I packed my bags and looked around the room. My room until I walked out the door, then it would once again be the storage room at my brother's apartment. It had been an incredibly healing and rejuvenating space and I was a little nervous to leave. I had found such calm here, such knowledge and insight. 'Here I am' I though, "leaving this place I love. I have to be going somewhere to dismantle my home." I knew I was jumping into a tidal wave. I felt the crash but still felt I had to go. Wasn't this my dream? To be traveling doing school and hiking those beautiful mountains that always seem to taunt me to their peaks.
We left Sioux Falls, Sd in my friend Sirius' RV headed to Pennsylvania on June 21rst. My Momma cried when I left and my Dad offered me $1200 a month and a place to live just to stay. I thought about it hard and then I felt this ping in my heart and I looked my Momma in the eyes.
"If I were to stay here it would be easier, I know. I would probably be happy and definetly wouldn't have any problems in school. But if I did that it would feel like I let myself down. I have been fighting all these years, following my heart and taking the risks that have led me to this beautiful state i am in now. I feel like it is my mission and my purpose in life to do this. If I didn't it would be like I had given up on something I have worked and sacrificed for all these years. I love you and I always will, but I have to go."
So we headed south on I 29 and over the course of a week and some very interesting travels we landed in Pennsylvania at the National Rainbow Gathering. This year it was held in the beautiful Allegheny National Forest. I was there for three and a half weeks. Out in the middle of this incredible forest hiking and running and singing songs everywhere I went. At the end of the week or whenever I could I would find a ride to take me the 35 minutes into Warren, Pa. Once there I would spend all day, and once I even slept in the park there to spend two days, doing my homework. The only place in this tiny town that had WiFi was McDonald's. You would think it pretty ironic that a healthy traveling woman like myself would be spending all my time sitting at a McDonald's and researching how to be truly a healthy you. Honestly, I find it ironic. Yet, that is exactly what it was, and has been quite a few times since.
I stayed to do cleanup and watched the forest turn from a very busy, tents and kitchens everywhere area into a peaceful valley and river nature scene that settled a soul into total calm. Camping that last week there I met a beautiful group of people and in the end decided to travel with them to West Virginia to be a part of the birth of a new community. So we left in three vehicles. 4 of us in a Ford Ranger, the back piked high with gear, 3 in an old Ford Pickup, piled outrageously higher with only God knows what, and 6 in the small SUV in front. We ended up picking up two more hitchikers on the way to WV and so they too piled into the SUV for the last two hours. Hah, can you just imagine our caravan? We should have taken a picture!
We ended up gaining 7 more people in Richwood over the next three weeks. It was a sight to be seen the way that we loved and respected each other. Even when we didn't treat each other optimally we would recognize it and then acknowledge the fault within ourselves and learn from it so that we might together grow more enlightend and pure. It was truly a growth and a challenge to continue to be so honest and open when you are dealing with 17 travelers and all coming from different backgrounds, different ideals. We would sit at night and pass the feather in our circle. The feather being this beautiful foot and a half work of art that we acknowledged as many things. We saw with this feather our respect for each other, the joy of our community, the ability to be honest and open and unjudged. Each person who held this feather had the right to speak uninterrupted and as they felt they needed to. Topics would come and go and we would shed many a tear over those weeks, as well as many many laughs and inspirations. It was such a powerful connection that it took us four days to leave. Oh wow, and for me those four days were just dragging on as I was often the one keeping everyone on track as best I could.
Now, remember my schooling, my books and laptop and the need for quiet and internet. Well, in a community that large spanned only throughout two houses next door to each other peace is hard to come by. The internet at first was an incredible challenge, my computer being broken and the internet at the house being down. I had hope of being at the library for hours on end. Then I discovered the hours of the library definetly had an end. I ended up spending much of my time in a friend's house up in a bedroom doing my work. I had begun just working til I fell asleep, waking up in the middle of the night and doing more school work, and then falling asleep adn waking again to do more. I would continue this pattern while during the days working to help repair the houses, garden, help with meals, be a part of the multiple hours of concils we had at night, and try to fit in just having fun in the middle somewhere. Hard to say, but the fun always took back burner. I heard more times than not "Hey girl, aren't you done with homework? Can't you come play with us?" It was sometimes really difficult to tell them no, but most times I had to or I wouldn't be able to get it all done.
