Leif, but I know Jocko is one of those people who knew what he wanted to do with his life as a child and got to do just that. This is something he refers to pretty often in his <a href="http://jockopodcast2.com/" target="_blank">podcasts</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Rather than being encouraged by Jocko’s story, I found myself once again feeling frustrated by my own circumstances and wondering if I would ever be as motivated about anything as someone like Jocko. Although I may still give it some attention as a “back-up plan”, I have once again run into a lack of motivation and focus where my research for the parenting book is concerned. (I have learned a lot more about our brains though as illustrated here...)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjog-7HBK9ZFi1pTSL5snChcE-GhRIjw_OtOIbzOGFMMbHp-LJjeIuApdB7nks0pgw8D-bpx_vUjDh2YaVIuzSFw5EywksSFunbWfyRltcfByq_EuAIU2-ht7MHqsTjQL6mUH5B3-ldHYqx/s1600/Brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjog-7HBK9ZFi1pTSL5snChcE-GhRIjw_OtOIbzOGFMMbHp-LJjeIuApdB7nks0pgw8D-bpx_vUjDh2YaVIuzSFw5EywksSFunbWfyRltcfByq_EuAIU2-ht7MHqsTjQL6mUH5B3-ldHYqx/s320/Brain.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">However...I have been pretty focused of <b>fishing </b>lately! And feeding the birds and the squirrels and keeping the water baths clean and full. As I sit here typing, I’m looking out the basement windows as the yellow and black <a href="http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_tiger_swallowtail.htm" target="_blank">Swallow Tail Butterflies</a> hover feeding on our deep purple and lavender butterfly bushes. The ground looks a little weedy, but that’s because I’ve left the <a href="http://www.ediblewildfood.com/lambs-quarters.aspx" target="_blank">Lamb's Quarters</a> to grow so I could add it to my green smoothies. There’s also one sunflower that came up under the feeder on its own. Who knows what ate the top out as soon as it was blooming, but I’m hoping the secondary buds might make it to maturity.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAobsLQlGlTZw9F7mk1gNxODoF4-nQ8FAFljTOZ0hyphenhyphenzdxUfMamQbioDe04BsenPwPn644bKRsR1UXYJFtu3HY0aZ4N9McdeH5tZmAYMi33RHzEzKac7ojl_4qURI62BvtztVNf3DdqYNPy/s1600/BackGarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAobsLQlGlTZw9F7mk1gNxODoF4-nQ8FAFljTOZ0hyphenhyphenzdxUfMamQbioDe04BsenPwPn644bKRsR1UXYJFtu3HY0aZ4N9McdeH5tZmAYMi33RHzEzKac7ojl_4qURI62BvtztVNf3DdqYNPy/s320/BackGarden.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There’s also the worm composter on the back porch. That’s been doing really well since I moved it from Georgia. It is an expression of my deeper motivation as a "constant composter" - never wanting to let anything go to waste, to allow things to progress through the "Life-Death-Life" cycle wherever possible. I was fishing with some of my home-grown red wigglers at a co-worker’s pond and managed to catch enough <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegill" target="_blank">Bluegill</a> for supper. Although I empathize with their suffering as I am cleaning the fish, I try to make quick work of it, and there’s a strong part of me that wants to know how to do this – to eat what I catch. I joked with my dad a little about it being pretty satisfying even though it is quite a bit of work first to catch the fish, then to clean it, then to cook it, and even to eat it while avoiding all the bones! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJWX4VwwMTPJgVCIEg9trkuW3h-sDZPDrZKDXbKhNPZLnhAftxOCd0OI9CF4bcTK2GGM3zqc0O7lD2A_bqMsio1wGGpkeXiNe88L2Kqwiu5yxi7zooSfSyRwbPSCkdLRvdEGuZJ1_xi63/s1600/WormComposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJWX4VwwMTPJgVCIEg9trkuW3h-sDZPDrZKDXbKhNPZLnhAftxOCd0OI9CF4bcTK2GGM3zqc0O7lD2A_bqMsio1wGGpkeXiNe88L2Kqwiu5yxi7zooSfSyRwbPSCkdLRvdEGuZJ1_xi63/s320/WormComposter.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Of all the times that I was “trapped” inside the house with mom, some of my strongest memories are of the rare times when I was able to get out. One of the apartments where we lived in Radcliff, Kentucky sat on the edge of the woods. I spent many hours playing there, mostly alone. I remember the year there was a “plague” of little brown frogs that scattered ahead as I walked through the grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember when I sat amongst the trees in the middle of winter, and watched the birds come to the feeder not five feet from me, including a covey of quails, all marching in line, one behind the other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also remember a big blackberry patch in the middle of a field of red Kentucky clay. I picked a lot of blackberries that summer, and I think of it every time I pick blackberries now like I did on the property of the co-worker with the pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also remember a sink hole where I played in Brandenburg, Kentucky. That’s where I started catching snakes and lizards, much to the awe and chagrin of all of the boys in the neighborhood. (I "played" with another snake here at the house in Campbellsville, early this spring.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmn06fSYz0gr7iInA9hKZjgyoKIWsOXIUiXXITkiBbzLPLwXZGK4zw5hhr3UYNtX45lB-NSJyTMy-UwnpSWntVIsXktFSggQMM1cuatppC0AfmWZEgOVZVM35t4ON0VTb803nIA9Vl-7T/s1600/CampbellsvilleSnake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmn06fSYz0gr7iInA9hKZjgyoKIWsOXIUiXXITkiBbzLPLwXZGK4zw5hhr3UYNtX45lB-NSJyTMy-UwnpSWntVIsXktFSggQMM1cuatppC0AfmWZEgOVZVM35t4ON0VTb803nIA9Vl-7T/s320/CampbellsvilleSnake.jpg" width="211" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I guess what I’m realizing is that I’ve always had this affinity for nature. Maybe it had something to do with growing up watching <a href="http://www.wildkingdom.com/about" target="_blank">Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom</a>, or maybe it was the rare times I remember going camping with the whole family and fishing with my dad. Maybe it was because my dad brought turtles home to me from his truck trips rather than store-bought souvenirs.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zIyNcOaRRFD0iZf7s_99EnajA9tS6lc28M2qW06_BvVGNxdBc-T-Q4ixqB1lb2kueagheT0Rgqlc8Ve5ICuq7tYNAnz30PO_556COSNTxQvxX4WfTGfE9zeuTdofEa7hnkLfwjdvnYh_/s1600/GeorgiaTurtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zIyNcOaRRFD0iZf7s_99EnajA9tS6lc28M2qW06_BvVGNxdBc-T-Q4ixqB1lb2kueagheT0Rgqlc8Ve5ICuq7tYNAnz30PO_556COSNTxQvxX4WfTGfE9zeuTdofEa7hnkLfwjdvnYh_/s320/GeorgiaTurtle.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Nevertheless, it was never something my mother ever encouraged me to pursue for a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Living</b>. Again, she had much <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">grander</b> plans for “us”. And so, instead of taking Environmental Studies or something that might have led to my becoming say a park ranger, I was taking courses “working towards a degree in anthropology”. Granted, a lot of those were “natural science” classes, but they were never meant to be the FOCUS of my education or my life...as far as my mother was concerned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now I find myself “over the hill” – but feeling I still have another Big Hill yet to climb, The Hill that is truly aligned with my deepest core, my values, my skills, my INTRINSIC motivations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The other day I watched a brief TEDx video, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVsXO9brK7M" target="_blank">How to Know Your Life Purpose in 5 Minutes</a>. The speaker, Adam Leipzig, posed a series of questions: Who are you? What do you do? What are you qualified to teach others? Who do you do it for? What do they want or need? How do they change or transform as a result of what you give them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I had a hard time answering those questions at first. However, if I were to become skilled enough myself to teach tracking and survival skills to others, I could answer those questions easily: What I learned from the experience of, for instance, learning to make fire from “scratch”, is that it is Very Empowering and Liberating. Although I may not be super-skilled yet, I learned enough during two weeks of classes at Tracker School to feel I could survive in the woods for an indefinite period of time if I had to. Consequently, no matter how bad things might get in the world, I know that I have the option to “run away” from it all. And because I have that confidence in my ability to run away, I am also free to choose to continue to be involved with this world as much as I want to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I was explaining to my dad over supper, I think part of the “madness” and violence in the world today is due to the fact that people feel trapped. They feel trapped in their jobs, their relationships, in their neighborhoods, in “society”. Some try to resolve these feelings of being trapped by “fighting their way out”. Unfortunately, this can lead to even worse incarceration. Others will “die trying” or intentionally take their own lives and who knows how many others' with them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the wild, if two bears confront each other over territory, they will posture and roar, but it seldom comes to violent conflict. That’s because either bear has the option to Run Away. I think part of the problem with modern humans is we have, for the most part, lost the option to <i>literally</i> Run Away. Instead we <i>virtually</i> run away by using drugs and alcohol, playing video games, or watching endless hours of "entertainment media". Few of us could survive for long outside the bounds of our homes, towns, and cities, let alone in any truly Wild part of this country. And so, for most people, the only option is to fight, or die - quickly or slowly.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXVM92tU1EgoFu0dF2hiWdIX9V1arhN2ZAh4tGG5WqhSS2TjRZ2YpHkEJc_oO4sn2vHIbo-qjkFeDHn1FLtY0Fq-ABehYV1DIfa-nNxDR8Ipj5beumCxzoUuDwwjheZfov6wbt8ZZ6Y0k/s1600/Fighting-Bears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXVM92tU1EgoFu0dF2hiWdIX9V1arhN2ZAh4tGG5WqhSS2TjRZ2YpHkEJc_oO4sn2vHIbo-qjkFeDHn1FLtY0Fq-ABehYV1DIfa-nNxDR8Ipj5beumCxzoUuDwwjheZfov6wbt8ZZ6Y0k/s320/Fighting-Bears.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">How different might things be if more people could <i>literally</i> run away for a while, or at least know that they could? If they could go off into the woods and become more connected with the abundance of life and the natural world? Or connect with one of the most primal abilities of humans across millennia: to build a fire from nothing but the natural materials around them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I know this may seem a bit morbid, but I have felt truly empowered by two distinct experiences in my life: the first was <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/napf-workshop-part-ii-nuclear-sleeping.html" target="_blank">having the knowledge that I could kill myself</a> if I wanted to, and the second was being able to <b>build a fire from scratch</b>, something I got to do during the first week of classes at Tom Brown, Jr’s Tracker School! (And although a photo of that first fire was taken by a fellow student, I was never able to get it from them. :/ )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now, I don’t mind dealing with the challenges of day to day living that we all face. But I’m not carrying fears of the credit card companies, or the IRS, or some other government entity messing with my life, or forcing me to do something I really don’t want to do…because I know I can Run Away whenever I want or need to. (After more classes at Tom’s Tracker School I’ll just be that much More prepared to Run Away if I want or need to.) And I’ve known this for over five years now, and I’ve found it’s <b>Good to Know</b>! It allows me to be calmer deep down inside, where others might feel fearful and anxious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, should I choose to pursue tracking and survival training more intensively, to the point where I could become a teacher for others, then this is how they might be “transformed” by what I will have to give them: they will be liberated from their fears of entrapment. They will become free to run away whenever they choose, which means, they will also be free to stay, and to do whatever they can to figure out their own life purpose, the gifts they have to give to others, and the ways in which they can help transform the world into a better place for humans and non-humans to live.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve had many motivations that have led me away from this. Motivations that I really had to see were not<i> intrinsic</i> but rather <i>extrinsic </i>and mostly stemming from my relationship with my mother. As I have learned from one of Gregory Careman’s <a href="https://www.udemy.com/my-brain-and-i/" target="_blank">neuroscience courses</a>, "extrinsic motivations <i>drain</i> you of energy, intrinsic motivations <i>give</i> you energy". If wanting to become an expert in tracking and primitive survival skills<b> is</b> my deepest <i>intrinsic</i> motivation finally coming to the surface, then the energy will be there to carry me through in a way no other motivations have thus far.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">From the beginning, this blog has been about my journey...ing. I've felt more and less sure of where that journey-ing would take me all along the way. Nevertheless, I continue to persevere and to try different paths as others have grown cold. I Have Learned A Lot along the way and I hope there has been some value here for those who have continued to follow me. No matter where my motivations have led at any given time in the outer world, what I have been most motivated to do is to live more and more deeply from my heart. That is where the <i>inward journey</i> has been taking me, deeper and deeper into my own heart. That is the "home work" that I feel is every individual's responsibility, something for which they must ultimately take "Extreme Ownership"!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So here's to that continuing journey...the skills we learn and the wisdom we gain along the way...and the tracks we leave behind for ourselves and others to follow!</span></div>
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-54236838246762617822016-05-05T16:36:00.004-04:002016-05-12T14:03:19.510-04:00Long Overdue Update from Campbellsville, KYIn late November 2015, I relocated from my friend's house in Columbus, GA to live with my dad for a while at The Lake House on Green River Lake in Campbellsville, KY. My father and step-mother built the house there about 16 years ago. I'd visited a few times, but only for the occasional holiday. Truth is, I haven't actually lived with my dad much since my mother divorced him when I was seven. He's been on his own at the house since my step-mother passed away in October 2014, so living there with him is a mutually helpful arrangement for now. Besides, after I got clearer a while back on <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/whats-in-your-back-pack.html">"Demands and Expectations" vs. "Means and Resources"</a>, I realized it would probably be a good idea to go back to "square one", building a better "resource base" for my life including family and finances.<br />
<br />
I've had access to a vehicle here so I've been able to drive the 10 miles into town to work. I started as a part-time seasonal employee at Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts through Christmas and then was asked to stay as a permanent part-time employee after that. However, it's a pretty low paying job with only 15 or so hours/week so I decided to look into a job at the nearby Lowe's as well especially since they were hiring seasonal employees at the time. I was actually able to get a part-time permanent position as a member of the "Weekend Team", which made splitting hours with Jo-Ann's more manageable. Lowe's also provides a decent health-care package to their permanent employees. Working for both of these retail stores has given me enough variety to be interesting - it's kind of a cross between Easter egg hunting (finding the merchandise people ask for) and creative problem solving. Finding a place for everything and putting everything in its place also appeals to my attention to detail and organizational skills. Furthermore, my life experience thus far has made it possible for me to connect with all types of people very easily, which makes it pretty satisfying work overall.<br />
<br />
So now I'm on a pretty consistent schedule working Friday through Sunday at Lowe's and Monday through Wednesday at Jo-Ann's. Thursdays are for grocery shopping with Dad (since it's Senior Discount Day at Kroger's), and catching up on any other domestic responsibilities at the house. Today, I'm also taking time at the Public Library to use the computer, to write this post, because we don't have internet at the house and on top of that, my iPad crashed again during the last update. (That happened when I was in <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-journey-continues.html">Stafford, Arizona</a> as well, but I had access to my host's computer to fix the problem then. I can't register/use iTunes on the Library computers. :( ) So, the iPad is pretty much down for the foreseeable future. In addition, as I have been planning to save-up for a new laptop, I'm probably going to have to attend to some pressing dental issues first. Nevertheless, I felt it was time I got something posted here for anyone who might be dropping by to see what I've been up to in the last several months!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-Uhr55g36Jd_lTSHU_9IXMvZUN_kXliIZ9TG5wI7d6VP_NebHDp86dyJBc_cMtegCuSBP45E4QS-X8KiZ3qjSrc9IwHYP7A0fP6RzROq7kCW7xnUF9kkxffp7v-s-4WUy1xPtS-wJ2pK/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-Uhr55g36Jd_lTSHU_9IXMvZUN_kXliIZ9TG5wI7d6VP_NebHDp86dyJBc_cMtegCuSBP45E4QS-X8KiZ3qjSrc9IwHYP7A0fP6RzROq7kCW7xnUF9kkxffp7v-s-4WUy1xPtS-wJ2pK/s320/IMG_2970.JPG" /></a></div> Besides work, I've been really enjoying watching the seasons change here in Kentucky. It's probably one of the most distinctive experiences I remember from growing up in this region of the country.<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the features of our house is that it actually has a view all the way down to the lake. It sits next to the gas line which has to remain clear of trees so aerial surveys can be conducted to check for leaks. It makes for a nice view which I have tried to capture as Winter has turned into Spring.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiL6bEmpqk3LOZ0bQdWe6IIt5JMBSg334ovZRdtUvZPu3F8rikDuohjJQQ568MoANcZNH7l4bJx49s8xtvwaURcmUciCfOIRPyveJkGxS7r1keIVwNb776-SVrlnmWu3rUESeyjHthFxC6/s1600/IMG_3128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiL6bEmpqk3LOZ0bQdWe6IIt5JMBSg334ovZRdtUvZPu3F8rikDuohjJQQ568MoANcZNH7l4bJx49s8xtvwaURcmUciCfOIRPyveJkGxS7r1keIVwNb776-SVrlnmWu3rUESeyjHthFxC6/s320/IMG_3128.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Of course, having the lake so near means fishing is an option. I bought my fishing license as a birthday present since the season started March 1st.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSK7-COfcMLmwKHGnrvDkpK4GBIYKQFnUQp80Mbe5xBgSZB1Os38AdmRHCprnc3kXXHnTlyBco3_BYTV5rZAWnp39dV75kwH1mEG5r3F41HsNlcSVH17G0KWsRijGsZk_IoxcPErTDFaO/s1600/IMG_3093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSK7-COfcMLmwKHGnrvDkpK4GBIYKQFnUQp80Mbe5xBgSZB1Os38AdmRHCprnc3kXXHnTlyBco3_BYTV5rZAWnp39dV75kwH1mEG5r3F41HsNlcSVH17G0KWsRijGsZk_IoxcPErTDFaO/s320/IMG_3093.JPG" /></a></div>I realized I could actually walk down the hillside in back of the house if I took a long, zig-zag path to accommodate the steepness (and avoid a path that could possibly lead to erosion). <br />
<br />
The grass has grown higher since early spring, and I've been working more, so not quite as much time to fish, or beat a trail down to the lake.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcBz0tWKmXJ8MxxYpbXPFhNkm3_nKIzzv1kPdkPFHRmJaHklbYfYrYZKs-qA_Tj87vvmZDHBAFftEDX5ofkUw7yZUkjMl59Q8n1pIS_NCOc3Ol3cg4jEBk9W3sIBw59JvBkh7kzhbkeg-/s1600/IMG_3049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcBz0tWKmXJ8MxxYpbXPFhNkm3_nKIzzv1kPdkPFHRmJaHklbYfYrYZKs-qA_Tj87vvmZDHBAFftEDX5ofkUw7yZUkjMl59Q8n1pIS_NCOc3Ol3cg4jEBk9W3sIBw59JvBkh7kzhbkeg-/s320/IMG_3049.JPG" /></a><br />
Instead, I've spent a few mornings fishing with one of our neighbors who's been teaching me more about the sport. Just this morning I caught a small walleye, sauger (?), and blue gill, while he caught a sucker and a catfish, all at the settling pool area below the dam, and all with the same live night crawler rig. I've also caught large mouth bass and white bass so far, as well as a "mess" of blue gill at this point behind the visitors center. Those I actually cleaned and fried for one meal I shared with Dad. Probably one of the more exciting experiences so far was when I had some fish come up and actually swallow my bobber! Of course, it spit it back out before I could figure out what it was, but, to swallow a 1.5" bobber, it had to be pretty big!<br />
<br />
In addition to working, cooking for dad and myself, keeping the house clean, etc., I've also kept up with my regular reading. I've mentioned <a href="http://amzn.com/1402280882"><i>Introvert Power...</i></a> by Laurie Helgoe in a previous post, but I feel it's worth mentioning here again. I've also read <a href="http://amzn.com/0767920104"><i>The Female Brain...</i></a> and <a href="http://amzn.com/0767927540"><i>The Male Brain...</i></a> by Louann Brizendine. I appreciated the explanations she provides of how hormonal changes throughout the life span influence male and female brains, especially with regards to "focused" and "diffuse" awareness. Having tried to share these explanations with others, I realized (not surprisingly) why she was so thorough in her research. (About a third of the pages of each book are <i>just</i> for the hundreds of references in her bibliographies.) It still seems a bit "taboo" in our "everybody is equal" society to talk about any <i>differences</i> between men and women. Nevertheless, I wish more people would take her books into consideration and accept the research for what it is, as it would probably help us understand one another better, appreciate our strengths and weaknesses, and move forward towards Equal Value instead! (Will probably save more on that for another post on "The Blue Moon Turtle Blog"!)<br />
<br />
In addition to Louann Brizendine's books, I have read Sam Harris's <a href="http://amzn.com/0393327655"><i>End of Faith</i></a>, <a href="http://amzn.com/1451683405"><i>Free Will</i></a>, and <a href="http://amzn.com/0307278778"><i>Letter to a Christian Nation</i></a>, as well as listening to several of his <a href="https://www.samharris.org/podcast">"Waking Up"</a> podcasts. It was one of his podcasts on <a href="https://www.samharris.org/podcast/item/the-logic-of-violence">"The Logic of Violence"</a> that led to my reading <a href="http://amzn.com/1250067057"><i>Extreme Ownership...</i></a> by retired Navy SEAL Officers, Jocko Willink and Lief Babin. It was, shall I say, a <i>tour de force</i> drawing leadership principles from their operations in Ramadi during the height of the Iraq war. They followed their own leadership principle of "Keeping it Simple", by writing a very well organized, and straightforward book applying these leadership principles to business.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRRI8sWYcjbcnXS4ClYUzE_nVWgNWI-FD7gFi5BN4AdPDOG0RLXnBxwOGjWBCQMj1cBSdfOXj9iDWIo7Mr4mlAScVemzoAU_RrYy127qOK2P2UOiRM9dtJzpC4-usT6kQaaaEi2S5IR0d/s1600/Notes-on-the-Wall-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRRI8sWYcjbcnXS4ClYUzE_nVWgNWI-FD7gFi5BN4AdPDOG0RLXnBxwOGjWBCQMj1cBSdfOXj9iDWIo7Mr4mlAScVemzoAU_RrYy127qOK2P2UOiRM9dtJzpC4-usT6kQaaaEi2S5IR0d/s320/Notes-on-the-Wall-4.jpg" /></a>Nevertheless, as I read through it, I started having flashes of how the book could, and maybe <i>should</i> be written for parents as well. That's the project I've started working on, and I've been able to be in contact with both Leif and Jocko via Twitter to "discuss" the idea (as much as one can do so in 140 character increments(!)). For now, it is up to me to put together "The Plan" (as any good leader would!) and follow-up with them once I have a first draft. So far, we've considered "Life as a Battlefield" (not just a "university"), and from there, I want to consider how families might orient themselves as "Teams" in the world, with parents as Leaders, and Family "Mission Statements" to help better orient their decision-making. Of course, the notes are already going up on the wall. With a little more stability in my life right now, we'll see if I can complete this larger writing project...this time around!<br />
<br />
Finally, I'm involved with two groups on a regular basis. The first is a chapter of the <a href="http://www.asg.org/">American Sewing Guild</a> that meets in Larue County (about 30 miles away) once a month. With the help of the leader, <a href="http://www.perfectfit-ky.com/">Rosa Smith</a>, and other members, I'm finally making progress on my own, properly fitted pants pattern (a guide, technically called a "slopper"). My mission over the next month is to complete my first wearable pair of tailored pants. It's still a little daunting, but I'm more encouraged and motivated because of the group support. (And besides, there's really no way to properly measure or fit yourself, by yourself. Trust me, I've tried!)<br />
<br />
The other local group is the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfGreenRiverLake/">Friends of Green River Lake (FGRL)</a>. In fact, I'm on my way to a meeting tonight as we are preparing for an event we're hosting next weekend, the "I'm a Dam Runner 5K Run/Walk". (And, yes, the course runs across the Green River Dam!) I feel I'm carrying on something of a tradition, in that my late step-mother participated in the run/walk herself. Of course, not unlike my days as a judge at the bicycle races, I'm helping out in the background rather than running the race myself. Maybe next year I'll manage to do both?<br />
<br />
So that's about it for me, for now. Besides, my time on this computer is about to run out and I've got grocery shopping to do before the FGRL meeting tonight.<br />
<br />
As for getting back on the road...it's all about working hard over the next two or three years and continuing to build that "resource base", leading to a final tour of the east coast, north, and northwest part of the country before settling permanently in Santa Barbara, CA! Who knows, maybe I'll be promoting my Own Book this next time around?! We'll see... :)<br />
<br />
Yours In Peace...Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-9279751637320394162015-10-13T10:42:00.000-04:002016-05-12T14:11:40.479-04:00Taking a Few Moments - Before Things Get Hectic AgainIn my last post I discussed the possibility of going to work for the <a href="http://www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/">Alda Center for Communicating Science</a>. Well... the job posted this past week and after reading it I realized I was not really as qualified for it as they needed me to be. If I worked at it, I might have been able to stretch my skills and experience to fit, but it would have been just that - a stretch.<br />
<br />
During the few days that followed the job posting, as I further considered the possibility of moving to New York, settling into another more "conventional" job, etc., I realized that I'm not ready to give up the "job" I feel I have now, i.e. "Pedaling for Peace". In addition, I've been working progressively over the past four years to <i>reduce</i> my worldly possessions to a minimum, and the thought of having to re-accumulate all over again to set-up a more conventional living situation really doesn't appeal to me.<br />
<br />
Consequently, I'm going "back to the drawing board" so to speak, as well as moving to my dad's house in Campbellsville, KY for a while. The plan is to continue with the reduction process I've started here in Columbus, GA and probably build another multi-purpose trailer for my bicycle. I've learned a lot over the past four years and I am looking forward to putting some of that experience to further use. There is much of the U.S. I have not seen yet and many new people I have not met. In spite of the challenges of this "job," there have been some really great rewards as well, and that is what is keeping me motivated to continue, and maybe to continue for as long as I am physically able to do so. I can't say that this was ever what I thought I'd be doing as my "retirement plan," but, so far, it's not so bad!<br />
<br />
Looking back I can see that, just so I could handle the physicality of what I'm doing, I had to get an early jump on this particular "retirement strategy," otherwise, there would not have been enough bodily strength to "train into it." I've still got a few issues to deal with - definitely need to get some dental work done, but everything else is continuing to work pretty well!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xENQGOynmwZS6UR_0xd0ZuQK1ysf4AsOYovVnXThaWSVDOvfhjjT0CYiejGwgOISeoAlz50DxoiJ_-Se_3vbbP1H2XzqeKWuFrYKp9p3frZ6ymPCHJaDoJAFOCcc-SO03XTFE9ivfID5/s430/blogger-image--228462406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xENQGOynmwZS6UR_0xd0ZuQK1ysf4AsOYovVnXThaWSVDOvfhjjT0CYiejGwgOISeoAlz50DxoiJ_-Se_3vbbP1H2XzqeKWuFrYKp9p3frZ6ymPCHJaDoJAFOCcc-SO03XTFE9ivfID5/s430/blogger-image--228462406.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
For instance, over the past several weeks, I've been revisiting my marathon training program from eight years ago, running and walking in intervals of three minutes and two minutes respectively as I have slowly increased my distance from three miles to six miles using the trail around the lake in the local park. Having reached my six mile goal, I will now start progressively increasing the run time and reducing the walk time until it's all (or nearly all) run time. As I learned from my trainers, you need a day to recover for every mile you run, so if I run six miles one day/week then I have six days to recover in between. In addition, this form of relatively slow-paced exercise actually burns fat more effectively than bicycling and I can do it in a more protected area, rather than having to negotiate with traffic so much.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoneuU344OLfQv379cqek48UrayvYBPyx30zCybSknhbSAwVRoq7xbEIeOu5JbHefphksyUiDFijKPDrGMslPSOyBGzRmsaTTKIkHAlDzKiwNvQj6eTgkkq0HK3CtrZQcRBpTu0hIBjE88/s430/blogger-image--1246841361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoneuU344OLfQv379cqek48UrayvYBPyx30zCybSknhbSAwVRoq7xbEIeOu5JbHefphksyUiDFijKPDrGMslPSOyBGzRmsaTTKIkHAlDzKiwNvQj6eTgkkq0HK3CtrZQcRBpTu0hIBjE88/s430/blogger-image--1246841361.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So that's one way that I have continued to "train" while here in Columbus, although, I really had to wait for things to cool down a bit. The heat and humidity of the summer here was pretty intense, more than I have had to deal with anywhere else so far! As my dad's house sits on the banks of Green River Lake, I expect to map out a similar six mile route fairly easily and will continue this routine for the foreseeable future. I'm also doing the three "end of course" exercise routines from my favorite yoga program, <a href="http://amzn.com/0553277480"><i>Richard Hittleman's Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan</i></a>. </div>
<div>
<br />
Over the next week I will be getting ready for yet another "yard sale," and then focusing the rest of my time on packing to move to Kentucky. My friend and host here in Columbus has been generous in offering to support my transition financially and my dad is welcoming me "home" with open arms. I'm looking foward to reconnecting with my family and even plan to stop in Dalton, GA to visit with my mother, with whom I have not had face to face contact in about 30 years! (If you have seen my <a href="http://youtu.be/k4CQQ3VukNs">TEDx talk</a>, then you know more of the history there.)<br />
<br />
In addition, the cousin I spent time with in Santa Ana, CA during "Stage III" is helping me find a home "in the family" for a treadle sewing machine that I have been keeping track of/storing, etc., also for about 30 years. It's the one item that could not be packed or shipped easily under any circumstance, and even now, in the last days of my being responsible for it, it is proving to be a challenge! Nevertheless, I intend to persevere and see to its finding a new home with some of my other relatives in Tennessee.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKSC9OstfiZLY3bLuq-wXTCLx3Ql9W-FpMqsJqStkS-NPfWCXw-FnCsfuGYpzecSJZXOpM5bFMT5bUMAlBth-k79n_3AXN_X3ibsJK0-B7HbbB6bb3ZFzDiep9J0n5AkTeEf63jCxRsga/s430/blogger-image-2004636518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKSC9OstfiZLY3bLuq-wXTCLx3Ql9W-FpMqsJqStkS-NPfWCXw-FnCsfuGYpzecSJZXOpM5bFMT5bUMAlBth-k79n_3AXN_X3ibsJK0-B7HbbB6bb3ZFzDiep9J0n5AkTeEf63jCxRsga/s430/blogger-image-2004636518.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
To the extent that I have already <i>freed-up</i> a lot of energy from <i>letting go</i> of many of my other worldly possessions and living conventions, I feel I am in the "final round" of that process. I am getting to live more freely than most people in the world today, even in this country, and I do not take that for granted. However, I also feel I have a powerful message to share and I know that there are many who are following my journey who also gain, if only vicariously, from all of my experiences.<br />
<br />
I want to say, "Thanks, Again!" to all of my friends and associates who have supported my efforts in the past and continue to do so. For my part, I am going to continue to do what I can to persevere on this journey and to keep you updated along the way.<br />
<br />
Yours in Peace...<br />
<br /></div>
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-78454768960237607382015-08-31T10:04:00.000-04:002015-08-31T12:16:07.670-04:00Thoughts on a Boston Globe article "When did parents get so scared?"Hi, Everyone!<br />
<br />
I know it's been a while. Of late I have been trying to figure out what I am going to do with the rest of my life! As I have been living with my friend in Columbus, GA, in exchange for room and board, I have become the "house manager" - taking care of food prep, dish washing, laundry, pet care, etc., while he and his oldest daughter, who is also living with us now, focus their attention on college. <br />
<br />
I've also been continuing my own "studies" including Sam Harris' first book, <a href="http://amzn.com/B003U4QYCG"><i>The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason</i></a> and Patricia Churchland's textbook, <a href="http://amzn.com/0262530856"><i>Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of Mind-Brain</i></a>. In addition, most recently, I have been in contact with Valeri Lantz-Gefroh, Improvisation Coordinator at the <a href="http://centerforcommunicatingscience.org">Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science</a> in Stony Brook, New York. Since I saw Alan Alda give his presentation at the National Institutes of Health when I worked there, I have been thinking the improvisation classes would be of benefit for the <a href="https://www.wagingpeace.org/programs/peace-leadership">NAPF Peace Leadership Workshops</a> as well. In the course of talking with Valeri, she explained that there was a position being added to the program for which I might qualify and I let her know of my interest. I'm not anticipating anything to happen right away, but given my history, I could definitely imagine working for them! In the mean time, I still have my boxes to finish sorting through here in Columbus, and at least one or more yard sales on the horizon.<br />
<br />
This article, <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2015/08/26/when-did-parents-get-scared/dEsGOllSt3zhFPfy1iOzKI/story.html?s_campaign=8315">When Did Parents Get So Scared?</a>, came to me via Gregory Caremans from whom I took the <a href="https://www.udemy.com/my-brain-and-i/?dtcode=e3aTvoP3ygIB">Master Your Brain: Neuroscience for Personal Development</a> course via Udemy not so long ago. It was associated with another of his courses, <a href="https://www.udemy.com/neuroscience-and-parenting/">Neuroscience for Parents: How to Raise Amazing Kids</a>. Since I was even <a href="http://youtu.be/k4CQQ3VukNs">more overprotected than most</a> as a child, given my mother's mental illness, I have very personal experience to relate to this article. However, what I'd like to add is what I have learned more recently about everyone's tendencies toward negative bias.<br />
<br />
Rick Hanson writes about negative bias in his book, <a href="http://amzn.com/1572246952"><i>Buddha's Brain: Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom</i></a>. I came to understand his ideas through the <a href="http://www.nicabm.com/brain2015/post-info/?del=programspage">Brain Smart</a> webinar lecture series presented by the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. He explained that the brain has a specific area in which it registers negative experiences, especially those that may be life threatening. Where our lives were once more directly threatened by predators, etc. in the wild, many of us today feel just as threatened when our beliefs and points of view are challenged. In other words, it is our "identities" that are at stake, not just our physical lives. Thus, negative experiences can take many different forms other than just threats to our physical well-being.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, as I also learned from <a href="http://peacefulrevolution.com/">Paul K. Chappell</a>, the most common human phobia is being attacked by another human being and the media focuses its attention on such negative stories because it knows we will, too. The above article makes the point that now that we can access media coverage from all over the world, we can be impacted indirectly by negative experiences far more often than we would ever actually be impacted directly. Unfortunately, this just exaggerates our negative bias that much more and, according to this article, there seems to be a growing generational effect.<br />
<br />
From my own study of childhood development, especially from reading <a href="http://amzn.com/B004WKVVJ8"><i>The Drama of the Gifted Child</i></a> by Alice Miller, <a href="http://amzn.com/0060628669"><i>Stages of Faith</i></a> by James Fowler, and <a href="http://amzn.com/1401923127"><i>The Biology of Belief</i></a> by Bruce Lipton, I came to an understanding of how young children especially tend to internalize the directives they receive from adults as if <i>all</i> of them were <i>a matter of life or death</i>. As Lipton points out, these messages get programmed into the deep subconscious through the various "hypnogogic" states that infants and young children are in up until the age of six or so. Again, in a more primitive environment, knowing what tracks to follow and what tracks to avoid, what plants were edible and what plants were poisonous, <i>really were</i> matters of life or death. Nevertheless, that is not the case in modern society when it comes to having the latest technology or wearing a particular brand of tennis shoes! I dare say there are children out there who do harbor deep rooted fears that their very lives actually depend on such things! (I've written more about this <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-all-drama.html">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
It is part of the challenge of our now much more complex society to find ways of mediating the effects of this constant bombardment of information - being able to recognize what is actually relevant to life or death or happiness, for that matter, and what is not. Although society has grown so much more complex, our brains, especially the lower limbic parts, are struggling to keep up. As Rick Hanson points out though, there are ways to combat the problem: We have to learn to very, very consciously and deliberately pay more attention to positive experiences! In addition, from <a href="https://www.udemy.com/the-power-of-vulnerability/">Brené Brown's point of view</a>, when we are inclined to "forebode joy" in any given moment, our best defense is to consciously choose to Be Grateful for each moment of joy that we do get to experience.<br />
<br />
As Sam Harris writes in <a href="http://amzn.com/B003U4QYCG"><i>The End of Faith...</i></a>, and I would offer, this applies to each of us as individuals as well as to our children:<br />
<br />
<i>You</i> [or your child] <i>could die at any moment. You might not even live to see the end of this paragraph. Not only that, you will</i> definitely <i> die at some moment in the future. If being prepared for death entails knowing when and where it will happen, the odds are you will not be prepared.... And as if this were not insult enough, most of us suffer the quiet discomposure, if not frank unhappiness, of our neuroses in the meantime. We love our family and friends, are terrified of losing them, and yet are not the least free</i> merely <i>to love them while our short lives coincide.</i> (Page 37)<br />
<br />
I would offer, as well, <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-role-of-faith-in-life-and-love.html">love is not the opposite of fear</a>. Faith is the opposite of fear - that is the kind of faith that Sam Harris talks about, not faith in a system of unjustified beliefs, but rather faith in the Greater Processes of Life in this World that we are coming to understand. This kind of faith is what can help us transcend our fear and keep our hearts open to loving and appreciating every moment that we have with one another, every moment that we have with our children, and every moment we get to experience joy!<br />
<br />
Each of us will eventually die. Some of our closest friends and relatives will die before us. Some will die after us. This is one thing that is certain for our physical bodies, in this lifetime. (What one chooses to believe beyond that is up to them.) However, I, for one, have come to believe This Is It! This is the one life each of us has to live and for parents, it is the one life they will shape for each of their children, for better or worse. Will those children live their lives cowering in fear or will we teach them, as Brené Brown suggests, to <a href="http://amzn.com/1592407331">"Dare Greatly"</a>?<br />
<br />
Having <a href="http://youtu.be/k4CQQ3VukNs">lived both sides of that dichotomy</a>, I would definitely recommend the latter!<br />
<br />
To end I will quote from the movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105488/">"Strictly Ballroom"</a>: <br />
<br />
<b>A life lived in fear is only half lived!</b><br />
