Uncategorized

10/23/21

Today was a pretty quiet day here in Escondido, about 30 miles north of my beloved San Diego. Honestly, my mind and emotions have been in a bit of a swirl the past few days, so I needed a bit of decompression, which I found in a local park that I biked to along the canal path. (I’m noticing lots of canal bike paths in these desert areas: Phoenix, LA, Escondido, even Klamath Falls in Oregon’s high desert. I think, as my friend Michele pointed out today, we don’t have many canals in rainier climates, but in dry desert areas, they have historically been needed to collect and harness the water that does fall. And now, with so many of them having walking/biking paths next to them, they are a different kind of public resource—one that I especially appreciate.)

This trip has been so wonderful so far, but I suppose it is the human condition to just feel a bit “off” sometimes. The constant travel can be exciting, but at times tiring. Interacting with lots of people is something I love, but it can still sometimes be a bit overwhelming to my introverted self, who mostly sat on my own couch for the past year! And general worries like staying connected to my existing friends, financial (in)security after “jumping into the breach,” concerns about whether the weather and topography, etc will continue to go my way in the rest of the year…. all these kinds of things can get into my head and feel a bit stressful at times.

Sitting in the sun in a cute little neighborhood park (Grape Day Park) helped with this, though, as did a good phone conversation with a close friend this evening. (Johnny, for those of you who know him. His clemency application is slowly moving through the process. Please keep your fingers crossed for him. We will all be better off if he has a chance to use his incredible skills and passions in service of humanity from outside those bars, where he can do even more powerful work than he has done inside.)

Also in that park today, I found the old Escondido train depot! You all know how much I enjoy train travel, as well as the visuals of old rail paraphernalia, so you can appreciate how I felt when I saw the building with its signs, and this old mail car. I like that they can remain in this modern-day city park.

Later in the afternoon, Michele drove me (and her trusty canine companion Dawa) up to a nearby nature park and campground called Dixon Lake. We drove up through the campsite area, and the views were gorgeous!

Tomorrow I may go in to San Diego. I had thought I might wait for that until I return to this area in December, but I really love Balboa Park (and the two Hillcrest vegan bakeries that are only a few blocks apart from each other!) so I may make the trek. Probably on the bus, since it’s 30 miles, and biking it would take more of the day than I would want.

To those of you reading this: thank you for following along with me on my adventures. Whether I’m having a euphoric day or a challenging one, it helps me to know I can share it with my larger community, all around the world.

—

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!)

10/22/21

Another full day today! My friend Michele drove over from Escondido, just north of San Diego, to meet me and join me at Joshua Tree National Park.

First we went to visit her friend Walt, who lives near my host Lauren in Yucca Valley. He teaches Qi Gong, and has built the large lot surrounding his house into an amazing property with both sacred and whimsical spaces. My photos weren’t great, so I’ll leave that to your imagination and focus on the main visual event of the day, but Walt’s place was cool. He even shared a pomegranate he had plucked from his own tree, right in front of my eyes!

After our visit with Walt, Michele and I and her dog Dawa headed over to the park, and I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. We covered only a small section of the park, because it is so huge. Of course there were Joshua trees all over the place, but I was also struck by the topography of the place: all the huge rocks and mountains, of different shapes and colors, and the canyons. It was a sight to behold, and a place to feel deeply.

Afterward, on our way back to Escondido (where I’ll be staying for the next couple of days) we drove through Palm Springs, hitting it just during the golden hour. My photos from there don’t do it justice, either, so I’ll spare you, but the midcentury shapes and colors of much of the upscale housing stock, interspersed with all the palm trees and bright pink and purple desert flowers, and surrounded by large scenic mountains in the setting sun, was really worth experiencing. I’m glad I got a chance to return there after Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree.

Tomorrow will probably be mostly a rest day, though we may explore the local canal path by bike. Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time in New Mexico and Arizona, it feels good to be back in California. This state will be my home from now until the end of the year.

—

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!)

10/21/21

Today was a day to survey the scene in this area, before my trip to the actual Joshua Tree National Park tomorrow with my friend Michele.