Then all of a sudden one night the truck was loaded up and we were driving away from that beautiful house on the hill and those beautiful people. We lefty with 6 of us in the Ford Ranger. We had built a stash away space in the bed of the truck so that three people could be in back while 3 of us would ride in front. All of our bags and tents and instruments we loaded on top of this wooden rack we'd built above the open space. It was a tight fit but it made us all the way to Toledo, Ohio one full day later.
We stopped in Toledo so that Raw Soul could see his parents, drop off some of his stuff, and rearrange the truck. It was Raw Soul's truck that we had been riding in the last month. Here is a good place to insert a timeline real quick. I had left Sioux Falls on June 21rst, arrived in Pennsylvania at the Rainbow Gathering on June 28th, left the Gathering and arrived in West Virgina on July 18th, and left West Virgina on August 8th. It was now August 9th and we were in Toledo.
Toledo had some power moments. Some times of true strength and compassion shing through. I remeber one distinct memory of me running through the rain out in the great stretch of land that Raw Soul's family owned. The rain was pouring down and I had been feeling so much stress and so much anger and tension and I couldn't shake it. And then it rained and thundered and the lightning came in between deep breathes across the sky. And half an hour later I found myself totally soaked, barefoot and jumping on the wet skin of the trampoline laughing and shouting to the sky that this is me. THIS IS ME!!! Yea,m this woman, this strong sure happpy glowing soul that I am blessed to have access to, this is me! Then there was the day before that when I had broke down. I had been sleeping the afternoon away while everyone ran around doing whatever it was they do. I had been up early doing homework so found myself tired and needing sleep. WhenI awoke there seemed to be this electricity in the air and I sensed just as surely as the next day I knew the rain was on it's way. We all sat down to council, I had to fight to get the feather involved, and then I just let it all out. That is the beauty of the circle and the feather, we are able to express our truth even if we don't know how to be so open beforehand. I had been feeling so broken, so scared and so unsure. I felt the pressure of my homework not getting the attention it needed, the importance of my best friend's wedding in South Dakota, 900 miles and three days away, and the fear of losing the closest friends I had had in a long time. And then, when it was all over I again saw the power of our strength and the belief we all had in each other, and though i was still tired and still had pressing issues, I felt safe and happy. That was a powerful lesson in Toledo, honesty and rejuvenation. And most importantly of all that I should have faith in the souls I found myself around and in the hearts of. We discussed the many options of me making it to my best friend's weding at the West end of South Dakota and the next night my sister and I got dropped off at a truckstop and began our journey alone.
We left Toledo on August 11th. We caught a ride with this character of a man named Sunny and were headed for Omaha, Nebraska in a semitruck. In Nebraska it took us two rides to get to Sioux Falls, Sd. Sioux Falls is on the East end of the state, and though it is our hometown and we really wanted to see all of our friends, we could only stay for a few hours. We arrived in Sioux Falls at 6 pm and at 2:30 Am we were back at The Flying J and hoping for a ride.
It was now August 13th, the day of the wedding. We sat at that table outside of the truck stop with little anxiety and a lot of faith. And ironically it was probably faith that got us onwards. We ended up getting a ride from this man, Milton, who had the ultimate 'Jesus' semitruck. Writing on all the sides, religious quotes and symbols everywhere. He told us that usually he didn't take riders but as soon as he heard why we were headed to Rapid City he just said Oh Lord, and come on then. Even now I can't help but smile and laugh at the great journey with Milton the Faithful trucker. On the trip I was shocked and surprised at how much Milton knew about nutrition! He was incredible! I was so tired and I just stayed up as long as I could as he poured information into my burning ears. He shared so much great info and had me take some Vitamin C Absorbic Acid and a couple of cleansing pills as soon as he found out I had been sick for a month with this cough and weakness all around. I truly felt like I was robbing myself by falling asleep. When we got to Rapid City Milton was so worried I wouldn't make it to the wedding that he actually got us a cab ride the 25 miles to the wedding. Wow! I was sso grateful and felts o blessed by his generosity and understanding that even now my heart soars a little.