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-34128953124429105202015-04-05T17:03:00.000-04:002015-04-06T09:13:50.730-04:00Winter in El Paso, TX - 2014 to 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As I have been traveling across the country, it has generally been my habit to post a blog AFTER I leave one place and get to another. Part of the reason it's taken so long for this update is because, once I got to my second host's house in El Paso, TX - shortly after Thanksgiving, I stayed...for what has turned out to be - four months! Now that I have actually moved on (and I'll get to those details later in this post) I have a better overall perspective from which to account for my time in El Paso.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlQ4F_iPYxlBiJ29Pl0oiQUCFutZPhg4lTPp-ZMTHhpjoE4OV0vigaPOFM9Y9YqDHZUmyWzLgg7saPjwlE32ad-aSChr3ts0AA3bW3307KtimhCCcVR2hPfILktZBJpjY-BLvmdp8OmUO/s640/blogger-image--87785069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlQ4F_iPYxlBiJ29Pl0oiQUCFutZPhg4lTPp-ZMTHhpjoE4OV0vigaPOFM9Y9YqDHZUmyWzLgg7saPjwlE32ad-aSChr3ts0AA3bW3307KtimhCCcVR2hPfILktZBJpjY-BLvmdp8OmUO/s640/blogger-image--87785069.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So here I am crossing the border into Texas just before Thanksgiving. As you may recall from a previous post, I had met a woman in Deming, NM who gave me contact information for her nephew, John, encouraging me to look him up when I got in the area. She told me he was "into cycling" and would probably be open to helping me as much as he could.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Of course, she turned out to be absolutely right about that! Although John was working when I got to his house, I was able to let myself in with the spare key he had hidden for me. I had a small room to myself, and plenty of space in his garage to park my bike and unload my gear. I thought it somewhat serendipitous that there was a "blue turtle" sitting on the desk in my room ("waiting" for me?) on this my <b><i>108th</i></b> day on the road.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YBj_tj2eDHGul5aEFShW_SXSXhsX-97Hl2-Kk9q4bDwegSu0pT1qykpgfSNgbyYUoN9rW9WaVaudsopwQOH22Ar12hlavwbvLYSLU2aJsJcihUI7v7zDWpWqYySOCRmedOCx714DKcI4/s640/blogger-image--869577703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YBj_tj2eDHGul5aEFShW_SXSXhsX-97Hl2-Kk9q4bDwegSu0pT1qykpgfSNgbyYUoN9rW9WaVaudsopwQOH22Ar12hlavwbvLYSLU2aJsJcihUI7v7zDWpWqYySOCRmedOCx714DKcI4/s640/blogger-image--869577703.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(For those of you more into "metaphysics," you know <i>108</i> is a significant number! :) )</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the next couple of days, John, graciously chauffered me around town, helping me (financially) with some sturdier tubes for my tires, and a blue enamel campware plate that I had been looking for to cover my bowl when I needed to boil water in it. He also took me to one of his favorite country western dance clubs, "Little Bit of Texas", where I got to do a little bit of "Two-Steppin'" with him and another friend of his. Although I'm not an experienced two-stepper like John, I still had a good time, and it was a nice change of pace and scenery after being on the road for so long!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl-YsUGbweJl91bLFzS6B799gkOqF6jwnEfpirwbPB8YVJoINrrr8vHyN9tgL143euavbf2gfs3CHgN1gj76IMpXADW-o2yBZeYQphkZ54JQ0EQ819_3YDj1UNa7QQzbdN64c_zPaJRP2/s640/blogger-image--570300021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl-YsUGbweJl91bLFzS6B799gkOqF6jwnEfpirwbPB8YVJoINrrr8vHyN9tgL143euavbf2gfs3CHgN1gj76IMpXADW-o2yBZeYQphkZ54JQ0EQ819_3YDj1UNa7QQzbdN64c_zPaJRP2/s640/blogger-image--570300021.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So everything seemed to be going just fine for this visit...and then...rather suddenly...I got really sick. Whether it was from being overexposed the previous week or so camping outside (not getting much sleep with the kitten that found me at the rest stop), or because John and his (then) 11-year-old son Michael had also been quite sick just before I got there, or maybe it was from all of the pollution coming across the border from Jaurez, Mexico, or maybe a combination of all of those things - I came down with a really nasty upper respiratory infection - one of the worst I've had in a long, long time. Consequently, I was not in a good position to head back out again in just a couple of days. Instead, I was laid up, often in bed even, for the first week, and still struggling to recover through the second week as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Given this timing meant any more plans for crossing West Texas had to be scheduled (potentially) around the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Furthermore, I was looking at many long stretches through some of the most barren and uninhabited regions on this route, while the nighttime temps, especially, were getting colder and colder. Admittedly, John was at least as concerned as I was about my prospects, and so he did not put any pressure on me to be on my way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In addition, there was the issue of money...which I had basically run out of by that point. Given that John was owner of an electrical contracting company, and he had some paperwork I felt I could help with, he took me up on my offer to organize his expense receipts from 2012 in anticipation of an IRS audit. Granted, this was not something I'd ever done before, on this scale, but I'd managed to work through other novel administrative situations and I figured I could do the same here. Furthermore, since I knew I was not going to be around to be asked questions about my work, I decided to create a spreadsheet where I would document everything - i.e. details of all of the expenses AND reference information for where the expense item came from - sales receipts, bank and credit statements, or a combination of these. The spreadsheet format also allowed for automatic totalling of all the different categories of expenses and it made it pretty easy to add to and make corrections for any items that needed to be moved between categories.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnbnzTwpb210liy-WZojYqetzfdFgD1krmAjQrqs5LKwIWBvxL1t2sZq3_Zy_z_eHpBFm6kKeS5ahlyZSk-rAoF45TR4UFgNvwlRAefeYUAKGrLGivNXvmVqVP3yQ4AksSFg1znkn9tHm/s640/blogger-image--2074545179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnbnzTwpb210liy-WZojYqetzfdFgD1krmAjQrqs5LKwIWBvxL1t2sZq3_Zy_z_eHpBFm6kKeS5ahlyZSk-rAoF45TR4UFgNvwlRAefeYUAKGrLGivNXvmVqVP3yQ4AksSFg1znkn9tHm/s640/blogger-image--2074545179.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Of course, having no experience doing this, I had no idea how long the whole process would take. I certainly <i>fantasized</i> about it going smoothly, and fairly quickly, but that's how ignorance and bliss can walk hand in hand!...While John traveled to Dallas to visit with his mother and other family members during the Christmas Holidays, I was thinking I'd have most, if not all, of this work done, to his pleasant surprise, by the time he returned home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With that in mind, Christmas morning, I turned on Pandora, selected a "Christmas Holiday" music channel and started listening, thinking that would be good background music while I was processing all of those receipts. Unfortunately, the Christmas music also kind of "put me in the spirit" and a new and<b> <i>much </i></b><i><b>more compelling idea</b> </i>entered my head: I could take the Christmas wrapping paper John had pulled from the attic and left behind and decorate the house with it!!! Yeah! Afterall, there would be plenty of time to get to all those receipts later!!!! :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And so, I was off...in my not so unusual (maybe even a little ADD) sort of way! First on my list were "boughs of holly" and "evergreens" to form frameworks around the windows and fireplace mantle in the living room. Those were followed by 15 bright red paper bows, and about 35 paper cranes. I even included a bit of "mistletoe" hung in a welcoming position in the front hall, and topped it all off with a fancy, fan folded, wreath on the front door!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHqx3XKXmk3cvMElRzOuc4P2Qxg91oU6DJNJJLB_7ZwsXgMExVpIH8RtqnAMKNBB9m9RD8wqpuc2L_0IVkPTI_mW9llg9Ce0BIZKI6AEjB8HjW_y6kld8oTy1QoalzF2KOSQqoxwwf-ly/s640/blogger-image--1992183549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHqx3XKXmk3cvMElRzOuc4P2Qxg91oU6DJNJJLB_7ZwsXgMExVpIH8RtqnAMKNBB9m9RD8wqpuc2L_0IVkPTI_mW9llg9Ce0BIZKI6AEjB8HjW_y6kld8oTy1QoalzF2KOSQqoxwwf-ly/s640/blogger-image--1992183549.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi620cQcGFdZ1QLelLI80_kYR3CPvrK3X1mt3JBSlwy_MX6b3zQ6KmZrjDTqyU56jLd1GJQv6FFZIlEIZfpuEKOFc6YOHvBcO4jnp81uMDXgTBQR5mu4lVkcSDXi-rPgpvGJhZFa7dhhsqw/s640/blogger-image--1589353645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi620cQcGFdZ1QLelLI80_kYR3CPvrK3X1mt3JBSlwy_MX6b3zQ6KmZrjDTqyU56jLd1GJQv6FFZIlEIZfpuEKOFc6YOHvBcO4jnp81uMDXgTBQR5mu4lVkcSDXi-rPgpvGJhZFa7dhhsqw/s640/blogger-image--1589353645.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CXLFskbVwEkxEYOg3qDrhdfk_cAqzg-d9EkKBQrjlBkVf90CdOx-m_AGH4bZSYyuv8VjCYOryvfYBFCLT6S2Znl5fhouSitmQkwnB8qhcixcVCg-3zyJET6yMkwft7_4_-Begq2W7LMm/s640/blogger-image--485857563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CXLFskbVwEkxEYOg3qDrhdfk_cAqzg-d9EkKBQrjlBkVf90CdOx-m_AGH4bZSYyuv8VjCYOryvfYBFCLT6S2Znl5fhouSitmQkwnB8qhcixcVCg-3zyJET6yMkwft7_4_-Begq2W7LMm/s640/blogger-image--485857563.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nDNqxWOO_WEm-pmXamtjIreLIKh3XL3iKF92LMa30fulmezUrblSuUNCV9HGGO6nwUSKvMgd-KlBk8-dGIE_PPqAzrOFIUkAsk1oWSL8HUnw9-7eygMur8IVpQjKm5ZiLRasaXDwLNZW/s640/blogger-image--346715767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nDNqxWOO_WEm-pmXamtjIreLIKh3XL3iKF92LMa30fulmezUrblSuUNCV9HGGO6nwUSKvMgd-KlBk8-dGIE_PPqAzrOFIUkAsk1oWSL8HUnw9-7eygMur8IVpQjKm5ZiLRasaXDwLNZW/s640/blogger-image--346715767.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Granted, I think John was (somewhat pleasantly) surprised by the Christmas decorations, but later he let on that he was also a bit disappointed that I wasn't further along on the receipts when he got back. I'm afraid he had his own expectations around all of that, not unlike mine.</div><br />
</div>Nevertheless, over the next several weeks, I persevered - working a few hours a day on the days that John was not using the office and computer himself. It all turned out to be a lot more tedious and often more confusing than I initially expected it to be. In addition, John confessed to me that he'd been struggling with his company for some time, following his divorce and the economic downturn in 2008. I could see evidence of that struggle from my "research material". At the end of the day, my heart kind of went out to him, and so I wanted to give him my best effort to help in whatever way I could.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Consequently, in addition to this "administrative" work for his company, I also started helping more with Michael, following up on school-work, etc., as well as assisting more around the house with cooking and cleaning, especially when it came to cleaning before and after other cyclists who came to visit. There were 17 altogether before my own departure! <br />
<br />
For instance, the first couple John and I "co-hosted" were from Switzerland - Mischa and Tina (seen with me here while we were site seeing around Transmountain).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><font color="#000000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqSkIfgCfdl2dfJmhyphenhyphenBNnqPROMhHMsIP75P12a5Vyz9p50t43HsZNcOlIlQe-hs-UMGHyridin6lA6c7a6_DK2jwLMfXqBdFMRzlyvhjMQWFMPp8Y5p7wey4MBKgjhWyLasWJq_3RfbMw/s640/blogger-image--44766731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqSkIfgCfdl2dfJmhyphenhyphenBNnqPROMhHMsIP75P12a5Vyz9p50t43HsZNcOlIlQe-hs-UMGHyridin6lA6c7a6_DK2jwLMfXqBdFMRzlyvhjMQWFMPp8Y5p7wey4MBKgjhWyLasWJq_3RfbMw/s640/blogger-image--44766731.jpg"></a></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They stayed with us for a couple of nights and then headed east, only to turn around and come back, because the weather got really nasty.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYCZ2zr_nCcALjm0-rB-cTW9NO_zgiPX0B3gA3_LY20kQWYkKjvGOhCCyR8r9I9LzB9IzprQ_IeVN0J_R8v7RYNa0bwzyMviVc3ZLlliN3NQO-LMEQ8gwOr6OuZnWI2AuOywdXLMEe4vU/s640/blogger-image-1607545712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYCZ2zr_nCcALjm0-rB-cTW9NO_zgiPX0B3gA3_LY20kQWYkKjvGOhCCyR8r9I9LzB9IzprQ_IeVN0J_R8v7RYNa0bwzyMviVc3ZLlliN3NQO-LMEQ8gwOr6OuZnWI2AuOywdXLMEe4vU/s640/blogger-image-1607545712.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> To continue on their journey, they opted for a rental car instead, but not before celebrating New Year's with us and treating us to some really awesome homemade bread and chocolate brownie cake!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDzKn-X1Sl_2RJEieUZxnlU_TQUVyhrSspVPch5lvnSOz6QYmxMV-A0hYC8j9dsB3iusl8_6WZkhn38ecde2I5baavpvvrUuO7BN3aSeH9E78Kf2QTwMyBjGMlvEvSPKV532k8kuUfDGK/s640/blogger-image--316923438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDzKn-X1Sl_2RJEieUZxnlU_TQUVyhrSspVPch5lvnSOz6QYmxMV-A0hYC8j9dsB3iusl8_6WZkhn38ecde2I5baavpvvrUuO7BN3aSeH9E78Kf2QTwMyBjGMlvEvSPKV532k8kuUfDGK/s640/blogger-image--316923438.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After Mischa and Tina we hosted the following other cyclists:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh25.googleusercontent.com/-Z8MSWuxJuu0/VRxyOaeH6XI/AAAAAAAAC-o/umWAdxEo2qw/s640/blogger-image-128204307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uF5TNx53sNRyoG_0Kwt1Dkxh8FbVOl_lu2gDv40zNlJVAfBpiHRdsQA8_ZawcJYHUOL38MDiZpQ1bb2iXU0hBVGPRK51KqcMKymk8YgtEzIJVSnApJkp7bokrMj-olzK9RwjadqV4g4h/s640/blogger-image-128204307.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Ezra and Chris</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiML6w-xm4k5rA17wPMi-b8i31iuH_TVztmilyV1nAQJ-McKNo2micTLnSIre2CG3Lbgt63OCIqDOdJ3eXAU5XaSH9o6VSOd-2QFBJu_rrJwVILUCGYj3LGf4gCRITidrYShV4cr1Qn9NTY/s640/blogger-image-1431586541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiML6w-xm4k5rA17wPMi-b8i31iuH_TVztmilyV1nAQJ-McKNo2micTLnSIre2CG3Lbgt63OCIqDOdJ3eXAU5XaSH9o6VSOd-2QFBJu_rrJwVILUCGYj3LGf4gCRITidrYShV4cr1Qn9NTY/s640/blogger-image-1431586541.jpg"></a></span><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;">Greg</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI2BVfjnJVLHtUiU5ebWAq6rcdX8SRKKGaEJbZxCqqiLUWbQqYJrwpwqvQ0Yc59B2CBNfmhbE7mNyygfp-FsFc1SUnaxCBtVc7oX0Ikt96NuzBInwu-OXdfdmRQlqpuhA-Lzkv-BcpYsd/s640/blogger-image--2040908306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI2BVfjnJVLHtUiU5ebWAq6rcdX8SRKKGaEJbZxCqqiLUWbQqYJrwpwqvQ0Yc59B2CBNfmhbE7mNyygfp-FsFc1SUnaxCBtVc7oX0Ikt96NuzBInwu-OXdfdmRQlqpuhA-Lzkv-BcpYsd/s640/blogger-image--2040908306.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Arika and Bill</div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidIfA20SuNo_BOvxiIuzCQcwk9QqfIIIfMVoLcm5Ive7n1zkiwtOJ7I09QUOO3WwT8UrZjihPucVZWMmQBJghWZKA0Zr5fPmGiHXNycXzbejVKsEagF0xrBHPzHf6J6B2k0k4Ii0w8fXF/s640/blogger-image--1058313700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidIfA20SuNo_BOvxiIuzCQcwk9QqfIIIfMVoLcm5Ive7n1zkiwtOJ7I09QUOO3WwT8UrZjihPucVZWMmQBJghWZKA0Zr5fPmGiHXNycXzbejVKsEagF0xrBHPzHf6J6B2k0k4Ii0w8fXF/s640/blogger-image--1058313700.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Emily, Maddy, Lisa, and Sam</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fU1SNLpdgtWNosa1afxroyAgsKuPeyDRPvF9OW_Fo9lcYjUYVfIMVHHbshDCkmcmtlu5v-G8X1jQAPPfqYoWvLtFB1F0mHdlGsX0srWpl3S3i6phe-DnDrTFJ2NvCMzcZCCRu_kHKWgF/s640/blogger-image-543748510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fU1SNLpdgtWNosa1afxroyAgsKuPeyDRPvF9OW_Fo9lcYjUYVfIMVHHbshDCkmcmtlu5v-G8X1jQAPPfqYoWvLtFB1F0mHdlGsX0srWpl3S3i6phe-DnDrTFJ2NvCMzcZCCRu_kHKWgF/s640/blogger-image-543748510.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"Doc"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyx6gjPHKjsj8IEa55Swqj0e2cR0e0wVeq3tsID2H0E_KumMLi_TNacVJmEpjZ8H-fd2o-Oh7uzRXnvAHFOoGL7-aXqRfYeZ876Cof_e_3-BYfvGBhmLLDs1SuVlAw6EFon5SxoivpubU/s640/blogger-image-252231426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyx6gjPHKjsj8IEa55Swqj0e2cR0e0wVeq3tsID2H0E_KumMLi_TNacVJmEpjZ8H-fd2o-Oh7uzRXnvAHFOoGL7-aXqRfYeZ876Cof_e_3-BYfvGBhmLLDs1SuVlAw6EFon5SxoivpubU/s640/blogger-image-252231426.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Nigel</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaugRdWmIeqvKirNs8bbb_m9avGD-EGOCxxP9ImQr9Uz1WWdsog31A1ULQlCuG76qZQfA1baP4iox7NnRTjcMCQG4ww8uqx-lU8MpDxgwBz2W9IJxWuwxQNuPZaO9E5oMedcvmD-25h4sT/s640/blogger-image-1099310865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaugRdWmIeqvKirNs8bbb_m9avGD-EGOCxxP9ImQr9Uz1WWdsog31A1ULQlCuG76qZQfA1baP4iox7NnRTjcMCQG4ww8uqx-lU8MpDxgwBz2W9IJxWuwxQNuPZaO9E5oMedcvmD-25h4sT/s640/blogger-image-1099310865.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Joe</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABMbuUJcyO_gaxHXIk47IE8FjoFTvDhZFpINDfvIj61u_7sOkZZTJ42DWC_O24vGqXsqtB074uqpApo_WRFwjSfL6Mci_fHDzwIp6a8R9LY13JdVK6DPEMQMGMuH4KS0mPhPugjHvf0lV/s640/blogger-image--1410847607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABMbuUJcyO_gaxHXIk47IE8FjoFTvDhZFpINDfvIj61u_7sOkZZTJ42DWC_O24vGqXsqtB074uqpApo_WRFwjSfL6Mci_fHDzwIp6a8R9LY13JdVK6DPEMQMGMuH4KS0mPhPugjHvf0lV/s640/blogger-image--1410847607.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Evan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80-yF40RS_gdsMwsOJMXfiCaMgwnw4UstDTlH55SdOjL3AZt3QgsomMpm2Ijx3_0VrSuu6VlSlDquw6YDFKXjwmuIo6PABbhhe1V29PPpCavKIMNNzZiPjrYe-nh1wxbCTHv0aQY9z8FZ/s640/blogger-image--1309315718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80-yF40RS_gdsMwsOJMXfiCaMgwnw4UstDTlH55SdOjL3AZt3QgsomMpm2Ijx3_0VrSuu6VlSlDquw6YDFKXjwmuIo6PABbhhe1V29PPpCavKIMNNzZiPjrYe-nh1wxbCTHv0aQY9z8FZ/s640/blogger-image--1309315718.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and Glenn and Maya</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It was during Lisa, Emily, Sam and Maddy's visit, that Lisa ended up buying one of my newly made, custom designed, tapered headbands. She had just gotten her hair cut shorter than she was used to and was really needing a headband to hold her bangs out of her face. I was actually happy to be able to sell one of mine to her and that single purchase gave me the confidence to believe that other people might be interested in my creations as well. And so I started thinking much more seriously about how I could turn this into a business of some kind. By the time Maya arrived with Glenn, I had mulitple options for her to choose from, and she also decided to make a purchase.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36Arst5GUCfPbkaq6YZjZlrDxtALZX4KSl6raNvY1JDvgbebXcDjR0DbEgJKTjPi6Jd2V2vpNztrXWmyDPXD2tuHutd-SzHirykghez1RSbNMxivWYYmuDiXRzm3335X_Z-eau_fMO93l/s640/blogger-image-483841934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36Arst5GUCfPbkaq6YZjZlrDxtALZX4KSl6raNvY1JDvgbebXcDjR0DbEgJKTjPi6Jd2V2vpNztrXWmyDPXD2tuHutd-SzHirykghez1RSbNMxivWYYmuDiXRzm3335X_Z-eau_fMO93l/s640/blogger-image-483841934.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With my background in production line sewing, research and development, I knew I would do well to figure out some way of using the "scrap" fabric left over from making the headband. Consequently, I did a little research on making cloth flowers and developed my own "flower bauble accents" for both the headband itself and to attach (and interchange) on flip-flop sandals - something I'd already been doing since before I left Santa Barbara.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XOcd3wxySbGBv690RqKGLypH41UwfvsNb_fq4z-YSuihXT2YWVgmpKhUnM5wjPYz_29QuSxWVfRpNUg2mp58wsDAnX6K5McS_Y8dmuDBHg62rhbqfQMzloRLxBj_ohv6l_av-S0nYOcu/s640/blogger-image--1500409456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XOcd3wxySbGBv690RqKGLypH41UwfvsNb_fq4z-YSuihXT2YWVgmpKhUnM5wjPYz_29QuSxWVfRpNUg2mp58wsDAnX6K5McS_Y8dmuDBHg62rhbqfQMzloRLxBj_ohv6l_av-S0nYOcu/s640/blogger-image--1500409456.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Sewing the long 42-44" seams of the headband, by hand, took some time. And there is actually a lot of prep work that goes into the flowers as well, sewing Velcro "hook" tabs to pieces of felt, cutting out all of the circles that make up the flowers, and then soaking them in a gelatin solution to seal and stiffen the fabric before hot-gluing them to the Velcro backs. Just prior to leaving El Paso, I also used John's computer to produce all of my advertising materials that I'd hoped to use in a farmer's market or flea market once I got to my destination in Columbus, GA. I even found a really nice carrying case to hold some of my supplies and merchandise (and carry with me during my plane flight(!)).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVJMShm1Xf7k_TUNKOy-cgQz8JD6fVg-QI1euUHBclKVk6qjdztit9CXEDnHw9xB1k4Meg_1MxBSSpBHS6KgMCo0esnugWOHQe9a-znpfbgoVK63AlQHvn5GthUK60gNBQt2758sHiw1k/s640/blogger-image-649586391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVJMShm1Xf7k_TUNKOy-cgQz8JD6fVg-QI1euUHBclKVk6qjdztit9CXEDnHw9xB1k4Meg_1MxBSSpBHS6KgMCo0esnugWOHQe9a-znpfbgoVK63AlQHvn5GthUK60gNBQt2758sHiw1k/s640/blogger-image-649586391.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">However, I'm getting a little ahead of myself...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In late January, we got a little snow storm in El Paso and since John had this big open area of grass in his back yard, the remnants of a grass tennis court, I couldn't help but take advantage of the opportunity to build a couple of snow-people whom I tried to characterize as tennis players (of course)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEdPf2_Pd4xqBcUv1m14heMzQgtrPC3Y6-dG9aSE-ysRFXHxTqEFX6UmWcxtMjqEi2CKIBpc01FCnn_KTzoyNrnNESTjC2Xv4UFtFD6589T9l9dmoE_vx8X2jKNscvoSPDkY2k46fjvMx/s640/blogger-image--1779471969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEdPf2_Pd4xqBcUv1m14heMzQgtrPC3Y6-dG9aSE-ysRFXHxTqEFX6UmWcxtMjqEi2CKIBpc01FCnn_KTzoyNrnNESTjC2Xv4UFtFD6589T9l9dmoE_vx8X2jKNscvoSPDkY2k46fjvMx/s640/blogger-image--1779471969.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPokml2PLiPfjqUBeR8nWHuIkKvPn7D9XQrMJkvvv3lekv0jVEQpHJzA7OpRbn-9yYh1ze1Ry7htG_FeYuDCBn7xib7vq_ZhfJx1p7khyphenhyphenpMtzNAxTFzxGIJ4GL7UisRX9quKACMG8F_PI/s640/blogger-image--1921256222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPokml2PLiPfjqUBeR8nWHuIkKvPn7D9XQrMJkvvv3lekv0jVEQpHJzA7OpRbn-9yYh1ze1Ry7htG_FeYuDCBn7xib7vq_ZhfJx1p7khyphenhyphenpMtzNAxTFzxGIJ4GL7UisRX9quKACMG8F_PI/s640/blogger-image--1921256222.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div>When Michael came home from school, he joined in the fun along with me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ggHM1jX7wH2DDC7PiwGgHqQ7of4s9jXhnNFJQNM_qXbKl1LUemHahM9UFqW4vAsDuTa_Eh2uFAj87whWnEAP2Y2oGcjMyuzQ6lE84_v-Tvn81392PbeBlg-Fz-sJC2QaR8OmzDplBfV_/s640/blogger-image-1823956004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ggHM1jX7wH2DDC7PiwGgHqQ7of4s9jXhnNFJQNM_qXbKl1LUemHahM9UFqW4vAsDuTa_Eh2uFAj87whWnEAP2Y2oGcjMyuzQ6lE84_v-Tvn81392PbeBlg-Fz-sJC2QaR8OmzDplBfV_/s640/blogger-image-1823956004.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div>By later the next day, the sun had already done some serious damage, but my "players" certainly hung in there for as long as they could.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvrHoPRPzQ96WCWIRjXngC6SrBNwe1wWlJIknxjK_rqEr3NQds5U8Rn3TPhXt5DQiwBqz4XmBzhiLgqOQZv4rfHEJdH6fmAXpxlI8FeNS1u7DoIy362Osu-aNuaad2OtlOiRnyaGkRb_1/s640/blogger-image--1652969539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvrHoPRPzQ96WCWIRjXngC6SrBNwe1wWlJIknxjK_rqEr3NQds5U8Rn3TPhXt5DQiwBqz4XmBzhiLgqOQZv4rfHEJdH6fmAXpxlI8FeNS1u7DoIy362Osu-aNuaad2OtlOiRnyaGkRb_1/s640/blogger-image--1652969539.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6ZfyiembTT9aXOzzSJczfiw1VAfcwhGbxFg1N1y-HsldF9x2gPr0hweBxWhjENeOp-r51JKRP6lJBq1vxAmBds_qL0OdTLIglrNSTEEcaBQbQyKvT1IkiF7C-3pWRSGnNxPeSBW6MdbT/s640/blogger-image-984850571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6ZfyiembTT9aXOzzSJczfiw1VAfcwhGbxFg1N1y-HsldF9x2gPr0hweBxWhjENeOp-r51JKRP6lJBq1vxAmBds_qL0OdTLIglrNSTEEcaBQbQyKvT1IkiF7C-3pWRSGnNxPeSBW6MdbT/s640/blogger-image-984850571.jpg"></a></div></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(I imagined the player in the back of the court thinking: "Dude, just serve the ball already. I'm dying out here in this heat!")</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The weather continued to be a mix of warm sun and cold wind and rain over the next several weeks. I continued to work on John's receipts and help around the house. I took advantage of the fairly well stocked kitchen and started making bread from scratch, along with oatmeal cookies of various kinds, and I even tried making some fudge for the first time (that I could remember).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4v1_nt_7cZLNiqx9pWAkbFPuxOMoRUt4V-dRbB2jroQTFaH6UL_H23IoPF_DIVXJNVRMwGNVQyzrpJe7S7F7AmHRx1o-SM-zwxbDyi99hiIh62MmylJZn0Lg_fTscj_4oZlw8tp5pgoC/s640/blogger-image--1044494764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4v1_nt_7cZLNiqx9pWAkbFPuxOMoRUt4V-dRbB2jroQTFaH6UL_H23IoPF_DIVXJNVRMwGNVQyzrpJe7S7F7AmHRx1o-SM-zwxbDyi99hiIh62MmylJZn0Lg_fTscj_4oZlw8tp5pgoC/s640/blogger-image--1044494764.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPWejCZL2lynIDopjDanPEt8VrTUrezolYSiWymR8AQtCSZ47k_AZFUhctsVyIEOh0W6_9hXGAWQpXSfFfO-mYuCJDkFqi5wG28OzOErOKxVVydvssHzufpowHq7WUzXyQaZxYYqbKzsb/s640/blogger-image-940663212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPWejCZL2lynIDopjDanPEt8VrTUrezolYSiWymR8AQtCSZ47k_AZFUhctsVyIEOh0W6_9hXGAWQpXSfFfO-mYuCJDkFqi5wG28OzOErOKxVVydvssHzufpowHq7WUzXyQaZxYYqbKzsb/s640/blogger-image-940663212.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFMcfabPGsDk2t1zVWzqVvsHDIWClkC41KnFc9r5TNgBFuLHkojBeKrVP7yJ1WbOijD-S_LAYqYsVLWfcRf7Rkchyphenhyphene6QidGQ0WhgSJSft4itLhc1zn3khR0qMPfYjsOs7uRfoAj9hOui0/s640/blogger-image-1176526724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFMcfabPGsDk2t1zVWzqVvsHDIWClkC41KnFc9r5TNgBFuLHkojBeKrVP7yJ1WbOijD-S_LAYqYsVLWfcRf7Rkchyphenhyphene6QidGQ0WhgSJSft4itLhc1zn3khR0qMPfYjsOs7uRfoAj9hOui0/s640/blogger-image-1176526724.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">...And I made a "Kool-Aid" birthday cake for Michael which we shared as we also shared our March 4th Birthday. (Without any food coloring in the house, I ended up using various flavors of Kool-Aid for coloring the icing which gave it a very sweet-tart taste.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp19jJSUhyDaBhDvoZ9NltObfAi-9D0NXWsjVX7hXVh5_Y0lFV11FJgKmfFxrD3ev4D5HDycGYTUuA1P_ueFWOSpQoI9tTbz_EzjDaYkbLdvu6ctFRj9m1ELLodP5RtSsqEtcKZNhNGydm/s640/blogger-image--2137261021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp19jJSUhyDaBhDvoZ9NltObfAi-9D0NXWsjVX7hXVh5_Y0lFV11FJgKmfFxrD3ev4D5HDycGYTUuA1P_ueFWOSpQoI9tTbz_EzjDaYkbLdvu6ctFRj9m1ELLodP5RtSsqEtcKZNhNGydm/s640/blogger-image--2137261021.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div>It was also during the month of March that John went through a process of restoring the grass in the back yard as he was getting ready to sell the house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It went from this:<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_jJ-sCSAMksq1JGD18yKu2KVm5AAuNF1MpmmoNZebj8NLw6HltEVhPujQ_go3Mv3Vo3ZWs7pRzhE4ab1CFz6XwLWtZT2CfMYY2e6kr8bPZc4U2Lc8q_ZuvqYHAb83SBfQUwZ1MyQpQ55/s640/blogger-image--1040723879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_jJ-sCSAMksq1JGD18yKu2KVm5AAuNF1MpmmoNZebj8NLw6HltEVhPujQ_go3Mv3Vo3ZWs7pRzhE4ab1CFz6XwLWtZT2CfMYY2e6kr8bPZc4U2Lc8q_ZuvqYHAb83SBfQUwZ1MyQpQ55/s640/blogger-image--1040723879.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Seeds sprouting under plastic sheeting to preserve moisture and heat)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">...to this</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XcidpkUVBsprD7eGq8fmfbvIqoye1NKdKBUa_VTXF3o-O1gw0Lyps4vLXaf05Otdx7fs-Y26ZAVv0MsgU-XIhWNOGBKknR9c0fbj4sq2cYpnTBzI77yiBbF3bxL6Zoc866tc4puSeBib/s640/blogger-image-863400214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XcidpkUVBsprD7eGq8fmfbvIqoye1NKdKBUa_VTXF3o-O1gw0Lyps4vLXaf05Otdx7fs-Y26ZAVv0MsgU-XIhWNOGBKknR9c0fbj4sq2cYpnTBzI77yiBbF3bxL6Zoc866tc4puSeBib/s640/blogger-image-863400214.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It also became a gathering place for all of the ring-necked doves in the area - probably because of all of the grass seed left over. I counted as many as 35 out there at one time. And then there was my first butterfly of the season:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDfEYL5MDUjfxNNh9696QzVQplaxRooyEOU30DAXhpt0QCDRXzGd1QfI9OavoxLCfOeOclCDQDe8XekvW3aTHbQKcoKxre_VMdZwRxKsHH2_uwdKV6GfosOLlyHy498aAIIfG7DSjwWDA/s640/blogger-image--1076108281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDfEYL5MDUjfxNNh9696QzVQplaxRooyEOU30DAXhpt0QCDRXzGd1QfI9OavoxLCfOeOclCDQDe8XekvW3aTHbQKcoKxre_VMdZwRxKsHH2_uwdKV6GfosOLlyHy498aAIIfG7DSjwWDA/s640/blogger-image--1076108281.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A sure harbinger of transformations yet to come...! :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Although it came a little late for me to actually use it for sewing headbands, I used some of my birthday money from my mom to have my sewing machine shipped from Santa Barbara. That gave me an opportunity to sit down with Michael and give him a chance to get a feel for sewing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeg3d2mEZah8yVqjWoWat8SVnfyN-QmnFyvgxi_rvdmfBoM1tjX2pzwdM4r5Vr2hSx_dAQKJtgWT_ObB5w4HdKFAwMYvvKs2jFxNLtVdhj71YlVfKRSFn3ESm8P9VfQYG9KjesFriV9Iay/s640/blogger-image--1722908779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeg3d2mEZah8yVqjWoWat8SVnfyN-QmnFyvgxi_rvdmfBoM1tjX2pzwdM4r5Vr2hSx_dAQKJtgWT_ObB5w4HdKFAwMYvvKs2jFxNLtVdhj71YlVfKRSFn3ESm8P9VfQYG9KjesFriV9Iay/s640/blogger-image--1722908779.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He seemed to enjoy the experience and we even sewed a new bag together to hold the marbles for his "Good Job Marble Jar" that I bought for him (and his parents) before I left. (The bag that came with the container actually turned out too be a little too small to hold all of the marbles.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcDsyPcI_B9GuT68RLd9zHZo6yrbiCdMzHZPkAr0hK6tAJbAMdQXNuKusuySXctQNTNWfrX0MbMG4kH3gqRqVcDhMpcJXIhuQbqYtoQ9mAKIAHy7dTdBrY8nFH439xrc0yoX-ohvC83r2/s640/blogger-image--1986286626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcDsyPcI_B9GuT68RLd9zHZo6yrbiCdMzHZPkAr0hK6tAJbAMdQXNuKusuySXctQNTNWfrX0MbMG4kH3gqRqVcDhMpcJXIhuQbqYtoQ9mAKIAHy7dTdBrY8nFH439xrc0yoX-ohvC83r2/s640/blogger-image--1986286626.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I had found out about these "Good Job Marble Jars" from Brené Brown as I was taking her "The Power of Vulnerability" course via Udemy.com. She gave me a new appreciation for the <i>process</i> involved in developing trust in your relationships with others. This quote sums up the basic idea:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlLz-aK7a8fWcwn3zBzDekBSIxR9X6982yfq8emraljatPt5UWdlbeYeZCtVq0AxIFL9QG8esZUd9D4BUr2Sv_wRpEGyB2Vvxpn0xh7pJRiUAbTkBEPiJSU8fyJfng77jI5rprBrVRjJ8/s640/blogger-image-1173616773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlLz-aK7a8fWcwn3zBzDekBSIxR9X6982yfq8emraljatPt5UWdlbeYeZCtVq0AxIFL9QG8esZUd9D4BUr2Sv_wRpEGyB2Vvxpn0xh7pJRiUAbTkBEPiJSU8fyJfng77jI5rprBrVRjJ8/s640/blogger-image-1173616773.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div>As I later explained to Michael, those "marbles" accumulate with other people in your life as you show genuine caring for them and, very importantly, Do What You Say You're Going to Do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I guess one thing that I have learned during my cross-country trekking is that things don't always go the way you plan! Nevertheless, it is important to be very conscious of what you commit to and, especially where it involves other people, keeping them informed as your plans (or feelings) change. <br />
<br />
At the same time, I've learned, it is difficult if not impossible to win the trust of people who are simply not open to trusting in the first place, or are so caught up in their own "stuff" and how they come across to others, that they're paying very little attention to all the "marbles" they might be receiving from others on a day to day basis. (Note the emphasis above on "work, attention, and full engagement". A person can't bring that attention and full engagement to others if they're too caught up in their own "stuff".)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As I have also learned from Brené Brown, it is not easy to live "Wholeheartedly". Sometimes it is hard to move beyond feeling desperate for "love and belonging," as if our very lives depended on it (as was actually the case when we were <i>infants and young children</i>), and feeling the very normal "irreducible human need for love and belonging" that each of us, as otherwise self-sustaining <i>adults</i>, can choose to meet with others who actually have the capacity and desire to meet those needs with us. Again, as she points out above, "trust" is not a "grand gesture" - it is not "all or nothing" - it is "a growing marble collection" and we fill those "marble jars" (or not), with "time...work, attention, and full engagement".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(There was a lot more I learned from "The Power of Vulnerability" course as well as another course I started through Udemy, "Master Your Brain: Neuroscience for Personal Development" with George Caremans as the instructor. I will follow-up on all of that at another time...and probably via <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/">The Blue Moon Turtle Blog</a> instead of this one.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
In addition to cycling visitors, my friend Eleanor, from Santa Barbara, also stayed a couple of times. She had temporarily relocated to Florida just before I left Santa Barbara, and then she found another place to stay in Boerne, TX. While making a road trip to pick up some of her own things in Santa Barbara, she also picked up more of my clothes and some of my books and brought them to me in El Paso. Of course, that meant I had that much more of my own stuff to pack up before flying to my next destination of Columbus, GA.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_13SNwd3x8588zk2EypJHW9gH_PFjYfKjhHHr3_vDp-7l3LCN7FNWkKrAloR81D8r_A_vdw6tty7oT9nQCrc3HhlK50C6mBllBmeTKCkKydun-swa4QLgW-yFZMgZKCGFsyXeORXHVpSf/s640/blogger-image--1060724121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_13SNwd3x8588zk2EypJHW9gH_PFjYfKjhHHr3_vDp-7l3LCN7FNWkKrAloR81D8r_A_vdw6tty7oT9nQCrc3HhlK50C6mBllBmeTKCkKydun-swa4QLgW-yFZMgZKCGFsyXeORXHVpSf/s640/blogger-image--1060724121.jpg"></a></div><br />
As I commented to John, packing is always a complicated process for me because I'm never packing for just one thing anymore! This time I was packing some boxes to ship as well as some boxes to take on the plane (one large box and my bicycle box), and I needed to know in advance how much they weighed to anticipate shipping costs and avoid overweight fees on the plane. I was also figuring out what I could carry in my backpack, and merchandise and supplies I might need in my new pink and grey carry-all. I had an extra large duffle bag that Eleanor brought with my clothes - not quite full - so I knew I'd have a little more space in it for some of my nicer clothes that she also brought, hanging in a long plastic bag. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I flew on Southwest via Houston to Atlanta, and when my friend Michael recovered my duffle bag from the carousel, I noticed that it had gotten badly damaged en route (something that has never happened to me before while flying on Southwest). After carting everything up and down the baggage claim area for about half-an-hour, we finally found the customer service counter where they were quick to replace my original duffle with a much fancier (and heavier) one with wheels. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Although I could not find an exact image of my original bag (and I had to turn it over to the Southwest agents in order to get the replacement bag), it was an extra large, single compartment duffle that looked something like this: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3w8p9gg07hQO0YhaQO2XqZ7KUuZl0e0VtAaWM6jgcqlEaWQPds9c-e_oD1Drqy1gMZUW3OschiLG171uYhOx8_30-7A_QW0W8NT4hMaoDsELPFUeWFnRo7KuNE7TR4lC2na_Max4whTC/s640/blogger-image--1507861720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3w8p9gg07hQO0YhaQO2XqZ7KUuZl0e0VtAaWM6jgcqlEaWQPds9c-e_oD1Drqy1gMZUW3OschiLG171uYhOx8_30-7A_QW0W8NT4hMaoDsELPFUeWFnRo7KuNE7TR4lC2na_Max4whTC/s640/blogger-image--1507861720.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">What was nice about it was that I could fold it down to a very portable size, which was handy for shipping, or even carrying it on my bicycle. And the bag itself did not weigh that much so I could pack more stuff in it and not so easily exceed the 50lb baggage limit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is what I ended up with in the exchange with Southwest(!):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMKXpvN2zHMA0q7MzkqjHKXoxb7kKYqOlWPXbrhV7sTBEXZOEMGn5nUL9LP_Gls5EJlnnEwJlT06UxlOFnf25HRvmhuV68bmYHC8icdmAc_ppeg_y85SDsiwrpWAe5VQoB0MLFHcfxIMh/s640/blogger-image--347471056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMKXpvN2zHMA0q7MzkqjHKXoxb7kKYqOlWPXbrhV7sTBEXZOEMGn5nUL9LP_Gls5EJlnnEwJlT06UxlOFnf25HRvmhuV68bmYHC8icdmAc_ppeg_y85SDsiwrpWAe5VQoB0MLFHcfxIMh/s640/blogger-image--347471056.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div>Now I have multiple compartments...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-akR7guaS71ybtnIbkJL3kbAMhRQCtqp1F9xs5Dgg742EIiz1DU7T5_dY6oNmjNNeODMWCC_CbbyujqQ9UM8FAkin1R5kE794WFX4ohWfUPP0okJdZ6NyTgbJNOKlJqFQftrK0CU5BNk/s640/blogger-image-57477209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-akR7guaS71ybtnIbkJL3kbAMhRQCtqp1F9xs5Dgg742EIiz1DU7T5_dY6oNmjNNeODMWCC_CbbyujqQ9UM8FAkin1R5kE794WFX4ohWfUPP0okJdZ6NyTgbJNOKlJqFQftrK0CU5BNk/s640/blogger-image-57477209.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">....And wheels, etc., etc. I could imagine designing a whole new trailer around this bag so I could pull it with my bicycle!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I know, I know...under normal circumstances, I should be Thrilled by this new bag, and how much "better" it is than my old one. I'm sure it cost a heck of a lot more! Neverthelss, I suspect I'll still be looking to replace that old one, for the same reason's I bought it in the first place! And besides the outside pocket getting ripped, I had a Swiss Army pocket knife in it that was small enough to carry on a key ring and had some sentimental value as well. I knew I would need it to open the bike box so I had put it in there to be handy. Unfortunately, it wasn't anywhere to be found when I got my bag back. Again...lesson learned!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Nevertheless, I'm now in Columbus, GA to "house sit" for my friend Michael. We met while we were both stationed with the military in Bethesda, Maryland and we've accumulated quite a few "marbles" over the last 10 years or so. (Kind of hard to believe it's been that long!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My (tentative) plans are to relocate the remainder of my belongings from Florida and, hopefully, by the end of June, complete that Truly Final sort through - especially of my "historical documents" and "reference material" from the early years of my life. I'm also planning to visit my mother in Dalton, GA with whom I have not had face-to-face contact in many, many years. (See <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4CQQ3VukNs&sns=em">My TEDx Talk</a> for more on that story.) I've already checked-in with the local bicycle advocacy group, Bike Columbus, and will be looking forward to meeting with them and sharing from all of my previous experiences with the Santa Barbara Bike Coalition. (To be honest, I feel like a "bee" that is "flying from flower to flower" and serving to "cross-pollinate" between these two communities and who knows how many more as my journey continues?!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm glad to be able to take another "break" from the road - this time with a good friend. It has certainly been an adventure thus far and I look forward to whatever Life has in store for me as time goes on!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I am once again grateful and humbled by all the people who continue to read this blog and show their support as contributors and hosts. It's been quite the ride...and, I guess...it's still not over just yet!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVMMolShQuGYaY_NV80myWbX6ODXeKFeSoe6ZbEe4-eNg1tqa8gPROZnbSdITEBn-17C0kctcN-ejzJc6-So-30mhUwTNG3sTd2wFtOhT67e_UYPh4r6ZqQiomRrlKX8FdDqSDe8VIUCO/s640/blogger-image--34769281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVMMolShQuGYaY_NV80myWbX6ODXeKFeSoe6ZbEe4-eNg1tqa8gPROZnbSdITEBn-17C0kctcN-ejzJc6-So-30mhUwTNG3sTd2wFtOhT67e_UYPh4r6ZqQiomRrlKX8FdDqSDe8VIUCO/s640/blogger-image--34769281.jpg"></a></div><br />
</div></div></div></div>Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-58349376543383348422015-02-04T11:29:00.000-05:002015-02-04T11:29:14.910-05:00First Update for 2015 - Part IIThe ride to Deming from the rest stop was backed by a very strong wind from the west which I really only felt when I stopped for my usual breaks along the road. The shoulder was in pretty good condition as well, so there were times when I was up to 15 mph (judging by my watch and the mile markers), which is probably about top speed for me on level ground.<br />
<br />
As I came into town, I decided to stop for a short break at the picnic tables outside the Sonic. There was a silver vehicle parked on the other side of the railing and two women finishing up their meals inside. Eventually, they got out to walk the dog they had with them and that is when they observed me there and struck up conversation with me. When one of the women, Sue, found out I was heading to El Paso, she explained that I had to meet her nephew there, and gave me his name, address, and phone number. (Little did I know at the time, that this information would prove particularly meaningful later on down the road!) The women left me with encouraging words and a small donation as well for which I was, as always, very grateful.<br />
<br />
Prior to my departure from Duncan, AZ I had made contact with the owner of the "Push-N-Pedal" in Deming, hoping he might have an idea of where I might stay for the night. As he explained, there would be a dinner where I would join with other homeless people from the community and then whoever needed a place to stay would be assigned to available apartments in the Agape Village, one person per apartment.<br />
<br />
I made my way over to the location to kind of check things out, but since it was only 4:45 or so I still had a while to wait. As I continued kind of "wandering" through the nearby neighborhood I spotted a laundry mat and since I was definitely in need of some big washers and dryers to clean all of my linens from the misadventures with the kitten the night before, I felt lucky to find it so close. The only potential problem was the fact that it would be closing around 5:30.<br />
<br />
I unloaded my gear and got everything into the washers as quickly as possible and then sat down to wait while knitting my second pair of "sleeping socks". There were only a couple of other people in the laundry mat besides the woman managing it. However, before the time was up on the washers and dryers, we had all started talking. The manager offered me a long-sleeve "DanceSkin" like shirt, she thought I might need as another layer in the cold weather. The woman who was doing laundry, Kim, was quite friendly and when I told her about my plan for accommodations for the night she was a bit concerned. She had some contacts at the Fire Department, and since finishing up my laundry had taken me past the 6:00 meeting time at Agape Village I was open to letting her lead me to fire station to see if they might have a place for me to stay instead.<br />
<br />
As some calls needed to be made to see if that were going to be possible, we left my bicycle locked outside and, per her request, I accompanied Kim to a rather remote location some ways out of town to drop off the laundry she'd actually been doing for a man that she knew. We stopped at his house for a few minutes and I talked to him about my trip and about the WarmShowers community that supported touring cyclists like myself, before we headed back to the Fire Station.<br />
<br />
When we got back, Kim dropped me off and I spent the next hour or so with Captain Acosta. Unfortunately, due to liability concerns, I would not be able to stay at the firehouse. However, Captain Acosta made some calls to other local organizations he knew of that might be in a position to host me. Although none of those options panned out, he was very generous with some food donations, offering me multiple cans of tuna and salmon, before I went back into to town, deciding that a motel room was probably going to be my "last resort" for the night.<br />
<br />
I checked in to the "Butterfield Stage Motel", one of the cheapest I could find, and began settling into my room. Unfortunately, it was not long before I spotted small red and black insects, about the size of a tick, crawling on the bed and walls. Although I had never seen them before, I suspected that these were the dreaded "Bed Bugs" and I knew this could be a real problem. However, it was getting late and I figured even if I complained about it and they offered to move me to another room, it might be just as likely to have them as this one. Instead, I opted for covering both beds with the two nylon tarps I had with me, sleeping on one in my own sleeping bag and putting my gear on the other since, again, I had a flat tire to repair which meant removing everything from the bicycle!<br />
<br />
Needless to say, I slept somewhat wrestlessly on this night as well, on top of the even more wrestless night I spent at the rest stop with the kitten. In the morning, I repaired my tire, and was very, very thorough in inspecting all of my gear as I loaded it back on the bike. Before leaving, I stopped at the front desk with a small plastic bag holding the tissues on which I had multiple squashed bed bugs. I was not angry or anything, but I just wanted to calmly and peacefully make the manager aware of the situation. After ringing the bell, I was expecting to see the older gentleman who had checked me in the night before. Instead a younger, dark-haired man appeared and led me to an older woman in the "house" part of the office/building. This man turned out to be her physical therapist. When I showed her the bugs and explained my experience she expressed some concern, she was sorry it had happened, and she said she would make sure the room was treated; however, she did not then voluntarily offer to refund any of the cost of the room (which, honestly, I felt would have been appropriate under the circumstances). Nevertheless, I accepted the situation for what it was and proceeded to chat amiably with the therapist who followed me out the door, curious to know more about my journey.<br />
<br />
As we said our good-bye's I noticed the weather had become quite overcast and chilly, a seeming reflection of my mood after my rough night at the motel. I headed on down the road, recognizing some parts of the town where I had already ridden the day and evening before. Less than a mile from the motel a car pulled past me on the left and then crossed in front of me, stopping on the side of the road. I saw a hand thrust out the window with a bill waving enthusiastically. I recognized this "invitation" and pulled up alongside the car where a woman inside explained that she saw my sign and really appreciated what I was doing, backing up her appreciation with a $20.00 donation. I thanked her graciously and continued on my way thinking, "Now the room only cost me $15.00 so I guess that wasn't such a bad deal after all!" Even if the older woman was reluctant to be so generous, someone in the town of Deming made up for that, and it really helped to balance things out for me overall!<br />
<br />
With a fresh psychological/biochemical boost from receiving another donation (I've learned that the amount really doesn't matter, it's the act of kindness and generosity that "strikes home"), I was once again ready to tackle the road ahead which would lead me to the town of Las Cruces, NM. I had two WarmShowers hosts to meet this time, John and Donetta and later Jeff and Liz.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIQ1vQUcBEUhvHNOvsNmj3xIyvt8VNnvGBOBZbWWSSd_8Ejq8nbZxlbvSgp3y5XQ5_-r-ysEmgCRXpVPMxGSzt8RmkEZ3m9bKtucNdTsYhB_WOc3-w15Sft2kUaFHE9s_TrU7dGBJh37u/s640/blogger-image--292700752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIQ1vQUcBEUhvHNOvsNmj3xIyvt8VNnvGBOBZbWWSSd_8Ejq8nbZxlbvSgp3y5XQ5_-r-ysEmgCRXpVPMxGSzt8RmkEZ3m9bKtucNdTsYhB_WOc3-w15Sft2kUaFHE9s_TrU7dGBJh37u/s400/blogger-image--292700752.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I must have been traveling during Sand Hill Crane migration season. Passing another significant water hole, I could see birds flying in from multiple directions. It was one of those moments when I wish I had a better camera, with a zoom lens, so it would be clearer that the opposite side of the "lake" in this picture was covered with birds! I guess it was one of those occasions where it was all about being there and no better way to do that, in my opinion, than on a bicycle!<br />
<br />
Given my route for the day was a little over 60 miles, a longer trip than usual for me, I was relieved as I always am when I came to that point where the road started to dip down into the valley wherein lay the town of Las Cruces, NM. This scene has actually played itself out in various ways multiple times on this journey, and it is always encouraging.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YpbQ1F8xfouWw-sKIf6lnK0g-7w9UwP5HmEngCVo9QYRRjktHNfkDXMNVCW6oaFXM9fbxeG-5Ly5SMYhsj_RBPdglih24rmU6YixQ27wEWh6mDDSKyzZsfFeZPZsAik4rbikd54Q03sV/s1600/IMG_2121-740254.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YpbQ1F8xfouWw-sKIf6lnK0g-7w9UwP5HmEngCVo9QYRRjktHNfkDXMNVCW6oaFXM9fbxeG-5Ly5SMYhsj_RBPdglih24rmU6YixQ27wEWh6mDDSKyzZsfFeZPZsAik4rbikd54Q03sV/s320/IMG_2121-740254.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100567855982058386" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One significant landmark I had to cross as I came into town was the Rio Grande. Admittedly, that turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, since all that was showing for this season was a wide expanse of packed dirt. (In other words, it wasn't so "grande"!)<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZWd04sQBLWya3ruhQqVhKKoMIqXBmDK-fKVxuomqCKIheyn0YoEAP6Ne8vVKW2P72RLGuvFTzwOmAGd4vcFqS2dMwCHoU1UDiJQsDcOWL4qUGnbPrFPwVKiNP4exxReQOEezT0g02Qph/s1600/IMG_2122-734576.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZWd04sQBLWya3ruhQqVhKKoMIqXBmDK-fKVxuomqCKIheyn0YoEAP6Ne8vVKW2P72RLGuvFTzwOmAGd4vcFqS2dMwCHoU1UDiJQsDcOWL4qUGnbPrFPwVKiNP4exxReQOEezT0g02Qph/s320/IMG_2122-734576.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100568261729163362" /></a></div><br />
