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Bike paths from DC to Centreville

5/1/22

Yesterday was my “latest” bicycling day, in terms of going from one town to another: I started in the afternoon, and arrived late in the evening. The trek was about 35 miles, with about 950 feet of elevation. (That Custis trail had some hills on it; oof!)

I had enjoyed the Hillwood Estate in the morning—with a lovely creekside bike path on the way back—and then enjoyed a nice homemade lunch with Mike and Marya, before heading out to my friend Michelle’s place at about 1:30.

Mike took a farewell picture of me with my rig, before I pedaled down their NW DC street.

I got stuck in traffic on M Street in Georgetown for quite a while; the streets were narrow enough, and my rig wide enough, that I couldn’t squeeze next to the cars, so I had to just “be” one of them.

But finally I made it onto the Key Bridge to cross the Potomac. On the Virginia side, I quickly joined the Custis Trail, and then eventually the W & OD (Washington & Old Dominion.) That path had been widened in some areas since I last biked it, about two and a half years ago, which was cool. There were also some very lush green spaces on the sides of it.

Once I got near Vienna, I had to get onto roads, although in many cases the roads had nice tar-paved “side paths” next to them: not really sidewalks, but separated paths that felt much safer than riding in the roads with the fast traffic.

When I finally arrived in Centreville, just before dark at 8:00, I was greeted by Michelle, her sweetie Mars (who turned out to be an avid prog-rock fan!) and her two adorable dogs Goliath and Gretta.

Today was rainy and very quiet. Tomorrow, I plan to continue on the W & OD all the way out to Leesburg, where my parents will pick me up from the “homestead” outside of Waterford. I haven’t seen them, and the homestead, in those two and a half years; I’m excited!

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Hillwood Estate and Japanese Garden

5/1/22

Yesterday, I finally got to visit this Japanese garden I’ve been wishing to see for years! Every time I had tried, over the past few years, I found I was visiting the area on a Monday, when they are closed. This time, though, I made it on a Saturday.

The Japanese garden is part of the Hillwood Estate, which also includes many other gardens, as well as a mansion. A local couple from the Buy Nothing Travelers’ Network kindly toured me around, sharing one of their guest passes from their membership, which saved me the $18 admission fee.

It was a beautiful place. Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.

Then yesterday afternoon and evening, I biked the 35 miles from my friends’ house in NW DC to my other friend’s house in Centreville, Virginia. I’ll plan to do a separate post with those photos.

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

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The National Arboretum, in spring profusion

4/29/22

What a glorious day, visiting an incredible place.

I got a late start to the day, but enjoyed my much-anticipated meal at NuVegan: lasagna and collards, both perfection.

Then I headed east, to the arboretum. It took me about 40 minutes by bike, mostly a pleasant journey.

When I arrived, in the late afternoon, the light was beautiful. It had not occurred to me that there would be an extensive azalea section of the arboretum, but there was, and it was in absolutely top form in this season, so I spent most of my time in that section.

One area of the azalea garden was blocked off, though—apparently annually—because of nesting bald eagles. How cool!

Later, I visited another section on the other side of the arboretum, full of wooded trails and lovely handmade-looking wooden bridges.

Finally, I explored the middle hill area, with the “Capitol columns.” It was a pretty cool feeling to stand near and among them.

I loved my time at this arboretum. I hope to visit again sometime when I can devote more time to walking around, but it is hard to imagine a better time of year to visit than right now. (If you happen to be in the DC area, I highly recommend a visit!)

When I got back to Mike and Marya’s place, they had been working to assemble their Friday dinner tradition of a vegan charcuterie board. It was a delight to experience! The spread included olives, various breads, and some vegan meats and cheeses they had picked up on last week’s trip to New York City. (They also gave me several recommendations of places to try when I get there in a few weeks.) They also treated me to a special gin and tonic, made from a grapefruit-infused gin and garnished with a wedge of fresh grapefruit.

Today has been wonderful. Tomorrow, I’m looking forward to finally experiencing the Japanese garden at the Hillwood Estate!