I started the day with a house-call massage! (My host had one scheduled for herself, and suggested I snag an appointment right after hers.) This felt like a splurge, since I’m doing my best to minimize costs on this journey, but I think it was well worth it; I could really feel all the muscles throughout my body during the massage. I think I’d like to go ahead and plan on getting one per month while I’m on this trip. Seems like a worthwhile investment to keep my body in good working order.

After that, in the early afternoon, I headed out on my bike to check out two locally owned natural food stores—one in Yucca Valley and the other in Joshua Tree—knowing that in addition to enjoying browsing in these places, the journey would take me through the local landscape. The round trip was about 20 miles, and I did get to pass a great many of the local eponymous trees. They are legally protected: it is not allowed to cut down a Joshua Tree, even on one’s own property. My host has at least one in her yard. (See the photo in yesterday’s post.) Today I passed miles and miles of them. It sort of reminded me of the feel of the saguaro cacti in the Phoenix area, dotting sunbaked hills and mountains along many roads.

The desert climate and landscape take some getting used to for me. I wanted to “opt out of winter” in dreary and rainy Oregon, and I’m glad I’m doing so. (Today was 77 here, which I love.) But the starkness and desolation of these desert landscapes feels a bit harsh to me. I think I would find it challenging to live in such a climate. I feel the scarcity of water on a visceral level.

I’ve got lots more desert coming up later in my trip: pretty much all winter will be spent in desert areas in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. I think I’ll be ready for spring in the southeast; I might even welcome the dreaded rain and humidity by that time!

But tomorrow, I’m excited to explore Joshua Tree National Park, and possibly also a hot spring and a botanical garden.

—

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!)

10/20/21

Well, I slept from about 7:30 am until my alarm went off three hours later at 10:30, in the Palm Springs Motel 6. Getting there by bike in the dark (and a bit of sandy wind) was honestly a bit harrowing, but I made it safely. The room was upstairs, though, so I had to once again unpack the trailer downstairs—trying not to be too noisy for the neighbors at about 6:15 am—and carry them upstairs separately. I struggled with the key card for a couple of minutes, too, which tested my patience after a sleepless night, but I eventually got myself and my belongings inside so I could rest.

Then at about noon, I checked out of the motel and headed south on Indian Canyon Road toward Palm Springs. I wanted to see the town—if only briefly—to experience the unique housing stock as well as hit a locally owned natural food store and Native Foods founder Tanya Petrovna’s to-go vegan restaurant and shop Chef Tanya’s Kitchen.

After I got some tasty goodies from those two places, I met up with my Yucca Valley host—another friend of my Oregon friend Judy—who picked me up at Chef Tanya’s to spare me the mountainous climb to her place right near Joshua Tree.

I arrived in the afternoon, just in time to meet several of her neighbors at a small happy hour gathering she hosted on the back patio. We had some good food and drinks, and talked about the local area as well as my travels.

After the other guests left, I took a few photos from the patio, of the beautiful Joshua tree environment.

I’m running on very little sleep now, so I’m losing steam fast, but after catching up on some rest tonight, I’m looking forward to a massage(!) tomorrow, which I think will be extremely welcome to my body at this point in the journey, and then I’ll head out and explore this unique and magical landscape!

—

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!)

10/19/21

Well, it’s 11:38 pm, and I’m here in Maricopa, Arizona, just south of Phoenix. The train to Palm Springs was scheduled to depart here at 9:02 pm, and deposit me at (oof) 2:02 am. But fate had different plans for that train. I’m not sure the source of the delay (probably freight train traffic, the station attendant tells me) but it is now scheduled to arrive at 12:39, and get me to Palm Springs at 5:08 am. I suspect it will be further delayed before I board; it seems like about every half hour it gets pushed back a bit more. [Update: we arrived in Palm Springs at 5:45. I got maybe an hour of sleep on the train.]

I had already booked a hotel room in Palm Springs for tonight, which I think I’ll still be charged for. Maybe I can still sleep a few hours there, in the morning…? I hope so, because if not that would be an awfully long day for tomorrow. [Update: I made a few calls from the Maricopa station and then from the train, and the Motel 6 staff—“we’ll leave the light on for you”—were very helpful, changing the date of my reservation, even though I had made it through Expedia, and saving me the very last room for the new date.]