So we made it to the wedding in plenty of time to set up a tent and relax with some old friends. Tucker's wedding was incredibly laid back and there were points in the day that I jsut stopped and had to remind myself that there was going to be a wedding. Hah, my laid back friends!! Neeedless to say the wedding was quick, beautiful, and strong with love. We all celebrated throughout the night and I couldn't have been happier to be with my dear friend on that powerful day! We spent the next day romping around the Black Hills and then felt it was important ot hitch back to Sioux Falls to meet up with the rest of our crew from Ohio. We headed back to Rapid City in my Brad's 1930's era truck and spent a long 5 hours waiting and hoping for a ride. When we did catch a ride, it now being 11 pm, we were a little unsure of the man but I was so tired that we took it anyways. Well, sure enough the guy turned out to be pretty creepy and maybe a drug addict so 3 hours shy of Sioux Falls we said NO THANKS and got off at a rest area. It was now 2 in the morning and we wer anxious to be on our way. Luckily, at the rest area was another traveler (how ironic!) and we had so much fun playing music in the building and chitchatting that the time passed quickly! We didn't have to wait very long, or so it seemed, before this awesome guy came in and offered us a ride. His name was Russell and he was so funny! Oh, and our friend's name was Teddy like Teddy Bear. So Russell offers us a ride under the agreement that we would drive and he could sleep! Aha, how funny is that!! So Gena, my sister drove, and I sat in the middle on the middle storage, and we all crammed in with Russel sleeping in the backseat of the truck. We had a great ride, smiling, laughing and truly enjoying life. We even stopped just as the sun rose on this little deserted highway and did laughing yoga and ran around like kids for awhile. Then, all too soon, but yet just on time, we were at my Mom's house and she was smiling and laughing as she came out to greet us. Ah, how beautiful mother's can look as the morning sun shines on their smiling face!
So we truly enjoyed our time in our hometown, seeing family, friends, and the favorite hangout spots we missed so much! I got to meet up with th band, Harriet Tweed, that I have been working with doing booking and promoting and that was so great. Our crew met up with us from Ohio a day or so after we got there and then we all ended up spending the next two days at my friend's house playing music, eating good food and laughing early into the morning.
And then, finally it seemed, we were off. This time two of the pack, Raw Soul and Shining, decided they wanted to hitchike to Montana and meet us there. So We dropped them off at the interstate, gassed up the ol' ranger and headed out onto the interstates again to adventure.
It is so crazy that as I write this I reflect on the fact that somehow I was able to still be doing school. Even if I was slipping a little, which drove me nuts, and still sticks to my thoughts like glue when I have assignments due, I still did it! Whoa! I keep just pressing on and believing that this is my divine path, my lesson to be learned, and a challenge to give me strength as well as inspire others. I love this school and what I am studying so much that yes, I could spend all day, everyday on it. I could literally have spent the last few months with my nose in the schoolwork and been completely happy. I have no doubt my friends would dwindle away as I happily stayed on my work and let them go off on their own to play and enjoy the sun. And often I do definetly crave that, wish for it, wonder how crazy am I to put myself on the line so much. But then, it is my nature to push myself, to find my strengths through trials, and to get the total satisfaction when I have completed something totally unbelievable.
So there we were, to bring the story back. 4 of us in a much more comfortable ride and heading West to Montana. We stopped to see the sights along the way, and believe me, when you are traveling cross country it is a bit difficult to know which ones to choose. But we decided to go to Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills and one of the coolest spots I have found in Sd. The Cosmos! This place is perplexing and magnetic in it's unique experience waiting to be found there. I highly recommend anyone passing through the Black Hills to go to this bizarre and gravity defying place. We found ourselve there two hours before opening hours and anxious to go in, knowing we wouldn't have the time to wait for the opening. So, being mischievous and dedicated we just walked over the short and easily passable rope and ran up the mountains to the crazy structures that lay tilted on the side of the hill. Oh man, even thinking about these buildings makes my head spin and get dizzy! We laughed so hard we cried and then went back through them three more times! Ahah, we could not stop giggling and belly laughing for a long time!! We ran, trying to be quiet, but still we laughed and laughed. It was such a joy filled experience! Seriously, don't miss it if you go through West South Dakota!!
And then we were in Wyoming and at a cross point. Should we go to Montana directly or take the longer route, out of the way a bit, and see Yellowstone? Oooh, I don't think we had too much to think about on that one! We headed west instead of North and decided that Yellowstone was definetly calling our names! And then we found the Medicine Wheel. We were drving down the highway and then all of a sudden a sign said Medicine Wheel to the right 100 ft. Ok, Medicine Wheel, seriously how could we pass that up?? I had no idea what it was but once we got there, up a two mile gravel and winding rode into the mountains, I understood. We had landed at this ancient native sight similar to Jerusalam for some cultures. Or so it seemed to me to have this importance. Some people would prepare for one year to come to this place and pray. It was a mile and half walk up this road and then at the mountain crest their lay a wheel pattern with I believe 24 pieces.
