A disclaimer & A dedication

Okay. Admittedly I’ve already started to feel weird about keeping this web log alive. It just seems egocentric sometimes. Like, what is it providing to the greater good? But here’s the thing: it’s a really great reason to write. I have to keep writing all the time if I want to keep writing, you know? Plus I’ve received positive feedback and I really appreciate that. Thanks for joining me.

Lava Tube outside Flagstaff. It goes about a mile in & is about 34ºF. I'm overcoming mild claustrophobia!

Anyway. The van & I survived the Mojave Desert… just barely. Not impressively, it would have been all my fault if we didn't. {For those interested, scroll down for condensed version of the story.}

[LONG VERSION]:

The van ran dangerously low on oil to due a miscommunication I had with the engine. After seemingly rebounding from the shortage, the journey away from the desert proved exhausting, for the van & myself. She began sputtering, idly loudly, and showing overall weaker performance. I was feeling exceptionally nervous about what could be happening (certainly the greatest level of stress I've had since hitting the road). I just wanted to make it to my next stop, Bakersfield, CA. However, the increasingly threatening behavior demanded I stop in the very next town I entered. Tehachapi, California. Not much here it seemed, but I scrambled to find something. Anything..! AUTO SHOP, a big sign announced, five parking lots away. I moseyed inside and asked for assistance with my van. After a brief description of the symptoms (plus an interruption from the clerk’s dad & owner of the shop about birthday cookies), Cliff walked outside with me and immediately sprung to action. Lubricating aplenty. And another, older gentleman even walked over to lend a word. [I was thinking a small town would be a better place to stop – less competition at the auto shop. Or in this case, none at all.] “Just be glad it’s not a Ford,” the second man quipped. He chuckled lightly, though I couldn’t quite relate to his mechanic’s sense of humor. After a number of starts and restarts, the snarly noise had subsided, and the engine was sounding just like old times. I nearly hugged Cliff! But instead, he suggested we pull the whole doghouse cover off and get a better look. Although I already knew the cause of the oil leak, I allowed his generous assistance. A little peace of mind never hurts. Meanwhile, I asked the other guy, “How do you pronounce the name of this town?” “Ta-HATCH-upee,” he grinned. I paid for the motor oil, tipped the two gentlemen, and thanked them sincerely. I was rolling again, and super duper happy about it! For a minute there, I was pretty sure I had scorched my engine and would need to find alternative transportation options. But, every experience provides for a learning opportunity. I was just glad I garnered both knowledge & success. I talked to the van more times on that day than any other.

[SHORT VERSION:]

The van nearly died, but has persevered confidently. The experience has strengthened our relationship.

Sometimes in yoga practice, the instructor suggests you choose someone to which you will dedicate that day’s practice. This web log entry is comparably dedicated to nirVANa. I’ve grown to love her.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The Mojave National Preserve is really cool! Plenty of diversity (mountainous, flat, dry, cold, woodsy, barren, & lots in between), a bit of history (the Kelso Depot and accompanying rail line served of big importance in WWII & the Union Pacific railway), and not many people around (surprisingly, considering it's free to enter & free to camp roadside). I recommend it.

Fringe-toed Lizard

Kelso Sand Dunes (forefront) - up to 600+ feet tall and quite majestic.

I hiked to the top, and it was very windy. But made it just in time for sunset.

It was great watching the colors of the dunes change as the sun faded out. Also, it was cool watching the composition of the dunes changed as I walked over them. Always in a constant state of change.

Joshua Trees are pretty cool. Dr Seussical.

Largest expanse of Joshua Trees in the world As far as the eye can see. The conditions for optimal growth are found on the Cima Dome in Mojave. I look silly, I know.