Oh well. I’m naturally a night owl, and I don’t feel sleepy at all yet. Perhaps I can sleep on the train; it should be at least a four-hour trip.

Today in Tempe was pleasant. I got to meet up with my Salem, Oregon friend Summer—the awesome co-owner and kitchen wizard at the all-vegan Infinity Room—and her mother, who lives in Sun City, just outside of Phoenix. Summer was in town visiting for a few days, so we took the opportunity to meet up at a vegan restaurant in my host’s neighborhood. The restaurant, Solar, was part of an indoor food court with a unique, modern ordering system: you first enter an unstaffed room with a tablet in it, and choose which restaurant you want (there are about ten) and then order online from their menu. The system calculates the tax and suggested tip amount, and then you charge yourself using the attached card reader. You enter your phone number into the system, and then wait nearby for the kitchen to text you when your order is ready. You go pick it up, and eat indoors or outdoors around the food court. Pretty neat!

Later in the afternoon, I biked over to the site of Culdesac Tempe, an ambitious and inspiring effort by some California-based innovators to build a car-free, self-sufficient community for 1,000 households, right in the middle of Tempe. I first heard about it just a few days ago, from my first Tempe host. Later, a Portland friend (my former boss Dave Brook, an innovator in his own right, who founded CarSharing Portland back in 1998) saw on Facebook that I was in Tempe, and suggested I visit. Finally, I was talking to today’s Tempe host, and realized that the planned development is within about a mile of her house. She has talked to some of the planners, and is very impressed with them and the project.

I had hoped to see some construction in progress, and to meet and chat with the planners, but unfortunately I arrived to see only a large dirt lot, fenced off and clearly ready for construction to begin soon, but sadly not yet underway. I later learned from my host that the planners have offices nearby, but not directly on-site. I hope to contact them, and perhaps chat about their vision. Maybe I could even meet them in January, when I come back through Arizona.

But now… I sit at the Amtrak station, “waitin’ for a train.”

Tomorrow: Palm Springs, Yucca Valley, and/or Joshua Tree!

—

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!)

10/18/21

Today was another wonderfully full day. I left my Warmshowers hosts’ place in the morning to go to my next host’s house, a couple of miles east but still within Tempe. On the way I stopped into a local city park to take a photo of some gorgeous towering palm trees.

RoniSue—a former Oregonian herself, from Eugene many years ago—welcomed me warmly. After a quick shower and getting a few things in order, I met up with my old Portland friend Brian in the neighboring suburb of Mesa. We went for a walk in another local park, with more beautiful trees. I appreciate the open aesthetic of the Phoenix-area public parks I’ve seen.

After a rich conversation with Brian, I spent a couple hours on my own exploring the Desert Botanical Garden, a truly magical place. I had visited there once before, about a dozen years ago, and remembered really enjoying it. The cacti, succulents, trees, paths, and surrounding rocky mounds were just as I recalled.

As I entered the garden, I was passed by four patrons just leaving, who were very taken with my Brompton. I always enjoy talking with people about it, and demonstrating folding and/or unfolding it. I love that this is my primary vehicle at this point in my life!

With twilight approaching as I exited the garden a couple of hours later, I biked over to a local vegan restaurant, Green, and enjoyed a burger and an oatmeal cream pie. The vegan restaurant options in the Phoenix area have increased exponentially since my last visit here. So have the bike paths. And, the area now even has a light rail line. It’s cool to see these steps forward toward sustainability in this area.

I know how beastly hot this place can get in the summer. By my own design, I have arrived at a very pleasant-weather time just now, and I thoroughly enjoyed the low-80s temps today.

Tomorrow I’ll be meeting up with yet another Oregon friend for lunch. In the evening, I will be catching an Amtrak van from the airport down to Maricopa, where I’ll be catching a 9 pm train to Palm Springs. I’m looking forward to savoring one more day here, before I head back to California.

—

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!)

10/18/21

Today I took the Groome Shuttle from Prescott to the Phoenix airport, then biked along a canal-side bike path to my Warmshowers hosts’ house in Tempe.

