The Hustle and the Flow -- Day 521

As I wander through life, I pick up tidbits of pop culture and they come out in weird ways at random times. I was contemplating this blog post about our life right now, and the juxtaposition of doing versus being, when the name of a random movie (which I've never seen, btw) popped into my head. In case you were looking for this post to be related to the Terrence Howard movie, I have to warn you that you will probably be disappointed.

When I refer to The Hustle, I'm talking about the things that we DO. The choices that we make that influence our lives, our circle, our world. Every choice that we make impacts the history of the universe! (In case you were feeling infinitesimally small and insignificant. YOU MATTER.) Every choice that we make, from the decision to wear socks that match, to the person that you are going to marry, will change your story, your life, and your world. When the history of the world is reviewed, those choices will be there.

The Flow is that grand universal life force that is in everything, that IS everything. The unstoppable, unfathomable, unrelenting wave of essence that carries us ever forward on our linear perception of space-time. The Flow crashes through us obliterating our choices, and reminding us that we are specs of cosmic dust, tiny individual cells in an infinite body and the choices that we make are equally insignificant. You wanna wear socks? The Flow doesn't care. You wanna marry a goat? Again, the Flow gives not a whit of thought.

The dance of the Hustle and the Flow are what makes up our daily lives, and the Balance is what keeps us here. If you decide to stay in bed all day and sleep, will the Earth stop turning? Absurd, when you think about it. The Flow keeps the machinations of the universe in motion. Life will go on without you, around you. But it's YOUR life that will not be moving forward, if you don't move with it. And sometimes we need a break, I get it. The Flow is sometimes like a vast river, with different currents. When you have the energy to swim out to the faster moving water, things can develop rather quickly. If you need a break, you can just float along in the lazier parts of the flow. All choices become good choices, because no matter what you do, we all move down the line.

Personally, I'm not wearing socks today.

The Road is STILL Life -- Day 487

Way back on Day 2 of this blog, I said The Road is Life, and I was talking about living in the RV full-time. As it turns out, the Universe still has jokes, and now I'm earning my money from driving. If life is all about the journey, I'm living so much right now!

I've been driving for Lyft for about two months. It's not a glamorous job, but it's been fun and pays our meager bills. I get to meet a lot of interesting and fun people, and mostly just drive around listening to music. There are worse ways to earn a living! (Trust me to know from personal experience.)

So this is where we are right now, still climbing out of the hole that being out of work for a couple of months has put us in. Still trying to figure out which way forward is the best way forward. Still trying to stay attuned to the flow of the universe around us. I get the sense that we are in a holding pattern, of sorts. We are like newly planted seeds, being watered, waiting for the warm sunshine and plentiful rain of Spring to cause us to sprout.

There are some cool things going on right now, projects in development, that I don't want to talk about just yet. This is definitely an exciting time for all of us, and I humbly ask for your positive energy as we collect ourselves for moving forward.

Love to you all!

Year One: Everything "IS" -- Day 365

We've done it!

When we embarked on this RV journey, I pledged to do it for a year as an evaluation period. We have reached the end of that commitment! This year has been a learning experience like no other, full of life lessons from the poignant to the peaceful. I have learned how to handle shit both literal and imagined. If I could make a list of the three biggest truths that I have gleaned from all of my experiences in the past year (and with no small contribution from personal experience prior to that) it would be this:

1. Perspective Matters
2. Perception is Reality
3. Everything "IS"

Now, if you read my previous post, I already talked a bit about the first two points, so I'm just going to focus on the last one today.

EVERYTHING "IS"

I do not claim to be a great thinker, or philosopher, and I know that my words, thoughts, and ideas are primarily for my own personal development. I do like to share them here so that you can get to know me better, and so that I can learn a little more about myself through some personal reflection. This blog has also been documenting our family journey in the RV for this past year that we have spent living on the road, and those life experiences shape my personal philosophy.

This has been an amazing year. From the original lesson of what to look for when shopping for an RV to what to do when the brakes go out, all the way to learning how to live more simply and being more flexible. Through all of this, I have come to the realization that nothing is ever just one thing. The confluence of events that lead to each situation are a myriad with a mind boggling level of complexity, and the perfection of the outcome is amazing. Even the situations that are the most terrifying, like the brakes going out during Christmas week, have their Christmas angel resolutions. Throughout our journey, there have been many different explanations offered to us for why things work out the way they do. Some people want to point to God's plan, or fate, or karma -- all of which may be true -- but rather than define, I seek to accept. I don't need to understand everything, or really anything, because that is not necessarily going to change what "is". 