As you can see by the above photos, it was starting to get dark and I still had a few miles to reach my first host. Nevertheless, I persevered through evening traffic and managed to reach John and Donetta's without incident. There I also met Ben, a cyclist coming from the east along the Southern Tier, and John took us both out to dinner at one of the local sandwich shops.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg_qCwJ193vU415LpFxOqxtfzZDf8gqpDNcoI_KdubNM_hJUjWhQJMt8bEL8QX4FrejHNKiSQo5SJNrbcyDnWLKjyIK9MxxhOOMfBfAf9CrHoXLB6mPT78W9q1OXLTW8HNEgIjKI0h1Em/s640/blogger-image--1516540429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg_qCwJ193vU415LpFxOqxtfzZDf8gqpDNcoI_KdubNM_hJUjWhQJMt8bEL8QX4FrejHNKiSQo5SJNrbcyDnWLKjyIK9MxxhOOMfBfAf9CrHoXLB6mPT78W9q1OXLTW8HNEgIjKI0h1Em/s640/blogger-image--1516540429.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Ben was one of the first riders I'd encountered who was carrying about as much gear, including food, as I have been. Saturday morning, after changing yet another flat and struggling a little with disassembling and cleaning my derailleur and putting it back together again, Ben and I rode to the Farmer's Market, sharing our experiences of being on the road along the way. Unfortunately, Ben ended up leaving his wallet at John's house so we had to back track to get it before he was really able to get underway for the day.<br />
<br />
I had already been planning to stay a little longer with John and Donetta, in part to rest up from my last two days of riding and relatively sleepless nights, and also to time my visit with Jeff as well. In addition, I had at least a couple of cans of tuna that were burning a hole in my bags, thanks to Captain Acosta in Deming. Even though Donetta was initially concerned that John might not like it, I took a ride into town to buy the remaining ingredients I would need to make tuna casserole.<br />
<br />
My first stop was at the bicycle shop to get a couple of much needed tire liners. (How many flats have I mentioned over the past couple of posts?!) Then it was off to the "Lowe's" grocery store in the same strip-mall shopping center. Since I could not find mushroom soup, or any other cream soup that did not have monosodium glutamate in it, I decided I could just make my own. Not knowing for sure what Donetta had in her cupboards, I bought a small bag of flour, a small bottle of oil, mushrooms, onions, and celery. I also bought tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce for a salad to go with the casserole.<br />
<br />
Still on the look-out for certain toiletries that I needed to re-stock, I went back to the bicycle shop owner to ask where to find the nearest drug store. He directed me some ways down the road to a Walgreens. I went in, did not find what I wanted, but bought some sample bottles of lotion to substitute for my favored "Nature's Gate Fragrance Free" version. It was as I was exiting the drug store that I then spotted something that looked more like a Health Food Store across the street. Much to my excitement, it turned out to be a co-op and I was actually able to restock on multiple items, including my favorite lotion and shampoo, as well as mung beans, and crackers. In addition, I found some cream of mushroom soup that did NOT have MSG in it! The only problem was...now I had all of those other ingredients that I really did not need!<br />
<br />
So I began to back-track. First to the Walgreens to return the lotion samples. And then back to the Lowe's grocery store. Of note is the fact that I was doing all of this running around and shopping on the Saturday Before Thanksgiving, so the store was really, really busy! It seemed they were also having a particularly good sale on turkeys as almost everyone had one in their cart!<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I braved the lines and odd stares as I stepped up to the customer service counter to return my flour and oil and mushrooms, feeling somewhat obligated to explain that I was traveling by bicycle and was unfamiliar with the stores in the neighborhood, so I had purchased all of those things not realizing I could get what I wanted at the Co-op.<br />
<br />
With my single pannier now filled to the top, I headed back up the hill to John and Donetta's. It was already getting somewhat later in the afternoon by then so I proceeded to prepare the tuna casserole upon my return. It was while I was in the midst of my preparations that a discussion arose between John and Donetta which soon confirmed that there had been a significant miscommunication between them many years back. Much to Donetta's surprise, John <i>would</i> actually be fine eating "cooked tuna", so that meant he would, in fact, be joining us for dinner!<br />
<br />
And, as it turned out, there was yet another rider arriving that evening, a "tall dark and handsome" one who happened to have a very pleasant English-Scottish accent, hailing from Northern England. He arrived just in time to take a shower before joining us at the dinner table where we all did some damage to the rather large casserole I'd prepared!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhwugt8EtzTzEpCynRX9W3vZqQqOZKE4hL7MY-_eiq09qT3n4bWFBv1HC1LtG9b2KMaM7dt1uBtzsDTpqrsjzhZzElSgRpMbB0gzqQ4l4dUs4LnITTnrvpkOEjZm1D5q9hGjD8PnWvdIw/s640/blogger-image--1514699412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhwugt8EtzTzEpCynRX9W3vZqQqOZKE4hL7MY-_eiq09qT3n4bWFBv1HC1LtG9b2KMaM7dt1uBtzsDTpqrsjzhZzElSgRpMbB0gzqQ4l4dUs4LnITTnrvpkOEjZm1D5q9hGjD8PnWvdIw/s400/blogger-image--1514699412.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
After dinner and lively conversation, John and Donetta went to bed, Simon and I stayed up to wash dishes, and continued coversing until quite late - looking at maps, sharing life experiences, and comparing gear kits! There was quite a contrast, which explains why I feel comfortable designating him as the "hare" to my "tortoise" when it comes to riding styles!<br />
<br />
The next morning I shared one of my green smoothies with Simon as well as a few snacks for the road (seeing how little he was carrying!). Knowing my mission of "Pedaling for Peace", in return, he offered me a $20.00 donation, for which I was very grateful.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1D4vBbb3xAXYpY21D97riJUICpA45V0yJ3Dl8wVsJ8FmhC6CDpbwO0sm-eQIm9cByhgEo6YKw3K3XH0cu3cqbQSed50Z1wnxRC20FK_UA0jU7NoXtOIVTlF9a7-c9V91gPSgGW28kAdFJ/s640/blogger-image-1216194797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1D4vBbb3xAXYpY21D97riJUICpA45V0yJ3Dl8wVsJ8FmhC6CDpbwO0sm-eQIm9cByhgEo6YKw3K3XH0cu3cqbQSed50Z1wnxRC20FK_UA0jU7NoXtOIVTlF9a7-c9V91gPSgGW28kAdFJ/s400/blogger-image-1216194797.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As I only had a seven mile ride for the day, I was able to take my time getting packed. I said my farewell's to John and Donetta, and then began the mostly uphill trek to my second Las Cruces host, living somewhat closer to the foothills of the Organ Mountains. It was a really beautiful day for a ride!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-WLZ_UyXJcDvYDs9XuvQD7qbq395skFELh8xf5M11SFbCX7zzv99FEVtE8lrb41JBJsr8kgBy6T4dAtZuPDyiRyztA_MIx0UfC8eoct42t8dQoBV6mO97_THZg5LDlA4FS1mrpzoGR87/s1600/IMG_2135-785953.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-WLZ_UyXJcDvYDs9XuvQD7qbq395skFELh8xf5M11SFbCX7zzv99FEVtE8lrb41JBJsr8kgBy6T4dAtZuPDyiRyztA_MIx0UfC8eoct42t8dQoBV6mO97_THZg5LDlA4FS1mrpzoGR87/s320/IMG_2135-785953.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100569341031445282" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Jeff had been quite enthusiastic about my visit, and even came down to join me on the road for the last mile or so. There was a bit of a stretch of gravel getting to his house, but once there, settling in was easy.<br />
<br />
I had been soaking some lentils on my way, thinking I might have time during my stay to make sprouts and another batch of egg-fried rice to share with Jeff and his wife Liz. It was decided that the warmest place to put them would be in the oven. Later that evening, as Liz was preparing dinner for us, including a berry pie, I heard her exclaiming, loudly, (cursing actually). When I went into the kitchen to find out the problem, it turned out that she had forgotten about the sprouts when she was heating up the oven for the pie. Although the beans were still usable in the stir fry, the plastic mesh/strainer lid did not survive.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3x2AhioVfAiCr1KNyK5Z6slqICXZp0rcE6TWv62y8_QPibzExwjqfN1LBb2HGsPCqjfeYlgKUSLaUhbAPFBH3oGmVV2AEXtMwa2nW4cxeCm1jZr7aC3IJjyDc3PuyqlrkhFunlMyHbq9/s640/blogger-image-499597170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3x2AhioVfAiCr1KNyK5Z6slqICXZp0rcE6TWv62y8_QPibzExwjqfN1LBb2HGsPCqjfeYlgKUSLaUhbAPFBH3oGmVV2AEXtMwa2nW4cxeCm1jZr7aC3IJjyDc3PuyqlrkhFunlMyHbq9/s320/blogger-image-499597170.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
I know Liz felt really bad about it, but I found the whole situation to be quite amusing. In the end, we all had a good laugh and, as I said, the stir-fry I later made with the "baked lentils" turned out just fine!<br />
<br />
Although Liz had to work most of the time I was there, I did get to spend quite a bit of time talking with Jeff, and that was a very enjoyable experience. We kind of "clicked" on some of my favorite topics, psychology and society, politics, etc. I even shared my "Understanding the Constitution" paper with him from my Introduction to Constitutional Law class (actually the last paper I wrote to complete my BS degree in Social Science).<br />
<br />
In addition to the great conversation, I was able to enjoy the hot tub with the view of the Organ Mountains in the background.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB76pcg9lRuyzlUilgGECGfSVlFQkJVYeGjM0kF3QQ-fFRyFnPG0r3yJklFvjf8owgvXWdSyKg_pgOjm5WBv95i6h1qormNoTOMG-y7GMVxWhUs9zhV4sait-g3SGck1X83kV3VpuDFv20/s640/blogger-image--736835849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB76pcg9lRuyzlUilgGECGfSVlFQkJVYeGjM0kF3QQ-fFRyFnPG0r3yJklFvjf8owgvXWdSyKg_pgOjm5WBv95i6h1qormNoTOMG-y7GMVxWhUs9zhV4sait-g3SGck1X83kV3VpuDFv20/s400/blogger-image--736835849.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Overall, it was another wonderful experience, with another kind and generous "Warm Showers" host. Before saying our final "good-byes", John gave me a donation (in part to cover the replacement of the plastic sprout-jar screen) and once again accompanied me on a gravel "short-cut" to the main road, even helping to push my bike for me, which gave him a greater appreciation for the real challenge involved with that!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfmHPwDZvKv2rcFUMBL31krtENfSTL2sEdsw_xDoh7J_NHUUAE60RxSHHNY-ziyh8nnHKqT5x_CUyVRPRBBWfkIoV9AM9O4_FBnhEVPxOxbdOptPm45p0_rXvy3z_b7phbA_ntAK1EH8t/s640/blogger-image--625643848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfmHPwDZvKv2rcFUMBL31krtENfSTL2sEdsw_xDoh7J_NHUUAE60RxSHHNY-ziyh8nnHKqT5x_CUyVRPRBBWfkIoV9AM9O4_FBnhEVPxOxbdOptPm45p0_rXvy3z_b7phbA_ntAK1EH8t/s640/blogger-image--625643848.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It was a beautiful day for a ride as I headed for my first of two hosts planned in El Paso, TX. This would be my third visit to the Lone Star State, having bicycled here from Jacksonville, FL in 2012. I then spent most of the summer of 2013 riding from my aunt and uncle's house in Weatherford, TX (just west of the Dallas/Fort Worth area) back down to Luling, TX where I (officially) ended that first stage the year before.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtda3cjVggDUo5VgUHck3kcIRmo55nYY0zIOd8Cv-YrSUQu7sGIlgUxV5oniTU2s1HVgXua9P9d9IhGJur9TXK8LICdjhtSdHx0_H4FZ0I2_XjcV_cEAVVdhy69kyfidw5XOLTk85_9QaQ/s1600/IMG_2159-761577.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtda3cjVggDUo5VgUHck3kcIRmo55nYY0zIOd8Cv-YrSUQu7sGIlgUxV5oniTU2s1HVgXua9P9d9IhGJur9TXK8LICdjhtSdHx0_H4FZ0I2_XjcV_cEAVVdhy69kyfidw5XOLTk85_9QaQ/s320/IMG_2159-761577.JPG" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6112026495137971010" width="300" /></a></div>Now, I was back again, coming all the way from Santa Barbara and still facing that intimidating expanse of West Texas. A new WarmShowers host, Rayce was gracious enough to let me stay with him and his family for the Thanksgiving holiday. He proved to be a most capable cook, preparing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. (I showed my appreciation by washing all the dishes afterwards!) Apart from the Thanksgiving feast, I had a quiet room to myself, and good internet access, so I put most of my free time into planning the route ahead, not knowing that my next stop, with the nephew of the woman I had met in Deming, would actually be one of the longer ones of my journey thus far!Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-6577394944426424342015-01-25T10:37:00.001-05:002015-01-25T19:24:52.142-05:00First Update for 2015 - Part IHi, Everybody!!! And Happy New Year!!!<br />
<br />
I know it's been a while since my last post. More details about why to follow, but for now let's just say that I've kind of been on an unplanned "Holiday Break" here in El Paso, TX. All is well though and I look forward to getting back on the road soon!<br />
<br />
To pick up where I left off, several weeks ago now, heading out of Duncan, AZ....<br />
<br />
As it was a fairly long stay for me at the Simpson Hotel including a significant weather shift requiring the new clothing I pictured in my last post, it took a little longer to get everything arranged and packed than usual when my final departure day arrived. In addition, I had a lot of last minute details to take care of like buying a new ($9) phone with a little more internet capability from the Duncan Family Dollar and mailing some things forward to my planned stopping place in Columbus, GA. I finally pulled away around 2:00 pm with Lordsburg, NM as my destination about 36 miles southeast. With only moderate hills to climb on the way I thought I might just be able to make it before sundown.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-d6TcZ5U8ba7uV5T03SUmLgBYFvs3qbJA6ZYKwgtvXNt8W2bAw3uhQhIVNisgUt9GiiZHX7IVd6taQje5dWyXcj3TK_Mw9zSwlVNiWT7uEiLzcci3J8JLS0HKVm7LucuVsZB8ETMWll2/s1600/IMG_2048-714746.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-d6TcZ5U8ba7uV5T03SUmLgBYFvs3qbJA6ZYKwgtvXNt8W2bAw3uhQhIVNisgUt9GiiZHX7IVd6taQje5dWyXcj3TK_Mw9zSwlVNiWT7uEiLzcci3J8JLS0HKVm7LucuVsZB8ETMWll2/s320/IMG_2048-714746.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100560880049178242" /></a></div>I saw Sand Hill Cranes gathered in this water-logged field less than a mile outside of Duncan followed by more of the wide open desert chapparall I had grown accustomed to from my previous weeks on the road as well as the two or three side trips I took with Deborah and Clayton from the Simpson Hotel.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz2oGUPZ7nnRp6GCExXprQ-7r6aFSzL528WNg8Os1ej4RyqAz1bYHHbfQL76gGQUM6cljURKbRWjaA8aFEn4NwcmxvvQsKxeW1GIfMqjhcR_YraIBrFYiEyfinRXywLqn2UJrp4CtlKGp/s1600/IMG_2049-761831.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz2oGUPZ7nnRp6GCExXprQ-7r6aFSzL528WNg8Os1ej4RyqAz1bYHHbfQL76gGQUM6cljURKbRWjaA8aFEn4NwcmxvvQsKxeW1GIfMqjhcR_YraIBrFYiEyfinRXywLqn2UJrp4CtlKGp/s320/IMG_2049-761831.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100561078028197570" /></a></div>I still had plenty of sunlight as I crossed the Arizona-New Mexico border, although as I was setting-up this shot I started to feel slightly apprehensive as one of the big semi-trucks hauling a load of copper sheets came into the pull-out area right behind me. I eventually went on ahead and remember seeing the truck pass me again later in the day. But, no real need to worry as apparently the driver was just making a stop to talk to someone on the phone.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDpwYrMkzBH7-eke3odLbd-lIViE6rZNLdJZXjDuD9fchIB4KsGn6IhCP_gHmGg4Zab6JjznEdkFa-yoeyI_KS8lVMjaEpJyvi63siSWegIJux1YEajWitr0Kp6j7eOHqeJjOdx8VnMDq/s1600/IMG_2052-706313.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDpwYrMkzBH7-eke3odLbd-lIViE6rZNLdJZXjDuD9fchIB4KsGn6IhCP_gHmGg4Zab6JjznEdkFa-yoeyI_KS8lVMjaEpJyvi63siSWegIJux1YEajWitr0Kp6j7eOHqeJjOdx8VnMDq/s320/IMG_2052-706313.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100561266584791890" /></a></div>About 7-10 miles out of Lordsburg, the sun went down on me, and as I anticipated, it started to get cold really quick. Rather than wait at all, I pulled out my extra layers - my new foot gaiters, hand gaiters and gloves, my long-sleeve sport jacket as well as my wind/rain gear, and head/neck cover. Much to my chagrin, I wasn't on the bike five minutes before I started to OVERHEAT! I took my gloves and hand gaiters off and that helped, but for the rest of the trip the rest of me stayed bundled anyway.<br />
<br />
Along with a few stretches through Arizona, I think I will remember this as one of the harder ones. Once it got dark, it was Really Dark, no moon to speak of and no street lights. I was back on the bike after a fairly long break so I was feeling more tired than I might have otherwise. Although I had considered staying at the Lordsburg KOA and had made contact with the manager for the night, I had some problems navigating once I got into town and missed a turn somewhere. Besides, I wasn't looking forward to being sweaty and then cold while trying to set-up my tent in the dark, so I opted for the first cheap motel I came to instead. Feeling quite chilled, I even took a very rare hot bath for a change, although I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't make it a Really Hot bath since the water temperature just didn't make it up that high.<br />
<br />
The next morning I spent a little time activating and familiarizing myself with my new phone before re-packing my bags and loading up the bike. The only place to stay between Lordsburg and Deming was going to be a rest stop about half-way in between, my second rest-stop so far along this journey. It was a nice day though, not too much wind, and in general I was making good time.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVtaom7FTAA8Lv_eKiRObYhCr-UgySZS9N81cgPxHQNMJnBYiVSterAM8QRJHrDLJqZsX1iFDJzOfvgU-Zx7dmToRy1rnMRGhclr7kXId7AxYa5oaRsZnS0EHCj1agCgLKlhn2Kvl_Sq9/s1600/IMG_2062-755099.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVtaom7FTAA8Lv_eKiRObYhCr-UgySZS9N81cgPxHQNMJnBYiVSterAM8QRJHrDLJqZsX1iFDJzOfvgU-Zx7dmToRy1rnMRGhclr7kXId7AxYa5oaRsZnS0EHCj1agCgLKlhn2Kvl_Sq9/s320/IMG_2062-755099.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100893476736721074"/></a></div>As I pedaled down the road I started to see billboards in the fields at regular intervals advertising "Southwest Gifts", etc. Driving in a car, people might not notice them quite as much, but being on a bicycle, I had plenty of time to read Every Single One of Them. Having a minimal background in advertisting, I kept thinking about the "Rule of Seven"; i.e. if you see an advertisement at least seven times you're more likely to respond to it. Well, there were far more than seven of those billboards on the road and, not surprisingly, when I finally got to the exit, I thought, "What the heck, I'll make a pit stop!"<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmu-Cmp1h4oebxSCviOUsqR6NG1HVXGoUfnDM0DtrUaVme1VfM_laW3i-XWz6LenAWaUuTxe8rPFWCl8hlGVUtJ4prFLKq1aijOIwonewb7ph-IGWTEj2jfLGSXLfx3mwflv5jBJyP-Ogm/s1600/IMG_2201-710263.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmu-Cmp1h4oebxSCviOUsqR6NG1HVXGoUfnDM0DtrUaVme1VfM_laW3i-XWz6LenAWaUuTxe8rPFWCl8hlGVUtJ4prFLKq1aijOIwonewb7ph-IGWTEj2jfLGSXLfx3mwflv5jBJyP-Ogm/s320/IMG_2201-710263.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100895001569476482" /></a></div>Once inside I began talking with the two women working there as well as a woman who was making purchases. Her name was Susan and she turned out to be a cycling enthusiast herself. I talked with her about signing up to be a host on <a href="https://www.warmshowers.org/">Warmshowers</a> and she was generous enough to offer me a $5 donation as well. With that donation I purchased a mug so I would have something to boil water in a microwave the next time I was in a motel, something I realized I needed with my stop in Lordsburg. Although the mug had a southwest theme, unfortunately, like so many other items at the store, it was "Made in China".<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTSw2BDU7qOL5yZwqU1d3gcwSFGFGwWSd-olY6F-SrPshGCj5ZE_cm6jnySlQgA78Kp1AJmRJhCg1fz_A7YYrRjJG8gdHmnHVdFOwPBIurMFLitxgQX31_O8wwxmcRoPLcQQwZGTZSA2K/s1600/IMG_2060-726802.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTSw2BDU7qOL5yZwqU1d3gcwSFGFGwWSd-olY6F-SrPshGCj5ZE_cm6jnySlQgA78Kp1AJmRJhCg1fz_A7YYrRjJG8gdHmnHVdFOwPBIurMFLitxgQX31_O8wwxmcRoPLcQQwZGTZSA2K/s320/IMG_2060-726802.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100561786888101250" /></a></div>Having overheard my conversation with the other women, another man there named Dean came out to talk to me about my trip, and to soak up a little inspiration since he has a dream of doing a cross country ride himself. He appreciated my efforts and informed me that there were other Bowlins stores along the route and that he might look into getting them on the Warmshowers map as well in some way in order to better support touring cyclists. (Of course, I didn't know at the time that this stop, and the fact that I chose to make a purchase there, would become a much more significant event later on down the road!)<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9VECBkiiFRtXNUjq2NBRMRZWAIUmq9aKbBKdAn39W-d3tylgfVxAduwAH3huRjxYmlKH47WIqrhpnlKWTfcCO7JccZcy81D1X63O1gHI4fGkCnMEqRD5qXERxx6kGmpghJ5VgWTqCkun/s1600/IMG_2067-735271.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9VECBkiiFRtXNUjq2NBRMRZWAIUmq9aKbBKdAn39W-d3tylgfVxAduwAH3huRjxYmlKH47WIqrhpnlKWTfcCO7JccZcy81D1X63O1gHI4fGkCnMEqRD5qXERxx6kGmpghJ5VgWTqCkun/s320/IMG_2067-735271.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100561820893795570" /></a></div>Eventually I reached the marker for <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_of_the_Americas">The Continental Divide</a>, actually, for the second time as I had crossed it at another point when I was site seeing with Mons Larson while I was visiting with him in Safford, AZ. Not only is The Continental Divide a major geographical feature of the North American continent, it's a route marker for cyclists like myself as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTn-IdSfQilXPjMwHFXqQRLduYcEZPQIFwNOWPwYO81tuywKfq9V_EcX-qfcPNNIKorEIBV4kYFQlou3Zgkn__ZCjio5dhyBRcn8TRh2eBnTHk1OEy2233hJ0btGtjAhWAkGCZuUO01Xc/s1600/IMG_1850-727373.PNG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTn-IdSfQilXPjMwHFXqQRLduYcEZPQIFwNOWPwYO81tuywKfq9V_EcX-qfcPNNIKorEIBV4kYFQlou3Zgkn__ZCjio5dhyBRcn8TRh2eBnTHk1OEy2233hJ0btGtjAhWAkGCZuUO01Xc/s320/IMG_1850-727373.PNG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6102767685286251122" /></a></div><br />
<br />
With only about 30 miles to the rest stop, it was a pretty easy ride. Of note is the fact that using only the "map" mode on my Map My Ride map showed the stop as a mere diviation of the road away from the main road.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHInb4JEIt3_O8lc5kKAkyTK4ivMYLMNgb63L1t9EQMkvWR41IPRjy9F05fLsQMmdYJXIo1exYCZCUKFz7KgxFiWNXi9wMBqsFx0fgn80dKsDO2MEUjE1LZDL4qRyuQTUHK0IvsQ9D71H/s1600/IMG_1849-779005.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHInb4JEIt3_O8lc5kKAkyTK4ivMYLMNgb63L1t9EQMkvWR41IPRjy9F05fLsQMmdYJXIo1exYCZCUKFz7KgxFiWNXi9wMBqsFx0fgn80dKsDO2MEUjE1LZDL4qRyuQTUHK0IvsQ9D71H/s320/IMG_1849-779005.PNG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6102766615204481522" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
However, by using the satellite version and zoomed in a lot, the paths and shelter buildings became much more obvious.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfRWS4GDmq6EyUfPcsLW4DMWqvze_Ot0d1yxv-vZfo8308_3O-R2k-LlG3U6UNk_JAAwbPu3KxAYI8uz2Xs0UhPhur4tzgMdVNg823FlryHRDGm1h9mVBSAr446P3Ic2FPDvzlw6aC3gI/s1600/IMG_2073-787548.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfRWS4GDmq6EyUfPcsLW4DMWqvze_Ot0d1yxv-vZfo8308_3O-R2k-LlG3U6UNk_JAAwbPu3KxAYI8uz2Xs0UhPhur4tzgMdVNg823FlryHRDGm1h9mVBSAr446P3Ic2FPDvzlw6aC3gI/s320/IMG_2073-787548.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100565498642855682" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I was able to find a shelter facing away from the worst of the wind and took a moment to watch the sun go down outside "my window".<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f-xgSucDnsUy9-MjouIP_CZgEnCaZalxj9O55v6KjfHlFm-cmqPIplHSOscwiIiHzDK0IFbpR1rSMYmeZlxXM4fKFK1C-exluV2qAh5cfkde6hQZls2-croMKwNxIGq0LmZW2mM6j7yS/s1600/IMG_2090-752932.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f-xgSucDnsUy9-MjouIP_CZgEnCaZalxj9O55v6KjfHlFm-cmqPIplHSOscwiIiHzDK0IFbpR1rSMYmeZlxXM4fKFK1C-exluV2qAh5cfkde6hQZls2-croMKwNxIGq0LmZW2mM6j7yS/s320/IMG_2090-752932.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6102378670750385810" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLExlzkjtSxOBZiThYLHTd3DZjLL56Jqs-pmQMlT51wBC73g_w0cYDa0Mp6ksr2xhekIAieu5xbdJB9szHd8OqkALJk5NE7j7fGy0mS52LfzJWL3FatKtVpCY4ewooaLhyphenhyphenV7Xa7sznKP9u/s1600/IMG_2091-706989.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLExlzkjtSxOBZiThYLHTd3DZjLL56Jqs-pmQMlT51wBC73g_w0cYDa0Mp6ksr2xhekIAieu5xbdJB9szHd8OqkALJk5NE7j7fGy0mS52LfzJWL3FatKtVpCY4ewooaLhyphenhyphenV7Xa7sznKP9u/s320/IMG_2091-706989.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6102379758889089874" /></a></div>As it was still windy and quite cold, I decided to adhere to my <a href="https://www.trackerschool.com/default.aspx">Survival Skills</a> training and see to my shelter/bed first. I used the two tarps I am carrying with me to tightly enclose the base of the concrete table and chairs, figuring I could just fit underneath it to sleep for the night. Not only would this block the wind, it would also block most of the light from the fixture overhead which stayed on all night.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQZT0S20IfAmuGYCy9NXgu2XQR_z_T6SjesDz04IDdDtxspaoUG6fQlXgNZBPNf-wNf9ryEIUrltUs9fc91eM-QatRKLNaEbbrc3uwPx2ppSpHfZkpEi9HkYhHY-99vfrAw3BlZ9NhHme/s1600/IMG_1806-767334.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQZT0S20IfAmuGYCy9NXgu2XQR_z_T6SjesDz04IDdDtxspaoUG6fQlXgNZBPNf-wNf9ryEIUrltUs9fc91eM-QatRKLNaEbbrc3uwPx2ppSpHfZkpEi9HkYhHY-99vfrAw3BlZ9NhHme/s320/IMG_1806-767334.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100566255152329714" /></a></div>(I know the light was there for my "protection", but otherwise is was really annoying!) <br />
<br />
I used my tuna can/pineapple juice can heating system along with the blue enamel camp bowl I picked up specifically for this purpose to boil some water. As the temps were really low, I figured out that the water would boil more quickly if I kept the bowl covered somehow, and I ended up using some newspaper I found in the trash with the lid from my plastic lunch box to weight it down a little. Once the water got to boiling I added a can of chicken and a mix of mung bean and lentil sprouts, topped off with some Dulse seaweed for "Chicken Soup" which turned out to be quite tastey! (A first time experiment for me.)<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4TonTOGfwKBJxT9WysM8LvEeZlAad5uiGnKFZ9sUR7bFMaXDysy011X12_i7-nyYmgRnyeSxUgXLS6kriYGuztYTOTWkq0b8l6GbIdiyKvz1efRrEpoBstkb_SnMkBTgVa-kwXEhT4FW/s1600/IMG_2076-748456.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4TonTOGfwKBJxT9WysM8LvEeZlAad5uiGnKFZ9sUR7bFMaXDysy011X12_i7-nyYmgRnyeSxUgXLS6kriYGuztYTOTWkq0b8l6GbIdiyKvz1efRrEpoBstkb_SnMkBTgVa-kwXEhT4FW/s320/IMG_2076-748456.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100565740814758562" /></a></div>As I was eating my chicken soup I heard the distinct sound of a cat meowing VERY LOUDLY near my shelter. By now it was full dark, although the light was on over the table. I took one of my head lamps outside the shelter to scout around in search of eye reflections. Seeing nothing I went back into the shelter just in time to see a small dark streak of an animal darting in from the other side, and, to my surprise, heading straight into my "bed room"!<br />
<br />
I thought to myself, "Smart cat!" because, not only had it figured out where the warm spot was going to be for the night, I suspect the smell of my chicken soup made it aware there was food to be had as well. Out in the middle of nowhere, I knew this cat could not have gotten here easily on its own, so it was probably abandoned. Furthermore, seeing how it was not the least bit shy about being around a human being, I knew it had had contact with humans previously, adding fuel to the abandonment hypothesis.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD9lBVPEdYmieZiNvD08hyjdVXcW9SFQJ2K-jr6G9iuYog5l05vanZX4KgapRQ2BicgFhJlh0pd33hsFWPMiVPkls_zO8BTDjZdXUhsEClmTUCyqOA3qnf6VEMgodupVpm_pQ-Ju1Vj_i/s1600/FullSizeRender-729403.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD9lBVPEdYmieZiNvD08hyjdVXcW9SFQJ2K-jr6G9iuYog5l05vanZX4KgapRQ2BicgFhJlh0pd33hsFWPMiVPkls_zO8BTDjZdXUhsEClmTUCyqOA3qnf6VEMgodupVpm_pQ-Ju1Vj_i/s320/FullSizeRender-729403.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100566091010600882" /></a></div>As it turned out, I did just happen to have more canned meats with me, including a can of salmon. Figuring the kitten had not eaten or had much to drink, given its scrawny condition and the arid climate, I was sure to mix small portions of the meat with water. It proceeded to consume all of it voraciously, meowing the entire time as well...something it continued to do almost non-stop, except for when it was sleeping. (I suspected it was something it had been doing ever since it was abandoned and it was finding it very hard to stop meowing even though it was now, finally, getting its needs met, at least somewhat.)<br />
<br />
I made sure not to feed the kitten too much at a time, so it would not end up being sick, while I also realized it was probably going to want more as the night went on, given its size (i.e. still a "baby" needing regular feedings). Furthermore, as it was hesitant to let me out of its sight and I did not want it following me around in the freezing cold, I tucked the kitten into my jacket with each trip I made to the bathroom - 2 or three of them - over the next 10 hours or so.<br />
<br />
After returning on one these occasions, I put the kitten down so I had my hands free to put more food and water in its bowl. It headed for the cushy bed and I did not realize until it was too late that it decided to use it for a bathroom! I imagined that it didn't want to be walking around outside on the cold ground and in the cold night air looking for a place to relieve itself. Since I had pushed the top of my mummy sleeping bag back closer to the table opening, that's where the kitten's pee soaked in the most, smelling, not surprisingly, like salmon! It also soaked into the fluffy blanket, and my outer sheet!<br />
<br />
There wasn't much night left but I was determined to try to get a little more sleep, in spite of all of the disruptions. So I could continue to at least use it for padding, I flipped the sleeping bag around so the foot was at the head of the bed. Where the blanket had been wrapped around top and bottom, I now pulled both layers on top with the damp part towards my feet. I was already bundled up with my hat, gloves, warmer jacket with hood and windbreaker, foot gaiters over my wool sock covered feet, as well as wearing my windpants over my pants and long underwear. Miss Kitty figured out early on that the warmest place for her was on or near my neck, where she slept peacefully until she was ready to get up and eat again.<br />
<br />
Thus we passed the night, more wrestlessly than restfully! In addition, I knew I would not be able to leave the kitten behind and that's when my purchase at the Bowlin's Continental Divide store became more significant. The next morning I pulled out my receipt, and, sure enough, there was a phone number on it! <br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_barug4O2ktYriVnXi2kG4WYWLjD4xYZgxNbbMD6eIgnW3MBaqE6oLX2msIo6H4EVIE55u7yFrVfSX-tZYQCZD0UnjKAfVXb_zJQcHBolZlf_iIeYH9Ecq5xB-fvUN7if6lyHvp5KZXT/s1600/IMG_2092-740664.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_barug4O2ktYriVnXi2kG4WYWLjD4xYZgxNbbMD6eIgnW3MBaqE6oLX2msIo6H4EVIE55u7yFrVfSX-tZYQCZD0UnjKAfVXb_zJQcHBolZlf_iIeYH9Ecq5xB-fvUN7if6lyHvp5KZXT/s320/IMG_2092-740664.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100566572460066434" /></a></div>I took my time packing up, especially since all the damp bedding needed some time to hang and dry out. I used my stove to boil more water for tea and oatmeal and even used some of my malted vanilla powdered milk to make "warm milk" for the kitten. After openning up a can of sardines to go with the milk, I think she finally got enough to eat, and was content to sit on the drying blanket, bathing, and soaking up the warm morning sun. <br />
<br />
I called the Bowlin's store around 8:00 am, and spoke to the manager, Larry. I explained that I had been there on my bicycle the day before and that now I was at the rest stop 10 miles down the road with an abandoned kitten that I was not able to take with me. He understood, and said he would get there as soon as he could after the other employees came to work around 9:00.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DWe6wCsPcBNRM4L6mLLxS676OzKuUeM2S21dhxPKdO1IuQkeCjF4KkuXBQCGIg4KtylvYkkhhnePz1KGyzXliWbOc5akdw75CN_rKozbK4dkvLO4e0V_G0OKCA6PqRPxuz-pWHI9MY6_/s1600/IMG_1840-776973.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DWe6wCsPcBNRM4L6mLLxS676OzKuUeM2S21dhxPKdO1IuQkeCjF4KkuXBQCGIg4KtylvYkkhhnePz1KGyzXliWbOc5akdw75CN_rKozbK4dkvLO4e0V_G0OKCA6PqRPxuz-pWHI9MY6_/s320/IMG_1840-776973.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6100566728059054706" /></a></div>Larry followed through as promised and brought a box with some shredded paper in it to put the kitten in for the drive back to the store. He taped it, but left a little flap open for the kitten to see out of. He decided to put this in the passenger seat next to him, then went back to close the tailgait of the minivan he was driving. Funny thing was, the kitten was not going to have anything to do with that box! No, she was out by the time he got back to the driver's seat and rolling around happily on the sun-warmed dashboard of the car, right in front of the steering wheel! Larry laughed, admitting defeat, and reached up to scatch her head before he drove away.<br />
<br />
Still feeling a bit tired myself, I was nevertheless grateful that I was able to help out my little sleeping buddy for the night. I have since called back to the store to confirm that the kitten was given a new home with a mother and her young son! So, mission accomplished!<br />
<br />
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-75643066167351217682014-11-18T11:09:00.000-05:002014-11-18T11:09:41.752-05:00The Journey Continues<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQh-Q9-VAJb28bWybqcyHRrTQPyaKC7pMwwJT7YGd-fYBuBhaO3Nl2sWf3XFjYhF7b7JknNWcUwdjWcOhyra63YB6F2hTAnEO5bNTsgcjwiDDxyjl-RzuWBjF9GWh0wV4up12O59YAQUC/s1600/FullSizeRender-742531.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQh-Q9-VAJb28bWybqcyHRrTQPyaKC7pMwwJT7YGd-fYBuBhaO3Nl2sWf3XFjYhF7b7JknNWcUwdjWcOhyra63YB6F2hTAnEO5bNTsgcjwiDDxyjl-RzuWBjF9GWh0wV4up12O59YAQUC/s320/FullSizeRender-742531.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077158624034194258" /></a></div>I am grateful to share that with some assistance from my Safford, AZ host, Mons Larson, I was able to properly update my iPad without losing all of my data (including photos)! At some point, I feel I need to sort through and reduce the number of photos I have stored so that I can upload more to iCloud, but for now, it's more or less back to "business as usual". ("Usual" meaning I still have to jump through some hoops to get photos added to these posts, but that is what it is!)<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1mD2mViBEL7sxf4HSNvbX4iVYgpWCvvo_s18iZbcEnutKUopU8dLkz7ImILJFmOHMGMGiFy5XhW6kLNDjRo1tKo7akZv82yyl2KgUU0bBOY-8HL03Rnw-78iJdMwEoplyAPWojirM3fN/s1600/IMG_1796-737355.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1mD2mViBEL7sxf4HSNvbX4iVYgpWCvvo_s18iZbcEnutKUopU8dLkz7ImILJFmOHMGMGiFy5XhW6kLNDjRo1tKo7akZv82yyl2KgUU0bBOY-8HL03Rnw-78iJdMwEoplyAPWojirM3fN/s320/IMG_1796-737355.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077163712992844930" /></a></div><br />
In addition to assisting me with my iPad update, Mons also took me up on my offer to work for him at the new Ace Hardward store he has been helping to open in the nearby <a href="http://www.fcx.com/operations/USA_Arizona_Morenci.htm">copper mining</a> town of Morenci, AZ. Mons has been the computer network and inventory management technician for the Safford Ace Hardware store for over 20 years. I found that for a lot of technicians out there who <i>think</i> they know what they're doing, Mons really impressed me as someone who <i>actually</i> <i>knows</i> what he's doing! For the first time in a long time he put my Navy Electronics Training (and capacity for attention to detail) to use - requesting that I add terminating clips to the phone and ethernet cables that had already been run throughout the store by the building contractors. Mons taught me how to properly install and test my terminations. With a bunch of cables to work on, I soon had a system in place that optomized my efficiency. Every "Pass[ing]" result was a bit of a thrill! Consequently, my 17 hours of work (including some much needed cleaning of the office spaces) actually turned out to be a lot of fun - fun that I got paid for! The $13.50 I had at the end of my last post was increased significantly, and...it was good timing given the (relative) plethora of stores in Safford and nearby Thatcher where I could shop in order to re-stock my food supplies and even buy some spare tubes for my bike.<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipuZ24BRqeSMTzg8c7rCh-5Dl7cyMi-ttpJjcULYXyYTdmSveh9LFYI9WnW-Qjlawi45flVXNjwNGJWt2BDftSjhcSplL5TXxVyy75-Qts-DrpeOv47VbRmLo3l_f6cal1Op4lUx9OyQq/s1600/IMG_1904-790042.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipuZ24BRqeSMTzg8c7rCh-5Dl7cyMi-ttpJjcULYXyYTdmSveh9LFYI9WnW-Qjlawi45flVXNjwNGJWt2BDftSjhcSplL5TXxVyy75-Qts-DrpeOv47VbRmLo3l_f6cal1Op4lUx9OyQq/s320/IMG_1904-790042.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077190132879586114" /></a></div><br />
This trend of working to raise more money for my trip has continued to my next destination 35 miles southeast on HWY 70 - Duncan, AZ and the <a href="http://http//www.simpsonhotel.com/about_the_simpson.html">Simpson Hotel Bed and Breakfast</a> run by Deborah Mendelsohn and Clayton Jarvis.<br />
<br />
I arrived in the late afteroon and was directed to a small, mint green travel trailer where I would be sleeping and storing my gear while in Duncan. As Deborah had warned me, I would be right next to the roosters so I should be prepared for early morning crowing (which, except for one particularly cold morning, has generally been around 4:30 am).<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvm-ATO0o0j_-sjRVyBUXx1tC_TfIDGOHi8AFZMw1e6qY_tD2yTdO3HZ1aLPHF80X9_p6ak4EIOvLS1iZzO6I6e4zu6f-nMS3CMl6fCnJy9Jddmzrr2Bz1aYrm3xwwUHun0w0K5kW0_Pu/s1600/IMG_1901-788002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvm-ATO0o0j_-sjRVyBUXx1tC_TfIDGOHi8AFZMw1e6qY_tD2yTdO3HZ1aLPHF80X9_p6ak4EIOvLS1iZzO6I6e4zu6f-nMS3CMl6fCnJy9Jddmzrr2Bz1aYrm3xwwUHun0w0K5kW0_Pu/s320/IMG_1901-788002.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077189697217101026" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEnULmKlWNGZo5OSRc6JFFU1gaT961WGrlG9kkpDbyYsfztXFjF-UI6tnZbECc9A6ZmZN0NnnowBGn7Zi05H0bzVHmxMljzm6zpPAwyDsnoqAjBPdeIzDVa9XOaMiFmpifw-53S4XaT3H/s1600/IMG_1866-767975.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEnULmKlWNGZo5OSRc6JFFU1gaT961WGrlG9kkpDbyYsfztXFjF-UI6tnZbECc9A6ZmZN0NnnowBGn7Zi05H0bzVHmxMljzm6zpPAwyDsnoqAjBPdeIzDVa9XOaMiFmpifw-53S4XaT3H/s320/IMG_1866-767975.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077200811249165986" /></a></div><br />
Given my sensitivity to light and the absence of curtains on the trailer's many windows, I got creative with hanging articles of clothing and rain gear over the windows the first night. However, the next morning at breakfast, I asked Deborah if she had a sewing machine and offered to make curtains. Although she did not have a machine at the time, there was one available. It was retrieved from the nearby Tibetan Buddhist Temple and retreat center at <a href="http://ironknot.org/about-iron-knot-ranch/"> Iron Knot Ranch</a> by Justin Taylor, one of the other guests at the hotel who was going up there to visit that day anyway.<br />
<br />
He returned with a Brother Electronic machine, and although it was not like my tried and true Bernina, I endeavored to work with it in the relational "zen" way I had learned from reading Robert Pirsig's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Motorcycle-Maintenance-Inquiry/dp/0060589469/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0"><i>Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance</i></a>. In three days I was able to sew and install all 12 panels. I also used a strip of wire to secure/mend the springs on the cot/couch before covering it with a better color-coordinating sheet.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhFNjnp0iQ5VxpLtOBpP6FP9oobnyLZUPf4YlT7KtNl-REgYekGyHgAFL_C4SLlVWUo8LrMIqmw8MANk58sqfZ6Yxrz66y9YB0-WvJAVMnw6S1_raj5si1EFMFnK6C9LtVbVIpgf4buBG/s1600/IMG_1887-744161.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhFNjnp0iQ5VxpLtOBpP6FP9oobnyLZUPf4YlT7KtNl-REgYekGyHgAFL_C4SLlVWUo8LrMIqmw8MANk58sqfZ6Yxrz66y9YB0-WvJAVMnw6S1_raj5si1EFMFnK6C9LtVbVIpgf4buBG/s320/IMG_1887-744161.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077220860888305538" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oZRdZlK9ZnYVMgnPVYHMeyRAuKt4AKThvlJeS-rhlEvxPXM2cEcTzz4GSEcoNw2YR7EMcz0OPcPYy0VmbxxWc29hru64RaiVUXnKMHkBnIF_yTQobox-8M0MyMnedrm9AQw9_yJWYLrk/s1600/IMG_1888-726810.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oZRdZlK9ZnYVMgnPVYHMeyRAuKt4AKThvlJeS-rhlEvxPXM2cEcTzz4GSEcoNw2YR7EMcz0OPcPYy0VmbxxWc29hru64RaiVUXnKMHkBnIF_yTQobox-8M0MyMnedrm9AQw9_yJWYLrk/s320/IMG_1888-726810.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077222934660918978" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L7JU16Y4B6R3i84hbS1tVvHLfwHqsPrffJKCT2cTTkIzURdWv98cpACYpBdBGxC9jVupwF39Ru-YY0fQDekILQCFr4rGngL7QhDBPE9ZjeOOT78rmDZAy0tSxAfdboGnyEO8SF9jJnBC/s1600/IMG_1856-739698.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L7JU16Y4B6R3i84hbS1tVvHLfwHqsPrffJKCT2cTTkIzURdWv98cpACYpBdBGxC9jVupwF39Ru-YY0fQDekILQCFr4rGngL7QhDBPE9ZjeOOT78rmDZAy0tSxAfdboGnyEO8SF9jJnBC/s320/IMG_1856-739698.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077207101199443218" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bADTTaA-SIIXOq6xfdYj7CJnH1Qtvcgd3lTUPQIZLLUcPPORJc76liHvtuufdA1Q5-RT8FtjLUMiz59z4RIW0iOhrVjgoSQvQeZa20VaDsoxFaoXNnd6x7OqkHAnitfNLw8DcburEYoo/s1600/IMG_1890-790853.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bADTTaA-SIIXOq6xfdYj7CJnH1Qtvcgd3lTUPQIZLLUcPPORJc76liHvtuufdA1Q5-RT8FtjLUMiz59z4RIW0iOhrVjgoSQvQeZa20VaDsoxFaoXNnd6x7OqkHAnitfNLw8DcburEYoo/s320/IMG_1890-790853.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6077209466446396050" /></a></div><br />
So now the trailer is more cosy for me as well as for any future cyclists who decide to take this "lower" route from Safford, AZ to Las Cruces, NM!<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, my "work" in Duncan did not stop there. After a short break - a rainy day spent working on this post - and another involving catching up on laundry and doing a few other minor mending jobs on curtains in the main part of the hotel, I was duly commissioned to assist with the installation of a sign at the entrance to the <a href="http://www.duncanpridesociety.org/futureprojects.htm">Sandra Day O'Connor Walkway</a> for the Duncan Pride Society. Unfortunately, we had to wait close to a week to get all of the city utilities to mark the courses of their power, water, and phone lines!<br />
<br />
During that interim, I joined my hosts on a side trip to Silver City, NM (where I would have passed through if I had taken the official Adventure Cycling route). There I was able to shop for a few more things including: chamois cream and another spare inner tube, a pair of blue jeans that were a relaxed fit to work in, two pairs of gloves, and everything I needed to make my own pair of warm sleeping socks. I felt really lucky to find jeans that would fit my proportions and I only had to pay $1 for them! I suspect you'll be seeing a lot more of those jeans in the weeks ahead!<br />
<br />
I was also able to stock up on some other bulk items, mung beans, dried apricots, etc., as well as buy ingredients for Tofu Peanut Butter Chili, a recipe I remembered from my college days at Tennessee Tech that I thought my vegetarian hosts might appreciate. As it turned out, they put me on the spot by inviting a couple of guests to share the meal with us! Everything worked out fine though, and now there's a new chili recipe for the household along with ginger cookies and cream cheese for dessert!<br />
<br />
However, after all the fun, it was back to work! We finally got the approvals we needed to dig a couple of holes for support posts, and laid the foundation for the new sign. After that it was up to me to lay the brick for the base, and then Clayton and I split the work on the columns. Although the work got extended a little longer than I'd anticipated, by the end of nearly three weeks here, we had our sign installed, and I had some more money to help me along my way, including buying more time with extended rent payments for my storage unit back in Florida!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cJh1tGKfbJV14rx353wTXvHK1q8ZB0Y1SZvM7gURkRSgQ87fdOh-IyV78TK7jGC2FBzP4kEX1wtbvahGIWpZaPRGhlo_WUBVYVvDFFfKPIxIFnkyW5IxD3C1uouL9rUjUd9BKyp_l7w6/s1600/IMG_1985-754443.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cJh1tGKfbJV14rx353wTXvHK1q8ZB0Y1SZvM7gURkRSgQ87fdOh-IyV78TK7jGC2FBzP4kEX1wtbvahGIWpZaPRGhlo_WUBVYVvDFFfKPIxIFnkyW5IxD3C1uouL9rUjUd9BKyp_l7w6/s320/IMG_1985-754443.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083056481036325090" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwN9Thqh_DeWXnvpMCEY0b19X04__dBW-_cbRVaky1aVAg3OG6t5bq6YrHGSMqASsr7J2ljE23eGffTyLV9eBCoCWMJBlnQltVEaH3opD6u67bUX_7Oonp4xj_Utp-yyGPkYcBSmQM0m9m/s1600/IMG_1991-728457.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwN9Thqh_DeWXnvpMCEY0b19X04__dBW-_cbRVaky1aVAg3OG6t5bq6YrHGSMqASsr7J2ljE23eGffTyLV9eBCoCWMJBlnQltVEaH3opD6u67bUX_7Oonp4xj_Utp-yyGPkYcBSmQM0m9m/s320/IMG_1991-728457.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083045199026512738" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3CtS0WvbdxKFnVO6IgB5d6MRgdKgO8d0_tbaDmCQnwzw9CE1kj-XMtjO1Me4yt7OObVBa6XpbrFXjTvFojc7dqaAkJQGow7XlWrpm0b1JkCIAn0nHa8DayiKeBFWEveMIaziSGUv6o6E/s1600/IMG_2012-774088.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3CtS0WvbdxKFnVO6IgB5d6MRgdKgO8d0_tbaDmCQnwzw9CE1kj-XMtjO1Me4yt7OObVBa6XpbrFXjTvFojc7dqaAkJQGow7XlWrpm0b1JkCIAn0nHa8DayiKeBFWEveMIaziSGUv6o6E/s320/IMG_2012-774088.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083057849038632482" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOhVzrbpNDoVBVOURJ58-gyxd_TyU46Qg5FRtJfmeOl1OjSWtoG-6ch12kc2MeE89WUk892eV0CDyxiqpp8ztEVXb7b4DigiBPfcfdCddYdgtkhjIxyfQNKPqdaZGvNFmYq3uP-y5Zt_t/s1600/IMG_2016-786213.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOhVzrbpNDoVBVOURJ58-gyxd_TyU46Qg5FRtJfmeOl1OjSWtoG-6ch12kc2MeE89WUk892eV0CDyxiqpp8ztEVXb7b4DigiBPfcfdCddYdgtkhjIxyfQNKPqdaZGvNFmYq3uP-y5Zt_t/s320/IMG_2016-786213.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083063485801166114" /></a></div><br />