Dori and Jon sent me off with a hearty breakfast (and a homemade burrito and some grapes for the road!) and Dori took me down to the Groome Shuttle office again. The driver was wonderful, and since there were only three of us passengers, there ended up being plenty of space in the back of the van to store my bike (inside the trailer this time) and two bags. I didn’t even end up needing to remove the wheels from the trailer, as I had thought I might.

The ride was pleasant and at times scenic (first, prairies with purple mountains in the distance, then some saguaro cacti!) although the van’s windows were not clean enough to take any photos. But the driver was chatty, and took an interest in my trip, so we talked about making life decisions to leave unfulfilling jobs when needed (he himself had done so in 2014, when he stopped working for the state and began the driving job, which he loves) and enjoying our lives to the fullest.

The two hours went by quickly. After the shuttle dropped me off, I reassembled my rig in the departure zone, then navigated through the airport to the Skytrain, as my Tempe host had helpfully instructed me to do. When I disembarked, I got on the canal bike path.

The temperature was a sunny 90 degrees, and I worried that my skin might get burned again, despite the sunscreen I applied immediately. (I’ll find out tomorrow, I guess.) The beginning of the path was industrial and not very scenic, but soon it became much more pleasant. Since it was right in the flight path of the airport, several planes flew close overhead as they prepared to land.

I crossed the river on an auto-free bridge that reminded me of Portland’s new(ish) Tilikum Crossing, or Salem’s Riverfront Park bridge. This is my first time in Tempe, and I really liked the feel of the riverfront path, and later the neighborhood streets, which reminded me of those of my beloved San Diego.

As I reached the south side of the bridge, I noticed that a half-Ironman race was just wrapping up, with several booths of volunteers cheering and handing out water and Gatorade to a few tired runners coming from the opposite direction. I navigated through them, and pedaled less than a mile more to my hosts’ house.

They were extra gracious to be willing to host me today, because they are in the process of moving (just a few blocks, and they did some of it by bike!) and had only spent their first night in the new house last night. Amazing.

Their new house and yard are beautiful, and they had various guests dropping by throughout the afternoon and evening, first helping to move and then just socializing on the porch in the evening, with pizza and drinks. I got to sample some gin that was made by their friends just a few blocks away in the neighborhood, and then a different gin made by different friends in Joshua Tree, where I will be visiting soon.

This is a serious cycling family, and among their many steeds are several Bromptons! Ryan is a cofounder of the “Brompton Mafia,” among several other bicycle-themed organizations, and he and his wife and four-year-old daughter go on many bicycle adventures all the time, including many short trips to places as far-flung as Mexico, Europe, and Japan.

Every January, they take part in a supported group ride from Phoenix to Tucson. They invited me to join them this year, and I’m considering it, since the timing may line up right. I’m very intimidated, though, since the ride is 100 miles, and they do it in one day! I’ve never done a “century ride” before, nor even come close. The most miles I’ve ever done in one day is probably around 60, and that was only once. I rarely exceed 50, especially on the Brompton.

But, who knows? Maybe after two months of cycling through California in November and December, by January I’ll be ready for such a challenge. We’ll see…

But I’m enjoying Tempe so far; I may want to even come back for a short visit in January when I’m in Tucson, even if I don’t end up doing that century ride.

Tomorrow I’ll be meeting another new host (who I met through the Buy Nothing Travelers Network) who lives just a few miles away in Tempe. I’ll also be meeting an old Portland friend for a walk in Mesa, and then visiting the Desert Botanical Garden, which I first (and last) visited probably about a dozen years ago.

The internet isn’t fully set up in this new house, so I’ll need to post this tomorrow, hopefully before my full day of adventures!

—

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!)

10/16/21

Today was a fun day! My hosts drove me around Prescott to Watson Lake (different angle from yesterday), Willow Creek Lake (look at those rock formations in the Granite Dells!), downtown Prescott, up to a tribal casino with a wonderful view of the city, and finally out to dinner at a fun local Mexican restaurant.

I didn’t take many photos downtown (just this one of the courthouse in the middle of the square) but while there, we went into several old-west-styled bars as well as some great art galleries.

