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.

—

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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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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!

—

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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!

—

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4/19/22

Well, another state is behind me. I had a wonderful time (twice!) in North Carolina.

Yesterday was a rainy day, but in the afternoon, my uncle and one of their doggies took me on a surprise excursion from Apex to Cary, to see a new installation of Patrick Dougherty’s work. As you may recall, Mr. Dougherty makes stick-work installations all over the world (I have seen them in Montreal, Oregon, and most recently—on this very trip—Fort Worth) but is based in the Raleigh area. Just within the past couple of weeks, he unveiled this new creation in an unassuming Cary city park. It was cool to walk around in the natural sculptures again.

This morning, my uncle dropped me off at the Cary train station, where the Amtrak staffer was kind enough to allow me to carry on my folded bike, saving me the $20 I had come to expect in this region. I did still need to put the wheels and hitch of the trailer into a garbage bag, and carry them on board with me as well, plus my heavy backpack, in addition to my usual hydration pack. So getting on and off the train was pretty clunky. But I only had to check the trailer this time, so that made things a bit easier.

The five-hour ride was mostly uneventful and pleasant. I did make my way to the café car for a cocktail (and discovered that this train even offered pre-mixed cocktails, in cans!) and while I enjoyed a tasty but extremely weak Moscow mule, I met a fellow passenger and had a really cool conversation for at least an hour. (If you’re reading this, Barry, hello, and best of luck with your future adventures!) We managed to cover an array of topics with breadth and depth, which is my favorite type of conversation, and one of the reasons I love train travel so much.

I disembarked in Richmond, and took my time meandering the nine miles or so to my new Warmshowers host’s place, since she was not to arrive for several hours anyway. When I did arrive, I was greeted by her cute hound Vivian, and later, the shy kitty Lucy. Then Ronda got home, and we had a good chat as well.

But on the way over from the station, I really enjoyed the scenery. I loved the many city blocks of pastel-painted row houses. I passed several parks. And I even got to have a late lunch/early dinner at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, a soul food place called NuVegan. I have enjoyed them in Washington, DC for years, but had had no idea there was a Richmond location as well. I ordered two “sides,” of collards and red curry tofu, and was presented with their usual huge portions. I didn’t need any more dinner after that, even though it was only about 4:00.

After the meal, I took a freeway river-crossing bridge that seemed a bit intimidating at first, but turned out to have a dedicated bike lane starting on the on-ramp and continuing across the span. While on the bridge, I marveled at the beautiful views of the river.

I’m sad that I will only have one more full day here in town, but I hope to explore the river a bit more tomorrow, as well as the local Japanese garden. (And heck, maybe one more meal at NuVegan!)

—

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4/18/22

I’m back with my aunt and uncle in Apex, about 25 miles south of Durham. I actually had two 25-mile ride days in a row, because of my ridiculous obsession with vegan sugary treats in general, and Cinnaholic cinnamon rolls in particular.

There is a Cinnaholic shop in Cary, near Apex, about 13 miles south of where I was staying in Durham. I had decided that the 16th would be an indoor day, since I expected it to rain the whole day. However, in the afternoon the skies cleared up, and when I checked the Cinnaholic’s hours, I discovered that they would be closed on Easter Sunday, of course, but also on Monday. Thus, Saturday would be my last chance to try this location. Looking at their franchise map, it appeared that it might be a very long time before I would find myself back in Cinnaholic territory, so I decided to ride 13 miles there to pick up a treat, then bike it 13 miles back and eat a healthy dinner with steamed vegetables before devouring my treasure.

That is what I did, and I’m glad I did, because it turned out to be another beautiful riding day. I even took a short detour to pass a small lake area.

And then amazingly, on the way back, I happened past a vegan food truck! I hadn’t even seen it on my Happycow app, but there it was in the flesh. It wasn’t clear whether it was still open and serving—after checking their Instagram page, I saw that they were scheduled to be parked at that location from 2-6, and it was 5:45—but using all my willpower to stick to my healthy dinner plans, rather than potentially gorging on the comfort food from the truck, I decided to simply pass it by. Still, what an unlikely coincidence!