On another side trip to Morenci for groceries, we were able to stop by the newly opened Ace Hardware Store. And as luck would have it, Mons was working there that day, and although I had to be patient because they were keeping him so busy, I still managed to pull him away for another photo. So here we are in front of the OPEN Ace store (that I helped get up and runnng)!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYLXWt-A8OGzgYB4aEFHs97wx0U4vxGVaboppDXBGS0z3NJmK1wWB9NjblwCaFD6U_KgVNternDMJc8o3NSF50BiKoqMwmjECjhspCDyPz73NqRQlGxj_Rc00priIqQG-nkT_pR6yqsi-/s1600/FullSizeRender-780776.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYLXWt-A8OGzgYB4aEFHs97wx0U4vxGVaboppDXBGS0z3NJmK1wWB9NjblwCaFD6U_KgVNternDMJc8o3NSF50BiKoqMwmjECjhspCDyPz73NqRQlGxj_Rc00priIqQG-nkT_pR6yqsi-/s320/FullSizeRender-780776.jpg" height="330" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083043705130616866" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We stopped in Clifton on the way back to Duncan. There I was able to buy a hat to help keep my head warmer especially when I'm sleeping. (I will probably make another one myself, but this one was blue, and only $0.55 so I figured it was worth it!) We visited our previous dinner guest, John, who gave me another generous donation for my trip. We also stopped briefly at the "Cliff Jail" of Clifton which was next door to the thrift store where I bought my hat.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TeGrps-tPliAgY7JyeLz8rl1fjN9La9JLGKmCXImX35XHlYq2L5QPjuz5_T9nAbQb4LSPUvc1Mq-tcfcgD4Tr0Lu-nk6Vomc4filM0OgJvXRphrEGGx5g3mimQkIkY4pC4nkuOrWovt9/s1600/IMG_2000-753270.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TeGrps-tPliAgY7JyeLz8rl1fjN9La9JLGKmCXImX35XHlYq2L5QPjuz5_T9nAbQb4LSPUvc1Mq-tcfcgD4Tr0Lu-nk6Vomc4filM0OgJvXRphrEGGx5g3mimQkIkY4pC4nkuOrWovt9/s320/IMG_2000-753270.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083062053984476658" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-ndiVocMsVADRzrnsHxGtYA7xC88eM8HPLG59N1gCc4YyUsz0e-jQMERYfN-lV9jdI0zYTQKmt9LI2tMEp37qiSrMwnrmp-Cj1jKp2tOduBgdWkBolpwElsAS9stb4APOYnJyHI0MKEK/s1600/IMG_1999-722404.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-ndiVocMsVADRzrnsHxGtYA7xC88eM8HPLG59N1gCc4YyUsz0e-jQMERYfN-lV9jdI0zYTQKmt9LI2tMEp37qiSrMwnrmp-Cj1jKp2tOduBgdWkBolpwElsAS9stb4APOYnJyHI0MKEK/s320/IMG_1999-722404.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083064504175276498" /></a></div><br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DoUlJH3tgNaviFWV49NQBeceG15XQ49HbyazOgoGNkdm2O0Qt2LeNasxjzLUWutqaMRQF5akz95LDpCo19pVzowoMChoUNaHp_Co4RL-_ZcU14RWqm-_W5262xel0gxtpYQ1i53acRO5/s1600/IMG_1998-791131.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DoUlJH3tgNaviFWV49NQBeceG15XQ49HbyazOgoGNkdm2O0Qt2LeNasxjzLUWutqaMRQF5akz95LDpCo19pVzowoMChoUNaHp_Co4RL-_ZcU14RWqm-_W5262xel0gxtpYQ1i53acRO5/s320/IMG_1998-791131.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083069517667655506" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSOrUXK8A2eEWe0IGJA1ZkuLQnvL5ZHIWm4Gr1QHcMmN_TRtaqFpv-Mv0HyS9rUXhoXtcHPamj0Xsd4CKPbbe7t0bVRQnbjX8uuSa0cdCXB5beLjiFaFQhEUtQHHyGkpQGriGSaqK-_GL/s1600/IMG_1994-750576.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSOrUXK8A2eEWe0IGJA1ZkuLQnvL5ZHIWm4Gr1QHcMmN_TRtaqFpv-Mv0HyS9rUXhoXtcHPamj0Xsd4CKPbbe7t0bVRQnbjX8uuSa0cdCXB5beLjiFaFQhEUtQHHyGkpQGriGSaqK-_GL/s320/IMG_1994-750576.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083059467062749618" /></a></div><br />
Then it was back to the hotel, to wrap up work on the sign, sew several more personal projects (while I had access to a machine), and then attack the daunting task of packing everything, new and old, after THREE WEEKS off the bike!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirudikzP5OKMltlpRdAjVC9dhvqRbdDD19uBZAAf1iPHLtHZpsmM0dF3LzspfmbmDcUlLy1ZAL_Ywh0av15TtrLDhoinbGBzEjuUQyA4-9oR1kIGpmgQP8ms0kPyNTKl-u_f8cScBvmWZu/s1600/IMG_2036-779764.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirudikzP5OKMltlpRdAjVC9dhvqRbdDD19uBZAAf1iPHLtHZpsmM0dF3LzspfmbmDcUlLy1ZAL_Ywh0av15TtrLDhoinbGBzEjuUQyA4-9oR1kIGpmgQP8ms0kPyNTKl-u_f8cScBvmWZu/s320/IMG_2036-779764.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083047136762790722" width="400" /></a></div><br />
My new gear includes: Extra pairs of short socks graciously offered from my host, Deborah, my new pair of hand knit socks, light nylon foot gaiters and hand gaiters (for wind protection), two new pairs of gloves (liners and outer gloves), head cover and arm warmers I made from pants that I bought at the Family Dollar (THE store here in Duncan), plus another pair of pants to wear early in the morning when it's cold, a blue knit hat, my "new" jeans (that fit very comfortably), a furry blanket and nylon "pillow-case" cover, along with another big skein of red yarn donated by another Duncan resident, Doug, who is actually famous in this town for his crocheting! I'll be knitting some more socks and who knows what else from all that yarn!<br />
<br />
In addition, using the fabric from the upper part of one pair of grey, fleece lined pants, I added several more layers of padding and used the ribbled knit waistband from the pants to make the drawstring casing to go around the bottom of a refurbished saddle cover. It all went together surprisingly well and I'm glad not to have to deal with adjusting the old cover that was totally falling apart!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O5FLXhxKFJ5WlJnsePVLGrgg_3N1asWia7C4krhMfXQvNWQFTv9TlAgi8RcUh_j_XkUb3nBz-YZNRJkPL0MhDSDgFAN3yj3E9-gubn7t23bHQJdyFN55QTwBbFz158cG4opJ9aRf8Ywt/s1600/IMG_2038-757566.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O5FLXhxKFJ5WlJnsePVLGrgg_3N1asWia7C4krhMfXQvNWQFTv9TlAgi8RcUh_j_XkUb3nBz-YZNRJkPL0MhDSDgFAN3yj3E9-gubn7t23bHQJdyFN55QTwBbFz158cG4opJ9aRf8Ywt/s320/IMG_2038-757566.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083047473685336434" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So that about wraps it up here for me in Duncan, AZ. And "wrapping up" is exactly what I will have to be doing as the temps have shifted significantly in the three weeks that I have been here. But, I feel I have accommodated as best I can and we'll just have to see if I'm going to survive the chilly nights ahead, in which I do anticipate at least a few nights camping outdoors!<br />
<br />
To conclude this post though, I thought I'd share a photo of the kittens, their mama, and their "apartment building" in the background, after all, the Simpson Hotel is a "Bed and Breakfast" for its feline inhabitants as well as its itinerant guests!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTYECKq6ktyAa-Xkhq_MSGQD6WuUBP4iG3Zdpoc1w_LuRLixLqou9Ohdx3S3T7s6Wg73CKHz0frD1DGn-oGWxrNJQWf2ZtaMtkfrsMa5G760YhUN9vYBnqV7sjwRa78fDSmHT_hCzm71B/s1600/IMG_2026-728508.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTYECKq6ktyAa-Xkhq_MSGQD6WuUBP4iG3Zdpoc1w_LuRLixLqou9Ohdx3S3T7s6Wg73CKHz0frD1DGn-oGWxrNJQWf2ZtaMtkfrsMa5G760YhUN9vYBnqV7sjwRa78fDSmHT_hCzm71B/s320/IMG_2026-728508.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6083048201662635890" width="400" /></a></div>Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-79540876591816863132014-10-23T17:01:00.004-04:002014-10-23T17:01:40.398-04:00This Too Shall Pass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6J6E4ASuvIIIFUN0pNuUtBi0i0I77AMiYySKoLJVx7pC_T_dJK_WSgH3sTdcIEg5aUevCGT-hG_cfx5SrSnLOyB2tO_2njFU5CzuTpnJoFnEn2CXiY9FEhJI2_eA7YPvxOIKk_epIwW0b/s1600/IMG_1781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6J6E4ASuvIIIFUN0pNuUtBi0i0I77AMiYySKoLJVx7pC_T_dJK_WSgH3sTdcIEg5aUevCGT-hG_cfx5SrSnLOyB2tO_2njFU5CzuTpnJoFnEn2CXiY9FEhJI2_eA7YPvxOIKk_epIwW0b/s320/IMG_1781.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
For all of you reading this blog, I am sorry that I have not been more frequent with my updates. In this particular case, I wish I had some more exciting photos to share. I've been downloading them from my digital camera to my iPad for the last several weeks, deleting the photos from my camera card with each download. Unfortunately, my iPad has been rendered inoperable as of the last iOS8.1 update and it is looking like a system restore is on the horizon through which I anticipate I will lose all of my photos. I will still have "Contacts" and the information I have stored in iCloud via my "Pages" app, but that looks like about it. Otherwise, I still have a jump drive with some of my photos from Stages I and II.<br />
<br />
I have been struggling with my iPad ever since I installed iOS8 shortly before I left Santa Barbara, CA. Not that it wasn't a little cranky before, but this last update has caused major problems. I've trusted the updates I have been <i>prompted</i> to install in the past, so I had no reason in advance to be particularly wary of this one. Of course, it was only after I started having major problems that I looked for information about it and realized I probably should not have installed it on my iPad2, but it was too late by then. (Would have been nice if in the install update preview they would have mentioned that it was not suited for iPad2s or made it so it did not show up as an install update on my iPad2 in the first place!) Furthermore, since I do not have a desk top computer or lap top that I have used to link my iPad to iTunes, etc., I was not able to follow someone else's advice to re-install the previous operating system.<br />
<br />
In addition, the iPad and I guess MAC operating systems have not synched well with this blogging platform. In the past I have had to e-mail photos (having them show up as individual blog post drafts), and then cut and paste the html code from those drafts into an actual post. It's a time consuming process that requires a great deal of focus on my part and I've not been able to bring that level of focus to bear of late, given my sometimes accelerated riding schedule and my desire to interact more with my hosts. I've also found myself more at ease interacting with people on FaceBook and posting simple updates there or on Twitter rather than spending so much more time and energy posting updates here. The fact that I cannot even link this blog on FaceBook (because they have it tagged as "dangerous" for some reason) has also been demotivating. So, again, for those of you following my journey via this blog more or less exclusively, I apologize for not being more adept and consistent in the use of this medium.<br />
<br />
I hate to say that some of this comes down to money. I have not been able to afford more than $25/month to pay for my "stupid" phone that I got via NET10 back in 2011 or 2012, and I have not been able to upgrade the phone since then. For internet service with my iPad I have continued to rely on hosts' internet or hot spots at places like Starbucks or McDonald's. And ever since I got my screen replaced in Woodway, TX (summer of 2013) it seems my antenna or receiver has not been as functional - i.e. I've had some difficulty even in using the WiFi that was available to me.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, having my iPad as dysfunctional as it has been was better than not having it at all - which seems to be where I am at right now. And, as of today, I have $13.50...so not a lot available to replace it!<br />
<br />
As the title of this post suggests, I know that "this too shall pass." I will not let these circumstances stop me from continuing on with my journey, although I may not be able to keep everyone updated, either here or on Facebook, as much as I would like to. (I dare say in the back of my mind the thought comes up "I'm just going to have to do this [bike ride] all over again, but next time with better tools!")<br />
<br />
For the record - I have made it as far as Safford, AZ staying with a <a href="http://warmshowers.org/" target="_blank">WarmShowers</a> host and borrowing the computer available to create this particular post. While in the process, this kitten came to join me in order to "suckle" on my wrist... :) At least my digital camera still works by itself!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC6mFwNHg5mt8ldH3LPC3c9EZ_aCUuJthLJgKDRXg7TcFhVa4DDi47c52l8RMShB53StfnivTgugTHzYp_12kDF6sNQhxZTOtHP2q616pKs5eHYnF3ucBS_uIYeuC350qg0KH6-Aedzje/s1600/IMG_1788%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC6mFwNHg5mt8ldH3LPC3c9EZ_aCUuJthLJgKDRXg7TcFhVa4DDi47c52l8RMShB53StfnivTgugTHzYp_12kDF6sNQhxZTOtHP2q616pKs5eHYnF3ucBS_uIYeuC350qg0KH6-Aedzje/s1600/IMG_1788%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I will post again as soon as I can. Wish me luck on the whole iPad restoration thing...<br />
<br />
Yours in Peace...<br />
<br />
Lori<br />
<br />Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-87146227668470317732014-09-23T20:41:00.002-04:002014-09-23T20:44:45.212-04:00On the Road to Ocotillo, CA - Alpine to Pine ValleyI knew it was going to be a hard day. According to my "Map My Ride" map it was going to be up hill pretty much the whole way. In addition, this was the first time I've set off not being certain of where I would end up, or who I would be staying with at the end of the day.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjDSiR_nQqIovHgOtvmEg895NBAATo0-vjXhYivj_TVq1ZK6xQBkw03Ghs2ZIk_6BebJ7WLCx_bTJ2wLsbwUOgd1u3-n7TLghbeanu57TObmnXHFeXhYDYwUNFcSWWEixbO7YRObWVahM/s1600/IMG_1702-754376.PNG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjDSiR_nQqIovHgOtvmEg895NBAATo0-vjXhYivj_TVq1ZK6xQBkw03Ghs2ZIk_6BebJ7WLCx_bTJ2wLsbwUOgd1u3-n7TLghbeanu57TObmnXHFeXhYDYwUNFcSWWEixbO7YRObWVahM/s320/IMG_1702-754376.PNG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062403701321239938" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I kept thinking to myself, "I did 70 miles of Texas hill country from Columbus to Luling in July, 2012. I should be able to do these 63 miles to Ocotillo."<br />
<br />
I got up really early to finish packing and load my bicycle. I had to take more time than I intended to strap my "new" wine/water boxes to the back of my bicyle. It was a hard system to figure out, but I was ultimately satisfied with the results. Granted, I'm not all that excited about people thinking I'm carrying two boxes of Wine on my bicycle so I will probably "mask" the boxes in some way soon. Furthermore, I was not ready to carry that much water Up Hill if I could avoid it although, not too far down the road, I was kind of wishing I Had filled at least one of them!<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCBY-erZzuWyRjvE6ms5LICCpBEPTQYhkT7v1EpEEl_dRFdlHLnOpmFKJaOS04wsZo8LSXoqYmAPgXclAgXbEsSlOTUEWlKNF78e10AUmAF-bHNOzekg9mjXPm7PWfgJCueGwkaoi7tbq/s1600/FullSizeRender-740169.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCBY-erZzuWyRjvE6ms5LICCpBEPTQYhkT7v1EpEEl_dRFdlHLnOpmFKJaOS04wsZo8LSXoqYmAPgXclAgXbEsSlOTUEWlKNF78e10AUmAF-bHNOzekg9mjXPm7PWfgJCueGwkaoi7tbq/s320/FullSizeRender-740169.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062404495323441570" /></a></div><br />
I said "Good-bye!" to my host Jonathan and Konnor (who was waiting for his school bus) before heading up the road, pedaling very very slowly, most of the way, but managing to stay on the bike.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9MBeWOrsYoiQUKkyfapPR4BJamQMFzDZomIeL5wEWpXstadBlPKegMmL3iRpfxZ-UsPiGiyxAf5ZEskFAuC6DxLfB4vYJHDzta2l54vB9CWmJmSaEfvfpw-2jSwbFjqoW9jehUTn462I/s1600/IMG_1379-700918.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9MBeWOrsYoiQUKkyfapPR4BJamQMFzDZomIeL5wEWpXstadBlPKegMmL3iRpfxZ-UsPiGiyxAf5ZEskFAuC6DxLfB4vYJHDzta2l54vB9CWmJmSaEfvfpw-2jSwbFjqoW9jehUTn462I/s320/IMG_1379-700918.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062405187281860802" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Every overhanging shade tree became a place to stop, catch my breath, and take a drink of water/electrolyte mix. It was very, very, slow going.<br />
<br />
At one point I got somewhat confused by bike route signs that seemed to put me onto I-8 only to be contradicted by "Pedestrians, Bicyclists, [etc.] Prohibited" signs on the entrance ramps. So I had to turn around. Eventually, a local cyclist passed me and helped clear-up the confusion.<br />
<br />
Another mile or two down the road and another cyclist, named Kathy, came up behind me, reading my signage (!) and we stopped and talked for a little while. She parted leaving me a small cash donation that was very encouraging as those have been few and far between lately. She was able to add some more clarification for my route, and I pedaled on from there.<br />
<br />
The greatest challenge of this particular stage of my journey was that it was virtually ALL Up Hill! A low but steady grade that went on for what turned out to be about 16 miles. The image below really does not do the challenge justice and skips the first part from Alpine to the intersection with I-8.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iqnG3wFhu7IW9hMfGYmcLVYYom02WYkXR1gLOElgBBCZTuccAC-J9YYyuHKYR38CLFS6bhduWgAMAQJq4vM5i057xO3oAD0KqXgod7GLC8eUF-dqgq-2kAxey8MiXYz5eUHuEAcmxNAq/s1600/IMG_1381-718801.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iqnG3wFhu7IW9hMfGYmcLVYYom02WYkXR1gLOElgBBCZTuccAC-J9YYyuHKYR38CLFS6bhduWgAMAQJq4vM5i057xO3oAD0KqXgod7GLC8eUF-dqgq-2kAxey8MiXYz5eUHuEAcmxNAq/s320/IMG_1381-718801.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062403973119984194" /></a></div><br />
As I rode onto I-8 my water supply was running low - down to one 27 oz Klean Kanteen and my 2 liter "head towel drizzling" bottle. Furthermore, there was a disadvantage to being on the interstate: Even though I was legal on this particular section as a cyclist, I would not be legal (technically) as a pedestrian, so I felt compelled to stay on my bicycle the whole time, rather than getting off and pushing as I might have under other circumstances.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I used the same basic "technique" I have used when walking: pick a point some distance ahead as a goal, and walk/ride to it. Stop. Catch my breath. Take a drink. Start again. This went on for about 3 miles, but it seemed a lot longer, and it was in the wide open. No trees. No shade. Eventually, as a cyclist, I had to pull off at Vista Point, elevation 3000 feet, if only to avoid the "on/off" traffic of vehicles.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcSqM8gvj715ZEN7LfgH3m5YPtTslrruSYKHgDXorctvJyFsNfM1D4kiHX66K9BMIxCRDhyeqEnqcBtqlUA8b1O7Krh_LStoEbIhmDEF-kmBVFRa32JNFZA4QmDyvHAkvAIiwhYXA3fz9/s1600/IMG_1387-734413.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcSqM8gvj715ZEN7LfgH3m5YPtTslrruSYKHgDXorctvJyFsNfM1D4kiHX66K9BMIxCRDhyeqEnqcBtqlUA8b1O7Krh_LStoEbIhmDEF-kmBVFRa32JNFZA4QmDyvHAkvAIiwhYXA3fz9/s320/IMG_1387-734413.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062413918582759538" width="400" /></a></div><br />
My hopes went up just a little as I spotted a brick pedestal in the middle of a similarly walled in viewing area, and yes, it might have been a water fountain at some point in its existence, but had instead become merely an oversized ash try for cigarette butts.<br />
<br />
Realizing my water supplies were insufficient to continue, I dug into one of my side panniers to find some card stock and made a sign that read "WATER NEEDED - THANKS!" Just as I was attaching it to the back of my bike, a couple of cars came into the viewing area, a lady stepped out and approached me and I asked her if she had any water she could share with me. In a foreign accent that might have been Eastern European, she told me that she did have a couple of half liter bottles, which she graciously offered to me. These came as a real relief, and I refilled my Klean Kanteens before snapping one last picture and heading back onto the interstate.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdcJvrd0CD37N32LreAPsU10l2tUOSg0Grdf1CyvQnw49Dmfw7pm59JBFNuyNEkLCO68BPISCTN9ZhtARFjlF8eLpnM-X_fqT-SwMYIzlI_V17xl1XDtlL2PleHtpiE4a9fEsopkbbeeM/s1600/IMG_1390-762094.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdcJvrd0CD37N32LreAPsU10l2tUOSg0Grdf1CyvQnw49Dmfw7pm59JBFNuyNEkLCO68BPISCTN9ZhtARFjlF8eLpnM-X_fqT-SwMYIzlI_V17xl1XDtlL2PleHtpiE4a9fEsopkbbeeM/s320/IMG_1390-762094.JPG" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062405446525774050" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I still had about a mile to go to exit at Japatul Valley Road, heading north to Descanso. Still concerned for my water needs, I attached the sign to the side of my bike and had another couple of guys with a truck and trailer offer me more water as we both stopped under the overpass. They informed me that Descanso was only a couple of miles ahead, and mostly downhill, which turned out to be a bit closer than I expected. In spite or my running low on funds, I ended up stopping for a late lunch at the local "Descanso Junction Restaurant". It was nice and cool inside, and I enjoyed my chicken pita pocket sandwhich along with some fries. I also checked my phone which had several messages on it, one from my cousin, and two from Warmshowers hosts further up the road.<br />
<br />
The next few miles, off the interstate mostly on HYW 79 and Old HWY 80 were somewhat easier for having more tree cover. I felt comfortable getting off my bicycle and pushing which I did, a lot, in part because a muscle on the inside of my right leg above my knee was starting to cramp up.<br />
<br />
There was a moment when I realized I was not really taking in the landscape around me. I was too focused on Just Keepin' On Keepin' On! So, I shifted my perspective a little and realized that off to the side of the road there was a large patch of wild sage. I managed to maneuver my bicycle into a shady spot, prop it up with my newly taped kick-stand, which held (Yeah!) and cut some sage to take with me.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1VaSTlvkrPIgXHbfDl8W5Xz1Dgjzuh6wRZ0bE8DUcKSDIPb5GTnhejyipi3r4c4tn3MxZeLMmFJJsT0w27NQpQKwLMWNa4ydHmoZQufcizWGZrUEfzCKKDqG0siXANp1G6U6liS6NnZK/s1600/IMG_1393-756763.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1VaSTlvkrPIgXHbfDl8W5Xz1Dgjzuh6wRZ0bE8DUcKSDIPb5GTnhejyipi3r4c4tn3MxZeLMmFJJsT0w27NQpQKwLMWNa4ydHmoZQufcizWGZrUEfzCKKDqG0siXANp1G6U6liS6NnZK/s320/IMG_1393-756763.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6062425611717516754" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In general, it was just a good idea to keep breathing, and keep enjoying this experience, in spite of the challenges!<br />
<br />
A few more miles down the road, as I was riding through Pine Valley, I saw two women walking towards me and one of them took note of my signs reading "The Blue Turtle" outloud. I smiled as they went by, and then stopped and turned, and asked if I could speak with them. I explained that I was in need of shelter for the night, could put up a tent as necessary, but that my climb from Alpine had been particularly difficult and exhausting.<br />
<br />
As it turned out, one of the women, Becky, was very open to the idea and asked me to wait for her at a local diner that was closed for the day as she would be walking with her friend for another hour or so. I found the diner, parked my bike and then went searching for a bathroom, ending up at a small mini-mart, and feeling obligated to pay $2.39 for a Cliff Bar since their bathroom facilities were "For Customers Only". (Given I can buy Cliff Bars for $0.99 elsewhere, that was kind of an expensive pit stop!)<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I had an extremely clean bathroom to use, before finding my way back to the diner where I had left my bicycle parked in the shade. I had time to take more notes on my phone messages and do a quick manicure before my host arrived and invited me to follow her a mile or so back to her house. There I met her husband Jack and their dachsund Scooter - the Fifth dachsund/dachsund mix I've met since La Mesa, CA!<br />
<br />
And that's where I find myself now, after a somewhat more restful sleep in the coolness of these higher elevations.<br />
<br />
It was a hard day. Probably one of the harder ones of my cross-country cycling so far. But it was also rewarding and encouraging given the positive responses I experienced from people, "strangers", all helping me with water, cash, and lodging. As a consequence, I feel encouraged to keep going, and to keep trusting in what I already know to be the mostly generous and peaceful nature of my fellow human beings.Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-17318052082170280222014-09-13T15:40:00.000-04:002014-09-13T20:43:01.742-04:00Getting on the Road Again - The Devil Really IS in the Details!Since the inception of the idea of <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-journey-begins.html">riding my bicycle across the country</a> I have faced many challenges, some expected and accepted, others unexpected, but still accepted and sometimes used to advantage wherever possible.<br />
<br />
After what turned out to be "Stage II" in 2013 - 400 miles through the Central Texas hill country from my aunt and uncle's house in Weatherford, TX to my last "official" stop from "Stage I" in Luling, TX - my plan was to spend a year in Santa Barbara, working and hopefully saving some money for "Stage III". What I found out the hard way was that most full-time employers were not willing to hire and train me for just a year of work, and, of course, that time frame grew shorter and shorter with each month that passed. Eventually, I felt I had to set aside my "dream" for an indefinite period of time to be able to work and live in Santa Barbara at all. In the mean time, I continued to work temporary jobs through <a href="http://www.roberthalf.com/officeteam/">Office Team</a> with my last assignment being at the <a href="http://www.cityofgoleta.org/">City of Goleta</a>.<br />
<br />
In the early part of July, one potential full-time employer called me back. I had interviewed with them several weeks before and because I was honest about wanting to finish my bike ride in the spring/summer, and that was their busiest time of year, they chose another candidate instead. However, at the time they contacted me, they were still facing a growing customer base and filling a big gap that had been left by a long-time employee who had passed away. Since I had changed my mind about continuing my bike trip right away, I accepted their offer and went to work about two weeks later, giving the City of Goleta proper notice in order to wrap up any last-minute projects I was working on for them.<br />
<br />
I had been told upon hiring that the work was going to be stressful. That I was going to have to accept a lot of complicated instruction and correction. After 8 years in the Navy, I figured I could handle it. I know how to pay attention to detail, and I'm not shy of working hard.<br />
<br />
However, what I was maybe not as prepared for was - you know - office politics. And since they had already sent another woman away in tears, my guard was up just a little. And, sure enough, by the end of the week "training by default" i.e. letting me answer phones, make lots of mistakes, and then correcting me after each call, started to take its toll. However, before it did any real damage to my psyche, I gently but firmly stood up for myself, basically saying "I just need to take a break from being constantly corrected for a while," especially in light of the way I was being trained, i.e. no real scripts to go by, and having multiple people involved in correcting me, without everyone knowing who was telling me what and when or how often. I'm a pretty self-confident person, so when I started to lose that feeling of self-confidence even with regards to parts of the job that I was handling without problem, I knew there was "something else" going on, and I took what I felt were rational and functional steps to deal with it, directly, at the lowest level, first; i.e. with the person who was "primarily" responsible for training me.<br />
<br />
Apparently, that did not go over well with her, and eventually I found myself in a somewhat impromptu conference with the owner of the business and the other woman who was also less directly involved in training me. I thought things got at least somewhat resolved at that point, finished the work week, and even went out to celebrate my new job on Friday evening. However, by Saturday morning, I found an e-mail in my inbox from the owner saying,"I don't think you are a good fit for this job. I hoped it would work but there is stress in the work place." Of course, that was a bit of a shock, and kind of a let down, although, admittedly, I was not looking forward to continuing to work there under the circumstances I have described above. To soften the blow (I guess), the owner also offered another week's "severance pay" and asked me to come meet with him that day. When I went in to pick up my check, there was no antipathy expressed from either of us towards one another, but from the conversation, I was left to conclude, that there were issues with one or more of the other people (women) I was having to work with. And really, not something I could have done much about, so I <a href="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MK7qz13bU">"Let it Go!"</a> (And yes, actually, I was thinking about using the "adult" clip of the chorus, but have to keep in mind there may be younger people reading my blog! And, otherwise, at this time of year it is more that "the heat never bothered me anyway"...although, it can sometimes, but I've learned how to deal with it!)<br />
<br />
True to the song, none of that really mattered. I just had to Roll with It! Something I have learned to do both figuratively and literally in the past three years. I went back home, started to put some more energy into re-writing and updating my resume' and in the course of doing that it struck me...with my first pay check from this company, plus the second "severance" check, <i>and</i> my last pay check from my last week at the City of Goleta all coming into my hands simultaneously - I was sitting on about $900 (even after the money I spent "celebrating" Friday night). I'd worked a lot harder to earn and/or "save" a lot less before starting my other bike trips. So, maybe, just maybe, this would be enough to get me back on the road again... <br />
<br />
As things have turned out...It was...along with lots of <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/farewell-and-thank-you-santa-barbara.html">support from my friends and other associates in Santa Barbara!</a>.<br />
<br />
So with regards to "the Devil Being in the Details..." - a lot of the challenge of doing what I'm doing started in my case with getting semi-organized chaos like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRdLAT9Kg_LQt9IsVk9IOAaCE4KLelUxM8ahV2E5Knk0Jeqi-bWGX113dE_0DDzyKX-EzI6jcBbI-4gkqhnMx7AKLZ2drLYyiLR3NIdye86l_V1n5-zHvmGgoc3q_7UNCnCWI0C6o9D0h/s1600/20120401_140004_000-775935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRdLAT9Kg_LQt9IsVk9IOAaCE4KLelUxM8ahV2E5Knk0Jeqi-bWGX113dE_0DDzyKX-EzI6jcBbI-4gkqhnMx7AKLZ2drLYyiLR3NIdye86l_V1n5-zHvmGgoc3q_7UNCnCWI0C6o9D0h/s320/20120401_140004_000-775935.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052046474831220146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10 x 15 Storage</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcGEYc6fQxjgdWmsXN3WTbXPxFnRy2D3Qbsve34j-2f4Vr1llrshITxd8nZF9v-67CKasKquOm8D3FnnLqJTFaiCzD9ETyOkqGjgrOTFlCf5VdsyxmSmyQYPZWf1_RNzEqxnYFAzahP4M/s1600/photo+1-719441.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcGEYc6fQxjgdWmsXN3WTbXPxFnRy2D3Qbsve34j-2f4Vr1llrshITxd8nZF9v-67CKasKquOm8D3FnnLqJTFaiCzD9ETyOkqGjgrOTFlCf5VdsyxmSmyQYPZWf1_RNzEqxnYFAzahP4M/s320/photo+1-719441.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052047517917588114" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage I Yard Sale</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="mobile-photo"><br />
</div><div class="mobile-photo"><br />
</div><div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijL9i8ZWssMPOZtffOIOtr2VwZSK30_P3TE_91NfPH0LBjiHSnXLbdn3ytHERmsHKEhUnH-oHq5IyJOum7TpeOZdlAl8uBA0HjjvdVPmdORX4pUBfL0RexACjntl8J43RGBP62RcrezxN/s1600/photo+2-721702.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijL9i8ZWssMPOZtffOIOtr2VwZSK30_P3TE_91NfPH0LBjiHSnXLbdn3ytHERmsHKEhUnH-oHq5IyJOum7TpeOZdlAl8uBA0HjjvdVPmdORX4pUBfL0RexACjntl8J43RGBP62RcrezxN/s320/photo+2-721702.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052047531420008322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage I "Garage Sale"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcagzbPFSXiMLA7iMp8T5Qyw3OCkfIjxnbl41VsFhFQY6Ol7PA0QPE8Q8Ql4ybkLOr1UlCQ7K0GjuF_H1YFjA6UsIxVKVP416-aggWqYwJ60P4C9FSd2gmHrR9knfPG3PJjvA5O5tszKJS/s1600/20120406_001727_000-714375.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcagzbPFSXiMLA7iMp8T5Qyw3OCkfIjxnbl41VsFhFQY6Ol7PA0QPE8Q8Ql4ybkLOr1UlCQ7K0GjuF_H1YFjA6UsIxVKVP416-aggWqYwJ60P4C9FSd2gmHrR9knfPG3PJjvA5O5tszKJS/s320/20120406_001727_000-714375.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052046645723614610" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuff for Stage I</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wWfSmiOrJxNpdwGdcI-ffiCMlF2OvNSwla5W4AYa8_Jf3GwzZsCIR4LxqGLi3cHeb2glWDmEcMnJF4jW3sVBpmjynyhwqdmkIzJVEEdXomazq7kboy1Uc-5ic9E2ovIDZQqLCZsuu5BF/s1600/photo-792516.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wWfSmiOrJxNpdwGdcI-ffiCMlF2OvNSwla5W4AYa8_Jf3GwzZsCIR4LxqGLi3cHeb2glWDmEcMnJF4jW3sVBpmjynyhwqdmkIzJVEEdXomazq7kboy1Uc-5ic9E2ovIDZQqLCZsuu5BF/s320/photo-792516.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052063299503905602" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage I and II Stuff</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacnnfGVTSNnEoxrnRuWAkAqCX6tG3iDpOnKDJd1canM3EKO29am4PVR_p8cTci-qhn8j2TnmgQ1oyPf00JkXfagRMi8vqC9KuxPd_0ldxdRLcKQeVlUDg20i2h88F1wf9oeo4SDeXFpeA/s1600/photo-746475.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacnnfGVTSNnEoxrnRuWAkAqCX6tG3iDpOnKDJd1canM3EKO29am4PVR_p8cTci-qhn8j2TnmgQ1oyPf00JkXfagRMi8vqC9KuxPd_0ldxdRLcKQeVlUDg20i2h88F1wf9oeo4SDeXFpeA/s320/photo-746475.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058706553661553458" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transition between Stage 1 and Stage II<br />
Packing in Santa Barbara to return to Jacksonville, FL</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTPK1nGnldRzSqIeiBuZUtuX4_4Bbe9LrW3b973kfm3urdhMNDM_LweRah1W8LlPt43BXjFZk0BX4QLQx819OMu5CKIvlSeO23uYvjo-7V_KNTB9biG3rYFefLut_e22zza4-Oltdsh0v/s1600/photo-752524.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTPK1nGnldRzSqIeiBuZUtuX4_4Bbe9LrW3b973kfm3urdhMNDM_LweRah1W8LlPt43BXjFZk0BX4QLQx819OMu5CKIvlSeO23uYvjo-7V_KNTB9biG3rYFefLut_e22zza4-Oltdsh0v/s320/photo-752524.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052022753117008370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuff for Stage III</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
At various times to look more like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRRkCyT00JVaibUDSQ-2zF7ZT-81e12UBtygUkkvtNs_IoQnUT5UESWPXqGFzk2hJPjj6wPHSoEt56ZNz2cHeLhIqTe5XfnQl5xxL7giO-mknkyB09r33ZN2sR3ERWAhyxgD2Gj8qOWq2/s1600/20120414_062741_000-761278.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRRkCyT00JVaibUDSQ-2zF7ZT-81e12UBtygUkkvtNs_IoQnUT5UESWPXqGFzk2hJPjj6wPHSoEt56ZNz2cHeLhIqTe5XfnQl5xxL7giO-mknkyB09r33ZN2sR3ERWAhyxgD2Gj8qOWq2/s320/20120414_062741_000-761278.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052046843581941234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 x 10 Storage</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
And progressively this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCbZGlpCIpzMppHFOtfvfNFN9r2JTEUNOA4vUlI2VRFfOB7FA4sYJgXsYZPYOeqUaoQ0Rt3TATe1g3qmkZfSYlwzRv_42WPGGxu_mokEiNvjg9Vd_b0qkzM_QnSO7c50Ktr0Vnkw_EZRm/s1600/IMG_0761-770411.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCbZGlpCIpzMppHFOtfvfNFN9r2JTEUNOA4vUlI2VRFfOB7FA4sYJgXsYZPYOeqUaoQ0Rt3TATe1g3qmkZfSYlwzRv_42WPGGxu_mokEiNvjg9Vd_b0qkzM_QnSO7c50Ktr0Vnkw_EZRm/s320/IMG_0761-770411.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052046450035839042" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 x 5 Storage</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi-sym1b357U0sXkj4QJcF0hMJpVBUE_xMG3wsXqCq_dh7v9yQe0ZHhWLQHk4b_Bb4oqDkOooez1kgXhPJatU5fQ2c4Pnfd1H08rx1-Ab1S3ntgRSCvzxXPV6plo-JPBhhAXl1ytne3Ws/s1600/photo-782370.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi-sym1b357U0sXkj4QJcF0hMJpVBUE_xMG3wsXqCq_dh7v9yQe0ZHhWLQHk4b_Bb4oqDkOooez1kgXhPJatU5fQ2c4Pnfd1H08rx1-Ab1S3ntgRSCvzxXPV6plo-JPBhhAXl1ytne3Ws/s320/photo-782370.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052049513645443858" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local Storage in Santa Barbara, CA</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And of course this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMlfkrlaXjVTt3tpAdTlM8UsN_1X-5A07RdO27gbHi6tVpjV9_VGLQ2K2wfOw8vjlH31K3dP4lntb88WD4biop65v_qv10b5xXMNZWKsZDtcyF2SypcTYY8ZPqIq7xp7BxdBHx5PiK6FH/s1600/photo-723013.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMlfkrlaXjVTt3tpAdTlM8UsN_1X-5A07RdO27gbHi6tVpjV9_VGLQ2K2wfOw8vjlH31K3dP4lntb88WD4biop65v_qv10b5xXMNZWKsZDtcyF2SypcTYY8ZPqIq7xp7BxdBHx5PiK6FH/s320/photo-723013.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052060851056573858" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage I and II Rig</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And now this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsHWNGg3fmZWMmZzgeEhq3yAfAIyE70eD32KS7DFOshIbABtILqtVP6ZBJdnhItTrmrcym3-o8zfOcQ-u1DjAl_Yqsj83zGLVd2PtDxJ3gl-zNJ6fad2784OScfE86RZbziTENFYp1YE6/s1600/photo-739097.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsHWNGg3fmZWMmZzgeEhq3yAfAIyE70eD32KS7DFOshIbABtILqtVP6ZBJdnhItTrmrcym3-o8zfOcQ-u1DjAl_Yqsj83zGLVd2PtDxJ3gl-zNJ6fad2784OScfE86RZbziTENFYp1YE6/s320/photo-739097.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052062210622239906" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage III Rig</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
But that's not all...<br />
<br />
There's food as well that started out like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7r7bHwGYLBui5_PXAYz2wphqjxJEUpt5M0R2193yxKCcR4MaLdUm8AW20igmYymYQ1m-G1pnyysK2KjOn3biI-6zvZMiIKfzc4O54gRFaFJNIpr6Jm7CA__ytDx31FVev_umljpv4G7E/s1600/photo-735513.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7r7bHwGYLBui5_PXAYz2wphqjxJEUpt5M0R2193yxKCcR4MaLdUm8AW20igmYymYQ1m-G1pnyysK2KjOn3biI-6zvZMiIKfzc4O54gRFaFJNIpr6Jm7CA__ytDx31FVev_umljpv4G7E/s320/photo-735513.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052065200797739394" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rations for the Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-: auto; margin-left: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitYf7QdofNYOGq5wZfWAq7Gvo4cSuwsHI_wNuZ1VHycnmCJH4uabT1Esb3BwfU4q8PhNuvSVCbuVc1NYOSndoXtSR64FOI-XLqPOEmfX5sCz8nbDCbHUOlvdkKAaUFOWupDokIUeYZ0yN/s1600/photo-724485.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitYf7QdofNYOGq5wZfWAq7Gvo4cSuwsHI_wNuZ1VHycnmCJH4uabT1Esb3BwfU4q8PhNuvSVCbuVc1NYOSndoXtSR64FOI-XLqPOEmfX5sCz8nbDCbHUOlvdkKAaUFOWupDokIUeYZ0yN/s320/photo-724485.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052065149344840978" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supplements</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Initially using a bag like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc_lujFxwmT5XEmpi4S0K_HH0gNjeef_PnP4ESl76cCIqu2UxqYrLmD3J3khrnP8tQkUoSEXW3VMxfU15TUTGPG-Keq1ivearbUU4IPf95w-ESbAusiIVGUOLGMs_wzQam7d0GtHUFtPp/s1600/20110812_081429_000-701276.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc_lujFxwmT5XEmpi4S0K_HH0gNjeef_PnP4ESl76cCIqu2UxqYrLmD3J3khrnP8tQkUoSEXW3VMxfU15TUTGPG-Keq1ivearbUU4IPf95w-ESbAusiIVGUOLGMs_wzQam7d0GtHUFtPp/s320/20110812_081429_000-701276.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052066774265422466" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Insulated Food Bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And filling it like this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqIGjY_TmPfo5WNxXwlfmJxwfw7Sh2KJk8NBQDTDuQZ3rnGlpG8nf2pf9nF0rnFjGBcl8rvW_CRuMKUrZH0Rlin46oyv4tOHdojas_HrgjjVZYDvXZpEblWzDKtT0CNcfcL11MoDxSTV6/s1600/20110812_081455_000-791833.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqIGjY_TmPfo5WNxXwlfmJxwfw7Sh2KJk8NBQDTDuQZ3rnGlpG8nf2pf9nF0rnFjGBcl8rvW_CRuMKUrZH0Rlin46oyv4tOHdojas_HrgjjVZYDvXZpEblWzDKtT0CNcfcL11MoDxSTV6/s320/20110812_081455_000-791833.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052067591943499442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg Fried Rice</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FzCS_evfqvfPtTZhlO5ZqpwxTHtzPZutePdI-UWoJN2u13FHSCntM9c8jOY_bn378ymYb4Ray9m2MyBiGmA3WfmBOmYQta32h-SSDfs3z2RaqT_2nwpeonjXenFSQpQE9H0h5lQEsvpu/s1600/20110812_081509_000-723808.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FzCS_evfqvfPtTZhlO5ZqpwxTHtzPZutePdI-UWoJN2u13FHSCntM9c8jOY_bn378ymYb4Ray9m2MyBiGmA3WfmBOmYQta32h-SSDfs3z2RaqT_2nwpeonjXenFSQpQE9H0h5lQEsvpu/s320/20110812_081509_000-723808.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052067729364817362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">for Finger Salads and Smoothies</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
But that didn't work out so well because food that needed to be refrigerated or refrozen was buried too deeply in the trailer to get to once I reached the residence of one of my hosts. So eventually I moved the food to the back two panniers where I could get to it more easily using smaller insulated bags to hold everything. Now I have all of that down to one back pannier, including space in one of the side pockets for making my <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/food-basics-part-iv.html">mung bean and lentil sprouts and soaked sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds</a>. And, of course, all of those go into the <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/food-basics-part-v.html">egg fried rice recipe</a> that I try to cook for my hosts as often as possible (depending on the timing and how long I stay with them).<br />
<br />
In addition, I pack food for while I'm actually on the road like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaqKsmwpWDZPPqRPWy-Gnl68s39JIF0daDS2ejoVNhs0Qi2iD62TaAeIsHPuEx1DrwryRc_R6eEJQFQPcNFNp4aE2Yi_5w-ebr9w-k-HIWzmnl9ZwIDTOWZoSy-ME0EhooFpOsUGvgRF-/s1600/photo+1-792735.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaqKsmwpWDZPPqRPWy-Gnl68s39JIF0daDS2ejoVNhs0Qi2iD62TaAeIsHPuEx1DrwryRc_R6eEJQFQPcNFNp4aE2Yi_5w-ebr9w-k-HIWzmnl9ZwIDTOWZoSy-ME0EhooFpOsUGvgRF-/s320/photo+1-792735.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052072320526051474" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finger Salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="mobile-photo"><br />
</div><div class="mobile-photo"><br />
</div><div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTSy8nv3wa-tc1AcVWYF_xK5QP08N7Rhy7XZGaJi34aAaGvcWqim_nNBYhl53MJOf4ZbBmZgqza7680iTYBKB-N8DDYRPTcg4dIp0z_hFap19RSV6GCpbWxG6T8101mAzOkB7BwVVrWRw/s1600/photo+2-796217.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTSy8nv3wa-tc1AcVWYF_xK5QP08N7Rhy7XZGaJi34aAaGvcWqim_nNBYhl53MJOf4ZbBmZgqza7680iTYBKB-N8DDYRPTcg4dIp0z_hFap19RSV6GCpbWxG6T8101mAzOkB7BwVVrWRw/s320/photo+2-796217.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052072335201161090" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese and Crackers and Peanut-Apricot-Chocolate Candy Trail Mix</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
It goes into my handle bar bag along with my a <a href="http://www.lunabar.com/products/luna-bar">Luna Bar</a>, <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/food-basics-part-ii-breakfast.html" target="_blank">homemade green smoothie</a>, cashews and Brazil nuts, and <a href="http://www.seaveg.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=20&zenid=jqn0c2j99gb75gl181pi3gja85">Dulse flakes</a>...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjTMhe0wBZFu2Yt7-yzyt0BBgH63aaNT9mcmqDHMceIE3kgRj68e5FeqxJBuTUGkkQvL6-FHdrCzCcXQKXeRC3psynwXWFQsclPheJ59x7ub8TYjlyntTY_6NU3Uwc97v6Hs13p8ZLcUS/s1600/photo+1-762060.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjTMhe0wBZFu2Yt7-yzyt0BBgH63aaNT9mcmqDHMceIE3kgRj68e5FeqxJBuTUGkkQvL6-FHdrCzCcXQKXeRC3psynwXWFQsclPheJ59x7ub8TYjlyntTY_6NU3Uwc97v6Hs13p8ZLcUS/s320/photo+1-762060.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052073904128622882" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna Bar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemKRNqKBcPhyphenhyphen7Vz_vQRrEBvFaPI6-z5NOoMQCSWkMc2bDSMlZ5Wzx8IgdX0QMk-Q3O4mWtC2E570xYdwUM-u1MIpQ1ZKAzO5hBITgx9rdWw_MzuHe90CJEHRIrxTom8CKIYCfsv1vlm-o/s1600/photo+2-765288.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemKRNqKBcPhyphenhyphen7Vz_vQRrEBvFaPI6-z5NOoMQCSWkMc2bDSMlZ5Wzx8IgdX0QMk-Q3O4mWtC2E570xYdwUM-u1MIpQ1ZKAzO5hBITgx9rdWw_MzuHe90CJEHRIrxTom8CKIYCfsv1vlm-o/s320/photo+2-765288.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052073923150629618" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Smoothie, Dulse, and Nut Containers</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
And my "cutlery"...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WBR8cYTipc91JgYnrR2SNusGn5KJuOLs7C75cmuSyRg7bdYHJNlISkhZvU96bTC4oyBjg5V8U6mFMrLzWfyWDlNFQuwIfQTOj6zfnKeEeV1kvtwtJoAn1pV7jbIdnhZgKmaREQGSy2yj/s1600/photo-707706.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WBR8cYTipc91JgYnrR2SNusGn5KJuOLs7C75cmuSyRg7bdYHJNlISkhZvU96bTC4oyBjg5V8U6mFMrLzWfyWDlNFQuwIfQTOj6zfnKeEeV1kvtwtJoAn1pV7jbIdnhZgKmaREQGSy2yj/s320/photo-707706.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058698231372866450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutlery - with Custom Duct Tape Knife Cover<br />
stored in a nylon compact umbrella cover</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHynPYgt289WkR8A-Y84s-j2aWOUalfLnsp7DyZghw7HJ7Y88WliS6B05VH7CRZ_cHUP2JZD8huHO8EiEmNAeSowkWJL8cEpifJLGTM0mZ-o-PJ5Laq1o4b_t0SIFOBkXqnIImA8LhPpQ/s1600/photo+1-731417.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHynPYgt289WkR8A-Y84s-j2aWOUalfLnsp7DyZghw7HJ7Y88WliS6B05VH7CRZ_cHUP2JZD8huHO8EiEmNAeSowkWJL8cEpifJLGTM0mZ-o-PJ5Laq1o4b_t0SIFOBkXqnIImA8LhPpQ/s320/photo+1-731417.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052075064928001042" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loaded Handle Bar Bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfm0-wgxDQ9RawRrk7frhuwrDePNK2LN643dZ8fapvC-966GL786ZUQfu4slkfqAttXY-sjYdBrV_nlgxOwlhVZFBzSr_X6V-YC4iT8utw4UPOOSL53SL5II9nijTS8RKOTgq_p0rXUBd/s1600/photo+2-734724.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfm0-wgxDQ9RawRrk7frhuwrDePNK2LN643dZ8fapvC-966GL786ZUQfu4slkfqAttXY-sjYdBrV_nlgxOwlhVZFBzSr_X6V-YC4iT8utw4UPOOSL53SL5II9nijTS8RKOTgq_p0rXUBd/s320/photo+2-734724.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052075075518648786" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bag on the Bike</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