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

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Charlottesville to DC: a few more challenges

4/29/22

It was a bright and beautiful but chilly morning (39!) when I embarked yesterday. I had a nice breakfast with my Charlottesville Warmshowers hosts, and then showed them how I put together my rig—including folding and unfolding the bike—before pedaling off toward the train station. It was just about two miles, mostly downhill.

Once I arrived, the Amtrak station attendant was charmed by the rig! This was a nice contrast to the struggles I’ve had with other station personnel around the country. In fact, anticipating a possible struggle, I had walked right up and asked her how I would need to comply with this particular train (the Northeast Regional, a train I had not yet experienced) and she said there was no baggage car, so I could just talk to the conductor and then carry everything on.

Wow, OK, simple!

So I started converting the trailer to its push-cart mode, which I thought would make it easier to board. That’s when I discovered the wheel wells (not sure if that’s the right term?) were getting very dry and not easy to use. I was so grateful for the fact that I had just yesterday visited the bike shop and got some new cleaner/chain lube. And furthermore, that I had kept it in a very accessible position within my luggage.

I proceeded to sprawl out all over the floor in the middle of the small station—with other passengers looking on—taking things apart, using toilet paper to clean parts… but I was much happier afterward, with a much more easily “convertible” trailer.

Boarding, however, turned out to be a challenge. The stairs to the coach cars were the same steep and narrow steps on Viewliner trains, but this time I had to get the folded bike and trailer up them, since there was no baggage car. The conductor helped me to lift the bike up the stairs, but refused to help with the trailer, presumably because he could see that it was oversized and could surmise—correctly—that it was also overweight. I had to quickly switch the wheel position again, then turn the cart sideways and do my best to heft its 72 pounds up the steps. I made it partway up, dragging it behind me from up the stairs, and then another kind Amtrak employee gave me a hand from the platform.

After that, I had to drag both items sideways down a hallway before I found a place to stash them.

Sadly, by the time I reached my seat (no empty ones left, so I got the aisle, with no phone charger and minimal view) I had begun a weird/inexplicable coughing fit. Thankfully, at the last minute on the platform I had made the switch from my cloth mask to a KN-95, so I felt less “contagious” to my seatmate—who was also masked—and the rest of my train-mates. (The federal mask mandate on transportation was lifted just a few days ago, so most people in the car weren’t masked at all.)

I was embarrassed by the coughing, though, as well as physically uncomfortable, and now also scared that I might be getting COVID.

Oof.

The coughing eventually died down, and the rest of the ride passed without incident. I dozed a bit.

Once we arrived in Washington, though, the crew did not open most of the train’s doors, only the ones in the café car, a couple of cars down from me. This had been the case for the earlier, shorter stops, but the conductor had announced that beforehand, with what seemed to me a strong implication that once the train reached DC—which was a half-hour stop, and he even said you could get off for a smoke break—they would then open all the doors.

But no.

My heart sank. I knew I would at least have time to get off the train before it left, so that was a relief, but the thought of piecemeal carrying first the bike, then the trailer, through at least one whole car length sounded incredibly daunting.

I got the bike to a door area, and decided to leave it there and return for it after getting the trailer out.

The trailer was every bit as heavy and awkward and bulky as I thought it would be to get through the adjoining car. Fortunately, a kind fellow passenger offered to help after a while, and grabbed one wheel. Even for the two of us, though, it was very challenging to heft this through such a narrow aisle of seats, some occupied.

We finally got it down to the end of the car, and then I needed to get it down the steps, off the train. Another kind passenger—on his smoke break on the platform—also offered to help, so together we managed to get the trailer to the platform.

At that point, I climbed back up the stairs to return for my bike, and then the train attendant said she would open the other door for me. I appreciated this, but she seemed annoyed about the whole thing.

I finally got the bike down to the trailer, and put everything back together on the platform. (Again, so thankful for just having lubed the wheels in their quick-release chambers!)

I made my way down to the small elevator, and just barely managed to fit the rig on when it arrived.

In the station, I used the restroom, and got a compliment on the Brompton from a woman in there who said she used to have one, and now regretted having sold it.

Then it was time to see if I could find a free rapid COVID test nearby: I didn’t want to risk endangering my DC hosts, or those afterward.