Yesterday, I finished up a few administrative tasks—including more sock mending, since my prodigious toenails continually make their way through my seams—and then hopped on my rig again toward Apex. For at least half of the distance, I was back on the American Tobacco Trail, which is really a lovely rail trail.

At one point, a kind stranger bicycled past and asked if I would like a photo of myself, so that’s where I got the one for this post. I was touched that he was willing to make the offer, especially since he paused his wristband monitor to do it!

Shortly afterward, I stopped for lunch at the Southpoint Mall, but most shops were closed for the holiday, so the parking lot had a sort of eerie post-apocalyptic feel.

Once I reached the end of the paved section of the trail, I did decide to transition to roads, to continue on smooth surfaces.

I made it to the house in the early evening, and have been having a nice reconnection with family. Today has been fully rainy, so once again I am grateful for the timing of the weather.

Tomorrow, it will be on to Richmond!

—

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4/16/22

For my second day in Durham yesterday—with perfect weather, despite some drizzle today—I went to the acclaimed Sarah P. Duke gardens, on the Duke University campus. The place was crowded on such a beautiful day, but the gardens themselves did not disappoint. There is a Japanese garden there as well—including a really cool bamboo grove—so I spent most of my time in that area.

Today I’m taking it easy, doing some calls and administrative tasks. Tomorrow I’ll head south to Apex to meet up with my aunt and uncle again, so there may not be much to report on for a couple of days there as I enjoy some family time. Afterwards, on Tuesday, I’ll be taking the train to Richmond, and after that, if all goes well, visiting some really cool intentional communities.

—

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4/14/22

Today I put in some more miles in the saddle. Very tame by bicycle-touring standards, but more than I’ve been used to lately, at about 30 miles.

I said goodbye to my awesome Raleigh host Cody this morning, and headed northwest, riding past a pretty church downtown before getting to yet another beautiful trail to take me partway to Durham. Most of the ride today took place on regular roads—some of which had minimal bike infrastructure—but most of them were pretty. And I did get to experience a couple of the greenway trails.

One of these trails was filled with art by local artists, which was unexpected and really cool. The art included everything from markings on the bike path itself, to paintings nestled in the trees, to several large sculptures in open fields.

Once I arrived in Durham, I said hello to my new awesome Warmshowers host, Chris, who actually used to be actively involved in the inner workings of the Warmshowers organization. Like so many of my hosts, he was very welcoming and amiable, despite having just arrived back in town about a week ago after four months abroad, and also preparing to leave town tomorrow for a long-weekend trip to the beach with some friends.

After we said a brief hello, I headed back out again into downtown Durham, to meet up with three fellow Marillion fans for dinner. They treated me to a wonderful meal at a beautiful Indian restaurant, the Viceroy, while we talked about music, travel, and concerts. Two of these folks were on their way to a Steve Hackett show right after the dinner! Sadly the concert was a bit outside my budget, so I wasn’t able to join them, but I have had the privilege of seeing Mr. Hackett perform early Genesis material twice before, so I wasn’t too disappointed.

After dinner, I lingered in downtown Durham a bit, enjoying the public art and a few local parks. Then I met up with Chris at his friends’ place nearby; they were just welcoming a new puppy (sorry for the lack of pics!) so we hung out in their backyard sipping cocktails, talking bicycling and travel, and enjoying the puppy and his older “brother,” the existing dog of the household.

I’m happy to be here. Tomorrow, after taking care of a few administrative tasks, I’m looking forward to exploring more of the Durham area.

—

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4/13/22

Another full day today, with beautiful weather here in Raleigh.

I had not been aware, until today, of just what a prodigious greenway network there is in and around this city. It’s amazing! My host told me that Raleigh’s car-free greenway system is the most extensive of any city in the Carolinas. From what I have seen, it rivals any city I have visited so far (with the possible exception of Tucson and its amazing Chuck Huckleberry Loop).

