Once upon a time, I took off from my life in Portland and went traveling. All over Maui, Kaua'i, California and so forth (you can see former blog posts and pictures from these travels at mauinevyn.wordpress.com). I was going to travel for 7 years or so, before coming back to the family land (62 acres, half forest, half farmable land, pond, creeks, barn, etc) to make something out of nothing. I felt a calling that it had to happen sooner, so went back before I was really ready to stop my travels.
For nearly 4 years we hosted near 400 worktraders/travelers/visitors and had many other local friends and folks who wanted to help come visit and assists. Today, it is doing well enough that I may resume my travels for a bit. Call it a walkabout, a spiritual recentering, or whatever you wish.
I began with flying into LA, then headed to Santa Barbara to meet with a friend. We explored the city, learned where every music shop was, and learned that NONE of them had wound ukelele tenor strings. So sad, as I took my uke on my travels, and need new strings; now I have to suffer with pure nylon. Ick. Slept on a beautiful spot on the beach one night, and the next headed to Cachuma Lake, in the mountain range behind Santa Barbara.
Though Cachuma Lake was incredibly dry (the 5 year California drought is.... something fierce), the lake/reservoir had a waterfall (of sorts) that was absolutely magical (this being the intro post, pictures will come in following posts), and we enjoyed it all day.
From there it was back to LA for a night a the seediest south central motel one could possibly find. Replete with crackhead hooker wandering in the parking lot... asking what city she was in, then haranguing those who lived there to the point that she was driven off. After that it was back to the ABYSMAL LA airport to send my friend back to France, and a looooong bus trip to the Bay Area for me.
I had it set up to stay with a friend in Oakland, but for some reason (MEGABUS SUCKS) the bus driver took an unscheduled 45 minute break two hours into the trip. And then drove slow or something, as I was an hour and a half too late to be able to meet my friend for a place to stay.
I wondered what I would do... couldn't sleep in the bus terminal as it was locked (it was 1:45 am, I was supposed to arrive around midnight). I started walking, and felt a calling to walk in a certain direction. I just wanted to find a place where I wouldn't be bothered by law enforcement or sketchy types. I ended up walking directly to a park 3 blocks away, and found the most perfect spot; the only spot fully covered by trees in the entire park. I slept most beautifully and made my way to the BART, to get to The City (San Francisco is what non locals call it).
I made my way to Haight Ashbury, once again in search of those damn wound tenor ukelele strings (I'm going to thrash whoever broke my previous ones, hehehe). Made it to a music shop and.... drum roll please... nope. But at least found a set that is better than basic nylon.
I think I feel like sleeping in Golden Gate Park tonight.... perhaps I forgot to mention, but I am traveling with very little money, and no phone (other than wifi). I am hauling my old Dell Latitude D530 around (ugh... so big, adds so much weight), as once I get settled it will be most beneficial.
The goal is to find various farms and communities to work on, as well as just camp, see friends and do... whatever I feel like doing.
So hello, this is the journey beginning. Fun pictures soon (if this site will let me, still have to look into that)!