First I paused for a few photos of the beautiful station, inside and out, but then made my way over to a nearby Safeway that Google Maps indicated offered rapid testing.

I got there and found out they didn’t. They could only sell me a $99 home-testing kit.

Argh.

I was texting my hosts—my friends Mike and Marya—to let them know of the delay. Marya soon replied with a list of DC testing sites. By that time, I was already on my way to another one—George Washington Medical Center—which also told me they didn’t offer rapid testing.

I went to a local library, since Marya’s list indicated that they offered free at-home rapid testing kits to DC residents. They required proof of residency, so I was skeptical, but I thought I could try it, and maybe they wouldn’t ask.

(I did have on me a home test kit that I picked up on the way—Pam, if you’re reading, I think you gave it to me; thanks! But I couldn’t remember where I had stashed it, and for some reason I felt more comfortable biking around town to find a testing site rather than taking apart my rig on the street to find it.)

Once I arrived at the library, though, the big sign outside indicated that the test results would arrive in 3-5 days. The website had clearly indicated these were rapid tests. Apparently not.

By this point, it was about 2:00 pm (the train having arrived at 11:30, and my having last eaten—a locally made cookie I had purchased at the natural food store the previous day—right before boarding at about 8:30.) I was getting hungry and tired.

I decided to hit up the nearby restaurant DC Vegan for some lunch (ordered inside with a mask, of course, then consumed outside) and it was quite tasty and filling. While I sat, I noticed a CVS pharmacy right next door.

So after the meal, I went in to inquire about at-home tests. They had one for $9.99.

Sold!

I biked over to Mike and Marya’s place. Mike was still out at work, and Marya was in Zoom meetings indoors. They had said it was OK if I administered the test on their porch.

So I sat in the pleasant afternoon, behind their lovely cherry tree, and read the instructions, and administered the test.

Fifteen minutes later: Negative!

Whew!

But what a day.

I caught up with the two of them (and their cute cat Nikki) over a homemade dinner of pizza and salad (and a martini!)

Today, I’m looking forward to visiting the National Arboretum. (And experiencing the magic of NuVegan again; they live just a few blocks away from the original location!)

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

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Lovely Charlottesville

4/27/22

Last evening I pedaled out from Robbi’s house during a brief lull in the rain, and the landscape was lush and amazingly beautiful. I had to take a photo, even just from her parking area, to capture the feel.

When I then cycled through downtown before arriving at my new hosts’ place just northwest of town, the rain was misting, giving the area a saturated look.

Today, though, the sun came back out again, and despite a very mild chill in the air that kept me inside until late morning, it turned out to be a gorgeous day.

I explored all around town, including the local natural-foods store (since 1975) where I looked for, and found, the Twin Oaks tofu. I had hoped they would have a deli section where I could sample sandwiches or salads made with that tofu, but unfortunately there was only a juice bar. I’m glad I did get to taste it at Living Energy Farm.

I also visited several local parks, with both forested and open spaces. The sunlight made everything beautiful.

When I reached downtown, I enjoyed walking the iconic Charlottesville brick-laid pedestrian mall. I stopped for lunch at the all vegan Botanical restaurant, and even visited local bike shop Blue Wheel Bicycles, where my bike got a once-over, the chain got cleaned up a bit, and I walked away with some new chain lube.

Finally, I headed over to the University of Virginia. I had visited this campus in the late ‘80s, when I was looking at colleges to attend. I had only a faint memory of that tour, but I think I did recognize the quad when I saw it today. Of course Jefferson’s signature domed architecture makes an important appearance on the campus, and it was beautiful to sit beneath a tree and enjoy the architecture and atmosphere.

Then I headed back to my hosts’ place, where we had a lovely dinner. After dinner, JoAnn gave me a tour of the yard, which was in beautiful bloom at this time of year. They have lived in this 1928 house for 40 years, so they had put lots of effort into the front and back landscaping, including many native plants.

I topped off the evening and waning light with a refreshing outdoor shower. What a neat experience!