All that fits on the front of the bike where it is easy to get to. I also carry two <a href="http://www.kleankanteen.com/products/classic/klean-kanteen-27oz-classic.php">27 oz Klean Kanteens</a> one with a sport top and the other with a regular one. I found it was better to have a regular one on the bottle when I was shaking up the water and <a href="http://www.clifbar.com/products/clif-shot/electrolyte-hydration-drink">Clif Shot electrolyte powder</a>. So I will stop and switch the lids over as necessary throughout the day.<br />
<br />
And I keep all of these things, including a few others in my diet both off and on the road as I incorporate "My Top 20 Foods":<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrOsf8zGlZ_lamdpEf2jDiSZs61XPMcs304cooXPlEG4MyeDCIUVQXd8-5z8xy6P5PWz9SRw9OvQ5gKqNhYlOLDLY3C7HO9bDJzKerIuTyO3ZTGu5tdsXIzMjTzrt8BqA_UIM_IHTVC-H/s1600/photo-727931.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrOsf8zGlZ_lamdpEf2jDiSZs61XPMcs304cooXPlEG4MyeDCIUVQXd8-5z8xy6P5PWz9SRw9OvQ5gKqNhYlOLDLY3C7HO9bDJzKerIuTyO3ZTGu5tdsXIzMjTzrt8BqA_UIM_IHTVC-H/s320/photo-727931.PNG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6052084496911888642" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Top 20 Foods</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I have chosen these particular foods for the following reasons: 1) They are nutritionally dense. 2) They are relatively easy to access pretty much everywhere in the country, 3) They are relatively inexpensive. Even though the nuts may be the most expensive of the other items, as a source of non-meat protein, I've found I don't have to eat a lot of them to be satisfied. 4) I actually Enjoy Eating these foods and have been pretty consistently for about six years now. And 5) I CAN actually maintain my diet this way while I am on the road. (See my post: <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/food-basics-part-vi-essential-whole.html">Food Basics Part VI...</a> for more details on nutritional data and sources.)<br />
<br />
Given what I have learned from Stages I and II, I now pack all this food:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMXG41zVbf5nC-T4Z98aRsCBy41SZp7_6Bn7-_2i1YgqxYMGZkCAw7kpBGKo4YdZbQjXfkNUKTysC3UHUQKjAE2WGIm6q-KXsOjojhYn7F8Cr6ClcTduWngANdb4WKrPH1UXHh3hXRrBo/s1600/photo-742326.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMXG41zVbf5nC-T4Z98aRsCBy41SZp7_6Bn7-_2i1YgqxYMGZkCAw7kpBGKo4YdZbQjXfkNUKTysC3UHUQKjAE2WGIm6q-KXsOjojhYn7F8Cr6ClcTduWngANdb4WKrPH1UXHh3hXRrBo/s320/photo-742326.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058643400858870418" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Road Food, etc.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Into this bag:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3wple3GbK0OCn2WIrcSekvH48nA-mi7M89WC4W9OWQB9QNaLFFeD6jIUj6UgZM7w5nmKQsEqYubQm-rpvkk2xwU58n1U0gTSZz0I_UvZIGzEmXp4kn5KpdxEmyXwyBkb70SUhojiRnQ2/s1600/photo-774995.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3wple3GbK0OCn2WIrcSekvH48nA-mi7M89WC4W9OWQB9QNaLFFeD6jIUj6UgZM7w5nmKQsEqYubQm-rpvkk2xwU58n1U0gTSZz0I_UvZIGzEmXp4kn5KpdxEmyXwyBkb70SUhojiRnQ2/s320/photo-774995.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058643542417215314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food Pannier (Bontrager nylon pannier with custom side pockets.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Wherein I use my frozen smoothies and another ice pack to keep the rest of my refrigerator items cold - like cheese, soy sauce, roasted sesame oil, and the occasional Trader Joe's chicken sausage (to mix with my egg fried rice).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcGCPe7V8YVIE4WVjJ5Lu8Zssk7lfz85MQSAJvu4wXBCw7q-ZvvNghJC1UsugSEq9TMX_q54eJSmbcqmXKTmaMcpec_ONGu6Aa4VaGl9R8hVuNCe8VJNjLvHgiwRsZNJjiMuN5kYOKBXL/s1600/photo-719868.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcGCPe7V8YVIE4WVjJ5Lu8Zssk7lfz85MQSAJvu4wXBCw7q-ZvvNghJC1UsugSEq9TMX_q54eJSmbcqmXKTmaMcpec_ONGu6Aa4VaGl9R8hVuNCe8VJNjLvHgiwRsZNJjiMuN5kYOKBXL/s320/photo-719868.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058645022745197186" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoothie Freezer/Refrigerator</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The Rubbermaid "Take Along" containers stack on top of each other in the bottom of the pannier, followed by the lunch bag, and other cold packs. Then I pile my rain gear on top (where it's handy if I need it) but also where it provides additional insulation for the refrigerator/freezer bag. My grater/box fits in the bottom of one pocket and I can fit all three sprout jars on top of that, two upright and one on it's side. The other pocket holds the box of crackers, my bicycle tool bag, pump, lock and <a href="http://www.clifbar.com/products/clif-shot/electrolyte-hydration-drink">20oz bags of Clif Shot Electrolyte Powder</a> which I've been able to find at REI stores.<br />
<br />
The opposite pannier holds what I refer to as my "administrative gear":<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSnmuwa_-IvUutb8rxZxhD_1tm3mfYMqstOvqRIoSfMrytlY5hrbF-_dqM85HykdZy1fvimb_YfPWvwEHhWdsKVSe7wAjx3t9ZyVXlHDSHdUsUSldgOZSeplyMM95w47P6GKt3v2P-kPZ/s1600/photo-708902.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSnmuwa_-IvUutb8rxZxhD_1tm3mfYMqstOvqRIoSfMrytlY5hrbF-_dqM85HykdZy1fvimb_YfPWvwEHhWdsKVSe7wAjx3t9ZyVXlHDSHdUsUSldgOZSeplyMM95w47P6GKt3v2P-kPZ/s320/photo-708902.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058648839967493474" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Admin" Gear</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
What you see here is my original "Intellectual Busking" box and accessories (just in case I need to busk while I'm on the road), another donation container that holds markers and pens, a very beat up copy of my "Pocket Constitution", and my scissors for cutting apart my business cards. The blue clipboard holds some important papers along with some plain copy paper and card stock (for printing the business cards). I have my green journal that I use for keeping track of my host/logistical info as well as my "We'Moon" calendar in which I put daily entries for past and future reference. Then there's my sewing kit which has already been used multiple times on this trip (often for my host's mending projects). One item not showing is my iPad keyboard that gets stored in the box as well for protection. All these items and a few others go inside the main body of the pannier, while my extra water bottle (for head towel wetting) and my <a href="http://www.lifesaverusa.com/products/lifesaver-bottle.htm">LifeSaver Filter Bottle</a> go in the added side pockets. (See "Miscellaneous" photo below.)<br />
<br />
The front two panniers I reserve for clothing, towels, and toiletries. I store my "sets" of clothes in a mesh bag, inside a plastic bag that gets labeled with the contents.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5odksTCpFYT-g-UQWA_WLAO0Fd3MagXIiFJBZNpmfgkyctpT3g1FG48j1cjOSd8Kkgz8E9Etysq0Lt6WYAHKHMqvYX-bgMpjGCHf0ZprKIekHByeBoarfn-w-A5q5AEdD1UEV3M3HIBL/s1600/photo-734842.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5odksTCpFYT-g-UQWA_WLAO0Fd3MagXIiFJBZNpmfgkyctpT3g1FG48j1cjOSd8Kkgz8E9Etysq0Lt6WYAHKHMqvYX-bgMpjGCHf0ZprKIekHByeBoarfn-w-A5q5AEdD1UEV3M3HIBL/s320/photo-734842.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058652390752587858" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DthJX06FZah1P6aQP-oY2_y5V-znW0BT_isbbxfsDggtFkCV58FIy9Oz4OA8-f581ohCkbwxOGHanSdUpvgHIMgeIKncgTgvbT-W1TFn6ChgRQUxafO3G5Hn9LjYww5H_CjHikqGf8g_/s1600/photo-787362.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DthJX06FZah1P6aQP-oY2_y5V-znW0BT_isbbxfsDggtFkCV58FIy9Oz4OA8-f581ohCkbwxOGHanSdUpvgHIMgeIKncgTgvbT-W1TFn6ChgRQUxafO3G5Hn9LjYww5H_CjHikqGf8g_/s320/photo-787362.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058652611599276562" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNamUIFe_catvIeZ4K8FxWA8ePzjjb23fPrXOhrGqNlsr89C0mT6ZPC1ao72yjGHew9mhR2B1Tll4hFD3fQrLeFAwEA2C9aQfR1WGcfcYM78kS46VKcFj26gyqwDp6woA4LmVuYzdO_20U/s1600/photo-710334.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNamUIFe_catvIeZ4K8FxWA8ePzjjb23fPrXOhrGqNlsr89C0mT6ZPC1ao72yjGHew9mhR2B1Tll4hFD3fQrLeFAwEA2C9aQfR1WGcfcYM78kS46VKcFj26gyqwDp6woA4LmVuYzdO_20U/s320/photo-710334.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058654428918807810" width="200" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82K_kZP0MiYcHQ85UxA5FlJHMH8cuIEhRGkVwA9Qd1M8rI8OxMAJ4ntsQbP1yDbk1nOTDrgnFriDqranZWeXUG8fkYu-5u0RiRCgpArnjDjpnB1QfDQsCLPUpSCNJ3IoD_qln2RsYdsI8/s1600/photo-787395.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82K_kZP0MiYcHQ85UxA5FlJHMH8cuIEhRGkVwA9Qd1M8rI8OxMAJ4ntsQbP1yDbk1nOTDrgnFriDqranZWeXUG8fkYu-5u0RiRCgpArnjDjpnB1QfDQsCLPUpSCNJ3IoD_qln2RsYdsI8/s320/photo-787395.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058655618368260338" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZogxjMhTZG64JK34-oCy2aF6pjvL_dBwU53433qCEZhUbK-yg-7DWv0vfE8Ap9yk-_GaJkV6f4gdX3RYcPCL2SJIHFaEUAEn1YOPBB_76BKuogQOE8_3_CwWLDUS9ln5tB6OA7Qt_5itt/s1600/photo-780889.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZogxjMhTZG64JK34-oCy2aF6pjvL_dBwU53433qCEZhUbK-yg-7DWv0vfE8Ap9yk-_GaJkV6f4gdX3RYcPCL2SJIHFaEUAEn1YOPBB_76BKuogQOE8_3_CwWLDUS9ln5tB6OA7Qt_5itt/s320/photo-780889.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058654734312095298" width="200" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg856Q3cYH_CfNBWx7Sx2h9B_z8sUm7gSxIsAbpkj7JTgA0CSmYDoqZLuVKG8bS5FbW-y4DfIhojghdILoyR6BMZlmDIwa7zWWHgRZ3df4VbuWcH1fj1AL_rCDOgrn7cn5v91K3zEfVWm-W/s1600/photo-784425.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg856Q3cYH_CfNBWx7Sx2h9B_z8sUm7gSxIsAbpkj7JTgA0CSmYDoqZLuVKG8bS5FbW-y4DfIhojghdILoyR6BMZlmDIwa7zWWHgRZ3df4VbuWcH1fj1AL_rCDOgrn7cn5v91K3zEfVWm-W/s320/photo-784425.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058655175923556306" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuJE-qDrOjvhxZEBTNABM3JdNw5lp8Ic60fQPdfwvFrTfovpbUedTPWQ0gNPkTPX5v6lMuZaJJf5lIVSnZnCKXYAfvVOjmHPWJefWBcggl0vSQVEJEE2H4SUsUkv3XvLjgLWRyQoCRh4z/s1600/photo-746294.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuJE-qDrOjvhxZEBTNABM3JdNw5lp8Ic60fQPdfwvFrTfovpbUedTPWQ0gNPkTPX5v6lMuZaJJf5lIVSnZnCKXYAfvVOjmHPWJefWBcggl0vSQVEJEE2H4SUsUkv3XvLjgLWRyQoCRh4z/s320/photo-746294.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058655012443571474" /></a></div><br />
A typical riding set of clothes includes Sport Bra, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gore-Bike-Wear-Baselayer-Singlet/dp/B004H0MYE4/ref=pd_sim_sg_38?ie=UTF8&refRID=13PQ5KP2WJYCDXZQB2VE">Gore Women's Baselayer (Super Wicking) Singlet</a>, shorts and cycle top.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtDjVpmk37z9iOvDGrtw495DE4xGIvjbOzC1wt46ZyF7DmRye7frELIQyBh7JNiBESQa9dzxlDjmpEiNw3qMXXMxdC8WaAXI2NtxrvzrbQzTPWeFs46FnC8vz7Wm6zp6TTtoW7bTSK5OI/s1600/photo-742605.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtDjVpmk37z9iOvDGrtw495DE4xGIvjbOzC1wt46ZyF7DmRye7frELIQyBh7JNiBESQa9dzxlDjmpEiNw3qMXXMxdC8WaAXI2NtxrvzrbQzTPWeFs46FnC8vz7Wm6zp6TTtoW7bTSK5OI/s320/photo-742605.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058655429254324018" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Riding Set</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
There are multiple advantages to this mesh bag/plastic bag system for storing clothes: 1) I keep my clean clothes separate from my dirty clothes; i.e. I know the clothes are clean if they are in the mesh bags. Outside the mesh bags means they are dirty. 2) Having things in "sets" means I have everything I need when I head to someone's bathroom or a camp shower. 3) The plastic bags make for added water protection. 4) The labeling makes it easy to figure out what is what. 5) When it comes time to wash delicate items, I have plenty of mesh bags to use.<br />
<br />
In addition to clothes I pack the toiletries shown here:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgf02mx0pgjHCbuvvaE7FZNCkjWhAawm0yLsY8pAY1iAa_AGElOlOZ6BgaBAEBPQPqqcJdKGFPYGC7eTk5BSMDzrZH-GyZhmLcETe4OaMTWvPsSr5ywwy8Xe1zVI6cJOi2XFIuHSEGRDG/s1600/photo-740152.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgf02mx0pgjHCbuvvaE7FZNCkjWhAawm0yLsY8pAY1iAa_AGElOlOZ6BgaBAEBPQPqqcJdKGFPYGC7eTk5BSMDzrZH-GyZhmLcETe4OaMTWvPsSr5ywwy8Xe1zVI6cJOi2XFIuHSEGRDG/s320/photo-740152.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058661002947960274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toiletries, etc.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
These include <a href="http://www.dz-nuts.com/products/bliss">DZ Nuts Bliss Women's Chamois Cream</a>, <a href="http://natures-gate.com/Shop/Item?Product=45100084">Nature's Gate Fragrance Free Moisturizing Lotion</a> (in an 8 oz bottle), <a href="https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/category/PEPPERMINT.html">Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap</a> (8 oz size), <a href="http://natures-gate.com/Shop/item?Product=41100086&category=136&WithLinks=1">Nature's Gate Herbal Shampoo</a> (8 oz bottle), hair detangler (I reuse this slim bottle and fill it with CVS Brand spray-in detangler found in the baby shampoo section), comb, toothbrush, toothpaste with carrying bag, razor and extra blades in travel case, <a href="http://www.pharmacalway.com/brands/atwater/lightanddry.html">Atwater Carey Light and Dry 1 Person First Aid Kit</a>. (I used to work for this company when I lived in Buena Vista, Colorado.) Custom nylon bag with hair "scrunchies", etc., Trader Joe's Sun Screen for sensitive skin (for my face), crystal deodorant (for when sweating doesn't matter), regular sun screen for the rest of my body, Bee Propolis tincture (for gum treatment as needed), and another custom bag that holds make-up and a travel size regular deodorant/antiperspirant (for when sweating does matter).<br />
<br />
All these items fit into a "Travel Bag" that is one of the few items I have left from my much earlier years sewing for "Networks" in Missoula, MT.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftxEttdnWJtFyUhKz8NAF5GnlPFJo6xqgM3BUgDvQb9-DcNkiAzFOuJRGQCrZM8m7qRn0wenXG8KcUfLujP8VXkf7IrN40aDIc2OXzD7TprZWbQ6-HDRmnjEzhf2SETo8-DuOxoDcscGy/s1600/photo-705928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftxEttdnWJtFyUhKz8NAF5GnlPFJo6xqgM3BUgDvQb9-DcNkiAzFOuJRGQCrZM8m7qRn0wenXG8KcUfLujP8VXkf7IrN40aDIc2OXzD7TprZWbQ6-HDRmnjEzhf2SETo8-DuOxoDcscGy/s320/photo-705928.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058661284578943874" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old Red and Black Travel Bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Then that bag fits (barely!) into the top of the pannier on top of the other clothes I also store in that bag.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh4CpBRbw2GIqvFQ_8L94vJlTwSGRR8H8E22GYndOzcdDr9uvTZCxi_H1aqSrsL1MjdBZs7kbimwNcdXuM6H8hjqJ5LHoLUq4uHSmSiX5GneGqFo1glvSya4x1Pt9i9dVifG0hPsK1kgT/s1600/photo-793259.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh4CpBRbw2GIqvFQ_8L94vJlTwSGRR8H8E22GYndOzcdDr9uvTZCxi_H1aqSrsL1MjdBZs7kbimwNcdXuM6H8hjqJ5LHoLUq4uHSmSiX5GneGqFo1glvSya4x1Pt9i9dVifG0hPsK1kgT/s320/photo-793259.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058661656384495906" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Bag fits in the top of the pannier.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The typical organization plan when these bags get packed is to keep clothes, towels, etc., that I might need shortly after I arrive at someone's house in the left side pannier where it is the most accessible.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegqAi1hRXEIfaZcdiIhHuaS6uUx3-hCQpUosbO4YLwObTYOcJZKU9knvKf-pFAzFOk3-qppF7aH2YvYECHxcScdfp_NeMUfaffYRjUvkBYmx2PQkK4cX1ksOoBQF8WF_TWxte-heEuJRl/s1600/photo-751298.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegqAi1hRXEIfaZcdiIhHuaS6uUx3-hCQpUosbO4YLwObTYOcJZKU9knvKf-pFAzFOk3-qppF7aH2YvYECHxcScdfp_NeMUfaffYRjUvkBYmx2PQkK4cX1ksOoBQF8WF_TWxte-heEuJRl/s320/photo-751298.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058661476251576178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed Front Panniers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
With regards to shelter...apart from my <a href="https://www.couchsurfing.org/">Couch Surfing</a> and <a href="https://www.warmshowers.org/">Warm Showers</a> hosts...<br />
<br />
I initially designed and sewed my own tent. The floor of the tent was also a clothes bag which folded out to create more of a padded surface to sleep on. I carried it on a rack I also constructed to fit on top of my <a href="http://wheelerack.com/">Wheele Bike Trailer</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3aAL5ql63KDQ8Nw-C55IcI3C1IQR4gUfkR2ixHMs63L0G7Amak8nAWeYUBpVFgk4WGdN-S2fKeK06LNMZ9Yafrz95kKEFh9NMvdu4arhR-ni9anIjJ962Z36Dmzv4JgsFEZI3pN7Hx16V/s1600/20110812_065337_000-729284.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3aAL5ql63KDQ8Nw-C55IcI3C1IQR4gUfkR2ixHMs63L0G7Amak8nAWeYUBpVFgk4WGdN-S2fKeK06LNMZ9Yafrz95kKEFh9NMvdu4arhR-ni9anIjJ962Z36Dmzv4JgsFEZI3pN7Hx16V/s320/20110812_065337_000-729284.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058670832051917554" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tent Floor/Clothes Bag on Custom Rack for Wheele Trailer</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9nTJNIiHp9QVno-uXf0KfbJhKudYQnaWhzNzJf6KDoXilfxXyrMr1rxPVhkq04ZPCoR8H5lx6B8CLI0xTPdk14ISeu2hG_kuEmzAKNx6cZ1GqjjtcVR7Pi67OkeesTY9wXKhy8cl2aJy/s1600/20110812_065553_000-749786.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9nTJNIiHp9QVno-uXf0KfbJhKudYQnaWhzNzJf6KDoXilfxXyrMr1rxPVhkq04ZPCoR8H5lx6B8CLI0xTPdk14ISeu2hG_kuEmzAKNx6cZ1GqjjtcVR7Pi67OkeesTY9wXKhy8cl2aJy/s320/20110812_065553_000-749786.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058670921167416866" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfolded Tent Floor/Clothes Bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The tent itself needed to be strung between two trees and then the bottom walls were zipped into the floor, leaving an intentional overhang of about one foot on the sides and about a foot-and-a-half on each end so that I could put shoes, etc., outside to keep dry but also keep from tracking dirt into the tent.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR2UfDLglf2DVaKdtahpssTDZl7ifazvB5Z6kbTv0b6Vk9ZKXYWGTp5jlvS0t_OYuDfWCTb2674XXrWhTi-J0Nv9KPrXt8wFHJzbA67S_4eBqD9C8s44lV63btKpBSuJID9rvgADnggQZ/s1600/20110812_070542_000-758797.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR2UfDLglf2DVaKdtahpssTDZl7ifazvB5Z6kbTv0b6Vk9ZKXYWGTp5jlvS0t_OYuDfWCTb2674XXrWhTi-J0Nv9KPrXt8wFHJzbA67S_4eBqD9C8s44lV63btKpBSuJID9rvgADnggQZ/s320/20110812_070542_000-758797.jpg" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058673106820640546" width="200" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF1Yk6ep-koK9yegFlwWpcnbOMo1dd5L4VJwsA91SIhpY05pGxxDvF7hC6kjHK-z8N-E_CK3VaFonfIXSQHE3uGojEhRHswMwiaqQCVHTUzgDtVg6FUfpObsNYiyvGVGFyyB4JFEUDjg_/s1600/20110812_071256_000-780719.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF1Yk6ep-koK9yegFlwWpcnbOMo1dd5L4VJwsA91SIhpY05pGxxDvF7hC6kjHK-z8N-E_CK3VaFonfIXSQHE3uGojEhRHswMwiaqQCVHTUzgDtVg6FUfpObsNYiyvGVGFyyB4JFEUDjg_/s320/20110812_071256_000-780719.jpg" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058673200953188290" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The tent had a zippered door, and mesh net front and back screens with zippered nylon panels, very similar to store-bought tents.<br />
<br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtJWAMGeVNE0eBpMA361sEPYdn7T4V8OlqMX2KhunB6mMT_D4C56pV4bEcjaDBqGzBQC2Qv8fI_Gns7-8cMdMjEsE-8iflVkkGM1UAyKzutUUqbNL_q8N608bAz2-1yu23oH96xOgmxXk/s1600/20110812_072851_000-740409.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtJWAMGeVNE0eBpMA361sEPYdn7T4V8OlqMX2KhunB6mMT_D4C56pV4bEcjaDBqGzBQC2Qv8fI_Gns7-8cMdMjEsE-8iflVkkGM1UAyKzutUUqbNL_q8N608bAz2-1yu23oH96xOgmxXk/s320/20110812_072851_000-740409.jpg" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058679038021595234" width="200" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzoteQ-zuYNV97GQiahj_osjKxVProMPECMpG4lj4fqElp7k3Dw0MnidNwllEbjpVB2HX8Wjemn490puZrwi0ozLFIjfgXAfGE7xcrU2LoMXzoNLKPGUwzNa59eMOxY5h0YiKzSx2YiNzh/s1600/photo-758484.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzoteQ-zuYNV97GQiahj_osjKxVProMPECMpG4lj4fqElp7k3Dw0MnidNwllEbjpVB2HX8Wjemn490puZrwi0ozLFIjfgXAfGE7xcrU2LoMXzoNLKPGUwzNa59eMOxY5h0YiKzSx2YiNzh/s320/photo-758484.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058676110027021506" width="200" /></a></div></div><br />
Overall, it was fairly functional, and I eventually made an additional rain fly to cover the main part of the tent.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEgx1JIm2DCrEab4GbR-31iF_Y0WELbzZFm8ygIOyqYeX8QFjRQ-T9jcMvut4bk5hQay0CkPeJxlU5qx_pAA852NTuRTcxtDy6lEFXW4zGUwwTwDGorJY1xC9HXaZuTTh3itGjc_Y4UuS/s1600/photo-751464.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEgx1JIm2DCrEab4GbR-31iF_Y0WELbzZFm8ygIOyqYeX8QFjRQ-T9jcMvut4bk5hQay0CkPeJxlU5qx_pAA852NTuRTcxtDy6lEFXW4zGUwwTwDGorJY1xC9HXaZuTTh3itGjc_Y4UuS/s320/photo-751464.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058673934945845634" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tent with Rain Fly</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
There were limitations though with this prototype tent - I needed two supports (which I have sensed all along that I would not find going through various desert areas and the greater expanse of Texas), and it was on the small side inside. Room for some gear and to sit-up (barely), but otherwise, a pretty close fit.<br />
<br />
Consequently, I was not averse to leaving the tent behind when I left New Braunfels, Texas at the end of Stage II, and later picking up another tent in Santa Barbara - for only $10 off of Craig's List! Hexagonal, free standing, and not terribly heavy, it's turned out to be a good tent so far, although it has not had to endure any rain just yet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYjMHffRSjrlN-i6C2IwwclnkCqBs47PqJZrQ3HBdkOqA7TXFeTzLA1K26XtgPxZ8TMU9jIJvvW31Z3_At3voRLomtvyrz0JPU7pIWZTRqwr0aJS2Z7qIQSQfSfDi3sB3HDHD-TLbGK7s/s1600/photo-755501.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYjMHffRSjrlN-i6C2IwwclnkCqBs47PqJZrQ3HBdkOqA7TXFeTzLA1K26XtgPxZ8TMU9jIJvvW31Z3_At3voRLomtvyrz0JPU7pIWZTRqwr0aJS2Z7qIQSQfSfDi3sB3HDHD-TLbGK7s/s320/photo-755501.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058681251686671890" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Tent</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I've already had two opportunities to try it out...<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgl4gL6DfSVw0L88tgiXdP8zRlox5r0yrrDHR_xPEKhYZZfTTnuyA2JRLZ58nLqwmzkMzLhyphenhyphenUkCfYb0M0tTeJENdYs3WWlWv0013GWNz8kNNfJw0q0vfUgHONWygf43SYXf0B0Tyb2dLp/s1600/photo-703598.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgl4gL6DfSVw0L88tgiXdP8zRlox5r0yrrDHR_xPEKhYZZfTTnuyA2JRLZ58nLqwmzkMzLhyphenhyphenUkCfYb0M0tTeJENdYs3WWlWv0013GWNz8kNNfJw0q0vfUgHONWygf43SYXf0B0Tyb2dLp/s320/photo-703598.JPG" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058681460478473714" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Host's Yard in Coast Village</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAv2yDV1dImuGXDsfz4HM2WLNGiyirLt9obw_U3SgrbhaHTtYiPuqONHzRTOUfjZkl9rpTScpAK1Df2kKCsecUBrkg3aWJBRo-dnNnFx_E3JvOx6xz0tzTFhiz_aGGD6XGaoi9EE0hI9v/s1600/photo-755454.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAv2yDV1dImuGXDsfz4HM2WLNGiyirLt9obw_U3SgrbhaHTtYiPuqONHzRTOUfjZkl9rpTScpAK1Df2kKCsecUBrkg3aWJBRo-dnNnFx_E3JvOx6xz0tzTFhiz_aGGD6XGaoi9EE0hI9v/s320/photo-755454.JPG" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058681679200216946" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pt. Mugu State Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In addition to the new tent I have a green "standard issue" mummy-style sleeping bag (given to me by my friend Alisa), a roll-up pillow, and a blue, light-weight hooded jacket that all fit in a custom-made blue nylon bag, as well as a $10 foam camp pad from K-mart. I have a pair of Trader Joe's shopping bags fit together end-to-end (so everything is covered and water protected) that contain some of my cold weather clothes, bulkier first aid and toiletry items, my rain fly from the old tent and another nylon tarp that fits over my bicycle. I'm also carrying one pair of regular shoes (black, closed-toed, Birks) and my turtle hat and fluorescent riding vest, and a sleepingbag style sheet that works well on couches because it doesn't slip off! I also have one of those Girl Scout style tuna-can, cardboard and wax "stoves" with a blue enameled metal bowl and a pineapple can chimney should I ever need to heat anything at a campsite without a fire pit or grill.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmGMgV_S3oSxwMtHrGdaz1t7GRVwUD_QtEV3tXQv_edhFkRuLu3U6iAU6cbfIhfeENgr1d19ORgyujsi2DrEtg9kHBrSjwhiY11pN42dXyINGfvTXj54NKmQoS_wL18KUGZZ_ufVxNtEB/s1600/photo-734496.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmGMgV_S3oSxwMtHrGdaz1t7GRVwUD_QtEV3tXQv_edhFkRuLu3U6iAU6cbfIhfeENgr1d19ORgyujsi2DrEtg9kHBrSjwhiY11pN42dXyINGfvTXj54NKmQoS_wL18KUGZZ_ufVxNtEB/s320/photo-734496.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058701347664909906" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Other Miscellaneous Stuff</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Finally, I ended up buying one of those collapsible coolers when I stayed with my host in Ventura, since she does not use a refrigerator in her house. (Instead she uses a large clay pot within a clay pot with a layer of sand between the two and a plywood lid on top that she keeps outside to take advantage of nighttime temps and shade. I think she said her electric bill was $4 for the month!) I had brought frozen smoothies with me and wanted to keep them as cood as possible before heading to Pt. Mugu. (More about that later!)<br />
<br />
The advantage of having all of these items kind of piled on the back of my bicycle has been that I have this relatively flat wall of space where I can display signage...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmTIBn5DmgKlckujY2DglvbVcz9k-srYfK-NIHbm4jlrn1w_blYDtEVIaWdv0DC8QE4-Pquee762U3-tGtNDJZ9NbHIPUv4MGJ0hMdU6mAeUl6HiAArHagbDvCq2MfYz4HuqutRR6yhVX/s1600/photo-775656.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmTIBn5DmgKlckujY2DglvbVcz9k-srYfK-NIHbm4jlrn1w_blYDtEVIaWdv0DC8QE4-Pquee762U3-tGtNDJZ9NbHIPUv4MGJ0hMdU6mAeUl6HiAArHagbDvCq2MfYz4HuqutRR6yhVX/s320/photo-775656.JPG" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6058687356853149218" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Signage</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This has proven to be an effective way to let passers-by, either on foot, by vehicle, or by bicycle, know that I do have a mission and needs and how they can help. And it has been very encouraging over the last 30 days just how many people have stepped-up, or driven-up, or ridden-up to do just that! I get a little boost of dopamine each time that happens and it keeps me going!<br />
<br />
Because in case this blog post has not already made it clear, there is actually A Lot of Work involved in keeping all of this "stuff" organized. And that's before I even get on the bike to work my leg muscles and heart muscles and lungs and will power! Given the difficulty of uploading photos via my iPad and into the Blogger platform, this post has taken at least 10 hours to produce. In other words, I may not be working a typical day job, but I am definitely working. At the same time, I really can't imagine any more meaningful work then this work that I am doing, and I am grateful for the opportunity, and especially grateful to all of the people who have supported me thus far.<br />
<br />
And so...my journey continues...Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-180363193935490082014-08-19T17:10:00.000-04:002014-09-13T14:42:37.082-04:00Farewell and Thank You - Santa Barbara and Company!I have so much to be grateful for.<br />
<br />
I want to say "Thank You!" to the people who helped me in so many different ways during my most recent "tour" in Santa Barbara as well as my preparations for Stage III of my cross-country cycling adventure:<br />
<br />
Thanks to Johnny and Kelly for allowing me to stay with them when I first got to town. I had met Johnny at the 2012 <a href="http://solfoodfestival.com">SOL Food Festival</a> while he was promoting the <a href="https://www.hourworld.org/bank/?hw=1145">Santa Barbara Time Bank</a>. When I was looking for hosts upon my return, he and Kelly were the first to step up. I am grateful for their ongoing friendship and support, for their introducing me to more of their friends in the community including the <a href="http://fishbonsb.ning.com">Fishbon Artists Collective</a> and especially for Kelly's great food during my stay with them as well as in preparation for my going away party.<br />
<br />
Thanks to Karen for allowing me to stay with her and to commute to work with her while I was on my temporary assignment at the <a href="http://www.cityofgoleta.org">City of Goleta</a>. In addition, she passed down a couple of pairs of pants that I really needed, both of which have become important parts of clothing I am carrying with me on this trip.<br />
<br />
Thanks to Andrea and Mercio for helping me move my things for my temporary stay with my "host" Christie in Goleta, and Thanks to Christie for offering to let me stay with him and for being a sensitive and communicative companion for my last couple of weeks in Santa Barbara.<br />
<br />
Thanks to all of the folks at <a href="http://bicicentro.org">Bici Centro and the Santa Barbara Bike Coalition</a> - for all the hard work they are doing to increase bicycle infrastructure and optimal bicycle use for the South Coast region, and for letting me use the front room for my going away party, as well as helping me with last-minute bicycle maintenance and repair, and financial support. (Thanks especially to Matt Dobberteen for his generous donation to both the building purchase and my travel fund!)<br />
<br />
Thanks to all of my friends - and "representatives" of the various circles of which I have become a part in Santa Barbara - Jay from the <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Santa-Barbara-Conscious-Creators/about/">Conscious Creators</a> (and other) Meet-up group(s); Dave, Veselina, and Marge from the <a href="http://www.sblovegrid.net/SBLoveGrid/WELCOME.html">Love Grid</a>; Mike from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CommunityPlanetSavvyInvestorsSantaBarbara">Community-Planet Savvy Investors of Santa Barbara</a>; Bob and Jacky (and her husband Michael) from <a href="http://www.meetup.com/WoodlandToastmasters/">Woodland Toastmasters</a>, Winston, Ernie and Tamarah from my days "working the streets" as an "Intellectual Busker", Bob from <a href="https://www.hourworld.org/bank/?hw=1145">The Santa Barbara Time Bank</a> for his support and photo contributions, and Alicia and Rob from <a href="http://fishbonsb.ning.com">Fishbon</a> and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1405613219680342/1490657434509253/?comment_id=1491459067762423&ref=notif¬if_t=group_comment">Fishbon Storyteller's Cell</a>. Thanks to all of you for your friendship and support and for coming to see me off, and for your contributions to my travel fund!<br />
<br />
And to my other friends who have offered their support in various ways: <a href="http://www.thedoctorwithxrayvision.com"> Dr. Joe (Migliore)</a> and Jackie for keeping my neck straight and for emotional/moral support, to Kenji and Martin of <a href="http://www.meetup.com/santabarbarajapanphotographygroup/"> Santa Barbara Japan Photography Group</a> for letting me hang-out with them while they take (really great) pictures (!), Eleanor for letting me store some of my stuff in her storage unit, Ed for the honey (a long time ago :) ) and for the bag of home-dried fruit to take on my journey, John for hooking me up with a new pair of sturdy tires for a very reasonable price as well as connecting me with Channing at <a href="http://www.oldmanmountain.com">Old Man Mountain Racks</a> to get my rear rack repaired, to Lori and Kent at <a href="http://www.trafficsolutions.info">Traffic Solutions</a> for the REI Discount Coupon so I could save a little on my replacement micro-fiber towel, and for many of the folks at the <a href="http://www.cityofgoleta.org">City of Goleta</a> and <a href="http://www.fcpbuildings.com">FCP, Inc.</a> who became more like friends while I was working temporary assignments at their offices.<br />
<br />
(I'll also add a "Thank You..." to the recent employer who hired me and then let me go with my first week and another week's severance pay, as that was all the money and incentive I needed to get myself back on the road!!...More on that in a post to follow.)<br />
<br />
And Thanks to <a href="http://www.andyjohnsonstone.com">Anders Johnson</a> for his ongoing friendship and support, the frequent pleasure of his company and intellectual discussions, and for the beauty of his art-work that is graciously installed all over Santa Barbara and beyond!<br />
<br />
And finally, I want to say "Thank You!" to everyone at the <a href="http://www.wagingpeace.org">Nuclear Age Peace Foundation</a> including their Peace Leadership Director and author <a href="http://paulkchappell.com">Paul K. Chappell</a> for the many, many years of hard work they have invested in making the world a safer and more peaceful place for All Living Beings - and for All of Our individual and collective efforts to build better relationships and better communities. I appreciate being able to Do What I CAN Do to help them in their efforts, and, in my case, that means riding my bicycle cross-country spreading their message of hope backed up with clear, persevering, and strategic action (such as the <a href="http://www.nuclearzero.org">recent lawsuits</a> filed by the Marshall Islands).<br />
<br />
As I have explained to people over and over again, I have felt a special, Dynamic Quality and "resonance" with the place and the people of Santa Barbara, and it has not been easy saying "Farewell" again, especially without knowing how long it might be before I will be able to return. But, in the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger: "I'll be back!"<br />
<br />
...And in the mean time, I will keep you all posted as best I can while my ongoing journey unfolds!Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-30341298539197643852014-03-02T21:09:00.002-05:002015-06-04T08:25:09.777-04:00You Get What You Play For!Robert Pirsig is the best selling author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Maintenance-text-only-Pirsig/dp/B004RCC5AA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1393797058&sr=8-3&keywords=zen+and+the+art+of+motorcycle+maintenance"><i>Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values</i></a>. He is also the author of another book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lila-An-Inquiry-Into-Morals/dp/0553299611/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=02RAPVPVS7R58JKBXKA0"><i>Lila: An Inquiry into Morals</i></a>. I've read both books. Most recently I finished reading <i>Lila...</i> for the third time. I can't say there are many if any other books that I have read three times in my life, but this one was definitely worth it.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, as I have a much clearer intention of writing my own book, in this reading of <i>Lila...</i> I allowed myself the freedom to underline and write comments in the margins. Because of this, I feel I digested these ideas much more thoroughly than in the first two readings. In addition, over the past couple of weeks I have been very intentionally bringing these ideas into conversation wherever appropriate, and I am finding more and more instances where Pirsig's perspectives do have relevance.<br />
<br />
So, to offer a brief summary:<br />
<br />
In <i>Lila...</i> Pirsig challenges the "subject-object" metaphysics of scientific materialism replacing it with his "Metaphysics of Quality". In this "Metaphysics of Quality" he sees the first division of reality being between "static" and "Dynamic" Quality. Furthermore, he sees reality sub-divided into what he calls "patterns of value" that exist at different levels; i.e. there are Inorganic Patterns of Value, Biological Patterns of Value, Social Patterns of Value, and Intellectual Patterns of Value. There is an implicit evolutionary hierarchy here as well as "moral codes" that exist at the interfaces of each level. For instance there are certain "moral codes" that guide the interactions of biological patterns of value with inorganic patterns of value. As expressed by various cultures around the world, there are "moral codes" that guide the behavior of individual biological organisms within various societies (and this could actually be said of non-human as well as human societies, although human societies tend to be the most diverse and complex). As exemplified in our "Bill of Rights", there has been an advance in recognizing the place of "Intellectual Freedom" even in the midst of a Society - for instance, with Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion.<br />
<br />
About half way through the book, Pirsig points to the Victorian era as representing the last point when "Society" was seen as the highest expression of human development. To know if something was moral, all one had to do was answer the question: "Does society approve?" With this guideline, both biology and intellect were seen as subservient to the prevailing social moral codes.<br />
<br />
However, during WWI this "virtuous and noble" Victorian society saw fit to send millions of its young men to their deaths. With the introduction of the Gatling Gun, the casualties were enormous and gruesome. Those who survived were left to question how such a "virtuous and noble" society could be so willing to sacrifice so many of its members. In addition, there was an increasing shift away from those social moral codes as the perspectives of scientific materialism framed the world as not having, nor needing any kind of moral codes to guide it. Everything was seen to be happening by "chance," or the seemingly random assembly of molecules that eventually led to the appearance of complex human beings. Furthermore, since neither a "moral" nor a "society" could really be studied, like a scientist studies a microbe under a microscope, then these were essentially disregarded as having no real "existence" at all, let alone any "value".<br />
<br />
Therefore, the generation that followed WWI embraced Intellectual Freedom over social moral codes and traditions. In order to determine if something were "good" one needed only to appeal to one's intellect and the "proofs" provided by science, including anthropology. For instance, if free sexual exploration as teenagers was "good" for Samoan society, than it could be "good" for every other society as well. Pirsig sees the shift of the power base from the Old Victorians to the New Intellectuals exemplified in the election of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, the first president to have also been a university professor.<br />
<br />
It is from the rising Intellectual Class that the ideas of social engineering via socialism and communism came into vogue. And from Pirsig's point of view, WWII was really a war between the Old Guard of social moral codes and social authority (represented by Fascism) and the New Guard of Intellectuals and scientific materialism dominating society. And the New Guard ultimately won that battle. <br />
<br />
From my point of view, the development of the atomic bomb, though pursued for military reasons, was also a pursuit of the intellectuals and the scientists, again without any regard for the <i>moral implications</i> of their work. It was only after their success, and the use of the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that those moral implications became much more obvious, especially to Robert J. Oppenheimer. He became a voice against the use of the weapons later in his life, a challenge to the New Intellectual and Scientific Elite, and he was branded a traitor as a consequence. <br />
<br />
(Even to this day, many people question the MORALITY of ever developing, let alone <i>using</i> the atomic bomb. But keep in mind, scientific materialism cannot consider morals. The scientific method provides no tools for observing or studying morals. Morals are beyond the purview of science as we currently know it. The "morality" of creating atomic weapons was never at issue, only the facts of the science of creating them, and who could discover those facts and implement them first. If we are going to let the assumptions of scientific materialism guide us, this is <i>logically</i> where they lead.)<br />
<br />
By the '60's and '70's a new rebellion took place. This time it was initiated by fairly well-off and fairly well-educated young men and women who not only continued the attack against "society" and "social moral codes" started after WWI, but also began to attack the Intellectuals and Intellectual Institutions that had grown up since then. The new answer to the question "Is it right?" or "Is it good?" - became "If it feels good, do it!" Interestingly enough, as Pirsig points out, many of these young people began to steer their lives towards adopting the social patterns of Native Americans; i.e. more gentle rearing of children, simplicity, speaking directly, and being closer to nature, among other things. However, he also goes on to point out, that this kind of "laid back" approach to day-to-day life does not "fit" well in an urban setting, where there are other expectations - like being on time to do a job where other people are depending on you.<br />
<br />
I guess the most important take home point I got from reading this chronicle was this: The revolutionaries of the '60's and '70's made <i>no distinctions</i> between<i> biological freedom</i> and <i>intellectual freedom</i>. I have realized that "If it feels good, do it!"is the most primitive motto of all <i>individual</i> biological organisms. However, even within the first colonial organisms, some of that individual biological freedom had to be sacrificed for the benefit of living more safely and securely within a group of similar individuals. <br />
<br />
That most basic pattern of sacrifice of individual biological freedom for the benefit of being part of a collective has replicated itself throughout the evolutionary tree. In other words, some of the most primitive single cells that organize themselves into colonies "understand" that complete "biological freedom" is not "moral" if you want to live in a group with others like yourself. And yet, back in the '60's and '70's this "moral code", that even the members of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvox">Volvox colony</a> could understand and value, got thrown out the window and was replaced with the idea that every individual should be free to do whatever they want, no matter how it affects the people around them. In other words..."If it feels good do it!" and following that - "Survival of the fittest"...<br />
<br />
So here we are roughly 50 years later, and if you judge by that particular moral code; i.e."If it feels good, do it," and "Survival of the fittest", then the Big Corporations and the Big Governments and the Most Powerful Countries are also the most "moral"! Hey...they're just "playing by the rules"! Everyone has decided those old Victorians were idiots and didn't have any clue about how to be part of a society. Furthermore, the intellectuals got off track since they could not <i>see</i> a "moral" or <i>see</i> a "society" in any kind of meaningful way, and, consequently, they had nothing to offer to replace the social moral codes of the Victorians.<br />
<br />
Now our technology has completely outpaced our Moral Maturity as far as evolutionary progress is concerned. As I listened to Noam Chomsky speak recently on "Security and State Policy", I completely understood why, when it comes to Security of the Society - i.e. the Majority of the People living in this country (for instance), none of our leaders really care if we get blown up by terrorists, as long as They don't get blown up by terrorists, as long as any of their financial backers and corporations do not get blown up by terrorists. They have no sense of being Part of a/Our Society, or accountable by any "social moral codes" that include all of the rest of us. They are just doing their own thing for themselves, while they feed off the rest of us, and off the rest of our labor and intelligence.<br />
<br />
However, if you can imagine that a "society" is a real thing. That we are part of a society that is simply a different level or type of "organism" or "pattern of values" to use Pirsig's term, then the 1% are like a cancer that has been growing and growing and growing, building more and more avenues/blood vessels through which to channel the resources of this society/organism to themselves.<br />
<br />
There are some people out there who are thinking, like many medical doctors think about cancer, that we're going to have to "radiate the entire body" in order to kill off the cancer. Those are a lot of your violent revolutionaries and apocalyptic thinkers. Of course, such a violent and radical approach risks killing the body itself. Violent revolution can be that kind of "chemotherapy", in that it can destroy the "innocent/healthy" cells as well as the "cancerous" ones, and there is a very good chance that the patient will die - that the patient will not have enough functioning parts left to survive after the cancer is gone.<br />
<br />
In his books, <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/">Paul K. Chappell</a> writes about violent approaches to resolving major conflicts as being similar to using amputation of a wounded leg to prevent infection rather than antibiotics. He asserts that the key is better understanding. Just as medical doctors have made progress in understanding how the body works, so they know it is better to give antibiotics rather than cut off a leg, so the populations of the world must better understand the nature of conflict in order to find a more precise way of dealing with it that does not involve violence.<br />
<br />
Interestingly enough, (and I think without really knowing it) Paul K. Chappell has offered a new version of a "social moral code" that we might aspire to, especially in his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Peaceful-Revolution-Create-Humanitys-Survival/dp/1935212761/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328582670&sr=8-1"><i>Peaceful Revolution</i></a>. And knowing Paul somewhat personally, I'd say he would have probably been quite comfortable in Victorian society! I will not say that he has All of the Answers, but a lot of his work certainly points in a general direction that I feel needs to be considered seriously, especially in light of Robert Pirsig's ideas as well.<br />