I realize that this is a really simple concept, and perhaps I lack the language mastery needed to communicate this concept effectively. But that also doesn't change what "is" (ha!) I realize this lesson is mostly just for me, and probably won't be earth-shattering to anyone else.  If you stopped reading this already, I wouldn't blame you. Heck, I've halfway tuned myself out at this point. But I'm going to carry on, because I don't feel finished yet.

Ever since I was a little kid, I used to get really frustrated if someone ate my candy. Regardless of whether I purchased it myself, or it was given to me, I felt like I had earned that candy, and I wanted to enjoy it all to myself. As I've grown up, I have become much more understanding and generous, and I will usually share my candy with you (if you ask me nicely.) Sometimes, especially if you have children, your candy may mysteriously go missing. Children, I have learned, are notoriously impulsive and not always the most considerate. Empathy and consideration are things that are learned over time with more interpersonal life experiences. The point that I'm trying to get to is that the candy is now gone. It doesn't matter who, how, or why. None of the answers to that question will make the candy not gone. 

Acceptance. That is one of the greatest lessons that I have learned in this past year. I had to let go of a lot of things, ideas, and preconceived notions about how the universe operates. Once I can do that, and it's an ongoing process at this point, I can understand some of the more important things in life. Instead of focusing on why a particular life event has occurred, I can accept that it "is" and then move on from there. 

Understanding that EVERYTHING "IS" helps me to adjust my PERSPECTIVE, which changes my PERCEPTION and alters my REALITY.

Vacation! -- Day 353

I'm on vacation.

"Perception is reality" and "Perspective matters" are my two favorite things to say. I actually tried to track down the origins of these quotes, and they seem to have just grown out of the distillation of longer quotes and ideas from a bunch of different people. So pretend it was Abraham Lincoln or Ghandi, depending on your own philosophical leanings. It's not like it matters who said it, or whether you believe it. These are the words that I have discovered are the most true for me and my life.

When I say, "I'm on vacation" it creates a new perspective on the current situation in my life. I'm taking the time that I have right now to relax, think, write a little, and spend time with people that I care about. Resting is one of the most important things that a person can do for health and well-being, but we feel like we have to somehow earn the right to rest. This can be a dangerous opinion, because what if you never feel like you've earned it? What if you never feel good enough?

I'm on vacation.

I don't really have a job, right now. At least not in the strictest sense of the "earning income" definition. I have lots of "things that I have to do that I don't want to" and "things that are expected of me to contribute to the well-being of the family unit" but nothing that I'm going to be putting on a resume. These are just part of this grander project called Life.

People get hung up on the semantics of their own personal worldview. I understand where it comes from, because I lived that way for most of my life. The need to define terms becomes important to ensure proper communication, but sometimes we get so bogged down in the minutiae of definitions that we lose sight of the bigger picture, the IDEA that was trying to be communicated. When I say that I don't have a job, the understanding is that I don't have an employer that is paying me for my time and skills. I am not part of the the commerce of this project called Life.

The danger of this particular worldview for me is that everything becomes a transaction. I want to eat, so I need food. In order to get food, I need money. In order to get money, I need a job. Work = eat. I was raised to believe that a person that does not work, should not be allowed to eat because of 2 Thessalonians 3:10. This is a misquote as it actually says a person that is UNWILLING to work, should not be allowed to eat, but as with a lot of popular Bible verses, it has been twisted to punish behavior deemed undesirable by the church. From this we have created the "Puritan work ethic" which is beneficial to an employer, but can create an internal pressure that leads to stress and anxiety in some to make sure that they are always "working." The concept of Rest is lost, gobbled up in the dread of becoming a devil's workshop.

I submit to you that the idea of "working" means different things to different people. We are all doing things on a daily basis that affect our world. The interactions that you have with people, the words that you speak into their lives, the love that you share -- these are all important things that are produced by you, just by you being you. You matter, you're good enough, and the world is a better place with you in it.

How many times have you heard, "If you find something you love to do, you will never work a day in your life" or somesuch? This used to inspire me, because I used to love to do lots of things. I loved sports, and music, and art, and making friends. The older I got, the less likely it was for me to be able to make money doing any of those things, and it was frustrating. Some of the things that I loved to do stopped being fun when they became monetized. The pressure of doing this fun thing became a job, and that sucked the fun out of it.