Tomorrow I’ll be up earlier than usual to catch the train to Washington, DC. I’m excited to see friends, and do some more sightseeing and vegan dining!

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

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Want to support my vision financially? I am in the process of manifesting $50,000 in lieu of a “salary” for the year of this journey. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a Fairy Godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my patrons and supporters!)

Gorgeous—and grueling!—ride to Charlottesville

4/26/22

Wow. Nothing like a reminder of how *not* in tip-top bicycling shape I am. I do give myself credit for challenging myself, and I give myself credit for actually making it all the way to Charlottesville, under my own power.

37 miles doesn’t seem like it should feel that tough! In fact, I did 37 miles just a few days ago, from Richmond to Bumpass, and felt OK then.

The main differences? More elevation (this time it was about 1300 feet of gain, which was about twice the previous amount) and higher temps. The mercury reached 92 that day (vs. mid-70s the earlier day) and I was also feeling the humidity in that. (92 in Portland is definitely hotter than I would choose to bike in, but man, on the East Coast it’s something else! However, I know this is only the beginning of probably four more months of these kinds of conditions: I plan to be on the East Coast, and then the Midwest, from now through August.)

So I had to rest a lot that day. Like, a lot. But I kept reminding myself that I could do this. And that it’s not a race, and I could take things at my own pace. I am on a 40 lb. bike, with 16” wheels. And, pulling a 72 lb. trailer. It’s OK for me to go at my own pace.

And… I did it! I made it. Several drivers yelled at me (roads are narrow around here) although one, right near Monticello, asked me with concern if I was OK, which felt nice. I told him I was, and continued to rest a bit before climbing the rest of that hill.

At another spot, I pulled over in the shady driveway of what appeared to be a bakery or similar shop that was closed on Sundays. I sat down on a bench next to the ice machine (which sadly was not available to dispense ice to me) and rested for 15 or 20 minutes. During that time, a young man who had parked his pickup truck in the small gravel lot asked me if I worked there. I said no, and he said he was supposed to be meeting an employee there to pick up a cake.

When the employee arrived, it occurred to me that the water level was getting low in my hydration pack. (I did have extra in a bottle in my trailer, but the thought of retrieving it felt daunting.) I asked the employee if he had a sink inside where I could refill the pack. He graciously agreed, and I walked into the air-conditioned room and gratefully filled up the pack from the commercial kitchen sink. The man asked if I was doing the Trans America Trail, because apparently it runs right through there, and they often had cyclists come through.

I said no, but thanked him profusely for the water, and then went back outside and got back on the road.

Four miles away from my destination, resting in a cemetery, I texted my friend/host Robbi to let her know I was nearby, but still might take a while before reaching her. She immediately texted back and kindly offered to pick me up. I briefly considered the offer, but decided I wanted to be able to know for myself that I had pedaled the entire distance, even though at that point I still had about 200 more feet to climb. (And unbeknownst to me, I would take a couple of wrong turns, thus adding even a few more feet.)

I pressed on… and after one last short but steep hill in her housing development, I arrived at Robbi’s townhouse, greeted by her and her poodle Cookie, as well as a few neighbors, several more dogs, and even a couple of baby birds in a nest on her porch.

I drank a glass of water on the couch while we caught up a bit, and then I took a long and luxurious shower (double-checking for more ticks, but thankfully not finding any).

I did marvel at the incredible natural beauty of this area. It had struck me when I visited Robbi in Charlottesville a couple of years ago, and made me want to return. Seeing that scenery from a bike is pretty hard to beat.

The following day—yesterday—I took another “administrative day,” and stayed indoors resting and tending to various tasks. Today, we had a long rainstorm in the afternoon. Robbi left in the early afternoon to go to a dog-sitting stay at a nearby friend’s place. I did my best to wait out the rain before heading five and a half miles north to my new Warmshowers hosts’ place. Looking at the changing forecast, though, I could see I wouldn’t be able to wait it out before dark, so I decided to just ride in it, starting about 5:30 pm. Fortunately, the rain was pretty gentle, and the ride was short enough that I could peel off my outer layers when I arrived and emerge relatively dry. I joined my hosts for some dinner and conversation, and then retired to their cute basement “suite” for Warmshowers travelers. (They told me they have hosted at least 40!)