<br />
One of the strategic instructions of Paul's work centers on the teaching of Sun Tzu in <i>The Art of War</i>: Never attack your opponent at their strongest point. Our government in combination with the current corporate powers, has the most highly trained and technologically advanced military, police, and security forces in the world. Consequently, to try to dismantle any of that through violent revolution would be devastating for all concerned. Again, that is more like the "radiate the entire body to destroy the cancer" approach. And in this case, the cancer has a much stronger immune system than the body itself. Instead, as Paul suggests, we have to attack them at the level of their Moral Authority, where they are weakest.<br />
<br />
However, in order to do that, as a society, we have to be functioning with a Higher Moral Code ourselves...and that means we have to understand the difference between "biological freedom" and "intellectual freedom". We have to fully understand that we cannot have total "biological freedom" and be part of a stable, sustainable, society or world for that matter. Consequently, when we say we want more "freedom" we are going to have to be very, very clear about what that means. From my point of view, that needs to mean we want more "freedom" to create new forms of society and community that are not at the mercy and threat of the political and financial "cancers" that have grown up in our midst.<br />
<br />
Think of the movie,<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993846/"><i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i></a>. This movie epitomizes the ideas of "survival of the fittest" and "if it feels good, do it". Those ideas make up the (biological) "moral code" we are actually functioning under, especially here in the West and it is the same "moral code" we have been exporting throughout the world for decades now. However, if that really is the "moral code" we have (mostly unconsciously) agreed to in this society, ever since the revolutions of the '60s and '70s, then those who manage to "survive" the longest and make the most money to "do whatever they want", are the MORAL VICTORS here!!!! And we have NO RIGHT TO BE COMPLAINING about them!!!<br />
<br />
Furthermore, if the people who want to challenge them only want to <i>displace</i> them so a New Group can continue to "survive" at the expense of the rest of "society," then that means that those "displacers" are Not Representing a "HIGHER MORAL CODE". Such "displacement" of the "current powers that be" without a Change of Moral Codes is NOT GOING TO MAKE FOR ANY FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE for "society", and that means for Most of the Rest of Us and for the World!...<br />
<br />
Really take some time to think about that...<br />
<br />
...However, if each of us is willing to recognize that, no matter how loosely we may be held together right now, we are already a part of a Society of Humankind. And to actually make those bonds stronger, we have to recognize that there is a Different Moral Code to guide our behaviors as part of this Society. That Moral Code means giving up at least some elements of our "individual biological freedom"; i.e. to "do whatever makes me feel good," or "reproduce as many babies as I want to, with or without a partner, with or without the means to support them," or to "eat as much crap as I want to even if my bad health negatively impacts the people around me and the medical system that supports us," or to "consume all kinds of resources that I really don't need just because I can," or "Let me speculate in the stock market for short-term gains at the expense of long-term financial stability", etc., etc., etc. If we can collectively move beyond the biological moral code of "if it feels good do it" and "survival of the fittest", and once again find our path to a new, and actually, More Intelligent "Social Moral Code" then, and Only Then, will we be in a position of Moral Authority over those elements of our society that are currently in power - elements that are clearly not functioning with anything like a Social Moral Code except maybe "Honor Among Thieves"!<br />
<br />
And, maybe, hopefully, we can turn this mess around in time, and help to renew the other critical component of our survival here - the Earth itself, upon which ALL biological organisms and societies and free thinkers depend.<br />
<br />
To Summarize...<br />
<br />
You cannot have Biology without the Earth, you cannot have Society without individual biological organisms working cooperatively to sustain it, you cannot have Intellectual Development without a Society that is there to educate its members and to give them the tools of self-discipline to regulate their biological drives so that they can be productive and contributing members to that society, and you cannot have Intellectual Freedom without a Society that understands that without it, there can be no New Ideas that help to keep Society as a Whole moving forward.<br />
<br />
I am grateful for the society of which I am a part, in spite of its obvious problems. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had for gainful employment that have allowed me to sustain my biological needs and to further my education. I appreciate the technology that is available to me to continue to expand my knowledge of others ideas and to communicate my own.<br />
<br />
And I am grateful for all of the people in my life who read my blogs, who are critical thinkers and communicators themselves, and who are doing whatever they can to make the world and this society a better place for all of us to live and grow and develop our full potentials as human beings, both individually and collectively.<br />
<br />
I have hope for the future, knowing what I know now. But I do feel a certain Urgency in spreading these ideas, as the clock is ticking for how long we can keep going down the path we are on. I would hate to see all that we have managed to create here "go to waste" when so much of it can be salvaged with a fairly simple shift in understanding; part of which again, is understanding the difference between biological and intellectual freedom and the critical role a healthy, functional, society plays in mediating between the two.<br />
<br />
I welcome your questions and feedback...Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-91594639515867087542014-02-09T21:41:00.001-05:002014-02-09T21:47:39.650-05:00"I've Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night" - Part IIIRemembering July 27 - August 1, 2013<br />
<br />
From the home of Daniel and Anne I traveled North again...I had made a commitment some days earlier to help my host Kesten move to a new apartment and I timed my visit just for that purpose. As it turned out I ended up helping him AND his housemate at the time, Vanessa.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfttE8twuV0BkC8NU5WILX7hfap0QLvaHrGloRSSzSb2xg3lnOqwfsYANtnmMiptChPI-36iwwgRthhqjhyphenhyphen-BDwAqlH96wdvNkFE_qtBhOPh5W6Sy9WrsWaoK9cxoTHtKtKB82lxpeQFPS/s1600/photo-725527.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfttE8twuV0BkC8NU5WILX7hfap0QLvaHrGloRSSzSb2xg3lnOqwfsYANtnmMiptChPI-36iwwgRthhqjhyphenhyphen-BDwAqlH96wdvNkFE_qtBhOPh5W6Sy9WrsWaoK9cxoTHtKtKB82lxpeQFPS/s320/photo-725527.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978489359491419538" /></a><br />
It took me a while to fully understand where to meet Kesten, as he was back and forth between apartments on the day of my arrival, but eventually, I found him at the old apartment and helped load the last of his things.<br />
<br />
The building he was living in was mainly for students of the local university and it happened to be the end-of-the-year moving weekend for All of Them. It was pretty crazy, especially since the elevators ran so s-l-o-w-l-y! Given the heavy traffic up and down, they actually had attendants, whom I did not envy for having to spend their day stuck in an antiquated elevator, frequently squeezed in tight with lots of "stuff" and hot, sweaty students moving all of that stuff!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpMcvkpKi4kf85oa_J5L0uXE9862HEekIIHK7CEQ4FiwK7PN0J_ryx3-GuD2e3CLKm71Dm4LdgfxZ8ZG5Hbwjcs-CkCXOHU8cPcEYLoebk8QZtOwcTkjzkzurXci9Y5FOoW0e7QnshnV4/s1600/photo-716300.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpMcvkpKi4kf85oa_J5L0uXE9862HEekIIHK7CEQ4FiwK7PN0J_ryx3-GuD2e3CLKm71Dm4LdgfxZ8ZG5Hbwjcs-CkCXOHU8cPcEYLoebk8QZtOwcTkjzkzurXci9Y5FOoW0e7QnshnV4/s320/photo-716300.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978489750788194114" /></a><br />
<br />
So, it was a great test of patience for everyone. But we persevered and got Kesten relocated to his new place. While there, I took on another "special project" sewing the seam of his couch arm back together.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbgGHei4Yv6eWohl3tb_TKC9FKsH7r7zTINbj3lu7Y5q71OmVFD0mVK1zqRmXvqdtXJsnP_0rKkN3pXooHjBv1ZIYFLu7v7ZVuTk7uVTlI8QLHVbFaCzYWTUacM5SKUXaqyw7bdCtr-gQ/s1600/photo-751984.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbgGHei4Yv6eWohl3tb_TKC9FKsH7r7zTINbj3lu7Y5q71OmVFD0mVK1zqRmXvqdtXJsnP_0rKkN3pXooHjBv1ZIYFLu7v7ZVuTk7uVTlI8QLHVbFaCzYWTUacM5SKUXaqyw7bdCtr-gQ/s320/photo-751984.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978489907486853458" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Of course there can be no "before" shot without the "after"...<br />
<br />
Seems I'm developing something of a portfolio for this kind of work - including a leather couch at my friend Brenda's house in St. Augustine, FL, and then there was another host Donna's couch in Apalachicola, FL, and now this for Kesten in Austin, TX!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UNe6HzcpyVEf1iDDEWQSSTN07PYJe4sL74vHD6SVMiewJ08RpSUpcBeIqgAJGr9WMLD8uAxYYdFXcSbe-VED8skkKHjVLX7-e0Vb-BJD1F255RuXON5dKTwbD0oYpQPPsudocv1e1CBK/s1600/photo-701516.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UNe6HzcpyVEf1iDDEWQSSTN07PYJe4sL74vHD6SVMiewJ08RpSUpcBeIqgAJGr9WMLD8uAxYYdFXcSbe-VED8skkKHjVLX7-e0Vb-BJD1F255RuXON5dKTwbD0oYpQPPsudocv1e1CBK/s320/photo-701516.JPG" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978509872795984114" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Copyright 2014 Sophie Wu Photography</td></tr>
</tbody></table>One of the benefits of spending a day and an evening at Kesten's new place was having a Buddhist temple within walking distance. We went to visit <a href="http://www.ibps-austin.org/">Xiang Yun Temple</a> on Sunday afternoon and found people there to welcome us, although we had missed the larger service for the day. <br />
<br />
We were shown downstairs as part of our tour and, as it turned out, this facility provided free Chinese health care from various practitioners in the community. Both Kesten and I received massages, the first I'd had for both "Stage I" and "Stage II". I felt especially lucky to have the senior practitioner, <a href="http://www.txharmony.com/">Kevin Lou</a> himself give me my massage as there were also several younger people there who, I had to assume, were interns that were getting opportunities to practice under his guidance. (Photo from the "FGS Xiang Yun Temple" Facebook page.)<br />
<br />
The next day I returned to the old apartment with plans to help Vanessa with the rest of her things. During the day, though, I had a chance to go to lunch with another <a href="https://www.warmshowers.org/">Warm Showers</a> host Steve Godfrey. Steve has done quite a bit of his own cross-country cycling with his <a href="http://biketourdelife.org/">Bike Tour de Life</a>. When not cycling cross-country you can find him cycling around Austin hand-delivering fliers to local businesses. From the way he talked about it, I could tell he'd been doing that long enough for it to be something of an art for him. We had a good time hanging out and exchanging stories of the road and even though I wasn't able to stay with him, it was nice to make the connection and I appreciated his generous offer to pay for my meal.<br />
<br />
I spent my last night back at the old apartment, "camping" on my sleeping pad. While there I helped Vanessa load the rest of her things into her vehicle. I also took responsibility for returning keys and paperwork the next morning to the apartment authorities since Vanessa was going to be at work. Before I left the apartment, I did my best to make sure as many of the items on the "Inspection Checklist" were done, like wiping down counters and the refrigerator. Unfortunately, there was no broom left behind for the floors. In addition, between two sets of previous lessors and/or sub-lessors, there were several bits and pieces of furniture left behind. Nothing I could do about that, but I helped in all the other ways I felt I could. It was a bit strange though being in that position, the last person out of a place <b>I</b> had only "lived" for one night!<br />
<br />
I had a full day ahead to spend "noodling" my way back through Austin, as my last stop was not too far away and my next host was not going to be home until later in the evening. Consequently, I took my time. I rested for a while in one of the parks along the Colorado River. I safety-pinned some larger signage to my trailer, hand-written on the backs of pages from one of those desk-top blotter calendars that had been left at the apartment. I was kind of testing the idea to see how people responded. One guy offered me a Snickers bar that was left-over from his lunch as a show of support. <br />
<br />
I took my Keens off and let my feet rest in the water of the man-made pond I was sitting next to, and practiced some "stalking" skills by holding my cupped hands under the water and letting the little minnows swim into them. I was able to catch a few of the smaller ones, but the larger ones were more wary and capable of catapulting themselves out of my hands as I slowly lifted them up, letting the water drain away. Of course, it was all "catch and release" for that day - but good to practice should I ever need minnows for bait in the future!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YlFP6NMg_Pab2ocv8gWgCMqYn3o_aM8PGh8jpt5gRHjatJ1GrBrkJd_-y6ZR9qj-76HEqhk3ACTXu2S_AoOH2YBwu33cF4WPLB74lI1EQSBkL9Xf5Plg-aSI7THtK29Wbrjr3b-Y4eca/s1600/photo-711873.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YlFP6NMg_Pab2ocv8gWgCMqYn3o_aM8PGh8jpt5gRHjatJ1GrBrkJd_-y6ZR9qj-76HEqhk3ACTXu2S_AoOH2YBwu33cF4WPLB74lI1EQSBkL9Xf5Plg-aSI7THtK29Wbrjr3b-Y4eca/s320/photo-711873.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978586798785284882" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I had made up my mind to get to the Barton Springs Pool before I left Austin. I had actually been there before, I want to say in the late '90s, before I joined the Navy. I went to visit some people who would later stay in my somewhat isolated cabin in Colorado during the "Y2K" transition/scare. However, on this occasion, I only had $3 left, and maybe a little change, and I knew the cost of admission was going to be $3. I tried to swing a freebie by explaining that I was riding my bicycle across the country, but the attendants were not impressed. So, I paid them my last $3 and figured something else would work out. I had food still, and not too many more miles, or stops to go to reach Luling.<br />
<br />
And so, I chilled my hot body in the cool springs for a while. Feeling a little self-conscious of my biker's tan as I walked around in my swimwear. It was only as I was working my way to the far side of the pool that I realized there was another area, on the other side of the lower end of the pool where people were also cooling down in what I later found out were the "free" areas on the other side of the fence. Of course, the attendants failed to bring this to my attention at the time I was paying them my Last $3! So...I paid for deeper water, but I doubt it was that much colder. Chalk that up to another lesson learned for how to save money while visiting Austin, Texas!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIuiZrYKEfrH98zHL2JRa9FA8vm1ynJLiSnGdWAVMlxNfU5810Q-HvJ3fKUgci_ghNFG4_dPTr93E_dYy8Itec47maH9Ez0X1ExCLsXTmTwW4Umqf-nQ7OGNf1tVeZkhSsawuu-ZKXkiq/s1600/photo-785934.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIuiZrYKEfrH98zHL2JRa9FA8vm1ynJLiSnGdWAVMlxNfU5810Q-HvJ3fKUgci_ghNFG4_dPTr93E_dYy8Itec47maH9Ez0X1ExCLsXTmTwW4Umqf-nQ7OGNf1tVeZkhSsawuu-ZKXkiq/s320/photo-785934.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978490480624170194" /></a> After swimming for a while, then showering, and getting back into my riding gear, I sat at the eating areas for my cheese and crackers and celery "lunch" and noticed the bees seeking soda drippings around my table. Given the recent reports I'd come across on still decreasing bee populations, I thought I'd try to help the little buggers out with a few drops here and there of my electrolyte drink mix. Sure enough they started to catch on pretty quick and so I upped the offerings to fit into the cap of one of my plastic smoothie bottles. First there were two or three...<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nflymcqd5cLRccx13d7NEhqGirhv1tF5mcLtCM3wutqf0SLKSiAz5EcFIf3UBv2PKZBCLrxRaX2L8Y4M_afEKSULV6uU-1yaoTMv6D8W4lDd45DmGeorltEv8sdLXbm-FIR2JbnQq4fT/s1600/photo-724450.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nflymcqd5cLRccx13d7NEhqGirhv1tF5mcLtCM3wutqf0SLKSiAz5EcFIf3UBv2PKZBCLrxRaX2L8Y4M_afEKSULV6uU-1yaoTMv6D8W4lDd45DmGeorltEv8sdLXbm-FIR2JbnQq4fT/s320/photo-724450.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978490643985957778" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Then there were a few more...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQNxX8h5jjJtaQ4HitNLqD-f3Bj05MplnCosdvsH5OaomnL-zi_jQ7VzLHfg46pEPSXft15LQgjO5_PKHR6sn-o9eY1ZKuMOTFaXVF_DBQhiDZLuE-33YB1V-FfMr6eJDRJ9_v9lNuv2o/s1600/photo-762354.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQNxX8h5jjJtaQ4HitNLqD-f3Bj05MplnCosdvsH5OaomnL-zi_jQ7VzLHfg46pEPSXft15LQgjO5_PKHR6sn-o9eY1ZKuMOTFaXVF_DBQhiDZLuE-33YB1V-FfMr6eJDRJ9_v9lNuv2o/s320/photo-762354.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978490811539002034" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And a few more after that...until all the cap I'd pored had been sucked up into their little bee bellies!<br />
<br />
<br />
There was a group of mostly young girls that came close to my table, some of them being very dramatic about their fear of the bees, so I tried to help them understand that they should not be afraid and that we needed to protect the bees as they were so important for pollinating the flowers for our food. They mostly just looked at me funny. And then ran away from my table squealing!<br />
<br />
Since my bike and trailer had been parked in a pretty high traffic area I was able to keep an eye on it from my picnic table. At least a couple of people stopped by and I went over to answer their questions. All-in-all it was a good stop, and I wasn't regretting spending my Last Three Dollars too much!<br />
<br />
As I headed back to the main road I stopped at a bike rental shop to put some air in my tires. Although the mechanic on duty was pretty focused inside, I invited him out to see my "rig". He then went to get his boss, the owner of the business, Mark Mitchell. Mark was very intrigued with what I was doing, appreciating the "spirit" of it all. When he heard my tail of having to pay my Last $3 at the pool, he went back inside and came back with a spare tube and $20 to see me on my way. I assured him I would make it last and he trusted my word on that.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEewDxP5MbA79_unrUtNqAOCaLCNK_W3aIQza817PvWPQexj5uZjjO14KTY7pGcpkKUiaJYJOovGRkMYuEqJTKWDiI8zOReC1V747UFNZSGCuPCnP3HilNbDFJB4QQ5zyZGMzLcD4H5g9/s1600/photo-741330.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEewDxP5MbA79_unrUtNqAOCaLCNK_W3aIQza817PvWPQexj5uZjjO14KTY7pGcpkKUiaJYJOovGRkMYuEqJTKWDiI8zOReC1V747UFNZSGCuPCnP3HilNbDFJB4QQ5zyZGMzLcD4H5g9/s320/photo-741330.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978491146604462930" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I still had a few more hot and hilly miles left to go and through some of the busier streets of south Austin. However, by just about the right time, I made it to my Couch Surfing host for the evening, Peg Fuller. We had some friendly interaction and conversation as I rested there for a couple of nights. And then it was back on the road again, with two more stops to go before my last leg to Luling.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsMaz5AZ7ax5Dbm1vwOyR1n4J0vHJsdcDZK3o0VqFeNOISK2qZQuaMk9CXrot6deku-M9Bzok3b9BjND35yaK-mYD8iWq9n5PeVNa-kJjeOXT4ZR3hWQM7PQPva1bCFYFFEwex3EgJOx8/s1600/photo-794835.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsMaz5AZ7ax5Dbm1vwOyR1n4J0vHJsdcDZK3o0VqFeNOISK2qZQuaMk9CXrot6deku-M9Bzok3b9BjND35yaK-mYD8iWq9n5PeVNa-kJjeOXT4ZR3hWQM7PQPva1bCFYFFEwex3EgJOx8/s320/photo-794835.JPG" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5978491376154657874" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Peg Fuller's house on my way to San Marcos, Texas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-23778886223214905632013-11-12T16:57:00.000-05:002013-11-17T15:51:50.254-05:00Part II of "I've Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night..."From the Gethsemane Lutheran Church Hospitality House I once again traveled south through Austin to reach my next destination and <a href="https://www.warmshowers.org/" target="_blank">Warm Showers</a> hosts, Daniel and Anne Alvarez. As I was getting close to their house, I spotted a metal recycling center on one side of the road and realized...they had a scale that might be big enough for me to weigh my bicycle! I passed by and then turned around as I figured I was not likely to have such an easy opportunity again. (Keep in mind, most truck scales are off of major interstates or highways, not places I would normally be on my bicycle.)<br />
<br />
After a little cajoling, they let me take my bike and trailer on the scale. The weight was called out over an intercom... "380 [lbs]"....And my mind was like "What???? You're kidding me!" And, seriously, I thought they were messing with me. But, the guy who made the announcement was either really good at keeping a straight face, or he had, seriously, called it like he saw it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWB2J1Wg4m48TwNLUQ4u5LwRhrNFhlv3h0mgwznoY9aIjOBc9fhuaIskUuDXko9y6Ksn3_DgOpw_8eaMGYNfJNN2yn9Z8zc73VgDXT-L4JjULDjlTVE45Zmur_Fad8328_pm6cU8p1AdG5/s1600/photo-779509.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5940560739232786738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWB2J1Wg4m48TwNLUQ4u5LwRhrNFhlv3h0mgwznoY9aIjOBc9fhuaIskUuDXko9y6Ksn3_DgOpw_8eaMGYNfJNN2yn9Z8zc73VgDXT-L4JjULDjlTVE45Zmur_Fad8328_pm6cU8p1AdG5/s400/photo-779509.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Finally on the Scale in Austin, Texas, July 25, 2013</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With a deduction of my own weight of roughly 150 lbs (very roughly, by the way), I was looking at 230 lbs with the bike and trailer fully loaded. And here I've been telling everyone, "Oh, I think I'm carrying about 125 or so." Furthermore, at this point, I'm up to about 1600 cross-country miles, with 300 of the most recent miles being through the central Texas hill country...in the summer heat!<br />
<br />
To be honest, I'm not sure if it was such a good thing for me to KNOW, more exactly, how much weight I was carrying. What difference did it really make? It wasn't like I was going to suddenly slim down to the 125 lbs I had previously thought I was carrying. As I have told many people, I accept the fact that, at least for Stages I and II: I've been doing this whole journey The Hard Way, and I see myself setting something of an upper limit for what is possible. There are all kinds of ways to ride a bicycle across the country: with less gear, at a different time of the year, in a different direction, with more money, with another rider or a group - etc., etc. This is the way <b>I</b> have chosen to do it, and I do not see making any major changes when it comes to completing Stage III. We'll see though, as that part of my journey has yet to unfold....?<br />
<br />
After weighing in at the metal recycling center, I continued down the road and around the corner to Daniel and Anne's house. It was really great to get to spend time with them. They were quite busy, in the process of painting their house, and taking care of their young son Luke. In addition, their nieces and nephews came to visit along with their father for one of the days I was there.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhi6jzuBLZluPdCnrdmQZDcwtL9HzzBo5w9dDwpksdhdX1T3TVEAfieRVCg22NAt9P4obU3RZEbSgrDmcqLfCiXpQ2JYfSeeacSFBVFRcYutydHGDx-dgJ7hpWxw0sxbYBywd1vrmNbr7/s1600/photo-701087.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945397391270419202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhi6jzuBLZluPdCnrdmQZDcwtL9HzzBo5w9dDwpksdhdX1T3TVEAfieRVCg22NAt9P4obU3RZEbSgrDmcqLfCiXpQ2JYfSeeacSFBVFRcYutydHGDx-dgJ7hpWxw0sxbYBywd1vrmNbr7/s320/photo-701087.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Joseph and Elena</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I shared some of my "Green Smoothie" with Joseph, Elena, Daniel, and Kara and they happily showed off their "smoothie mustaches" for me. I can see the add lines now "Got Smoothie?"<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: start;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: right; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZE6kMab4cGoPRflpzuVtG-1x3cw78bQozPglNstnaHKtxJxB4FP10gyWJu3wtlNEJVZZ86P2ImtAYq_4Oc-TOsYSIlbfR1q3Y7tZbYZ7TeviRpqiE3uEn0ICtfSxuwNdp1J72p8au-EXB/s1600/photo+1-771554.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945397268158160642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZE6kMab4cGoPRflpzuVtG-1x3cw78bQozPglNstnaHKtxJxB4FP10gyWJu3wtlNEJVZZ86P2ImtAYq_4Oc-TOsYSIlbfR1q3Y7tZbYZ7TeviRpqiE3uEn0ICtfSxuwNdp1J72p8au-EXB/s320/photo+1-771554.JPG" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Daniel and Kara</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After showing the kids many of the pictures of my trip, including really beautiful pine-needle baskets created by Jan Southern, one of my hosts in Florida, Kara decided WE should make a basket! Although I was hesitant at first and tried too give her some idea of the time it would take, she was quite adamant. So, we looked around outside to see if there were any natural materials we could use, but since their aunt and uncle were away (with me and their father there to look after them), we could not ask about, for instance, removing some fronds from the Saw Palmettos that were growing next to the house.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dCc3gStCkjWUgCKskmKOnZb1LSVLciB9VBcnPfms5gmn-PiDbSWeWx-n0voKwy8ju5q6pzlBtJvfXuGJ1PRVs21xwKeQ2M2nw-WTUsTkME6FzxCBAErbmvIid7u6m_5_zKZQ1o_99XDE/s1600/photo-786488.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5947331784080949074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dCc3gStCkjWUgCKskmKOnZb1LSVLciB9VBcnPfms5gmn-PiDbSWeWx-n0voKwy8ju5q6pzlBtJvfXuGJ1PRVs21xwKeQ2M2nw-WTUsTkME6FzxCBAErbmvIid7u6m_5_zKZQ1o_99XDE/s400/photo-786488.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> One of Jan Southern's Pine Needle Baskets about 9" across.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Eventually we came up with the idea of making a basket out of string, since the kids were certain it would be okay to use some string that their Uncle Dan had let them play with before. We found a ball of jute cord and that's when the fun began.<br />
<br />
Although Joseph was not so interested, Elena, Kara, Daniel, and I took turns as we braided three long strands of the string together by weaving <i>ourselves</i> over and under each other. Being quite a bit younger, Daniel was having a little more trouble figuring out what to do. His dad stepped in to help at one point, and then they took a break. That left myself, Kara, and Elena to continue and ... eventually ...we got a really good rhythm going. (I'm sorry I don't have pictures or video to share here, but the best way I can describe it is to compare it to the "May Pole" dance, where everyone has their own ribbon and the goal is to weave all of the ribbons together from the top of the pole, down to the bottom. That's what we did with our strands of jute cord until we had a single length, three strands thick. Sure...we could have taken turns braiding individually, but it would not have been nearly as much fun!)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug3wvmkfuMmUQK8wXrE-ivM3y2RG2bb3u4YCYrYqJMmh3x8xTKSDaVgqg6CYpFfLo3dtnzxXG0tcWJZK0QMvBREjT1GCGZGe3HftpK1VhDqAh5hth-YC3DWfGZrJp5v2S-KFQTDE7AIBk/s1600/photo-761380.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945476677406989202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug3wvmkfuMmUQK8wXrE-ivM3y2RG2bb3u4YCYrYqJMmh3x8xTKSDaVgqg6CYpFfLo3dtnzxXG0tcWJZK0QMvBREjT1GCGZGe3HftpK1VhDqAh5hth-YC3DWfGZrJp5v2S-KFQTDE7AIBk/s320/photo-761380.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Completed Coil String Basket - Quarters for Scale</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With my now 2X thicker cord, I took out my needle and heavy thread from my sewing kit and began to create a "Coiled String Basket". The kids stayed interested for a while, but I realized the rather slow process lost its attraction pretty quickly. Besides, Daniel and Anne returned and that meant it was time for dinner. Nevertheless, after the kids went home, I continued with my work - watching another <a href="http://youtu.be/wLE71i4JJiM" target="_blank">Robert Sapolsky lecture</a> on aggression while I toiled with my coil until I was able to offer up the completed basket to my hosts with the promise that it would eventually be passed on to their nieces and nephews to "share" between them...somehow...?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: start;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwfvCdw5fWS3VuiaY82A2U5PeJB5s6fNre1T6pFbTKwxX_ltyoKrvEp03m_QVVl3yYgli3gZc31w3Cpo3NDI6-MXcwLV2yTyoJFW0mR0PQUHCgExHzvHjDA5_mygnj6zz6GLX0GGH_Vyd/s1600/photo-728871.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945424571066117890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwfvCdw5fWS3VuiaY82A2U5PeJB5s6fNre1T6pFbTKwxX_ltyoKrvEp03m_QVVl3yYgli3gZc31w3Cpo3NDI6-MXcwLV2yTyoJFW0mR0PQUHCgExHzvHjDA5_mygnj6zz6GLX0GGH_Vyd/s320/photo-728871.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Texas Capital Building in Austin</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;">The next day/evening Anne and I went for a walk with baby Luke and took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy </span><a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/eventdetail/music-under-star-free-concert-series-bob-bullock-t/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">"Music Under the Star"</a><span style="text-align: center;"> , near the Austin Capital building. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;">It was pretty crowded once we got there, so we had to locate our picnic blanket towards the back and off to the side of the bands that played. Daniel came to join us and we proceeded to dine on what was left of the </span><a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/food-basics-part-v.html" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">"Special Egg-Fried Rice"</a><span style="text-align: center;"> I had prepared earlier. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPHfsOGYOrzRzgg3j0a9ZcFNhU4EbPZbA0p_Eb27651wELn_bHMZzKFcNH9dDLT1sh76XprOHgcoHzGc8DnXQkXY22pAukrlsMwlmNaqg-Zkkh5zSR1l94JjX-riZLuW6E7f1DvK7aZf-/s1600/photo-756493.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945415235712873250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPHfsOGYOrzRzgg3j0a9ZcFNhU4EbPZbA0p_Eb27651wELn_bHMZzKFcNH9dDLT1sh76XprOHgcoHzGc8DnXQkXY22pAukrlsMwlmNaqg-Zkkh5zSR1l94JjX-riZLuW6E7f1DvK7aZf-/s400/photo-756493.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> With Daniel, Luke, and Anne at "Music Under the Star"</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Before I left Daniel, Anne and Luke, I decided to take a closer look at the old treadle sewing machine they had in their guest bedroom where I was staying. It ended up having one of the most unusual bobbin assemblies I have ever seen (see pictures below). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: left; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDxYa0gh1V0pm39vjP-__hDvk8zu-hjkMU0S492Muh9ReOn7-idIktMuqZUnSL3eIIPkYbSGVF-rddPvnLehaeipMd96HY374rOt11JF9xwoDxMW0l2zU1B08nXBUcEz3EliTvNhyphenhyphenLLtB/s1600/photo-703631.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945415438511692674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDxYa0gh1V0pm39vjP-__hDvk8zu-hjkMU0S492Muh9ReOn7-idIktMuqZUnSL3eIIPkYbSGVF-rddPvnLehaeipMd96HY374rOt11JF9xwoDxMW0l2zU1B08nXBUcEz3EliTvNhyphenhyphenLLtB/s320/photo-703631.JPG" /></a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8orZHjVs36BgIfUXPKIJ5mrknfZ80XANrag0CMbPRAgf1Y29uIy4IdiTJezQGsXxQUJAnvL5axTR32bWTUFq7iv2XnSG8AGTxca5pjIh6wIrJJxdDIPPBcnsHBdOP64gM7qxp0POoxfsx/s1600/photo-740096.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945415599363828306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8orZHjVs36BgIfUXPKIJ5mrknfZ80XANrag0CMbPRAgf1Y29uIy4IdiTJezQGsXxQUJAnvL5axTR32bWTUFq7iv2XnSG8AGTxca5pjIh6wIrJJxdDIPPBcnsHBdOP64gM7qxp0POoxfsx/s320/photo-740096.JPG" /></a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: left; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv5H31mxchPxbW17nlUYd3vdfuJWOIzKpkY7txFautqeGWsrI2X_-w86FN6DGKqpRd7SabhRXmp6ouX5cnTzwu8VUx8y5Y5hE_OusUBYhLVr4ZGxFxWD-F3ZpttZCIM06Et5ZTr-pvVJs/s1600/photo-781803.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945415776840355682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv5H31mxchPxbW17nlUYd3vdfuJWOIzKpkY7txFautqeGWsrI2X_-w86FN6DGKqpRd7SabhRXmp6ouX5cnTzwu8VUx8y5Y5hE_OusUBYhLVr4ZGxFxWD-F3ZpttZCIM06Et5ZTr-pvVJs/s320/photo-781803.JPG" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxYse7KyZ537Krqhqq5upjia4u9TnYTirP-Dmjsu0NAAoOuLXP3HpIxx5A9gEFnE0CDwARWFt8GEJsID2Z98BPgsXIj8yvFr7OJO9ZBfLQPqZoTp2_ss-R_pl3mmoZoitj7noQqStqGoi/s1600/photo-742951.JPG" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5945416041378932962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxYse7KyZ537Krqhqq5upjia4u9TnYTirP-Dmjsu0NAAoOuLXP3HpIxx5A9gEFnE0CDwARWFt8GEJsID2Z98BPgsXIj8yvFr7OJO9ZBfLQPqZoTp2_ss-R_pl3mmoZoitj7noQqStqGoi/s320/photo-742951.JPG" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have any familiarity with this particular machine, or know someone who does, or know someone who could work on and/or repair this machine as necessary, especially if you/they are in the area of Austin, Texas, then please contact me with a comment below. I promised Daniel and Anne that I would try to help network for them either to get a market value for the machine as is or to find someone who could actually help them get it working again.</div>
<div>
<br />
In my last few hours at the house, I happen to overhear an audio book Anne was listening to entitled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Whole-Brain-Child-Revolutionary-Strategies/dp/1455853100/ref=tmm_abk_title_0" target="_blank"><i>The Whole-Brain Child...</i></a> and I asked her about it. It sounded really interesting and I will be adding it to my list of books to read. Even more so though, I appreciated seeing Anne going the extra mile to educate herself so that she could relate better with her son. I think Luke is lucky to have her as a mom and his very considerate and compassionate father as well.<br />
<br />
After taking the photos of the sewing machine, and loading up my bicycle, it was time to head back north once again to my next to last stop in Austin, Texas.</div>
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-48036328091383877262013-10-31T18:57:00.001-04:002013-10-31T18:57:35.532-04:00More on "Telling the Good Stories" in Response to Dylan RatiganThis was what Dylan Ratigan had to post today: <a href="http://www.dylanratigan.com/2013/10/31/peaking-behind-the-curtain/" target="_blank">"Peeking Behind the Curtain"</a> where he shares the latest on his work with J.R. Lewis in presenting the <a href="http://www.dylanratigan.com/2013/10/22/thousands-of-stories-of-hope-one-barrier-and-how-we-can-overcome-it/" target="_blank">"Thousands of Stories of Hope..."</a><br />
<br />
In <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/starting-conversation-with-dylan-ratigan.html" target="_blank">my previous blog</a>, I expanded on some of the ideas Dylan shared in his talk to <a href="http://youtu.be/NUuNvFhUjCg" target="_blank">TZM San Diego</a> especially with regards to his idea that our life stories become the myths for those around us, maybe even for people we do not even know. With the technology we now have available to communicate our stories, the telling of these stories can affect the broader population "asymmetrically" in a much more powerful way than we might be able to bring about change "linearly"; i.e. by "going door to door".<br />
<br />
This is what I have to add to the consideration at this point.<br />
<br />
First of all, I appreciate the fact that our brains naturally pay closer attention to negative and threatening information or stimulus, especially when it might relate to our physical harm. This is why the news broadcasters almost always focus on the Bad News - who shot whom, etc., etc. They show it because that is what they are also trained to pay attention to and it is the same kind of information that keeps us paying attention to them and all of the commercials in between these (mostly) negative stories. This is something that <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/" target="_blank">Paul K. Chappell</a> and <a href="http://www.killology.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Lt. Col. Dave Grossman</a> have pointed out in their work as well.<br />
<br />
Just recently, I was listening to an NPR broadcast including an interview with neuroscientist Dr. Mark Waldman. In my follow-up research I came across this <a href="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yvhCLXEeSDQ" target="_blank">TEDxConejo talk</a> he presented in March 2010. In this talk, Dr. Waldman also points to how the brain responds much more strongly to threats and even the simple word "No", for instance, as compared to the word "Yes." It's simple: Our brains naturally respond more strongly to any information that pertains to survival. Furthermore, as Dr. Waldman explains, and what many spiritual masters before him have also communicated: We Become What We Meditate On. The very neurons of various parts of the brain will restructure themselves according to the thoughts and feelings we focus our attention on most often. And since our <i>natural tendency</i> is to focus on Negative input and Negative emotions and Negative thoughts, <i>then we have to work extra hard to give our attention to positive input, positive emotions, and positive thoughts if we are going to be able to counter those natural tendencies.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Consequently, as Dr. Waldman explains, if you have a relatively positive concept of "God", no matter what any of your other religious beliefs might be, and if you "meditate on" that idea of "God" consistently, then it will have the same positive effect on your brain as it will on anyone else's who meditates in much the same way that you do, but on <i>their</i> relatively positive concept of "God". Apparently, the "big idea" of "God" has a very particular effect on the brain, just as other "big ideas" or concepts like "Love" and "Truth" might have on the brain.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the main point is you have to work extra hard at focusing on the positive in order to counter the natural tendency to focus on the negative. In fact, according to what I heard from Dr. Waldman in his NPR interview, there needs to be at least a ratio of 3 to 1 of positive to negative, and better yet 5 or 7 to 1 in order to reverse the effects of negative focus.<br />
<br />
I know that for some people this is all "old news", and the idea of "thinking positively" has become cliche'. But from what I'm seeing of Dr. Waldman's work, there's a lot more science to back-up the "hearsay" these days, and more specifics on exactly how it works and how to make it work most effectively. Furthermore, I can certainly speak to my own life experiences, having grown up with the ever present fearful concerns of my paranoid schizophrenic mother, only to do a 180 degree turn away from that by the time I was 20 and she went into the mental hospital, and then taking on an even more deliberate contemplational/meditational practice in my early 30's. Although I do not meditate as intentionally now, I know my overall state of being, maybe as a result of the "restructuring of my brain" from my meditational practice, is, on the whole, pretty positive, and focused on the positive, most of the time. And, most people who are around me for very long pick up on that as well.<br />
<br />
You may be wondering at this point: How does all of this tie-in with the work that Dylan Ratigan is now doing?<br />
<br />
I've been thinking, for all of the negative stories that each of us might be exposed to through the media each day, we might make progress restructuring our "cultural brain" by making sure we've got at least Five to Seven Positive Stories to counter and eventually reverse the effects of each of the negative ones. And it seems Dylan's mailbox is full to overflowing with those positive stories. Furthermore, once other well-intentioned communicators like him start to catch on to this basic strategy for <i>asymmetrically</i> changing the way people think and behave in the world, we could see the media filling with positive stories A LOT MORE positive stories to the point where the negative one's are no longer the one's that are shaping our concepts of ourselves or the possibilities for humanity and this world that we inhabit.<br />
<br />
The more I think about it, the more I am also seeing that there are organizations who have already been doing that - TED is definitely one of those. Nevertheless, there is also a very personal and individual responsibility that each of us has to more consciously and intentionally decide on where we choose to focus our attention, even with respect to the thoughts and feelings that are constantly playing in our minds and hearts.<br />
<br />
As Dr. Waldman shows in his talk, each of us needs to tap into the "Big Idea" of our own lives and learn to spend more time meditating on that and letting our brains be shaped by that "Big Idea" whatever it may be.<br />
<br />
So...what's your "Big Idea"? What's Your Story? What is the Myth that You living out for those around you and for the world? And, finally, what can you do to make it the Very Best Story it can possibly be?Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-46735112790936063532013-10-29T15:33:00.000-04:002013-10-30T17:47:47.966-04:00Starting a "Conversation" with Dylan RatiganSince I have been back in Santa Barbara, I find myself getting up fairly early in the morning and going straight to my iPad. In this way, my mind is most engaged when it is "fresh". Of late it seems Dylan Ratigan is getting up even earlier than me and he is now posting something to his page every day, and I'm starting to recognize something of a discipline there, something that I would like to emulate. But it is a little annoying in that I keep finding myself in a "responsive" mode; i.e. I keep finding myself wanting to "respond" to what he has already posted for the day rather than (at least at this point) <i>initiating</i> the dialogue myself. Admittedly, there is kind of a masculine/feminine dynamic there with which I am completely familiar; i.e. the masculine as more "initiatory" and the feminine as more "responsive", but to the degree that I have been "initiating" much more of the course of my life and thoughts in the last two years, I'm not sure I like being in this more "responsive" mode, but, that seems to be the way it is, so I'm just going to go with it.<br />
<br />
Today Dylan shared a video of his talk to <a href="http://youtu.be/NUuNvFhUjCg" target="_blank">"The Zeitgeist Movment" in San Diego.</a> For a guy who comes across as very rational and grounded, I was kind of surprised when he started talking about quantum mechanics and, lets call it, human harmonics; i.e. how our thoughts and feelings resonate out into the world and manifest the world around us. He begins to explain his consideration of all of this around the 6:20 mark. At around the 7:25 mark he shares his realization that "the rate of vibration dictates what manifests", and further at 9:30 "it is our internal rate of vibration that dictates the external reflection, not the external reflection that dictates the internal."<br />
<br />
This brings to mind one of the primary Wisdom-Teachings of Adi Da Samraj (with which I am very familiar): You never "communicate" anything but<i> your actual state of being. </i>And, as Dylan goes on to say, he found himself empowered by the idea that he could control that "vibration" within himself rather than feeling at the mercy of the often seemingly overwhelming forces around him.<br />
<br />
I would offer, from more of Adi Da's Wisdom-Teaching the idea that the "ego" is an "Activity of Self-Contraction", which Adi Da illustrates with the clinching of a fist. It is most often experienced emotionally as fear, sorrow, anger, and un-happiness; all <i>re</i>-active rather than <i>pro</i>-active emotions. One of Adi Da's most important demands of His devotees was to Become Responsible for this <i>habit</i> of "self-contraction" of "reactivity", and to learn to <i>transcend</i> it through various meditational and relational disciplines<i>. </i>From my own now 16 years of "practice", I know that it is I who am <i>choosing</i> what I am thinking and feeling in response to what I experience externally, and I have, in most instances, learned to <i>transcend</i> my "reactivity" and, therefore, to "self-modulate" the "frequency" of that experience and therefore what I "project" into the world. I'm glad to see that Dylan has assumed responsibility for this within himself as well and that he is using the opportunities he has to share the concept with others so that they might also become empowered as he has been.<br />
<br />