All along the circle fence that protected the wheel itself were scarves and crystal bags hanging from the old wooden posts. On the posts themselves were rock sanctuaries and many shells and symbolic pieces of the peoples lives who had left them there. Although I describe the wheel first, it took me an hour to get there, when usually it is only a half an hour or less walk. I could feel the sanctity of this place and wanted to prepare myself for what I found at the end of that walk. So I meditated and burned the sacred sage I had been carrying for over a year first. Opening my eyes I smiled and felt ease as I looked over the valley and the mountains beyond. I walked further and stopped where these old worn trees had grown into a circle and created a space of spiritual life in the middle. I felt as though I was in the presence of some great elders of time and was humbled to be welcomed into the purity there. I walked down that loose white rock road with a powerful sense of fulfillment and the desire to be more in tune, more true to soul, and willing to learn. I was humble in this place, and serenity grabbed me by the spirit and lifted my feet as I thought myself to be walking further along the road. I meditated for awhile on this rock free standing almost entirely out fromn the rest of the cliffs as the wind feriously waged it's anger into my body, pulling me sometimes so much that I clung to the rock for safety. I felt as though some ancient spirits were acknowledging my presence, yet testing my strength and dedication. I held on for awhile just in awe of the power of this place. My eyes feasting on the site of the valley far below me and the trees scattered along the mountainside. The clouds were beginning to darken and I could see the rain falling across the mountain range so I walked up to the Medicine Wheel site. I didn't feel as much spirituality and power as I had on the walk up when I got to the site. Nonetheless I placed my burnt sage ends as offerings and walked around the circle in homage to the true consciousness that lay waiting there. AS I left the site I, and I alone, saw the most unbelievable and truly ispiring double rainbows of my life. The bottom rainbow was just barely above the tops of the trees in the valley in front of me and the second rainbow vaguely winked to me from the sky above. It looked like an orb of rainbow distortion in the valley, not much like the rainbows I usually see at all. There truly was a mist all around that valley within the scope of those rainbow walls. And within the misty grasp of this rainnbow sensation I could see the trees change color and absorb, literally it looked as though they absorbed, the colors of the rainbow and over more than a minute the trees still maintained those colors even after the rainbow was gone. I felt incredibly honored to be the soel witness, if I wasn;t the sole I was one of only a select few due to the placement of the rainbow in the valley in between two mountains and a lot of trees. Yet... I stood there and soaked itin, smiling and breathing and feeling blessed. And then I returned to my friends awaiting me in the truck, the sun shining down upon my back all of a sudden.
And we headed to Yellowstone then. Just jumped right back in and left. We drove for awhile, I think two hours and then found ourselves in the Rodeo capitol of the world, Cody, Wyoming. We also found ourselves a new friend in a hitchiker from Switzerland by the name of Luke. He also was going to Yellowstone adn didn't mind spending the night in the truck as I stopped off at a very cold hotel to do homework.
We awoke the next morning, I did a little more homework, and then we left, the four of us in the ranger, to Yellowstone National Park. When we got to Yellowstone we almost soared through the gates. We continued soaring and smiling andlaughing right up to the point were our truck stopped running. Then there was s lag for a moment as we pondered our next move. We pushed our truck to the pull off, right next to a bison that was walkingand eating grss, and were lucky enough to have someone right there willing to tow us to the auto repair 4 miles away. And so we got the tow and spent the evening selling painted rocks and rearranging the truck. In the morning we hitchiked out of the auto repair parking lot, having packed our bags and cleaned out the truck, and headed off with a park employee to continue our journey. We had also ordered the timing belt for our friend who was going to come pick up the truck in a few days.
So we saw the rest of Yellowstone a little too quickly, and accidently got a ride all the way to Missoula, Mt instead of to the nearest Hot Springs in Yellowstone. Just our luck, but really was it?!?! We pulled into Missoula, Mt at 2 AM in the morning on August 25th, lazily picked up our bags and eventually found ourselves sleeping down by the river underneath the full moon. In the morning I awoke to my sister at my feet and the river swaying in the sunlight not too far from our site. Oh, it was gorgeous! And after a walk and some clever stashing of my pack, I find myself here, in this library and finally doing my much desired homework. Ahh, I reflect on these times, can hardly wait to tell more, and sit back for a breathe before jumping back in....
More to Come....
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