I put my pin on their wall map, showing that I had traveled from Portland, but I had to fight for space because there were four other Portlanders already on the map, tied only with New York City for the most common origin point.

Now I’m going to sleep, and tomorrow—when the weather should be nice—I’m looking forward to just soaking in the feel of this town, before hopping on the train for DC the next morning.

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

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Want to support my vision financially? I am in the process of manifesting $50,000 in lieu of a “salary” for the year of this journey. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a Fairy Godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my patrons and supporters!)

Living Energy Farm

4/25/22

Wow. What an experience, to stay in this place for two nights.

From their website: “Living Energy Farm is an intentional community, education center, and farm that demonstrates that a fulfilling life is possible without the use of fossil fuel. Our mission is to serve as an example and actively promote lifestyles and technologies that are truly sustainable, and to make these sustainable technologies accessible to all persons regardless of their income or social position.”

The farm was created between 2010 (beginning planning) and 2012 (move-in of community members) by people who had previously lived at Twin Oaks. The two communities are about ten miles apart, in Louisa County, Virginia, and are two of about six or seven intentional communities in that county. From my understanding, there is goodwill and regular socializing amongst these communities.

LEF definitely felt different to me from Twin Oaks, although of course I was only at Twin Oaks for a couple of hours. LEF is much smaller, with seven adult and two child members at present. They have room for three or four more residents, so there were extra guest rooms for me and Leslie, who stayed the first night I was there.

I don’t understand, so can’t explain, all the technologies they use, but please take a look at their website to learn more. (You can also follow them on Instagram, for regular updates.) I was very impressed with everything I saw and heard about.

Leslie and I arrived from Twin Oaks in her Prius. I unpacked my rig, and then we walked the long driveway together. I found it easier to walk than ride, mostly, since there was only gravel on parts of it, and rains had rutted the dirt over the years. There were uphills and downhills as well; I would estimate the driveway was nearly half a mile, so it took us at least ten minutes to walk it.

Once we arrived, I was warmly greeted by my Warmshowers host Eric, who showed me my room in the pink straw-bale house pictured. This house has a large common/living area, a sink for hand washing and tooth brushing, a separate room with a tub and shower, and two short hallways on either end of the common area with bedrooms. This is where most community members—and guests—live and sleep.

On the other side of this building is a separate kitchen building, with dining tables inside and out, and an attached area containing the composting toilets. On the other side of that building is the solar-powered washing machine (can only be used on sunny days, which fortunately tend to be plentiful in this region) made out of an old cement mixer!

I noticed many bicycles all around the place, including several made by Bike Friday, a Eugene, Oregon company that makes primarily folding bikes, but also various other specialty bikes, including the pictured 3-person tandem!

There were animals on the property as well, both tame and wild. I met the two resident dogs Ruby (pictured) and Mittens, both of whom were adorable. I also met two pet bunnies, one of whom was named Pinto Bean. There were ducks roaming all around the buildings.

I also saw two black rat snakes while I was there, including—sadly for the birds—one availing itself of the eggs (? Hatchlings?) of the birds in the tree directly above the hammock I was reading in. The birds were chirping wildly, but could not do anything to stop the snake. (On my second night at the farm, I was awakened at about 4 am by different birds—farther away, and with a different but urgent call—who may have also been receiving a late-night visit from a serpentine intruder.)

There were also plentiful ticks in the area. First I saw one crawling across Mittens’ fur, and soon I found some on myself as well. In the course of my two days there, I had to pluck out of my flesh at least five dog ticks and one deer tick. I also found two other dog ticks crawling on my clothes or skin, and managed to remove them before they chomped me.

All of this—the snakes, the ticks, the fowl—brought back my childhood memories from my rustic rural upbringing, just about a hundred miles north of here in western Loudoun County, Virginia. (I’ll be visiting that “homestead,” and my parents, in about a week!)