At the "NAPF Evening for Peace" event recently, someone asked me how I stayed "grounded" - and it made me pause, because it was hard to say that it could be attributed to any one thing. Besides the Wisdom-Teaching of Adi Da Samraj, especially addressing "the ego as the <i>activity</i> of 'self-contraction'" and the need to transcend the habit of reactivity, there was probably one other book that had the most significant impact in this area and that would be <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Rational-Living-Albert-Ellis/dp/0879800429/" target="_blank">The New Guide to Rational Living</a> by Albert Ellis. I have an extended quote in this blog <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/on-loving-yourself.html" target="_blank">On Loving Yourself</a> . I was reading <i>The New Guide to Rational Living</i> in the early 90's with Adi Da's work crossing my path starting in the late 90's, and I guess you could say I have been "practicing" ever since! And now, it seems, there are others like Dylan Ratigan who are also starting to pick up on these basic principles, which is very heartening to see.<br />
<br />
At 16:50 Dylan begins a commentary on the military that really struck home and it is something that I have seen/heard <a href="http://freedomainradio.com/" target="_blank">Stefan Molyneux</a> butt his head against over and over again, even in one of the most recent live Sunday shows I was able to listen to. I feel this particular point deserves a very direct quotation. In referring to the military Dylan says:<span id="goog_1253561728"></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"We have pre-identified the 1% of our population that has a predisposition to do things </i><i>that are way more fucked-up than most people are willing to do </i>[including sacrificing their own lives]<i>, and that's a good thing to know about a group of people because that </i><i>means that that group of people may be willing to do a lot of things in our own domestic </i><i>society, like decide to build a bunch of hydroponic organic greenhouses in every city in </i><i>America, or decide to convert every city in America to a sustainable energy matrix...</i>[etc.]<i>"</i><br />
<br />
Or, I will add, write a series of books on "Waging Peace" like <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/" target="_blank">Paul K. Chappell</a>, or ride their bicycle and 230 pounds of gear cross-country "Pedaling for Peace" like yours truly!<br />
<br />
At around 21:47, Dylan starts to address another subject that is close to my heart: archetypes and mythology. He speaks of the "Mythology of Power" and how that is portrayed in popular media and culture. When we (or our children) see these mythologies portrayed to us, they offer to us focal points for our own identification and aspiration. I know I have communicated this somewhere, but I'm having trouble finding a reference right now. Nevertheless, given the influence of these "stories" in our lives, I too have come to the conclusion that we need to consider writing <i>different stories. </i><br />
<br />
For instance, why do we have these stories of human beings as fundamentally "sinful"? I've tried to address that question in one of my most recent Blue Moon Turtle blogs, <a href="http://thebluemoonturtleblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-is-so-imperfect-about-being-human.html" target="_blank">"What Is So 'Imperfect' about Being Human?"</a>. Another "story" that I would like to re-write is the one about how a lone crazy scientist, Zefram Cochrane, in creating and testing a ship with warp-drive, finally brought us to the attention of an advanced, and Peaceful, alien race (as portrayed in the Star Trek: The Next Generation movie, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_First_Contact" target="_blank">First Contact</a>.) For anyone who might have paid attention to <a href="http://youtu.be/Ki_Af_o9Q9s" target="_blank">the landing of the Mars Curiosity Rover</a>...that was by no means a "solo effort"! And why shouldn't our <i>cultural advancement</i> be even more important to the interest of another extraterrestrial race rather than just some technological advancement? (My current theory is that we will not be able to get human beings beyond the moon anyway if we don't learn to manage our global resources, including intellectual resources, more cooperatively and, therefore, more efficiently. Furthermore, it is inherently hard to make that kind of progress when repeated armed conflicts keep destroying the basic technological infrastructure of a society as well as the potential intellectual capital stored within every human being that is traumatized or killed in the process!)<br />
<br />
At 23:20 Dylan begins to draw a diagram, illustrating a trajectory of "possibility", relative to current "reality" and overcoming the "gap" between the two that is mediated by "fear". He points out that "reality" is changing more slowly in part because people are living longer; i.e. it takes longer for change to take place as new generations arise in the wake of the older generations passing away. However, he also offers that our current technological capacity, albeit a double-edged knife, has as much power to help resolve the problems we face as it may be contributing to creating and/or perpetuating them, and it is moving faster than the older generations and "reality" can keep up.<br />
<br />
It is at the 26:00 mark that Dylan offers what I think is a Very Critical Insight: There is no way to address the "fear gap" between current reality and actual possibility with what he calls a "linear solution". Instead, he offers an "asymmetrical solution" and that involves changing the <i>Myths</i> that are guiding individuals and the culture rather than trying to directly change the people and the culture itself. And although I have had the same intuition on my own fairly recently, I have to give him credit for tying all of that into a well-defined framework.<br />
<br />
Finally, at 28:15 Dylan begins to offer more specifics as to How to Change the Power Myths, and this is where it again becomes much more personal for me and my work as well as the work of <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/" target="_blank">Paul K. Chappell</a>. As Dylan points out:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"When you think about myths and power, it is always better to meet the audience </i><i>where they are. In other words, it is easier to take an existing myth and meet the </i><i>audience where they are with that myth, and then take them on a journey with </i><i>that story, that hero, than it is to invent a new myth, that you wish everybody </i><i>would believe in, but they're just not there....In this country, for better or worse, </i><i>we have mythologized our military and our soldiers, and our marines - for </i><i>better or worse, it doesn't matter. The opportunity is to meet that mythology </i><i>where it is.... The fact </i>[is]<i> that </i>[some of]<i> our marines and our soldiers have already decided...</i>[as these people here have done] <i>to meet the audience where they are...with the myth, </i><i>and take them on a journey </i><i>to this location </i>[of new possibility]<i>. They alone will </i><i>never get us to that location, </i><i>but they can take </i><i>that mythology and project it back </i><i>into our society in a way </i><i>that will naturally </i><i>manifest that."</i><br />
<br />
He goes on to say that each of us are, in effect, our own story, our own myth, for at least one and probably for many, many other people around us, even if we do not know it.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"You are a story. And that story is the most powerful thing that you actually have </i><i>to contribute to this world, because it is as those stories are told that the </i><i>generations around us will decide that they want to be like those stories. And the </i><i>greatest thing we can actually do is to create stories that are in the arc that we </i><i>want to go in."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
And I agree with that!<br />
<br />
Thank you Dylan Ratigan, for sharing your insights and Your Story with the rest of us, and thank you for the renewed inspiration for me to continue manifesting and telling My Story as well!Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-41844207153744466092013-10-24T13:48:00.000-04:002013-10-24T13:49:47.292-04:00Part I of "I've Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night!..."...And...I now have INTERNET ACCESS again!!!! Yeah!!!<br />
<br />
To All of My Readers:<br />
<br />
My sincere apologies for not being able to keep this blog updated more effectively over the last three months. During my time in Austin, Texas I was moving around a lot between various hosts, many of them students, and in many situations I did not have internet access. I've also had some issues here and there more generally with getting my iPad to recognize wifi transmissions so I could connect where it was available. Finally, preparing a full blog takes quite a bit more time and effort than I can squeeze in with only an hour here and there, especially when I have to use at least some of that time available for checking my e-mail, etc.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I am back in Santa Barbara, CA now with a comfortable living situation and INTERNET access, and I figured it was time I posted an update here...finally!<br />
<br />
Starting from the last weeks of July...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaEYa4sgEBU7iXLLKoO26ePPBq0SGZ3MXAt51drJ9cEkXJ-tsAvhdWUNRnsgFfOJYcM03zcLAXPhfJ1tHUzLmZAZDY3fAqLKjcGG5kqw23njSco0HOTrr1Rdj6nmcNu1c2f03FJXyQyAV/s1600/photo-761620.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5936562906977525890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaEYa4sgEBU7iXLLKoO26ePPBq0SGZ3MXAt51drJ9cEkXJ-tsAvhdWUNRnsgFfOJYcM03zcLAXPhfJ1tHUzLmZAZDY3fAqLKjcGG5kqw23njSco0HOTrr1Rdj6nmcNu1c2f03FJXyQyAV/s320/photo-761620.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
I began my official tour of Austin, Texas with a stop at the home of John and Eve Koonz. As I mentioned in my <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/">previous blog</a>, John and Eve are living examples of how ordinary people are making a difference in their homes and in their own back yards.<br />
<br />
They keep chickens, and they grow meal worms to help utilize food waste and to have protein rich snacks for the chickens. At first glance, the meal worm habitat might seem "icky", but it did not smell and it was actually quite fascinating to see the bugs going about their business. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpZBCiJPv_8j67pBqCRANSGQo35h72nPOgmyeuWDfJQ-g0xl5GWxxxS14-hk9vSptISTgSw9x9EewPeTr7RyEfPzSqAP1Zhg-jJYa6CKRoCAdejqiEtLQDYl9Ti7p0XHzHs_0gNe6Wvdt/s1600/photo-782941.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5937225711381215026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpZBCiJPv_8j67pBqCRANSGQo35h72nPOgmyeuWDfJQ-g0xl5GWxxxS14-hk9vSptISTgSw9x9EewPeTr7RyEfPzSqAP1Zhg-jJYa6CKRoCAdejqiEtLQDYl9Ti7p0XHzHs_0gNe6Wvdt/s320/photo-782941.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
John and Eve also dry their clothes outside, commute regularly by bicycle and/or public transportation, and, as I had the opportunity to experience very directly, they were supportive and very generous <a href="https://www.warmshowers.org/">WarmShowers</a> hosts. John was particularly helpful in planning my route to my second Austin host and even accompanied me through some of the trickier parts of that journey.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMT0d3APKcIDxDpx2lwsBPP3JGyxc0E0Tp8RE3f6uEACvzxvqFEXHi53TTCxthdKhLsLWuu_CvTBpDLUYFJ6ybS94j2O3h4t62s34RnjtN3hlVHIJIPpp2iZgx0AroWQJA31ZYso18eYNL/s1600/photo-790433.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5936563027763396034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMT0d3APKcIDxDpx2lwsBPP3JGyxc0E0Tp8RE3f6uEACvzxvqFEXHi53TTCxthdKhLsLWuu_CvTBpDLUYFJ6ybS94j2O3h4t62s34RnjtN3hlVHIJIPpp2iZgx0AroWQJA31ZYso18eYNL/s400/photo-790433.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying Good-Bye to John Koonz in Austin, Texas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
My Beverly Hills host asked me not to share pictures or her personal info on my blog. Nevertheless, I am very grateful to have experienced her hospitality and she helped me connect with Pastor Karl Gronberg of the Gethsemane Lutheran Church as well. That connection eventually led to my staying at their "Hospitality House" for a couple of nights. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTU-8h_QUowrZqKNUM97fovPapZBpopfphUCMM5B82hYLxJ3UblmXsYYIKLmWZM7HY-aFx65poKQRUvhifo8PiH9l9t5x-l4qtm7QxhwrpM5NBTE-HjpeLblHmwRm9gNDJ_5uJJTVoo3X/s1600/photo-710858.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5937964133568887650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTU-8h_QUowrZqKNUM97fovPapZBpopfphUCMM5B82hYLxJ3UblmXsYYIKLmWZM7HY-aFx65poKQRUvhifo8PiH9l9t5x-l4qtm7QxhwrpM5NBTE-HjpeLblHmwRm9gNDJ_5uJJTVoo3X/s320/photo-710858.JPG" width="320"/></a><br />
<br />
<br />
From the Beverly Hills address I made a little side excursion with the Austin Sierra Club members via MeetUp. We toured the <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/blog/may-park-month-mayfield-park">Mayfield Park</a> well known for its Peacocks.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKks0gN8x64uxTeUaGQ4rw_q664cZf8qyxpxkiR1lphyphenhyphenbEotBvw8RWsomqbL5-kndIUeThUO-FiPMJp931SNcrvhBnXRwtUgEV1k3u5Ms820elqKDY3vLpjbFiCXB2eBOrai-cWd_AM6E/s1600/photo-768631.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5937972113542459650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKks0gN8x64uxTeUaGQ4rw_q664cZf8qyxpxkiR1lphyphenhyphenbEotBvw8RWsomqbL5-kndIUeThUO-FiPMJp931SNcrvhBnXRwtUgEV1k3u5Ms820elqKDY3vLpjbFiCXB2eBOrai-cWd_AM6E/s320/photo-768631.JPG" width="320"/></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
While staying with Austin Sullivan, I went for a hike through the Barton Springs Greenbelt along with his brother's fiancé, Kira. We mostly followed the relatively dry creek bed, and then it started to rain. Given that it was summer in Texas, it was actually a welcome shower. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiP7_YM2eb_bq7ZCjmOBxtgXLFM1gcV5KX_8g9-XjNsA6I6x07WyR5CxB4lhyfoCrc9FnRENkNGqPlhL-wYYRSI0pQpTGmTRCJRBf3eQ5CwXrNZBQ9JNjx8l-ZStSWDGK7_5iq-kqnP2sR/s1600/photo-781946.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5937971311731992178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiP7_YM2eb_bq7ZCjmOBxtgXLFM1gcV5KX_8g9-XjNsA6I6x07WyR5CxB4lhyfoCrc9FnRENkNGqPlhL-wYYRSI0pQpTGmTRCJRBf3eQ5CwXrNZBQ9JNjx8l-ZStSWDGK7_5iq-kqnP2sR/s320/photo-781946.JPG"/></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
On the trailhead we found a turtle. I kind of recognized it, but picked it up to take a closer look. That's when it urinated on me and the smell was all I needed to confirm that it was a "Musk Turtle"!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
At my host on Beverly Hills Dr. and at Chad Greene's house, I did not have access to the internet. So to keep myself occupied while I was "resting", I selected books to read from those available to me. Since I spent so much of my young adult and adult life reading more non-fiction (and a lot of "self-help" style books), I decided to read some of the shorter classics that I've heard about but never actually read. These included <i>War of the Worlds</i> by H.G. Wells, <i>Slaughterhouse Five</i> by Kurt Vonnegut, <i>The Little Prince</i> by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and <i>The Old Man and the Sea</i> by Ernest Hemingway.<br />
<br />
From Chad's I had a short but Very Hot 4.5 miles or so to Anika Fassia's house. Thinking that it would be a fairly easy ride, I was not as careful as I would normally be and failed to use my damp camp towel under my helmet, and I did not have enough water either. Reaching the peak of the last of a few decent hills, I found myself growing a bit nauseous and light headed, so I pulled off to the side of the road, got onto the sidewalk/curb and rested, holding my bicycle up while I did so. At that point I was probably less than a quarter mile from Annika's house, but every time I stood up to get back on my bicycle, I started getting dizzy again. What was even more frustrating was that there was what looked like a public pool within 50 yards of the concrete retaining wall that rose up over the sidewalk behind me, and that wall was also blasting heat all around me.<br />
<br />
Eventually I recovered enough to walk my bike across the multi-lane road to the opposite sidewalk, and down to the street where Annika lived. Even as I walked though, I was still not feeling well, so I had to stop again, within what turned out to be about 20 yards from Annika's house, and sit on the curb once more. Eventually, she and one of her housemates came out to meet me and we all walked back to the house together. All in all, it was a "lesson learned" to never take the heat for granted, no matter how short a ride might be!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqby5GFJfMTAVhhuEUGe9BO-fCC9TutEPoiwnC5wdDaQXmcmzkS49IaMY1uQSI29taPsFBubTaEXZVZX20wuIJ5wIeZUdW-gCRrF6GmWQKSHJ8jOT9PNRKAlG84v_P7qp0aHFFYFcZEZtx/s1600/photo-718326.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5936562290075171906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqby5GFJfMTAVhhuEUGe9BO-fCC9TutEPoiwnC5wdDaQXmcmzkS49IaMY1uQSI29taPsFBubTaEXZVZX20wuIJ5wIeZUdW-gCRrF6GmWQKSHJ8jOT9PNRKAlG84v_P7qp0aHFFYFcZEZtx/s320/photo-718326.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
One thing I noticed shortly after I got settled in the house was that it seemed Anika's guest bathroom toilette was not shutting off properly. When I helped her understand that the water was simply flowing out and through the sewer pipe, she welcomed my assistance in figuring out how to repair it. At first we tried a new flap, and then once it was clear that was not enough, and that the leaking was coming from the valve itself, we decided to replace that as well, "we" as in Anika paid for the parts and I installed them!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yIUkyRiGAlmfRBqyO-cWs1ciqbGW7qZULEg9lzMQe7eL5aESiEc1Y8LaqY4Sf5NTgAIJKk67QwxrTB728TN2Y4g8yQP6WeDqz2OboAwtjl2siDhSclceAsiMl_HvsukVtpiDOJL8IYE8/s1600/photo-797300.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5938355350838968210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yIUkyRiGAlmfRBqyO-cWs1ciqbGW7qZULEg9lzMQe7eL5aESiEc1Y8LaqY4Sf5NTgAIJKk67QwxrTB728TN2Y4g8yQP6WeDqz2OboAwtjl2siDhSclceAsiMl_HvsukVtpiDOJL8IYE8/s320/photo-797300.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here I am "modeling" the finished repairs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Another benefit of staying with Anika was being around for the beginning of an artistic transformation of her living room fire place. Artist <a href="http://www.flamingoranch.com/">Stefanie Distefano</a> was in charge.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbuK-wJ7gFL6_a4jIK12v0udi-DULpgS2q406xklTWIRJ6wGBYsFnwj8Wjen-AGOtzvhJPWXsClcUWkRYqcjSzIUyTFSnK7xzfRF3LVHlMixlsq4KTxgZiqKkwar9VPWN-aDAWKcTJ6_b/s1600/photo-770178.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5938357810079360162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbuK-wJ7gFL6_a4jIK12v0udi-DULpgS2q406xklTWIRJ6wGBYsFnwj8Wjen-AGOtzvhJPWXsClcUWkRYqcjSzIUyTFSnK7xzfRF3LVHlMixlsq4KTxgZiqKkwar9VPWN-aDAWKcTJ6_b/s400/photo-770178.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Anika at the beginning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN2dg_jWeMvinLUPdogBzD6toX49_1oIzeh5IFrNWxAnIWT3ewVzaLLBH3GMsvCF8n1dMO25j_wA_1-f5CobcahzwJ_gfGM8CHN7F-BbH9yA8px920i6tcy8sqg7q7yxVTQ5HekkRKpqx/s1600/photo-703396.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5938360530276713090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN2dg_jWeMvinLUPdogBzD6toX49_1oIzeh5IFrNWxAnIWT3ewVzaLLBH3GMsvCF8n1dMO25j_wA_1-f5CobcahzwJ_gfGM8CHN7F-BbH9yA8px920i6tcy8sqg7q7yxVTQ5HekkRKpqx/s400/photo-703396.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stefanie at work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhD_Sw_jjikbZ9J7OoZy8FF4p4hdXCZXsRiBbJozU5-gBrYzuC79ENqpErNfuuhENoap8TWoaBe44FSC7MP8y8nXienWnKyBTV4ZfCuz_ebRAZHz6r_bjJMPLUGyL0n4_LHfkX0Q7QAJhE/s1600/photo-799692.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5938357935633368450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhD_Sw_jjikbZ9J7OoZy8FF4p4hdXCZXsRiBbJozU5-gBrYzuC79ENqpErNfuuhENoap8TWoaBe44FSC7MP8y8nXienWnKyBTV4ZfCuz_ebRAZHz6r_bjJMPLUGyL0n4_LHfkX0Q7QAJhE/s640/photo-799692.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Completed Fireplace</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
What was particularly cool about this project was that Anika got together with all of her friends to make many of the tiles that Stefanie eventually assembled into the mosaic. Along with her friends, I appreciate the <i>investment</i> of energy and attention that Anika has chosen to put into her relationships, her home, and into her neighborhood and community in Austin, Texas. And I'm really glad she has chosen to be a part of the <a href="https://www.warmshowers.org/">WarmShowers</a> community as well!<br />
<br />
From Anika's I was generously transported back to the northern part of town by Pastor Karl Gronberg of the Gethsemane Lutheran Church. I felt it was okay for me to accept his assistance since I had already covered the distance by bicycle previously, and I would be leaving on my own to travel back south in a couple of days. While staying at the church "Hospitality House" I was once again without internet, or television, but I did have access to Pastor Karl's library in the house/office next door.<br />
<br />
One of the books I pulled from the shelves was a massive volume entitled <i>Psychological Aspects of Pauline Theology</i> by Gerd Theissen. On Page 9 I read: "The Bible was able to become one of the most important textbooks of human behavior and experience precisely because in it 'dominating' models recede and models that first fail, but overcome are so numerous."<br />
<br />
In other words... It is full of UNDERDOG Stories! (Something that <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/">Paul K. Chappell </a>also writes about in his most recent book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Waging-Peace-Strategic/dp/1935212788/"><i>The Art of Waging Peace...</i></a>.)<br />
<br />
Boy! Did that set my mind on a tangent?! <br />
<br />
What I have come to appreciate from reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lila-An-Inquiry-Into-Morals/dp/0553299611/"><i>Lila...</i></a> by Robert Pirsig is that...in truth...the evolution of Life Itself is an ongoing drama of all kinds of Underdog Stories! (More specifically, the interaction of what he describes as "static" and "Dynamic" "Quality".)<br />
<br />
The bottom line is...the actual <i>probability</i> of ANY of THIS existing is so remote, that for it to have all arisen the way it has means THE Underdog - i.e. Life Itself - is WINNING, beating the odds, over and over again, and...moving the process of evolution towards more and more highly evolved and adaptive organisms - including human beings, who, for all their presumed "faults" (i.e. "sins"), have the greatest capacity to Interact Dynamically with their environment(s) than any other organisms on this planet! (Although...<a href="http://youtu.be/m3x3TMdkGdQ">some research</a> is pointing a finger at viruses and bacteria that may be living out their very own "underdog stories" and using Us to help Them!)<br />
<br />
And now we are in a stage where we are evolving our cultures to catch up with our evolving technologies. I'd say we got a little ahead of ourselves with nuclear weapons, among other things, and Now it is time to re-evaluate Why we are doing the things we Can do, with more of a moral compass for what we Should Do. Furthermore, we have a <i>Central Nervous System</i> - the Internet - that we never had to work with before and it is slowly but surely linking all of us as individual cells into a more coherent, Body Human, that includes more and more individual human beings.<br />
<br />
That's a lot to be thinking about, so I'm going to pause this update for now. I will add though, that I was able to share some of these ideas at the talk I gave to the Millville Quaker Friends Meeting in Pennsylvania, and the talk was very well received. (I promise I will share more about that in a future post.)<br />
<br />
As always, I am grateful for ALL of the different experiences I have been able to have on this, my own "Underdog Journey", and I am grateful to ALL of the people who have helped me along the way!<br />
<br />
Please stay-tuned for "Part II" of this blog series...Coming Soon!Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-52999431338874371332013-07-22T11:27:00.001-04:002013-10-22T11:01:12.872-04:00Observations on the Ongoing but Currently Invisible Mass "Work-a-Round"I just finished watching this interview with Chris Hedges: <a href="http://login.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=10468">The Liberal Elite Has Betrayed the People They Claim to Defend</a> with Paul Jay. There is another segment pending that is supposed to explain to people what they can do to ... make things better somehow, in spite of all of the challenges that Chris Hedges so clearly explains (both in this interview segment and the one just before it, <a href="http://www.truth-out.org/video/item/17674-chris-hedges-america-is-a-tinderbox-part-4">America is a Tinderbox</a>).<br />
<br />
There is a lot of talk about "getting out of the box", stepping outside of the current system, and then somehow, in spite of all of the surveillance, etc., managing to create a massive and "threatening" movement that would finally get the elite to do what we want them to do.<br />
<br />
So these are my thoughts right now: <br />
<br />
Not unlike the views of people like Adam Kokesh, which I discussed in <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/june-23-july-7-including-reality-check.html">this recent blog</a> we look to the history of change in societies across the globe, and we see revolutions, and violent revolutions, and mass uprisings, and then we see the aftermaths of all of that, shifts of power that end up being more or less successful, but only for another generation or so, until, the new holders of power become just like the old holders of power and the whole cycle starts again. And yet, it seems, as with Chris Hedges this kind of mass, organized, radical, (maybe even violent) force is the only way that anything in the world can be changed...based on Past History.<br />
<br />
But, the past is not the same as the present. If anything, they did not have the internet back then! They did not have all kinds of other sources of ideas and information to build resilient and sustainable communities...that...in the end...might not be so vulnerable to the whims of the State or the elite and powerful, or any "future revolutionaries".<br />
<br />
Where I think the movement is really happening is in people's back yards and in their front yards, and in urban neighborhoods that are building organic markets on the corners instead of another fast food joint or junk-food convenience store. And information about the successes of these stories are available on the internet for many more people to see and learn from and duplicate.<br />
<br />
Chris Hedges remarks on how people are so strapped and so afraid to "lose their jobs" that they cannot form a cohesive force to fight for "workers rights". But, you know what, who really wants to be working for Wal-Mart anyway, when they could be working in a community garden instead?<br />
<br />
If there is one thing my bike ride has taught me, it is what is Most Important to my life as a human being on this planet right now is food, water, clothing, shelter, simple transportation, a community of friends, and...the Internet which helps keep us all connected together.<br />
<br />
What I have also seen, however, is how we as human beings, being the very creative creatures that we are, have elaborated so much on those "necessities" to the point where we actually have become somewhat confused about what is a "necessity" and what is a "luxury". And, the truth is, most of us can get by with a lot less should we ever have to.<br />
<br />
And I see more and more people realizing that as well. This is what I am seeing as a very quiet "revolution" that the elite are actually forcing on us by their own greed. They are taking so much from so many that we are learning to live differently, we are learning to live without a lot of the stuff they've worked so hard to convince us we needed in the first place. We are doing "work-a-rounds". <br />
<br />
Furthermore, once we realize that our true power lies in our ability to Survive anyway, to survive and even Thrive in spite of what they may slowly but surely take away from us, then what they had to offer, and the power they thought they held will be gone, very naturally, simply "sloughed off" like an old skin... No mass uprisings, no violent revolutions, no real "drama" necessary - But...it would still result in a Massive Shift in Power.<br />
<br />
In other words...a revolution without a "Revolution".... <br />
<br />
Now That...That would be Truly Revolutionary!<br />
<br />
Adding examples of more "revolutionary movements" here (feel free to share your links with me via Facebook):<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tinyhouseblog.com/stick-built/reclaimed-space-2/">Tiny Houses</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://livingeconomiesforum.org/the-new-economy">Living Economies</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/o/696/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1279570">Restorative Justice</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/39678293">This Is Lateral Power</a> video with Jeremy Rifkin<br />
<br />
<a href="http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/reclaiming-the-nonviolent-side-of-history/">Overlooked Historical Non-Violent Movements</a> including early American Colonial "work-a-rounds"<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mnn.com/money/sustainable-business-practices/stories/msnbc-anchor-dylan-ratigan-gives-up-fame-and-fortune-to">Dylan Ratigan - from Power Talking the Talk to Power Walking the Walk</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pachamama.org/blog/models-of-sustainability-sweden-runs-out-of-garbage">Sweden Runs out of Garbage</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dylanratigan.com/2013/10/22/thousands-of-stories-of-hope-one-barrier-and-how-we-can-overcome-it/">Stories of Hope... from Dylan Ratigan</a><br />
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-75847724329452937102013-07-19T13:47:00.003-04:002013-07-19T14:23:45.723-04:00What Happens When You "Just Do It"?Just Do It!<br />
<br />
So the Nike slogan says.<br />
<br />
As I have been "just doing it" over the last couple of years; i.e. jumping in, working things out, learning as I go, with my current cross-country bicycle journey, I have come to better understand how important that is. Granted, there is a bit of a quantum leap to be made from the idea to the action, and I appreciate how hard that can be sometimes, but, nevertheless, at some point, if you're clear on what it is you want to do, or attempt, at some point you "Just Do It!" and the most valuable part of the experience will come from everything you will learn In the Process of "Just [Doing] It!"<br />
<br />
When I entered upon this journey, I did bring some skills to bear: <br />
<br />
1) Being able to navigate a bicycle safely on the roads, something I learned to do in my late teens and through bicycle commuting well into my 30's after that. I also had some skills in maintaining and repairing bicycles as I worked in several bike shops over the years.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDjc9rRoHJ4/Ucux-WPSq7I/AAAAAAAAB_w/StzDUQ4nCdE/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDjc9rRoHJ4/Ucux-WPSq7I/AAAAAAAAB_w/StzDUQ4nCdE/s320/13+-+3" /></a></div><br />
2) I know how to sew. I started sewing when I was seven years old and I worked for three different industrial sewing manufacturing companies between my late 20's and early 30's. As it turns out, I actually utilized those skills significantly in either creating my own gear, like my tent, or reinforcing the gear I had, or in making various bags and pouches to organize and store all of my gear...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrGQvDFDRxD7TDg6uyWL20vUXPLrHlOZ_S1OMtKmGw6fxzjLnRuZw5nRFVbfba3vdjotSYSrIGeeUNpQrU3bIsW-TbdRLW3qQkn2B4lhQfHxMypuofbI5woI12p_ZyOBydlh0A2pbB_9E/s1600/Lori_Pics_1-31-2012+116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrGQvDFDRxD7TDg6uyWL20vUXPLrHlOZ_S1OMtKmGw6fxzjLnRuZw5nRFVbfba3vdjotSYSrIGeeUNpQrU3bIsW-TbdRLW3qQkn2B4lhQfHxMypuofbI5woI12p_ZyOBydlh0A2pbB_9E/s320/Lori_Pics_1-31-2012+116.jpg" /></a></div><br />
...not to mention sewing many sets of "Bell's Baggy Bottoms" (and matching head-bands...) that are designed especially for riding a bicycle (or for relaxing or sleeping comfortably off of the bicycle).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgiA6zPMwwfAeVvjPURB5PR2pCDzq1WVsMYRIQxNHrsldjPT4YAd-Z7GO-jZN4Z8fp2Xf7ksGfkflEqb8B_Z14YcnmzjRW_rgPVllj1lf0gtVNn5H6o-g7aWbIXxKNZQNnEOd3pvL-7aq/s1600/photo-706123.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgiA6zPMwwfAeVvjPURB5PR2pCDzq1WVsMYRIQxNHrsldjPT4YAd-Z7GO-jZN4Z8fp2Xf7ksGfkflEqb8B_Z14YcnmzjRW_rgPVllj1lf0gtVNn5H6o-g7aWbIXxKNZQNnEOd3pvL-7aq/s320/photo-706123.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5902003210461204002" /></a></div><br />
3) I understand how to eat in a nutritionally efficient and cost effective way - as necessary (meaning, when I am on the road, I am more than happy to also eat pretty much whatever my hosts put in front of me, or the very rare restaurant or "fast food" meal). My <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/food-basics-part-vi-essential-whole.html">"Food Basics"</a> series of blogs goes into much more detail about my general diet preferences and practices.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebasf5QvTVke-v_jCYG_LN3vplwjsAQ68uOoLclhnXbDhEIMYrQDZ1u1G9bPDfpAjKeIUGlmanTmwv6BBLOe2gc3Nrfp43FNQgDAMRotfOsjIcLQ4e-feuhdfsxILfrPPjO2q8nbAyWSu/s1600/IMG_0196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebasf5QvTVke-v_jCYG_LN3vplwjsAQ68uOoLclhnXbDhEIMYrQDZ1u1G9bPDfpAjKeIUGlmanTmwv6BBLOe2gc3Nrfp43FNQgDAMRotfOsjIcLQ4e-feuhdfsxILfrPPjO2q8nbAyWSu/s320/IMG_0196.JPG" /></a></div><br />
4) Educational Background - I spent my last five years of college education attending the University of Maryland University College taking most of my classes on-line. I chose this university in part because it put a Heavy Emphasis on research writing; i.e. we had to do one or more research writing projects in every class. As I wanted to strengthen my own writing skills in this area, I was glad to have the added pressure from Having to do so regularly in an academic environment. Furthermore, especially in my last year, I "bulked up" on my Government, International Relations, and Political Science classes ending with an Introduction to Constitutional Law. This was in addition to a full "Social Science" curriculum including everything from Anthropology to Neuroscience. In other words, I had the background to integrate everything else that I was later to learn from the <a href="http://www.wagingpeace.org/">Nuclear Age Peace Foundation</a> and from <a href="http://paulkchappell.com/">Paul K. Chappell</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSap88W2EeVIu9w68LzZnGLjYjMlJYRz6YKnBeUQXrCH5G1Qzrygks7m5YuobxvDtbjK4kCUvrRAgaqxAjmTUfDLlnzJTc0qkk0P9gw4s4sceZZbnC2V2bix0oanDYSydXwdovsfR_iHp/s1600/Paul_Speaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSap88W2EeVIu9w68LzZnGLjYjMlJYRz6YKnBeUQXrCH5G1Qzrygks7m5YuobxvDtbjK4kCUvrRAgaqxAjmTUfDLlnzJTc0qkk0P9gw4s4sceZZbnC2V2bix0oanDYSydXwdovsfR_iHp/s320/Paul_Speaking.jpg" /></a></div><br />
5) Written and Verbal Communication Skills:<br />
<br />
a) Journaling - In addition to the writing work I completed while in college, I have been "journaling" for over two decades now, which, I must say, has been probably one of The Most Important things I have done to develop my own "self-awareness". I consider it a form of "active meditation" in that not only does the process help me to become much more aware of my thoughts, the physical exercise of Writing Them Down almost always results in additional insights and understanding, especially if I am struggling with a particular experience, relationship, concept, or feeling. <br />
<br />
b) Public Speaking - I participated as a member of Toastmasters International, a public speaking club, for seven years, which gave me multiple opportunities to practice not only my public speaking skills, but also my leadership skills as I acted as Vice President of Education for my club for most of those seven years.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eCyZi2vzJbE/Uelhpr5_RhI/AAAAAAAACIs/lRoExMEGBXA/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eCyZi2vzJbE/Uelhpr5_RhI/AAAAAAAACIs/lRoExMEGBXA/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
c) Marketing and Sales Copywriting - Just prior to the end of my enlistment in the U.S. Navy, I attended two multi-day, professional seminars where I was introduced to various principles and techniques for sales copy-writing, website related development, and "search engine optimization". Unfortunately, I did not get to put all of the information I received to immediate use, and so I see this as one of the "weak spots" in my skill set. Nevertheless, I still have all of the instructional materials and when I have the time and opportunity to Focus More on those skills in particular, I am confident that I can improve.<br />
<br />
d) General Writing Skills - Besides being a highschool student of the indominatable "Ivy Hawkins" (who, by the way, also taught my Mother when She was in highschool), I had the opportunity to attend a two day seminar at the National Institutes of Health conducted by Duke Rhetoric Professor George Gopen. The focus was on "Writing from the Reader's Perspective". Although I do not edit my writing here with a fine-tooth comb, in future writing, I will be putting much more of what I learned to good use. If you are interested in some of the basics of what George Gopen teaches, you can find more in this article: <a href="http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/the-science-of-scientific-writing">"The Science of Scientific Writing"</a>. (And don't let the title distract you too much, the principles apply well beyond the fields of science.)<br />
<br />
e) Computer Literacy and Networking - Again, I would say I'm doing "okay" in this area, but there is definitely room for improvement. As I think I have mentioned already elsewhere in this blog, I've struggled just to get pictures to load on this "Blogger" platform using my iPad. And I certainly have not excelled in developing videos, etc., etc. So, again, given more time and focus, I'm sure I could develop those skills further.<br />
<br />
6) Tracking and Primitive Survival Skills - In May of 2011, I attended two weeks of training in Primitive Survival Skills through <a href="http://www.trackerschool.com/">Tom Brown Jr's Tracker School</a>. It was Really Intense and loaded with useful information. Although I have not been forced into a primitive survival situation during my travels thus far, there is something to be said for having more confidence on the road - should that ever be the case.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCbR0R8rm8E6vxCOuMbKwVJmiIuS8VnStI_Hl2EdjVi5zDAncYtcMlhaUVjC0rIewk1OST2bFz2_jljhZBnuDTJtho8-WnouYRwcsrIRDlJiu2XdcxPgKxWW3BxCkCe-TUc0pL1qCTzYe/s1600/photo-721232.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5902382519395374690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCbR0R8rm8E6vxCOuMbKwVJmiIuS8VnStI_Hl2EdjVi5zDAncYtcMlhaUVjC0rIewk1OST2bFz2_jljhZBnuDTJtho8-WnouYRwcsrIRDlJiu2XdcxPgKxWW3BxCkCe-TUc0pL1qCTzYe/s320/photo-721232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
7) Self-Discipline - I feel I need to give credit where credit is due and I owe a lot of credit to my eight years in the U.S. Navy for helping to strengthen my self-discipline and "will power". Knowing what I know now about the development of the Frontal Cortex in the first 25 years of life, and how learning more self-discipline during those years is critical to being able to practice it later in life, I really wish I had joined the military in my early 20's rather than in my early 30's as I suspect some areas of discipline might be more "second nature" to me now than they are. Nevertheless, I will continue to do the best I can in spite of what I feel now as a deficit in development of that part of my brain and one that I do not know that I can further develop or recover at this point in my life. (Questions regarding further development or recovery are ones I hope to pose at some point to Human Behavioral Biologist and Stanford Professor <a href="http://youtu.be/NNnIGh9g6fA">Robert Sapolsky</a>.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXDRbMfzHDzGDVlpHw1oNjRBIquNmCFIrbgLmnxvb0Qq-rnY8QLRRaUi1hLbdPVnfxeuxzGDRQbX9ayt3RVwilg5Xy2qwltVNOCAL03uhhTL75K5K-2rUn90Y_XoQWrIqHwH44y9Cxf22/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXDRbMfzHDzGDVlpHw1oNjRBIquNmCFIrbgLmnxvb0Qq-rnY8QLRRaUi1hLbdPVnfxeuxzGDRQbX9ayt3RVwilg5Xy2qwltVNOCAL03uhhTL75K5K-2rUn90Y_XoQWrIqHwH44y9Cxf22/s320/IMG_0171.JPG" /></a></div><br />
So these are the skills and abilities I brought to the table when it came time for me to "Just Do It!" And I have learned more along the way as I have been "Just Doing It!" I have refined my equipment load and maintenance. I have made some progress in utilizing internet networking, etc., but again, I can feel my weaknesses there.<br />
<br />
And there is something else that is coming into play that may surprise some of my readers: In actuality...I'm a closet introvert! I honestly do not "enjoy" attracting attention to myself, although, in order to spread the message I feel needs to be spread, and in order to continue to fund this journey that I am on, I have to draw at least some attention to myself, and I have to at least let people know what my needs are so that they can support my journey if they so choose. Otherwise, the journey comes to an end - or - another "interruption" while I figure out some other way to make it work practically and financially. (For more info on this please check-out my <a href="http://theblueturtleblog.blogspot.com/p/please-and-thank-you_18.html">"Please and Thank You"</a> page.)<br />
<br />
The last advantage/benefit from "Just Doing It" is that with each person I talk to, with each challenging argument, with each question, I have more opportunities to Practice Communicating and to let the ideas and answers come in that unique synergistic way that almost invariably results from that kind of Relating Directly With Other People. And although my internet and marketing skills may be weak, they have become stronger with my efforts thus far, and I have certainly had more <i>ideas</i> about how to approach marketing and fundraising even if I haven't had the wherewithall to follow through on all of them.<br />
<br />
As I have explained to many people along this journey, I feel all of my skills and abilities, both the developed and undeveloped ones, are being called upon for me to do what I am doing right now, and it is definitely some of The Most Satisfying and Meaningful Work I have ever done in my life...as well as the most challenging! Nevertheless, I am doing what I feel "I" can do, because of the skills and abilities I have. Not everyone can do exactly what I am doing in exactly this way, but I sincerely feel that everyone is called upon to do What they CAN Do as well these days, to help make the world a better place for now and for the future of humankind and all other beings on this planet.<br />
<br />
After "Just Doing It!" again for this past spring and summer, I may have to take another break, and "Just do..." something else for a while to re-build my energy and resources. In other words, "The Plan" is still in flux - as it has always been - and I will keep everyone updated as the details solidify.<br />
<br />
In the mean time, I once again Thank Everyone who continues to support my efforts and the Cause of Peace! And if you are not "Just Doing It!" yourself <i>in some way</i> in your own life, then, maybe it is time you did?!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JNUNM10nIPA/UemD3Y4nBjI/AAAAAAAACLg/TM7gT5K4QiU/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JNUNM10nIPA/UemD3Y4nBjI/AAAAAAAACLg/TM7gT5K4QiU/s400/13+-+1" /></a></div>Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-83770915131409275992013-07-12T10:44:00.001-04:002013-07-22T10:48:24.777-04:00June 23-July 7 Including a "Reality Check" Side-TrackSo it's been about two weeks now since I posted my last blog - in the "travel log" format. And, I've been thinking, I need to keep doing that for the benefit of those who are following the physical journey I am on right now. I will still take a moment here to acknowledge my hosts over the last few stops:<br />
<br />
Brent, Christy and their neighbors and friends in Clifton, Texas<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwP9Nqx9zV0B4SSAiXvw8aO0QOy25xoj9OPjuzWsze4l6eBTQ-YrChVyGI8AU7lwscg8LPBUuBc_4vsX26rfl0AaDq-_apo_OCEPwyIFP8aPHisXbOltnxeePdPQ9Xv5KtpKvlb6vuLBuH/s1600/1048005_10151681514174785_1419343905_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwP9Nqx9zV0B4SSAiXvw8aO0QOy25xoj9OPjuzWsze4l6eBTQ-YrChVyGI8AU7lwscg8LPBUuBc_4vsX26rfl0AaDq-_apo_OCEPwyIFP8aPHisXbOltnxeePdPQ9Xv5KtpKvlb6vuLBuH/s320/1048005_10151681514174785_1419343905_o.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Andy, Lisa and their children in Woodway, Texas<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSwhIZ50NKbcABm9IxkvgkjMNRG49EdsiXqDrqHtdD87ndOoNjk860OX-Qwe0RkepS29rSOTb94whIeJgl8rQy-V9CVODHOxDMrCY1iG-AFezY8KZltFaMabDNuD4hYgu-Dr4knrHUG4h/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSwhIZ50NKbcABm9IxkvgkjMNRG49EdsiXqDrqHtdD87ndOoNjk860OX-Qwe0RkepS29rSOTb94whIeJgl8rQy-V9CVODHOxDMrCY1iG-AFezY8KZltFaMabDNuD4hYgu-Dr4knrHUG4h/s320/IMG_0337.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Mother Neff State Park, near Moody, Texas<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GWn1jzt5H3h-qBPcMuCpzIC1F77_gGxN3RBixvTDTGuY4nnoa0JVSCNPpt4E3HsvmHxak4eyU4vgnLwiOUer02Ks7o44zJfCgg0UnkIvKvOmeXO2srv57LnlnwG_Q8HECn4mSZBQo1bn/s1600/IMG_0370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GWn1jzt5H3h-qBPcMuCpzIC1F77_gGxN3RBixvTDTGuY4nnoa0JVSCNPpt4E3HsvmHxak4eyU4vgnLwiOUer02Ks7o44zJfCgg0UnkIvKvOmeXO2srv57LnlnwG_Q8HECn4mSZBQo1bn/s320/IMG_0370.JPG" /></a></div><br />
And Wayne and Ann in Belton, Texas<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju76xdwy87NBQgiv4JQhi_oOpuHaegcL241uDlPJ4ATZhalnZLUYCojgtXs3xLxWOVW1NGa9KqE1Vl_BjENnpiMQHD7KwAKaFynYtxmYlG_jVsiurA88AjcZc0lthCYq_uaPv9M7RuXeF0/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju76xdwy87NBQgiv4JQhi_oOpuHaegcL241uDlPJ4ATZhalnZLUYCojgtXs3xLxWOVW1NGa9KqE1Vl_BjENnpiMQHD7KwAKaFynYtxmYlG_jVsiurA88AjcZc0lthCYq_uaPv9M7RuXeF0/s320/IMG_0466.JPG" /></a></div><br />