Anyway, made our way into the Bay Area and have been enjoying a number of attractions, friends, cool spots, new terrain, and plenty of considerations along the way. There's a lot to say about this area, but better to just experience it I think. However, I will give a shout out to Rainbow Food Coop, a worker-owned grocery store in San Francisco. You can buy almost anything in bulk, from the obvious nuts & grains, to seaweed, to tortilla chips, to sauerkraut, to cookies, to the largest collection of bulk herbs I've ever seen. I love co-ops! Plus, while I was shopping, there was a page for "Marisa, line 3." Hah. It'd been a while.

View from my parking spot. It was nice & quiet up here.

I rode all around San Francisco yesterday, including the perimeter of Lake Merced. It is a hilly & windy city for biking! I need more training I think.

And starting next weekend, I’ll be in the Black Rock Desert. Just a couple good stops along the way. I’ve managed to stay in almost every place I’ve stopped longer than anticipated. I’m glad I have the freedom to actively change my plans, as it happens frequently.

desert tortoise

Onward.




{As a postscript & for future reference, note that all words in color are links to further information... I respect people who are less tech-saavy like myself}

o m g a w e s o m e

Okay, here's the skinny. I'd been doing so much. I mean driving and sight-seeing and processing all the time.

these were all delicious

petrified forest national park in eastern arizona

silver linings on rainy days

crystal forest - used to be plentifully bestrewn with petrified trees but it's speculated that one ton of the artifacts are stolen every month! dang.

so dense and colorful - about 225 million years old

colors formed from sedimentary rocks, including sandstone, siltstone, limestone, & bentonite - really beautiful!

the moon faintly gettin' in on the action

that barely visible mountains just left of center are the san francisco peaks in flagstaff (~120 miles away)! talk about clear air.

the red comes from iron oxide influence (like rust!)

So then I arrived in Flagstaff, the gateway to the Grand Canyon. The plan was to stay a couple days, then head North for the Canyon on Thursday. But, of course, plans rarely go as planned, especially on an itinerary-light drive West. So, upon my arrival (after the regular co-op/natural foods store and public library stops), I parked right downtown and took my bike out for a nice long ride. The people here are so nice! I saw a guy stopped on a bike and asked if there was a bike shop nearby. He seemed almost thrilled I had asked, and even more tickled that he could provide me with information. Followed by quite thorough directions no doubt. Then later I stopped at a bus stop, just to take a gander at the schedule. When the bus pulled up, the driver yelled out with a grin, "Would you like a printed map?" "No, I'm good," I said, though I kind of wanted to say Yes, just so the guy could feel good about being so helpful. It's nice to make other people feel good for their own actions. Anyway, long story shorter, I eventually made it back to the van, and alas, every other car on the formerly full street was absent. I suddenly felt a bit less confident about sleeping right downtown. Fortunately, also while riding, I received a call back from Berk, a couchsurfer I had contacted the day before. He said he has a large driveway and would be happy to host me. So, I drove to meet him about midnight after he got off work. After formal introductions, he said, "By the way, I have two other couchsurfers staying, and we're headed to the Canyon tonight if you wanna go." What?! Of course. I love spontaneity. So, there I was in a truck with complete strangers riding out into the woods at 2am.
The Grand Canyon is only about 75 miles North of Flagstaff. So we had some good time to get to know each other, and I feel very fortunate that they are all very cool dudes. When we arrived to the chosen overlook, we disembarked, unfurled our sleeping bags, and were immediately entertained by an amazing star show. I was so engaged I thought I'd never fall asleep, even though I'd been awake nearly 24 hours at this point. Eventually, I forfeited, and had one of those sleeps where it feels like you've just blinked but you've actually slept through the night (except I think it was only about 30 minutes of slumber). So, I was infinitely stargazing, then blinked, and afterward, the stars were gone & there was a very faint light coming from the East. Perfect! So I gathered my sleeping bag & water and made my way to a nice little perch to watch the sun rise. I mean, seriously beautiful. Arriving in new places at night and then watching them come to life by the sun is one of my favorite things. I had the same experience on a three-day hike in Guatemala, to a spot that overlooked Lake Atitlan. So, obviously photos just can't do justice for sunrises (or sunsets for that matter), but I tried.

tea time

crow hiding in the yet to be revealed cliffside

i loved all the shadows as the sun continued to come up - the canyon looked quite voluptuous

yep, this is where we slept. it was sweet.

