(ice storm. Jan 2017. Carbondale, Illinois) A dear friend of mine in Carbondale who works in hospice and I were talking about the nature of loneliness. I find it somewhat ironic that I have felt far less lonely since I took off on this road trip alone than my last two years in Arizona. She talked about the loneliness of dying people and how nothing external seems to help someone who has that particular heartache. She told me about a…
This used to be a working soda fountain. In high school, we could drive out to Pomona for a malted or a gen-u-ine root beer float. When my grandparents died, we planted trees for them at the Unitarian Fellowship. Time passes, trees grow. Nothing endures but change. Turn and face the strange. Tomorrow, I go back on the road.
Before I left on this journey a friend of mine asked me, “What’s your job? Everyone has a job so go do that!” Of course, he did not mean an office job. “What’s my role here? What am I here to contribute?” (LaRue Pine Hills) This is a thought that rumbles around my head often. Currently, I travel, I write, I take photos, I care for two dogs. But what am I contributing to a larger community? I’ve considered many…
Carbondale, Illinois is as close to having a ‘home’ as I’ve experienced thus far. This is the town where I made my first snow-person, learned how to drive, cut class, and found my love for romping outdoors. Home is the place where I have the deepest memories, history, and connection. I have friends here dating back to pre-school, and my mom lives here with my step-dad and a young Australian Shepherd. Would this still be home if my mom weren’t…
Hot Springs is a neat town. Population around 35,000 and a pretty good arts community – in no small part due to the involvement of my friends who helped found the KUHS 97.9 FM community radio station, a community arts center and gardens, among other things. I got my camper popped up in their driveway and we set out for a hike. The national park is interlaced with the town proper, so it both runs through town in some parts…
Another glorious sunrise! “Red skies in morning, sailors take warning” Uh oh. After breakfast and coffee, we took Argos for a walk to the trailhead about a mile away. We broke camp and tried to meet up at the hot springs, but my new friends were leaving just as I pulled into the parking area. They said taking a dip was well worth the time, so I hiked in. There were a number of people in the large open hot…