So I headed out today to experience more of these beautiful—mostly paved and forested—trails.

First, though, I wanted to experience Raleigh’s all vegan cat café, Purr Cup. It is a place with a café section of coffee drinks and vegan pastries (including the first macaron I’ve ever eaten, since it is hard to find vegan ones) and then a separate section with four adoptable cats. Normally you have to make a reservation—and pay a donation—to spend quality time with the cats, but the staff there kindly let me go in for just a couple minutes in between other patrons’ booked sessions. When I went in, two of the cats were sleeping, and the other two (pictured) didn’t seem to be in an interactive mood, but it was still fun to see them and enjoy their cuteness.

After the café, I headed out for several hours of biking on a number of greenways, including the Rocky Branch, Walnut Creek, Neuse River, Mingo Creek, and Crabtree Creek.

By the time I got finished with all that nature cycling, I had made a serendipitous Facebook connection with my Portland friend Indigo, who travels often for work, and who happened to be right near Raleigh this evening! We met up for dinner at a local falafel restaurant, and caught up on each other’s lives. What a fun coincidence!

Tomorrow, I will make my way northwest of here to Durham. Fingers crossed that I can arrive before the forecasted thunderstorms. Right around the time the storms are supposed to start, at 5:00, I will be meeting up with two local Durham Marillion fans for dinner at an Indian restaurant.

I love technology and social media, which make so many of these wonderful interpersonal connections possible.

—

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4/12/22

I arrived into Raleigh on the train about 8:30 this morning, having slept probably five or six hours in my berth. Despite the extra cost for the sleeper on the overnight train, I think I made the right decision: I had a nice full day here today.

Unfortunately, it got off to a rocky start when I discovered that the baggage handlers on the train had somehow caused my bike’s chain to slip off. (First time I’ve experienced that on this bike.) I tried to ride off the platform and out of the station, but couldn’t do it with the chain off. After an Amtrak staffer helped me to walk a back way through the station, I went out front and tried to reattach the chain, but only succeeded in thoroughly blackening and greasing my hands. I sat in front of the station and watched a YouTube tutorial on putting the chain back into place on a Brompton (the folding mechanism makes it extra tricky) and the woman made it look very simple, but I could not duplicate it.

Fortunately, my Raleigh host (introduced to me by my wonderful Charlotte Warmshowers host Pam) was working in his office in a nearby downtown building, so I was able to simply walk the rig over to his office to pick up the key to his house. I had thought I would then walk the rig over to the certified Brompton dealer in town to have them work on the chain, but Cody was able to fix it himself on the spot, using a bike tool he had on hand at work. I so appreciate when people are able to help me with unexpected mechanical troubles!

Thus fortified, I biked the rig over to his house on the east side of town, and spent a few hours getting my mind settled in my new city, working on logistics and lodging for the coming week, and deciding what to do today.

When I did leave the house in the early afternoon, I ended up taking a beautiful ride about five miles west, to the gorgeous Lake Johnson Park.

Getting to the park, about half of my journey took place on two dedicated car-free paths, the Rocky Branch Trail and the Walnut Creek Trail. They made for a lovely ride.

Once I arrived at the lake, I was struck by the beauty of the place. The water itself was gorgeous, and there was a paved bike trail loop all around the lake, including a few short scenic spurs. I enjoyed the ride in the forest and the views of the water, and spent probably at least an hour resting on various benches and just taking in the natural scene.

After that nearly perfect afternoon, I cycled back toward town and met up with a Bumble fellow I had just matched with, for a dinner date at a vegan restaurant downtown, Element Gastropub. We enjoyed good food and good conversation, and then took a short walk to the nearby Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, which looked really cool with magenta light in the early darkness.

I’m working out my plans for the next couple of days (another day in Raleigh? Straight to Durham?) but definitely looking forward to spending more time in this area.

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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!)