Then we took some hikes. Only explored a fraction of the space. (It's 277 miles long!) Ate some lunch. And tried to take it all in. This is hard to do.

good lookout*

*From here, we could faintly hear the rapids, but when you looked at them way down there, they looked perfectly still. Powerful whitewater rapids that look perfectly serene and motionless. Kind of a head trip. The Colorado River plays an integral role in the canyon development, deeming it quite powerful indeed. (FYI, this is the not the same Colorado River that we've all enjoyed back in Austin.)
Pardon me if this is morbid, but I couldn't help to think about the inevitable deaths that must have occurred in this majestic place. An epic place to go, no doubt. I got this information from Wikipedia:
"About 600 deaths have occurred in the Grand Canyon since the 1870s... Of the fatalities, 53 have resulted from falls; 65 deaths were attributable to environmental causes, including heat stroke, cardiac arrest, dehydration, and hypothermia; 7 were caught in flash floods; 79 were drowned in the Colorado River; 242 perished in airplane and helicopter crashes (128 of them in the 1956 disaster); 25 died in freak errors and accidents, including lightning strikes and rock falls; 48 committed suicide; and 23 were the victims of homicides."

Anyway, now I've been in Flagstaff. I really like it here, like I said, plus I needed time to just relax. Not drive everyday. Learn about a local community and its inhabitants. And fortunately I've managed to do that, thanks to some very generous and hospitable locals. There's plenty of natural beauty too, right around town. Hiking and climbing and swimming and a ton of other attractions.

ebba (an amazing dog) was really concerned for everyone who climbed

I could actually see myself just staying here for a while. But! I still have many adventures ahead! I'm taking off tomorrow. West. To the Mojave National Preserve.
Thank you for reading this epic thing.
Good day.

The Land of Enchantment...

... has actually really enchanted me. After a good night of sleep in the Wal-Mart parking lot of Clovis, New Mexico, I headed West toward Santa Fe. I even got to make an impulsive stop at a roadside attraction! I saw the grave of Billy the Kid in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico! And visited the museum too, which strangely left me more perplexed than before I entered.

Basically, practically nothing is certainly known about Billy the Kid, though there are plenty of resources that cite him as a personable and respectable individual. He was mostly elusive in his 21 years of life, the number of men he actually killed is contested, and his resting point could actually be within one acre of the tombstone I saw.  I love history!

Anyway. Now I'm in Santa Fe, and I really like it here. My first stop, of course, was La Montanita Food Co-op. The store is pretty nice (and is also a member of NCGA, so there were a lot of recognizable co-op features), but it's still no Wheatsville. But! They do have a discounted deli items shelf, which is awesome. I feel like I've been eating very healthy on this trip. It's more affordable, and I'm feeling very good too. Also, I've been exploring a bunch on my bike. Maybe I'll manage to lose some of those Guatemala/bacon/BBQ fat cells. The truth is, though, I don't ever want to travel again without my bike! It's so practical and efficient. And fun!

I came upon this labyrinth with a sign that instructed me to walk through it and find peace & serenity in doing so. Then turn around, walk the same path, and bring the peace & serenity back with into the world. It was a nice barefoot trek. When I got to the center, I realized it took me a lot longer than I anticipated. So I tried to guess how many steps it would take me to walk out again. About a hundred I thought. It turned out 364! I've never been good with numerical approximations I guess.