Another thing that reminded me of my childhood was all the amazing home-grown and home-cooked food. Not all of the community’s meals and snacks are grown on-site. (I saw—and made use of—a tub of Earth Balance vegan butter, as well as a jar of roasted peanuts a resident told me she had found while dumpster diving nearby.) But a lot of it is, and it was all amazing. Among the delicious food they generously shared with me was blue-corn grits; fresh sourdough bread made from wheat they had grown and processed themselves; peanuts that they did grow and roast on-site; lima beans (which I love!! And miss since they don’t really exist in the West); ground-cherry jam(!); blackberry jam; winter squash; pear sauce; and tofu made at Twin Oaks. I also saw—and heard about—many other delicious things, like dried persimmons, jars full of salsa and pasta sauce, and more.

Speaking of Twin Oaks tofu (which was delicious) one day several community members took the okara from a recent batch of tofu made at Twin Oaks, and spread it on their fields to help the crops.

I enjoyed the relaxed pace of life that people seemed to follow. I did understand that certain times of year are more busy than others, in terms of agricultural needs, working on the seed business that Twin Oaks runs, etc.

This is an off-grid/fossil-fuel-free community. Water comes from wells. (In the bathroom sink and shower it is a bit rusty, but the taps in the kitchen had clearer water that was good for drinking.) Electricity comes from the sun. Some solar-powered machines, like the washer, could only be used with sunshine; others, like the overhead lights in the buildings, were usable at all times, although those lights were dimmer than traditional bulbs. People mostly read during the day, I expect; the electric lights seemed mostly useful for not stumbling in the dark on the way to or from bed. It was an adjustment for me: no WiFi nor charging station for my laptop (hence the posting backlog) and the charging station for phones was in the common room, so I couldn’t have my phone sitting right next to me, charging while I sleep, as I am accustomed to. Of course these are all reasonable—and undoubtedly healthier—tradeoffs.

People seemed happy and content with their lives at the farm. I got to chat a bit with Alexis, the founder, and he talked about their particular off-grid technologies—many of which he developed, and finds to be superior to more readily available commercial alternatives—and his intention to get them into the hands of more people, including in places outside the mainland US, such as Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and other places where people are accustomed to a more communal way of living and less lavish energy and material consumption.

On my second day, I wandered the paths around the 120-acre farm, and sat a while beside a babbling brook next to a field.

I’m so glad I got to visit this place. If you’re interested in intentional communities, off-grid living, and/or sustainable technology, I definitely recommend visiting both Twin Oaks and Living Energy Farm.

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

Want to be notified of future blog posts? Use the green “sign up” button to subscribe!

Want to support my vision financially? I am in the process of manifesting $50,000 in lieu of a “salary” for the year of this journey. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a Fairy Godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my patrons and supporters!)

Twin Oaks Community

4/25/22

Sorry for my delay in posting; the past few nights I have not had access to WiFi. I think I will do two separate posts for the two communities I visited, then do a Charlottesville post later. (I arrived here in Charlottesville yesterday afternoon.)

So… three days ago, I finally got to visit the fabled Twin Oaks community! (“100 people sharing our lives.”) I encourage you to read more about the community at the link; unfortunately I didn’t soak up all the knowledge I’d enjoy sharing about it during my brief tour.

Briefly, though: it was founded in 1967, making it one of the oldest continually operating intentional communities in the world. Keenan (pictured at the sign) who gave me the tour, said that it seems to be operating pretty similarly to the way it always has. The membership has stayed relatively consistent. Keenan has been there for more than 30 years; his two sons, who also live there, were born there.

My day began with a 17-mile ride from Bumpass, through beautiful country roads. (I did make note of the copious poison ivy in the area! See it creeping up a tree trunk here.)

When I arrived, I found Keenan and his friend Leslie waiting for me, clapping for me as I rode up. Leslie is a former longtime Twin Oaks resident, who had come back for a visit. She currently resides in another intentional community, in the Staten Island borough of New York City.

They both walked me through part of the community, and we stopped at the auto shop where Leslie used to lead an all-women crew. No one in the community owns a private car (I think I’m remembering that correctly) but they do have a small fleet of autos available—mostly cargo vans—to use personally whenever they might need to go into town.