And Sherry and Miss Kitty and Roger the Bearded Dragon Lizard in Georgetown, Texas:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy72JpeqDpeFVYl_9km2rwoPB-WzrdLdP7VXozKEbb6MvXfEOq-bSNBbmCoQKTilxXTLbQ6ff2-mm-eumveCv35ecIQW81I7Poeby9-xrS-bLSDOi87YFfv3mIzHpdw7tx6ceQ5FnvwqXi/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy72JpeqDpeFVYl_9km2rwoPB-WzrdLdP7VXozKEbb6MvXfEOq-bSNBbmCoQKTilxXTLbQ6ff2-mm-eumveCv35ecIQW81I7Poeby9-xrS-bLSDOi87YFfv3mIzHpdw7tx6ceQ5FnvwqXi/s320/IMG_0517.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2welnpOjuxC_H61Z6CjxEwZNcXxp2tU3j13om2yADtDZf6GdOPDjpqniyZ4TqYv04FF7oAUtuL1SLN_TiD6H1N-6brlYB73ZARtfACYSOte-XTPW8v05pfutqMxuRahwQx-hMmp1l6Ewa/s1600/IMG_0507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2welnpOjuxC_H61Z6CjxEwZNcXxp2tU3j13om2yADtDZf6GdOPDjpqniyZ4TqYv04FF7oAUtuL1SLN_TiD6H1N-6brlYB73ZARtfACYSOte-XTPW8v05pfutqMxuRahwQx-hMmp1l6Ewa/s320/IMG_0507.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I am Very Grateful to all of these people who have been so supportive of my efforts thus far. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!<br />
<br />
In between, there were more hills, more heat, more long stretches of open roads and landscapes, (and cows and horses), picnic areas and much sought after shady spots, a Really Scary transit of the Waco Lake bridge (sorry, too scary for pictures), and a not so scary transit of a much more welcoming bridge over Belton Lake. In fact, "Bell County" was Very Good to Me! That's where the chip-and-seal stopped and the smooth pavement began and I was Oh, So Grateful for that transition (not to mention my hosts' saltwater swimming pool waiting for me to cool off in as soon as I arrived!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAif6jVrIgnAwAqmM7Ze3fJAANGli4wqQbCV6wckTgTWRVicq857mZMmtca8hTibtF33ALln4x1VXW_uQ4bFvwEb6fwz1ojD_WR3oqI3p5Zsy_QBbSPlMgfClCiA92FldMzwFMmUu0JV8/s1600/IMG_0287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAif6jVrIgnAwAqmM7Ze3fJAANGli4wqQbCV6wckTgTWRVicq857mZMmtca8hTibtF33ALln4x1VXW_uQ4bFvwEb6fwz1ojD_WR3oqI3p5Zsy_QBbSPlMgfClCiA92FldMzwFMmUu0JV8/s320/IMG_0287.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNOccUo76QrOCy-RwD3JKJpKNVpjILLInmfzXSPis6X4zRaUjMaPGQc2YRIDTZmeqaWWDZE7afjyZLaDWeTm0c00mevw3NJk993G_UQ1n7IpfWvD-hyGf0QVZkuQh7lSkURs8nrlJPRBn/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNOccUo76QrOCy-RwD3JKJpKNVpjILLInmfzXSPis6X4zRaUjMaPGQc2YRIDTZmeqaWWDZE7afjyZLaDWeTm0c00mevw3NJk993G_UQ1n7IpfWvD-hyGf0QVZkuQh7lSkURs8nrlJPRBn/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9b8gEcFvo-5vQWTk8RHjPFFEL0tO-aFYjdF2gnHtdl8uztZaiAF2TuyttUGUwT4_6pBtU1l3uJ4DLCr45USnyocP8opcstcnJLiJgsHnHZf7Bf6lfOl-PXs526N3O_LjpkMo1hAKqGhUH/s1600/IMG_0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9b8gEcFvo-5vQWTk8RHjPFFEL0tO-aFYjdF2gnHtdl8uztZaiAF2TuyttUGUwT4_6pBtU1l3uJ4DLCr45USnyocP8opcstcnJLiJgsHnHZf7Bf6lfOl-PXs526N3O_LjpkMo1hAKqGhUH/s320/IMG_0312.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7ph1Ehb4uNxbjgDangg2DxBKjHSK2V6Eq1fV2O-HcPR9Cc13J_dFOzmLGBtNfNAGUHqvxOkl1CWA5wGWB1Q5AAk8Ctfetvd4MeSG2Ce56l6pwF9IpSKG4jYWkzjHpHNJvJs96CCMAXPi/s1600/IMG_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7ph1Ehb4uNxbjgDangg2DxBKjHSK2V6Eq1fV2O-HcPR9Cc13J_dFOzmLGBtNfNAGUHqvxOkl1CWA5wGWB1Q5AAk8Ctfetvd4MeSG2Ce56l6pwF9IpSKG4jYWkzjHpHNJvJs96CCMAXPi/s320/IMG_0317.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9_8zL-_O4zufNf8FS26Zcdzt9_LX24sh-PbjcYOMWKIiMGvRJjnvbScOcQEX76alb5zPiJqWUbKXpQwoq5vvQjhU0DNcc1biwaBy22g5HRyx1CNsrL1-sxKI-pUaaJ8BSo22w1EfMRSV/s1600/IMG_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9_8zL-_O4zufNf8FS26Zcdzt9_LX24sh-PbjcYOMWKIiMGvRJjnvbScOcQEX76alb5zPiJqWUbKXpQwoq5vvQjhU0DNcc1biwaBy22g5HRyx1CNsrL1-sxKI-pUaaJ8BSo22w1EfMRSV/s320/IMG_0319.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVZOxG-kDHZHDGARWPbQl1rfQ7zz7XLpRsPcAODCUOQH8judpajdXHXbQhWBBII03Y_abBkgKteJaVdW2Lz0Wg2DZadmY1om7cSlyaG1MWMck1ec9TodpHXK_dB468R3wyVpbyr7PDpD9/s1600/IMG_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVZOxG-kDHZHDGARWPbQl1rfQ7zz7XLpRsPcAODCUOQH8judpajdXHXbQhWBBII03Y_abBkgKteJaVdW2Lz0Wg2DZadmY1om7cSlyaG1MWMck1ec9TodpHXK_dB468R3wyVpbyr7PDpD9/s320/IMG_0328.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSFoCgDMTOoRi3Zi4XHXAp2ykP57OFsWIno3wroL9yQFHlnwpWTd67E5KNFltITkZXi1hG-_N87Z0xpF1FonTNjLtKHTNdEaNfmXxif2avIZ2fW9Qnk7PFSDlti53lAYxKIcRPt1cToN9/s1600/IMG_0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSFoCgDMTOoRi3Zi4XHXAp2ykP57OFsWIno3wroL9yQFHlnwpWTd67E5KNFltITkZXi1hG-_N87Z0xpF1FonTNjLtKHTNdEaNfmXxif2avIZ2fW9Qnk7PFSDlti53lAYxKIcRPt1cToN9/s320/IMG_0343.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxSF_y0wQ6ekpbcYjMjMZuR-coDPQy1il-1Dz-S0kA3zifMd3DPgxUTiI7GNDS9MMHyCDrdnGj3Sp1AYxTF38dFZEZ3jeLeCSM8pS80JbiA9a70ixf-7ACFciO1bWv_v2PUOZDmDFr4oa/s1600/IMG_0357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxSF_y0wQ6ekpbcYjMjMZuR-coDPQy1il-1Dz-S0kA3zifMd3DPgxUTiI7GNDS9MMHyCDrdnGj3Sp1AYxTF38dFZEZ3jeLeCSM8pS80JbiA9a70ixf-7ACFciO1bWv_v2PUOZDmDFr4oa/s320/IMG_0357.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhCahJttjHCiAHI3lw64JX9PtN1FSVxyik8qzWb-SXj_YBhv87xN44_tiRq39m3cMWZhYg-f853ZejvaXiASyb15go3BGafqKx1SZ9WwfKlrYtTAAC5mME61syl-YoorFckfABft0Pgei/s1600/IMG_0359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhCahJttjHCiAHI3lw64JX9PtN1FSVxyik8qzWb-SXj_YBhv87xN44_tiRq39m3cMWZhYg-f853ZejvaXiASyb15go3BGafqKx1SZ9WwfKlrYtTAAC5mME61syl-YoorFckfABft0Pgei/s320/IMG_0359.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkyNm4c2w91UH7jFSs6Ytx9d17To4-RKZZ2gBpBMzkUKPYzL-2APHlh5aUYT7j9sLo4oyVGQfx4fJYucDW0Ywd8AoFG5WfubyDkuJiPAsHwxAO37gEwM2TYR4knJSHBz6TgDFyiVQl6GM/s1600/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkyNm4c2w91UH7jFSs6Ytx9d17To4-RKZZ2gBpBMzkUKPYzL-2APHlh5aUYT7j9sLo4oyVGQfx4fJYucDW0Ywd8AoFG5WfubyDkuJiPAsHwxAO37gEwM2TYR4knJSHBz6TgDFyiVQl6GM/s320/IMG_0459.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuXwP1pM_UWlLzqcrx9TOHih8nJjzAWYDWaPiB634V82N2kCDa3lsUV3Y-web6dOCwsAlA75nNSVJWdJ7xqWxKGHe4UoNba3uOzxxvH7h5AwlF4f06JPxKTFtJUmbMjuFR2DsmacW4B9Y/s1600/IMG_0461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuXwP1pM_UWlLzqcrx9TOHih8nJjzAWYDWaPiB634V82N2kCDa3lsUV3Y-web6dOCwsAlA75nNSVJWdJ7xqWxKGHe4UoNba3uOzxxvH7h5AwlF4f06JPxKTFtJUmbMjuFR2DsmacW4B9Y/s320/IMG_0461.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclhNLxJWf_F4lcD2j3ox1EbJemA0S4m7pVJ7yDifi52uIjfpKzUvTsHVlTiK7GSt-_FOjnA8m9G73ARFLs5r3W_m4t8ZxJ0MW-lePmUQJnr6bBuP9EAPcNV8Mmol9RQWD6FPaAdoHlMSZ/s1600/IMG_0463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclhNLxJWf_F4lcD2j3ox1EbJemA0S4m7pVJ7yDifi52uIjfpKzUvTsHVlTiK7GSt-_FOjnA8m9G73ARFLs5r3W_m4t8ZxJ0MW-lePmUQJnr6bBuP9EAPcNV8Mmol9RQWD6FPaAdoHlMSZ/s320/IMG_0463.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Now I'm going to shift to My Mission: To Promote Peace and Cool Heads!<br />
<br />
During my stops I have been able to keep up with what has been "going on in the world" mostly from the posts I see from my friends on Facebook. And, as it turns out, I have friends from across the political spectrum so I get a pretty broad range of perspectives on most of what is "making the news", from the overthrow of Morsi in Egypt with a combined public and military force, to the fact that Obama just signed a new Executive Order that appears to give the President and the Federal Government the authority to control all communications systems in times of emergency.<br />
<br />
And then, there's Adam Kokesh, loading a shot-gun near the Capital Building in Washington, D.C. (And people wonder why the President and all of his men think they might NEED control of all of our communications systems at some point in the future!)<br />
<br />
I would offer that there has been no greater time in our history as a country when the call for the voices of Non-Violent resolutions to our problems need to be heard.<br />
<br />
People like Adam Kokesh and his ilk have a very myopic view of our revolutionary past. In fact, I am guessing that many people have failed to make the connection between small revolutionary movements that were successful in their day because they had the Support of Other Powerful militaries. For instance, the American Revolutionary War was won in part because of the support we received From the French, who were a Powerful Military in their own right and had grudges of their own against the British. This is something I've learned from reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Waging-Peace-Strategic/dp/1935212788">Paul K. Chappell's book, <i>The Art of Waging Peace</i></a>.<br />
<br />
So who's backing the revolutionaries or potential revolutionaries in THIS country? Or "might" back them at some point in the future? Even if there are Al-Qaeda based supporters (who, of course, would also <i>love</i> to see this country decline into civil war), even THEY are Not That Powerful! They can do a lot of damage, but they could never win a "war" with the U.S.<br />
<br />
Folks, we are NOT living in the days of our Forefathers! Has anyone noticed that, for the most part, there are no major conflicts in Europe anymore. Yes, there's some angst over who owes whom what, but nobody's in the business of massing armies against one another. Frankly, the Germans are too busy building solar panels!<br />
<br />
And as far as the shift of power in Egypt and what brought millions of people into the streets: No Electricity! And yes, deprive the people of this country of their Oh, So Precious electricity for long-enough and we would all be in the streets as well - but do you really think that is going to happen here any time soon?<br />
<br />
My point is some people, like Adam Kokesh, might be looking for "history to repeat itself" and for there to be a "Final American Revolution" here, but there are so many other factors involved in this day and age that, practically speaking, history CANNOT "repeat itself". And if anything, we'd just be doing the same WRONG, VIOLENT thing over again and expecting Different Results then what we have already ended up with now, over 200 years from the "Original American Revolution". If That revolution was So Great, then how have we still managed to end up, presumably, right back where we started from? Think about that.<br />
<br />
Something else I learned from reading Paul K. Chappell's books: When two countries "face off" against one another, unlike animals in the wild, there is Nowhere to Run once the "warning aggression" or "posturing" starts. Most animals of the same species, in the wild, will figure out "Who's the Boss" simply through warning aggression and then the one who realizes it is "Not the Boss" runs away. But you get people confined within bordered countries or territories and once the "posturing", once the "warning aggression" starts, there is nowhere to run-away from it. In this case, it is like two lions in a cage and warning aggression almost always leads to direct and violent confrontation.<br />
<br />
Consequently, anyone who is currently threatening our government with violence is POSTURING! And the fact that we are seeing more and more reports of police shootings and use of extreme force in situations that do not seem to call for it, and when we see the President(s), signing executive orders that give them more power "in cases of emergency", that is "posturing" as well. And there is a very good chance all of this "posturing" will escalate if those who are wiser do not step up and make clear what the potentially devastating consequences could be.<br />
<br />
Again, We Are Not Living In the Time of Our Forefathers! The present may look <i>similar</i> to what it looked like in the past, but it is Not exactly the same. We have Other Means at our disposal, other ways that we can approach our conflicts and resolve our problems and communicate more effectively with one another and We Need to Take Full Advantage of Those. And, as I have been doing through this whole journey thus far, I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend to Everyone, if you have not gotten a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Waging-Peace-Strategic/dp/1935212788">Paul K. Chappell's book, <i>The Art of Waging Peace"</i></a>, then Please, for the sake of this country and your loved ones, Buy a Copy and Read It. And then stand up to anyone you may know that thinks the only way we can resolve our current problems in this country is through violence, because, they Are Wrong, and if they continue to pursue that course, they and many, many other people will end up being Wrong and DEAD!<br />
<br />
And that is why I am suffering the heat, and struggling up the hills, and communicating wherever I can because I Get That! And I would hate to see any of my family, any of my old friends, or new friends, or their children, or their relatives or their friends Dead for No Good Reason! We made some progress with our Revolutionary War, but more progress was made towards the protection of human rights Non-Violently AFTER the war then were made because of it. And that is something else I have been reminded of by reading Paul K. Chappell's books. So, I ask again, that all of my readers and friends do the same.<br />
<br />
Thank You!<br />
Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-79312262591338186182013-06-27T00:03:00.000-04:002013-06-27T00:04:10.039-04:00June 19-22 Meridian, TexasI would have to say that my trek from Glen Rose to Meridian was probably the most difficult of all of my days so far with respect to the roads, it was also very rewarding with respect to the contacts I was able to make along the way.<br />
<br />
After saying fairwell to my wonderful hosts Amanda and Steve, as they both headed to their respective jobs before the sun came up...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xocKdi5R4oQ/UcoSxNTVeuI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/X1s63Uohujg/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xocKdi5R4oQ/UcoSxNTVeuI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/X1s63Uohujg/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
...I continued with my "pack out" storing the last of my clothes in my front panniers and the rest of my food in the back. There was some fog in the neighborhood, so I decided to go ahead and put the extra cover on the trailer and wear my vest for extra visibility.<br />
<br />
While making these necessary adjustments, Ray, the neighbor from next door came out to talk with me. He said he had seen me working on the trailer the day before, and now that he realized I was leaving, was sorry he had not approached me sooner. I took time to talk with him though to tell him what I was doing and to share the information I could about the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Paul K. Chappell and his work. As a former marine who had served in Vietnam, Ray had had his own struggles after returning home, and given the opportunity, he left me seeming to be quite inspired to now focus his energy and attention on "Waging Peace". Before I finally pulled away he offered me a box of "Fruit and Grain" bars for the road and helped me get this "departure photo" as I headed out of Glen Rose.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xy408FWvLa0/UcoSxMXRBJI/AAAAAAAAB7I/x_1OMH8_ZrY/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xy408FWvLa0/UcoSxMXRBJI/AAAAAAAAB7I/x_1OMH8_ZrY/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
I got a little confused and missed my turn when I got into the downtown area, so I pulled off to the side of the road and propped my bike up for a minute. I figured this would be a good time to take pictures of the sculpture that I used in my last blog. As I was getting myself turned around I saw a big flat-bed truck hauling a big "Wide Load" tractor on it and I thought to myself "Probably a good thing I missed that turn in the first place, otherwise that truck would have had to pass me on the narrow bridge and that might have been somewhat hazardous!"<br />
<br />
Once on South 144 myself, I was back into the "hill country" and I kept recalling the elevation chart from my Map My Ride plot, so I knew I had some significant climbing early on but that it would peak, and there would be more descending after that. So with each major "peak" I reached, I kept wondering, hoping: "Was that 'The' Peak, from which I will now start the longer descent, finally???"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6aKrhPLX3Qo/UcoSxJueqeI/AAAAAAAAB7g/Jp-IBtmqZ_Q/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6aKrhPLX3Qo/UcoSxJueqeI/AAAAAAAAB7g/Jp-IBtmqZ_Q/s320/13+-+3" /></a></div><br />
Turned out my "ascending" of over 800 ft total for the day continued for about 9 miles and 9 very long hours. Talk about a Very Slow day! It was beautiful though, and as I passed what I later found out to be "Seven Knobs", the clouds that the weather predicted finally started rolling in to offer much needed "shade support". (Unfortunately, the clouds were not always so cooperative as I found myself in giant holes of sunlight at the peaks of at least two of the hills I was pushing up.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JtkoXjsjBs4/UcoYa_wIjMI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/GhAdGxR4Kgw/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JtkoXjsjBs4/UcoYa_wIjMI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/GhAdGxR4Kgw/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
On one of those particularly steep peaks I had to keep telling myself, over and over again, "I will get to the top of this hill. I will get to the top of this hill. No matter what, I'm going to get to the top of this hill. I will rest as long as necessary, but I will get to the top of this hill. No matter how long it takes, I will get to the top of this hill. I will get to the top of this hill like I have gotten to the tops of other hills before. I will get to the top of this hill." After saying things like this out loud to myself, I would then push another 15 feet, and then another, and then another, until, finally... I made it to the top of the hill!<br />
<br />
I wish I had more pictures to show for my efforts, but by the time I did make it to the top, I was so exhausted, taking pictures was not something I was thinking about, instead, I was thinking about where I could rest to keep from totally passing out!<br />
<br />
I did find one such spot, with a fairly level gravel drive where I could prop-up the bike. And then I took one of my tarps over to the tinniest bit of shade by the fencerow and there I lay down for a little while, barely out of the sun, and definitely still feeling the heat. While I lay there though, I started to hear rumblings of thunder in the distance. The clouds were becoming the "20% chance of rain" the weather forecast had also predicted. But I did not worry about it too much because it was behind me, and the wind had been mostly, if only gently, in my face for most of the day.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, before I left this spot, I decided to cover my bags with the my <i>new</i> rain covers "just in case", and I took the tarp I'd been laying on and added it as extra protection over my back-pack. I had one of Ray's fruit bars, and then I pushed on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YhE6juig4sY/UcuubSjwcHI/AAAAAAAAB-M/60P_6X7OxOQ/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YhE6juig4sY/UcuubSjwcHI/AAAAAAAAB-M/60P_6X7OxOQ/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
I guess I finally did make it to "The" peak just outside of Walnut Springs. The last three miles or so were pretty much all down hill, so I was able to give my legs some rest on the way into town. Since I had tried diligently to find a host here, and I had been on line with "Kay" at the city offices for about a week, I thought it might be worthwhile to stop by and see her.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bv-XPuq8whY/UcuvTATu3qI/AAAAAAAAB-4/HV2sWpwBzvM/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bv-XPuq8whY/UcuvTATu3qI/AAAAAAAAB-4/HV2sWpwBzvM/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ibkdQQhsjys/UcuvTA2rt-I/AAAAAAAAB-8/61zF8WARUMQ/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ibkdQQhsjys/UcuvTA2rt-I/AAAAAAAAB-8/61zF8WARUMQ/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
She was gracious enough to offer me the conference room to stop and "chill-out" for a while as I ate more of what was left of my "supper" for the day: Cheese and crackers, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and celery, and another fruit bar. There was another gentleman who came in with whom I spoke for a while about my mission, and Kay and I talked more as well before I left. She said it was too bad I was not getting to a meet a woman named, "Roberta", as she was an adventurer like myself. I might have been able to stay with her if it had not been that she was getting ready to leave for Alaska on a camper trip.<br />
<br />
I left Walnut Springs with Kay's assurance that the rumbling clouds would probably not amount to anything, as they had not days before. Nevertheless, as I headed out of town, it did start to rain and I decided to duck into a mechanic's shop to avoid it as best I could. As I was standing there with my bicycle, a lady came over to ask me about my trip, and guess what? She turned out to be Roberta! Again, I would have taken a picture but my camera was buried beneath my rain covers. We talked for a while though, and I gave her one of my cards, before she went with the mechanic to inspect the work he'd done on her camper.<br />
<br />
I headed back out onto the now wet road, recalling Kay's comments about how the hills would not be "as bad" as they had been coming into Walnut Springs. And, she was right. I was able to stay on my bike for most of the next 9 miles. Unfortunately, in that time I realized the winds were shifting and although I was pedaling as fast as I could, the storms were clearly gathering all around me. There were patches of clear sky directly ahead, over Meridian, I presumed, but they were getting smaller and smaller.<br />
<br />
I blue sign appeared ahead of me announcing a "picnic area" at an historical mile marker "1 mile ahead". I began pedaling even harder, knowing a mile was not that far, and the road ahead was not that steep. I was really hoping, there might be some kind of pavilion at the "picnic area". With each pedal stroke now, my right inner thigh would do this kind of clenching action just behind my knee, but I pressed on, in part because I had no other choice. The rain was just starting to fall as I spotted the turn off for the picnic area. Unfortunately, there was no pavilion, just a cluster of very large Live Oak trees.<br />
<br />
I pulled the bicycle in and propped it against the concrete bench and table, and moments later, I heard my phone ringing. It was my Meridian host Jan, the phone rung out before I could answer, so I called her back. At that point, the rain was still not that heavy, but once she figured out where I was, she convinced me to let her pick me up in her truck, and so I agreed.<br />
<br />
The rains were falling moderately by the time she got there, but became much heavier as we wrangled the bicycle, trailer, and panniers into the bed of her small pick-up. We were both pretty soaked as we got in the truck. As we turned around and headed into Meridian, there was a deluge of rain, filling the streets. We later talked over dinner about my determination to go as far as I possibly could on my own, but the weather was certainly a factor in forcing me to accept a little assistance this day. Hopefully, before my adventure is over, I'll be able to get another CouchSurfing or WarmShowers host signed-up in Walnut Springs, as that would have been the more ideal spot to stop.<br />
<br />
Back and Jan's Bed and Breakfast home in Meridian, I unloaded the panniers, and my back-pack off of the trailer. I was pleased that the covers had served there function pretty well, except for accumulating water in the bottoms to which I will be adding drain holes as soon as possible! My own rain-coat however, could definitely use another coating of waterproofing spray!<br />
<br />
I stayed with Jan over the next couple of days. Her brother, Bill, came by to visit as well and to take us to dinner at the Bunkhouse BBQ in Clifton, giving me a chance to see at least some of where I would be riding on Saturday. With a background in anthropology himself, and a few years in the Navy as a Corpsman, Bill was very interested in what I had to tell him about Paul Chappell's work concerning "human nature" and the myths of war. Acknowledging his sincere interest, I offered him my copy of <i>Will War Ever End?</i> to read as I figured it was short enough that he could finish it overnight. Before leaving, he helped me unload my bike and trailer from Jan's truck, and that's when we realized the back tire of my bicycle had gone flat. That was something that would have to be repaired before I headed for Clifton, but it was also interesting to me that, obviously, it was not just the storm that was a good reason for me to accept the transportation assistance that Jan had provided!<br />
<br />
On my second day in Meridian, Jan and I went to Bill's house to use his internet service, and while I was working on my last blog post, as promised, he was finishing reading the book I'd given him. Upon returning it to me, he also expressed interest in reading Paul's other books as well. After I finished posting my last blog, Bill and I made Oatmeal Raisin cookies together. He supplied the ingredients as needed and I dutifully demonstrated my "secret" mixing techniques. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OUrUZhL-SYI/Ucux-VzE0PI/AAAAAAAAB_4/TQJDRbrzkGM/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OUrUZhL-SYI/Ucux-VzE0PI/AAAAAAAAB_4/TQJDRbrzkGM/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
The cookies turned out quite delicious (as I anticipated), and we had our share while continuing to talk and wait for each batch to come out of the oven. Once the last batch was cooled, we had enough to package up a dozen for me and a dozen for Jan, leaving a dozen plus a few for Bill to continue to enjoy.<br />
<br />
As Jan had left earlier to start packing for her very early morning flight the next day, Bill drove me back to her house once we were done with the cookies. Jan had dinner ready for us when we arrived and we sat out on her back porch overlooking the hills and valleys and seeing the nearly full moon arch across the sky. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvrKx1-Xf6E/UcuyMFaQgqI/AAAAAAAACAo/_nDq7DlktmY/s1600/13+-+4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvrKx1-Xf6E/UcuyMFaQgqI/AAAAAAAACAo/_nDq7DlktmY/s320/13+-+4" /></a></div><br />
Eventually, it was time to call it a day, so Bill headed home, taking Jan's dog, Rosie, to take care of her while Jan was working. He said he would be back in the morning to see me off, I knew it would probably not be before 9:30 or so as I knew my things were well scattered, meaning more time packing-up, and I still had the flat tire to fix.<br />
<br />
Even though Jan was going to be leaving very early the next morning, before 4:30, I promised to get up to see her off. Besides, it gave me a chance to take a nice picture of her in her stewardess uniform.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hd8ut_T_IMI/UcuyMKOmAlI/AAAAAAAACAU/HzU549TTQbA/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hd8ut_T_IMI/UcuyMKOmAlI/AAAAAAAACAU/HzU549TTQbA/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
Nevertheless, I was still feeling pretty tired so I went back to bed for a little while longer before getting up, for real, to get myself ready to leave.<br />
<br />
True to his word, Bill returned, this time with his homemade quiche to offer me for breakfast. He waited patiently as I finished packing, helped me carry my bags from the upstairs room to the living room and then kept me company as I proceeded to demonstrate my bicycle repair skills. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDjc9rRoHJ4/Ucux-WPSq7I/AAAAAAAAB_w/StzDUQ4nCdE/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDjc9rRoHJ4/Ucux-WPSq7I/AAAAAAAAB_w/StzDUQ4nCdE/s320/13+-+3" /></a></div><br />
One of the things I'd learned from my time working in bike shops was to always check the inside of the tire tread for whatever might have caused the puncture. It took a while, but sure enough, I found the culprit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PCV46Oursy8/Ucux-fnkOPI/AAAAAAAAB_k/QhUgITiMb3Q/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PCV46Oursy8/Ucux-fnkOPI/AAAAAAAAB_k/QhUgITiMb3Q/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
As you can see in this photo, it was a very tiny piece of wire (inside the "0") that had worked its way through my worn, but otherwise "puncture resistant" tire. I am guessing it came from the tread of a steal-belted radial, something I have seen scattered all over the shoulders here in Texas.<br />
<br />
Rather than patching the tube at this point, I decided to go ahead and replace it with one of the two spare ones I was carrying with me. I was grateful that I had the benefit of a comfortable porch to do the repairs, rather than having to do this out on the road. (And given the weather the day before, that would have also meant repairing it in the rain!) It was good practice though, confirming that I had everything I needed to do the job should I get another flat any time soon.<br />
<br />
Since the bike had gotten wet, I figured it was also a good time to lube the chain and spray some WD40 down the cable housings. With all of that repair and maintenance work completed, it was time to re-attach the trailer and load on all of the panniers.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7kYLuo10cCo/Ucu0TWbs2uI/AAAAAAAACBg/TmkVWJNcTG0/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7kYLuo10cCo/Ucu0TWbs2uI/AAAAAAAACBg/TmkVWJNcTG0/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
Before finally heading for the road, Bill assisted once again by taking pictures and offering me a cash donation to help me on my way. I am very appreciative of his and Jan's support of my journey thus far.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMkpmnF4910/UcuyMJQManI/AAAAAAAACAc/AIOchkb8-Xc/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMkpmnF4910/UcuyMJQManI/AAAAAAAACAc/AIOchkb8-Xc/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
Next Stop...Clifton, Texas...Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8403883963335203719.post-36592160862303114092013-06-21T18:15:00.001-04:002013-06-21T18:15:46.616-04:00June 11-18 - In South Granbury and Glen Rose, TexasTuesday morning, June 11, I said "Good-Bye" to Whiskers the cat...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--9BeAMbbSgc/UcS1b7BGn9I/AAAAAAAABt4/1MROx0Y0BRk/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--9BeAMbbSgc/UcS1b7BGn9I/AAAAAAAABt4/1MROx0Y0BRk/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
And The Busy Woodpecker... <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yZlmi0v3m1U/UcS1byZ0BGI/AAAAAAAABtw/8l6FgajuPZc/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yZlmi0v3m1U/UcS1byZ0BGI/AAAAAAAABtw/8l6FgajuPZc/s320/13+-+3" /></a></div><br />
And the wonderful home of Susan and Terry. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7voygQwaFus/UcS1bw6cGFI/AAAAAAAABto/3kbS-z5_xOc/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7voygQwaFus/UcS1bw6cGFI/AAAAAAAABto/3kbS-z5_xOc/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
From there I headed to my second Granbury stop, on the south end of town.<br />
<br />
It was to be a somewhat shorter trip this day, by about 10 miles, compared to the leg from Weatherford to my first stop in the more northern part of Granbury. Starting at about 7:30 am (a great start for me), by 9:30 am I found this shady spot to pull off into by the Lakeside Baptist Church. I paused there for a bit of breakfast, and a good water dousing of my head, before I got back out on the sunny, hilly, road.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KTUY3_9En8M/UcS1vLjf_SI/AAAAAAAABuU/-LkC9olxqwM/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KTUY3_9En8M/UcS1vLjf_SI/AAAAAAAABuU/-LkC9olxqwM/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9eHj5FpygU/UcS1vOV83II/AAAAAAAABuc/bLSMsWPxt6Q/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9eHj5FpygU/UcS1vOV83II/AAAAAAAABuc/bLSMsWPxt6Q/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
My hosts Karissa and O.J. were very excited about my arrival as I was to be their very first CouchSurfing guest! Although Faolan settled down a bit more when Karissa returned from work, she was clearly concerned about my being there and vocalized those concerns persistently until O.J. "sent her to the bedroom" for some doggy time-out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQApQcHzq3k/UcS7OShVhxI/AAAAAAAAB2U/s6AjXhak57U/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQApQcHzq3k/UcS7OShVhxI/AAAAAAAAB2U/s6AjXhak57U/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
As I was preparing for a bit of a nap, their kitten Sashimi, daughter of Sushi, found my Keen shoes to be of particular interest, probably because they were a little smelly and had springy elastic bands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OYm4xsObbqg/UcS1_3h_QiI/AAAAAAAABvE/CRyewSDtSJs/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OYm4xsObbqg/UcS1_3h_QiI/AAAAAAAABvE/CRyewSDtSJs/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
When Karissa returned from work, the three of us spent the remainder of the evening talking about all kinds of things. I answered questions about my experiences and shared lots of the ideas from Paul Chappell's books. As an avid reader, O.J. drew my attention frequently to the books of philosophy and military history on his own shelf and promised to get a copy of <i>The Art of Waging Peace</i> as soon as it was available.<br />
<br />
Karissa was off to work early the next morning, so after posing for a photo, we hugged and said our good-byes, although, it would turn out not to be the last time we would see each other.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGv6LB6DwTX-7EUVT6ax_KKE3GUS9M-KHDN838LSOBChz60bgm4BG9pgh5L1UpL2bIlHGJbcdNqTfH8T04w9CwpTn1KVyIn_tCtOPkfr39AlBX8wT7EZLTkYblqn4tieyuZqm4fhFqtbX/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGv6LB6DwTX-7EUVT6ax_KKE3GUS9M-KHDN838LSOBChz60bgm4BG9pgh5L1UpL2bIlHGJbcdNqTfH8T04w9CwpTn1KVyIn_tCtOPkfr39AlBX8wT7EZLTkYblqn4tieyuZqm4fhFqtbX/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
I continued on my journey to my first stop in Glen Rose, Texas to the home of WarmShowers hosts Frank and Pat. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CiwpSKYCEOY/UcS2TrPKx-I/AAAAAAAABvs/jIoyeV5x9Io/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CiwpSKYCEOY/UcS2TrPKx-I/AAAAAAAABvs/jIoyeV5x9Io/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
As my Map My Ride chart predicted, there were more hills, and an especially steep one approaching the turn-off to their house. There were two lanes for the ascending side of the road, which meant basically no shoulder for me to walk/push in so I crossed over to the opposite side feeling safer walking/pushing against traffic.<br />
<br />
It took me a while to get up the CAT 5 hill, which plateaued ever so slightly about three-quarters of the way up and then continued rising with a bit of a curve at the end.<br />
<br />
I was grateful when I finally spotted the "CR 2021" sign marking my turn-off, although, it was at the very peak of the hill. When I finally did make the turn I found myself facing an even steeper descent and another equally steep ascent just opposite. I remember thinking, "Please let their house be on this side of the hill rather than the other!" Thankfully, it was! <br />
<br />
I turned into a well-paved driveway that led to a very nice house. I pedaled my bicycle around to the back and found a shady area of low trees filled with bird feeders and bird houses. I got off the bike, propped it with the kick-stand and secured the trailer wheel. I rested for a moment, catching my breath, and drinking some more water, before making my way to the front of the house where I rang the door-bell.<br />
<br />
When no one responded, I texted my hosts to let them know I was there, and then laid down on one of my nylon tarps in the shade under the trees to relax for a while...or...at least until the ants started to find me! (Luckily, they were not particularly aggressive ones!) <br />
<br />
As I waited for my hosts to return home, I was thinking to myself, "I really hope they have a truck." I was going to have another very short ride, a back-track actually to my second stop in Glen Rose the next day, and I thought I would have to go back up one of the hills I had already come over to get where I was. The return route was along a curve with no shoulder and I knew I would have to be pushing during the busy evening (after work) hours, making it even less safe. Nevertheless, I soon heard and then saw my hosts come around the drive, and much to my hope and relief, they were in a big grey truck! When I shared my concerns, Frank explained that there was actually a road prior to the hill that would circle back to my destination, although it was also a bit curvy, and narrow, with little shoulder. Either way, he was more than happy to help me with a little "support" transportation.<br />
<br />
In the mean time, though, I enjoyed another "Warm Shower" while Pat prepared a carb re-building meal of spaghetti. The next day Frank and I drove back into town, where he drew my attention to the sculpture of the "Barnards of the Brazos", by Robert Summers outside the historic Somerville County Courthouse.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eQx8lmu2xlY/UcS2TgsOfeI/AAAAAAAABv0/5QcOn3KisOg/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eQx8lmu2xlY/UcS2TgsOfeI/AAAAAAAABv0/5QcOn3KisOg/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
After that we headed to the garden of friends of theirs who were in Turkey at the time, and did not want any of the produce to go to waste in their absence. So we poked around the squash, cucumber, and tomato plants to find whatever was ready to harvest. Once we returned, Pat made homemade squash soup for lunch and, as I had done the night before, I offered some sprouts and seaweed to go with it. <br />
<br />
With regards to my trying to maintain a "geographically continuous route under my own power", I figured the help Frank provided with transportation was fair in that I had already covered the distance once before, passing by on my way to Frank and Pat's house. It was good to have another day of rest and with the distance being so short, under three miles, it seemed like a lot of work to get all decked-out in my gear, and all sweaty, etc., for maybe only a one hour ride! <br />
<br />
Amanda was not home yet when Frank dropped me off, but I was good with just hanging out for a bit, so we said our good-byes and I settled down to wait for my next host. It wasn't but maybe 15 or 20 minutes altogether until she arrived and we actually remained outside for a little while talking for a bit before going on into the house. <br />
<br />
I got settled in with my bags and as Amanda and I continued to talk, she mentioned that her father and step-mother were in the area and that she had been planning to meet them for dinner. Although we were running a little late, I encouraged her to follow-through on her plans, and that if she was okay with it, I was happy to tag along. As I have been explaining to everyone, I'm trying to meet as many people as possible on this trip, so, the more the merrier! <br />
<br />
We headed back down the road from whence I'd come and then into some side-roads where I would have been totally lost on my own, until we came to the <a href="http://www.thehideawayranch.com/index.htm">Silver Dollar Steakhouse located at the Hide-a-Way Ranch and Retreat</a>. Amanda's dad, Rusty was generous enough to cover our tab for the salads we ordered. After meeting and talking with the other members of the dinner party, most of whom were already finished with their meals, Amanda, her parents, and I wandered around the property a bit. Rusty and Connie posed for a portrait in front of the "remains" of the infamous "Peg Leg Pete"...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nq2AQNWw6s/UcS2p5BreBI/AAAAAAAABwk/kow-nWkUtqQ/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nq2AQNWw6s/UcS2p5BreBI/AAAAAAAABwk/kow-nWkUtqQ/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
... while Amanda took a few minutes to pet the goats. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d84UqT8caYo/UcS2p4lhcVI/AAAAAAAABwU/do0EM2SqxoU/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d84UqT8caYo/UcS2p4lhcVI/AAAAAAAABwU/do0EM2SqxoU/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
We headed back home after a brief visit at her parents house, and then it was time to call it a day. Amanda would be off to New Braunfels to join her husband Steve for an EMT training/re-certification class over the weekend, so I gladly accepted the opportunity for some alone-time at the house. Since I had not been able to make the connection I had originally hoped for in Clifton on June 17th, my schedule opened up to stay a little longer with Amanda and Steve.<br />
<br />
Remembering how disappointed my former host, Karissa, had been when we did not have time to go see her horses, I gave her a call to let her know I'd be open to doing that, especially since Amanda and Steve were going to be away for a few days. <br />
<br />
As it turned out, the next day, Friday, was the day to head up to <a href="http://www.weare1.org/hhhome.htm">High Hope Ranch</a> as Karissa and O.J. were also going on their own mini-work-vacation over the weekend, and, besides, Karissa was only working a short distance away at the hospital in Glen Rose. She gave O.J. a call and he met us at Amanda's where we all piled into Karissa's car for the ride up to the ranch. <br />
<br />
Upon our arrival, the first stop on our agenda was to visit Karissa's friends, Morada, a Blue Roan, Valentine, a pure-bred Arabian, and Shimmie, a BLM rescued Mustang.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l-H29SW4TbE/UcS3vTflkqI/AAAAAAAAB0k/uo8iUo57dKw/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l-H29SW4TbE/UcS3vTflkqI/AAAAAAAAB0k/uo8iUo57dKw/s320/13+-+3" /></a></div><br />
As Karissa explained, she had become friends with Shimmie by applying more Natural training techniques. In fact, it was a CouchSurfing contact she had stayed with in the area that introduced her to this new approach to interacting with horses without the use of metal bits, whips, etc. She later showed me the Indian Bosal style bridle that she used with Shimmie.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DBSqjXAvX6U/UcTFMDwzirI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/fdpb5rDUDDc/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DBSqjXAvX6U/UcTFMDwzirI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/fdpb5rDUDDc/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
<br />
After visiting with the horses for a while we headed on over to the house of the ranch manager Chandler McLay. Chandler has a hike of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James">El Camino</a> in Spain to her credit and she frequently hosts, as she put it, "Spiritual, Triple Bottom Line Retreats, and Reunions" at the ranch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyGa9fg825w/UcTIqDmFK0I/AAAAAAAAB6A/sI4fSrjvYh4/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyGa9fg825w/UcTIqDmFK0I/AAAAAAAAB6A/sI4fSrjvYh4/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
I'd say we had a very pleasant and mutually inspiring visit as I shared more from my own experiences "Pedaling for Peace", and she shared from her own wisdom of being a life-long adventurer herself. As we were leaving, she offered me a generous cash donation in support of my efforts. Thanks, Chandler!<br />
<br />
When they returned Sunday evening, Amanda went to right to work doing maintenance on her bee hive, while Steve did some work in the garden area.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-or9dU8b84Zk/UcS3HhGBGJI/AAAAAAAABxw/lc6MoDEh3HU/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-or9dU8b84Zk/UcS3HhGBGJI/AAAAAAAABxw/lc6MoDEh3HU/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><br />
I took a closer look at the bamboo fence they were in the process of constructing around one side of the yard. As the neighbor next door to Peggy's house in North Dallas also had a rather large stand of bamboo he was trying to keep under control, I was thinking this particular design (by Amanda) might be something he could put to good use. (Are you seeing this Vincent?) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gurIYGj3kMw/UcS3VgmUtOI/AAAAAAAAByo/cwEOcaGLipE/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gurIYGj3kMw/UcS3VgmUtOI/AAAAAAAAByo/cwEOcaGLipE/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sH87KaD9oro/UcS3Vj2QiaI/AAAAAAAAByU/-jwKVgjp6Eo/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sH87KaD9oro/UcS3Vj2QiaI/AAAAAAAAByU/-jwKVgjp6Eo/s320/13+-+2" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwVnVQ6TXYg/UcS3VlT2P6I/AAAAAAAAByg/a7ZHt1smNU8/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwVnVQ6TXYg/UcS3VlT2P6I/AAAAAAAAByg/a7ZHt1smNU8/s320/13+-+3" /></a></div><br />
The next evening, I once again prepared my Special Egg-Fried Rice and finger-salads for my hosts, and, as it turned out, Steve's daughter Sam and her boyfriend Luke as well. I had a rather engaging conversation with them, especially given the fact that Luke was thinking about joining the military. We talked a lot about the possibility of World Peace as I shared many of Paul's ideas on all of that, as well as how the military could still be beneficial if used for peace work; i.e. responding in the case of natural disasters or for actual Peace Keeping in areas of the world still prone to conflict. Steve mentioned later that all of that might have looked good as part of a documentary. For now though, I feel more like I may be "practicing" for something like that in the future, as I have yet to gain the same proficiency with speaking about all of this as Paul has. But, since I'm giving mini-talks every few days now, I have a feeling by the end of my journey, who knows what the possibilities might be?<br />
<br />
During my last day of rest on Tuesday, I finally made a host connection in Clifton, Texas, which then made it more feasible to also make it to another WarmShowers host in the Woodway area near Waco. <br />
<br />
(For those of you who might wonder how "one person can make a difference", my Clifton host helped to cut what would have been a 43 mile trip down to two trips of 12 miles and 31 miles, which, at this still early "training period" works much better for me. In fact, it is making something "possible" that might not otherwise have been in terms of my being able to continue my trek as I have been thus far.)<br />
<br />
And so I prepared to say "Good-bye" to my wonderful hosts Amanda and Steve...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v6V_GON1qm8/UcS3Hh6m55I/AAAAAAAABxo/qmIZlAlfiEQ/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v6V_GON1qm8/UcS3Hh6m55I/AAAAAAAABxo/qmIZlAlfiEQ/s320/13+-+1" /></a></div><br />
Although the path south and east was made clearer with the connection in Clifton, I still had another daunting 27 mile ride ahead to Meridian...Lori Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17705706227685359532noreply@blogger.com0