Anyway, last night I went to a show that I read about in the Alibi, the local weekly publication. It was Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy, a bluegrass outfit from Wichita, Kansas. I learned from Matt, the banjo player, that Carrie Nation was a prominent figure in the temperance movement. Therefore, the complete title of their band is awesome. & their show was really fun too. And I made some new friends! All travelers, naturally. I think those are more likely to start up conversation, I guess myself included. But also generally quite interesting folk. And I even said Yes to a beer offer. [Monk's Ale, made in a local New Mexico monastery by Benedictine monks - yay!] It's weird because usually I like to treat people and facilitate good times. But now that I have no income, I should learn to be more accepting of generosity. I even accepted a free CD from the band. I was on a roll! And then I slept in my sweet downtown parking spot because there's no limitations on Sunday parking. I love it when things work out, as they generally do.

Last night at the show, Billy, a guy from Denver traveling with his girlfriend, enthusiastically declared, "You know.. having a career and making lots of money really isn't what it's all about. I've always wanted to do what you're doing."

"Yeah," I said. "Me too."

Moving On

  Today, I am leaving Austin indefinitely for the first time in my 27 years of existence. A lot of people have been asking me Where I’m going. Well, everyone really. It’s a typical question to ask someone when you know they’re leaving. Mostly, I’ve been saying “West,” which is a bit vague, I understand. But it’s also the most concisely accurate response. You know, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia… West. I recently acquired this very large, very comfortable van.

Other people ask Why I’m going. I dunno… Fun.                Adventure.Change.Intrigue.     Desire. It’s a funny thing, following one’s desires. It’s naturally quite satisfying. But comes with an array of trade-offs. It's true that I worked a lot for the past 6 months, financially preparing for this trip. I missed special occasions and unique experiences and important events. But that stuff happens all the time. And if I get wrapped up in things I'm missing, I'll struggle to confidently move... ever forward, which is what life is all about I think. 

The process of getting going was more time-consuming than I anticipated. It's a lot of work for a nostalgic person like myself to simplify her life. But it feels really good. I can't actually explain it I don't think. In discarding a bunch of "stuff," now have fewer things to think about, to worry about, and ultimately, to hold me down. I realize that I don't really need many things at all. I love it. I feel like I just want to live in the van for the rest of my life, but I also think that after my 5-month stint, I might be more enthusiastic about living in a place that allows me to fully stand up.

Why am I writing in this thing, you might ask? I’m not exactly sure on that either. There were some people who said they enjoyed it before. (I love encouraging people to read!) I think my parents like to know that I’m alive. And telephones aren’t always practical. Yes, the internet is our savior. My great-uncle, Ruben, asked if and/or why I had given it up on writing upon my return to Austin. I guess I felt like it lost its purpose a little bit. I agree there is adventure everywhere, but I live here. It’s different. Anyway, I appreciate the support for it. I find that it’s a good outlet for me too. I really enjoy writing (I keep a personal journal quite actively), and this is just another opportunity to employ different writing styles. This is great because then it doesn’t even matter if anyone else is reading it. At least I’ve found my own satisfaction.

That being said, I will focus less on narratives, and more on introspective considerations, interesting information, & plenty of photos. I agree that I’ve deemed these things (web logs) rather self-indulgent in the past. And I’m not saying I’ve changed my mind about them. But perhaps I have a different perspective. Or I’ve just convinced myself to.

So, I leave today! Then one month of traveling toward the desert. Followed by a month & a half of hot sun bike maintenance with the Department of Public Works in Black Rock City, Nevada. There is so much to that experience in the desert. It’ll probably be like last year where I couldn’t even bring myself to write. It’s a different world, no joke. Later a road trip in the Pacific Northwest with a dear friend. Eventually, an Austin wedding of two more dears in October. And not sure what’s to follow that. But certainly will be on a plane from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Melbourne, Australia, on November 21^st. Well, as certain as I can be, you know. Not to be morbid, but sometimes it all sounds kind of unbelievable. I am one fortunate lady.

Certainly fortunate to have such lovely friends & family. I consciously recognize how – excuse me – fucking cool Austin is. It’s my home and I love it dearly. And it’s raised me well I think. And I find solace in the fact that I know this thriving community is here. And it’s making people happy, just like it has & does for me. So, I'll be back.

Take care! 

Y disfrute.