Leslie then stopped to chat with another old friend, so Keenan and I continued the tour. I asked about finances: Do people maintain their personal finances, or throw them into “the pot” on arrival? I knew that the community sustained itself financially via several businesses, including hammock making, seed growing, and—I just learned on the tour—tofu making! Keenan said that new members don’t throw their money into the pot (“that would be too cult-like,” he said with a laugh) but that they are expected to freeze their personal assets while living at the community, in order to put all members on relatively equal financial footing while living together. People can use their own money to go on vacations, or to spend outside the community, but otherwise, people earn a monthly stipend from the community’s businesses, and they live simply, eating much of their own food from the fields, and sometimes even sharing clothes via their “commie clothes” program, so everyone seems financially content.

Members are expected to work 42 hours per week (it used to be 49) and this includes all kinds of “labor,” not just the kind of labor that is typically renumerated in the outside world. For example, cooking, cleaning, and child care are all included under the 42-hour week, as well as any kind of outdoor/yard work, work in the businesses, and even computer work such as indexing books for an outside publisher. People seem comfortable with the “work-life balance.”

We went into the community house/dining area, and I was tickled to see the low-tech but effective ways they have for communicating, such as bulletin boards with handwritten cards, clipboards with proposals and space for members to write their commentary and feedback, etc.

Cell phones are not prohibited on-site, but it is strongly encouraged that people use them only on the periphery of the community, in the parking lots, to encourage low-tech living with more in-person contact, rather than a bunch of people hunched over their individual phones, like most of us do. Keenan doesn’t even own a cell phone; his fellow community member Valerie (who had initially planned to give me the tour, but found herself unable at the last minute because of an injury) asked him to wait for me at the entrance, then emailed me to tell me to look for him at 1:30. Just like in the olden days, that worked out!

One of the last things Keenan showed me was a really cool outdoor dining table that community members had designed and built. It has a hole in the middle, with a seating area for kids inside. Kids can climb in and face the adults on the outside of the table. There is also a “notch” taken out of one side, making it wheelchair-accessible.

Then we went past one of the residential buildings, where Keenan and his partner and their two adult sons live. (Keenan and one of the sons will soon be setting out for a large-loop road trip around the US, similar to my own trip except by car. Perhaps we will cross paths again!)

After the tour, Leslie serendipitously offered me a ride in her Prius over to Living Energy Farm, my next destination about ten miles away, because she was heading there for an overnight visit as well. I accepted the offer, and we had some good conversation during the drive and then the 10-15 minute walk up and down the rustic driveway at LEF.

Thanks to Keenan and Leslie for showing me around Twin Oaks! I’m so glad I got to see the place in person.

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Heading into rural Virginia

4/21/22

I’m out in the country now! Upload speeds for photos are very slow, so I’m not sure when I’ll actually be posting this. Hopefully tonight.

I had a lovely ride out here today. I said goodbye to Ronda and her pets, and then Vivian, the dog, even said goodbye to me from the rooftop as I pedaled off!

I enjoyed more of Richmond’s beautiful streets, and stopped at a vegan bakery on Cary Street before leaving town, Minglewood Bake Shop. I picked up some provisions for the road, including jackfruit “tuna” salad and an Oreo-studded chocolate chip cookie.

Then I made my way out of town, and unfortunately into a Google Maps snafu: the app tried to route me onto Hwy 64. I eyed my phone’s screen with skepticism as I saw that it wanted me to cross a freeway overpass and then immediately make a left turn into the on-ramp. I double- and triple-checked the route, since it seemed very dangerous—and probably also illegal—to take the highway for at least a mile or so, as it was directing me. But that is what it really said.

I cautiously took the left turn into the beginning of the on-ramp, but then hesitated at the ridiculous danger of the situation, while cars sped by and one driver heckled me.

I looked at the directions again, and apparently even Google had suddenly thought better of its plan, and was now showing me a different way to go. I was miffed, partly because it had already directed me into a dangerous situation, and partly because the alternate route involved enough backtracking that I probably lost at least 20 minutes of travel time.

But I did backtrack, and after some more dicey segments—including crossing another busy on-ramp—I made it onto beautiful residential country roads, which ended up stretching for miles.