We also visited the shuttle company where I’ll be taking off for Phoenix tomorrow; it has been a multi-day, multi-phone-call challenge to make sure they could fit my bike and trailer on board their relatively small buses. I believe we got it all figured out today: we even did a “trial run” of actually loading the bike and trailer into one of their vans.

After dinner tonight, we went on a walk along a downtown Prescott neighborhood block known for Halloween decorations. Some of the displays were very complex and impressive! The selfie doesn’t really do the decorations justice, but it was a fun experience.

I’m glad I’ve had the chance now to visit Prescott; I had heard good things about it for years. Looking forward to a new experience in Tempe tomorrow!

—

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!)

10/15/21

Today I headed south about ten miles, from my friend’s place in Chino Valley to my other friends’ place between Chino Valley and Prescott.

I had originally planned to cycle it, but ended up accepting Denise’s kind offer to drive me, after reading a sobering article that jolted me into fear for a bit. A Portland man who was living his own dream to bicycle across the country—he had embarked only four days ago—was struck and killed by a truck in Arizona yesterday, east of Phoenix.

What a profound loss. I had not been aware of Ian, but it sounds like he was an exceptional person, who had founded a nonprofit to help at-risk and underserved youth improve their lives through music. His ride was a fundraiser for the nonprofit. He leaves behind a wife and six-year-old son.

It’s hard for me to read a story like that.

I know that he is not me. I may not meet a similar fate. (I certainly hope not.) And, I will not let this jolt of fear deter me from living my own dream, although I did let it deter me from riding these ten miles today.

Here is what I wrote in a Facebook post this morning:

—

Ouch. Horrible. This hits close to home.

This bicycle trip is what I want to do more than anything else right now. I’m aware that I’ll be lucky if I make it through the year. If I don’t, please know that this is what I most wanted to do right now. And I’m grateful each day that I make it to a new destination.

A heartfelt request, though, for the next time you get behind the wheel: please watch for cyclists. Give us space. Turn the ringer off on your phone and turn it upside down so that you can’t see it light up and potentially be distracted. Let’s all make it to our next destination, eh?
—

So, with that said… my journey continues.

Denise drove me to Dori and Jon’s place, where I dropped off my luggage, and then she drove me to Watson Lake, to meet my old friend Bradley. We went for a wonderful walk along the dry trail to the lake (and its incredible, unique rock formations on the other side) and then on the return we diverted from the trail into a shady area next to a creek. We talked about my journey, his travel aspirations, and how we all choose to live life, and how to be as conscious as we can while we move through it.

It was the perfect balm for the morning’s news.

Afterward, Dori picked me up and brought me back for a delicious homemade meal in their magical house, and then she and Jon taught me how to play a Mexican domino game. I started out the evening with a strong lead, and then ended up losing spectacularly. Such is life sometimes, eh?

Thank you all for following my travels, for caring about me, and for trusting me to follow what feels right (and beautiful, and incredible) to me, despite the dangers.

May we all live our dreams, until we can’t anymore.

—

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!)

10/14/21

Today’s is a dual post: the evening hike I had yesterday with my friend Denise around Bell Rock in Sedona, and then today’s prairie beauty in Chino Valley.

Last night, Denise kindly ferried me from Sedona to her place here in Chino Valley, just north of Prescott. (Transit wasn’t an option, and the distance plus elevation made it not workable for me to bicycle.)

On the way, we passed through the incredibly quirky and charming mountain-village ghost town of Jerome, Arizona, another National Historic Landmark Town. Sadly, we passed through in the dark, so I didn’t take any pics, but I got a feel for the place since many bars and galleries seemed to be open, so the town had a cozy yet vibrant feel. If you’re ever in northern Arizona, stop by and check it out!

Today was a lazy day, hanging out with the cat and strolling over to the prairie on the edge of the neighborhood. I found the prospect of the vast expanse too overwhelming to walk through, so I stuck to a small trail along the fence, which also introduced me to a friendly neighbor horse. (Sorry, no pic of the horse nor the cat.)

Tomorrow I’ll be meeting up with a few friends in the Prescott area, before heading south toward Phoenix. I’ve never been to Prescott, or any surrounding area until today, so I’m looking forward to that, as well as connecting with friends I haven’t seen in years.

—

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!)