Not too long afterward, I found a nice park to pull into for lunch, and even discovered a lovely surprise inside: a labyrinth! I walked the labyrinth, then sat on a covered bench and tucked into my repast.

Exiting the park, I noticed a sign for an REI store. Wow, all the way out here? I guess it wasn’t too many miles outside of Richmond, but I was surprised to see it. I had been waffling on going to an REI for weeks, thinking it was probably time to trade in my now-rather-disgusting hydration pack bladder; cleaning only goes so far, especially after more than seven months of daily use.

So I stopped in and bought a new one. I had a bit of sticker shock initially, but decided it was a worthwhile expenditure… and then discovered at the checkout stand that I had some credits from last year’s purchases, so that reduced the sting.

Thus fortified, I continued on my scenic way to Bumpass, Virginia, where my Warmshowers hosts and their small menagerie of dog, guinea pig, and several cats greeted me warmly. (Maxwell the Siamese, pictured, took to me right away. It was mutual.)

We had a delicious meal of tacos, and some lively after-dinner conversation.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue westward to visit two different intentional communities: Twin Oaks and Living Energy Farm. I’m excited!

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

Want to be notified of future blog posts? Use the green “sign up” button to subscribe!

Want to support my vision financially? I am in the process of manifesting $50,000 in lieu of a “salary” for the year of this journey. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a Fairy Godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my patrons and supporters!)

A packed day in Richmond

4/20/22

Wow, today was full! My host Ronda took me all over town, and into some natural spaces too.

We started with a drive along the river near her neighborhood. It was a beautiful springtime drive, with the water to our right, and bright green trees all around, with lots of brilliant azaleas tucked into the canopy.

We had a surprising experience there next to the river, too: she pulled over so I could take a photo, and that’s when we saw that there were some city park workers who had just rescued a gentle but shivering chihuahua, who was sitting in their truck. The dog had been out on one of the logjams in the water.

Ronda sprang into community-member action, taking a photo of the dog and posting it in her neighborhood Facebook group. Someone there shared it elsewhere, and within about 15 minutes, the dog’s person (someone in Ronda’s neighborhood) was on her way to reunite with her canine companion!

After this good news, we hit up a local natural-foods market, and then went to see the Jefferson Hotel, a very fancy and historic building that still serves guests, near downtown. I noted the alligator sculpture in the fountain out front; there was another right near the entrance. And the interior of the building was beautiful.

Then we continued on to the Virginia state capitol, and took a self-guided tour. Of course the rotunda was beautiful, as well as the rest of the building and grounds.

We grabbed some lunch at a nearby Jewish deli, then went down near the north side of the river. We strolled along the riverfront for a while, and walked partway across a historic bridge with lots of haunting quotes and markers on it. It was the bridge that the confederates burned on their way out of Richmond (the capital of the confederacy) when they realized they had lost the city. It was kind of intense to read the timeline and quotes.

While on the bridge, we also enjoyed the views of the James River, including some Class 3 rapids that kayakers often enjoy navigating. We didn’t see any boats today, but the glassy dropoff looked dramatic to me, as well as the rocky rapids nearby.

Then it was time to visit the Maymont estate, because I had read that there was a Japanese garden there. In fact, it is the oldest public Japanese garden on the east coast. That garden was beautiful, but it was also only part of the former estate of the Maymont family. We also saw the manor house and many beautiful fields and forested areas.

We topped off the day with dinner at a local vegan place, Fresca on Addison, and then a fire in the backyard with a bicycling neighbor (who lived in Portland from 2000 to 2010) visiting for a chat.

Soon I’ll be turning in, and then tomorrow I’ll be cycling 37 miles, to a small town called Bumpass, Virginia, to get me closer to the intentional communities I’ll be visiting in Louisa County the next day. Looking forward to that new adventure!

Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Use the green “contact” button above to schedule a one-hour phone or video call with me!

Want to be notified of future blog posts? Use the green “sign up” button to subscribe!

Want to support my vision financially? I am in the process of manifesting $50,000 in lieu of a “salary” for the year of this journey. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a Fairy Godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my patrons and supporters!)