This left me in a predicament: How am I going to be rich, if I can't make lots of money? How am I ever going to be able to go on a vacation?

The revelation for me was that it's all perspective. I discovered that I didn't really want to be "rich" in the sense of having a lot of money. What I wanted was to be "happy" and there is all the difference. Now, instead of making decisions based on what is going to make me the most money, I look for what is going to make me the most happy. The difference is amazing, and has provided me with more "wealth" than I thought I would ever have. One way that I've heard it put is, "The secret to having it all is realizing that you already do."

And now I'm on vacation.

Soul Camp 2016 -- Day 334

BUMP BUMP BADUMP BUMP

BUMP BUMP BADUMP BUMP

BUMP BUMP BADUMP BUMP

I remember a time when electronic music used to drive me batty. Repetitive, and lyrically lacking, I just didn't get the appeal. Combined with the social stigma of the illicit activities and the illegal nature of the underground rave scene, I stayed a good distance away for most of my life. Now, I'm not here to discuss the culture, the community, or the history of electronica, because I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough on the subject, but what I am here to do is share my experience.

As I have grown older, and wiser (though some would like to debate that point) I have learned much about love and acceptance. Everyone has their own path to walk, and what might be right for me is not going to be right for you. One fun part of my life has been finding people that want me to be who I am while enjoying who they are. I like to meet people where they are. I do not want to change them, I want to understand them. I want to accept them, and love them. I believe that if we could all learn compassion, the world would be a much better place.

While we were here in the redwoods this summer, there have been six major weekend events. Three of them were holidays, with all of the family celebrations and camp-style activities included. Two of them were biker events, with deep-throated Harleys, and lots of bearded old guys. The last one was Soul Camp, with the promise of all night parties and very pervasive, thumping bass lines.

The holiday weekends reminded me of the summer camp movies that I enjoyed when I was a kid. This was a little different since whole families were here, but there were lots of campfires and s'mores, volleyball and pool games, and wholesome fun! The biker events were a bit rougher around the edges, with a LOT more beer drinking and very loud, fiddle-laced, deep-fried rock and roll. Walking through the campground at night felt much like being in the bad part of town, and you kinda got the feeling like you would not really want to upset anyone.

Soul Camp was very different. The whole feeling of the place was like a huge egalitarian society from the future. There were no strangers to be found, because every person that you saw greeted you with a smile, a wave, or even a hug. This was the first time that I have felt this accepted and welcomed in any large gathering, and it was amazing. I worked a lot of shifts in the Pub, and got to meet a bunch of the coolest people. After work, walking home in the dark didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. The bumping of the bass was better than a compass, since the main stage was about twenty yards from my home.  Dancing lights, dancing people, and dancing music were EVERYWHERE.

And so, we danced. A lot. We got as close to the stage as we could, so that the pumping sounds could be felt in our bones, vibrating our hearts and minds. We danced with people that had glow sticks, fuzzy hats, men in broom skirts, people with backpacks, skinny jeans, silk scarves, sunglasses (at night), and no shame. There was something very special about being able to do this among the ancient trees with the stars looking down on us. I think the universe was smiling.

I know I was.

This was the perfect way to wrap up this summer. This was our first workamping experience, and I love that it was so amazing. The relationships that we have built here are so genuine and deep, it is amazing to realize how quickly they were formed. And while I'm by no means a Club Kid, I will forever remember my first Soul Camp.

Perspective is everything -- Day 239

This past weekend was Father’s Day, and it got me to thinking about some of the more famous quotes that are attributed to my dad (in my world. I’m not saying that all of these are original, created by him, just that he repeated them often enough that I will always think of him as the originator.)

“Arrive alive” and its corollary “Look both ways, live more days.”

When I was in high school, my father was the principal of Christ For the Nations Academy, a tiny private, Christian school in the South Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. CFNA was on the campus of Christ For the Nations Institute, a 2-year evangelical Bible college, and offered Kindergarten through high school education to the children of the students, staff, and faculty of the Institute. Being nestled in between two major highways, with several residential roads going through the campus, there were plenty of opportunities to be hit by careless drivers. My father’s morning announcements almost always included the exhortations to pay attention while walking through the campus and crossing the busy streets.

And then you take a step back, and apply it to your whole life. I redefine “alive” as more than just “having a life” but being full of life! When you show up, bring the party! Or at least as much energy and life-force as you can, so that you can share with others and enhance their experience. Perception is reality, so if you can “look both ways” at your situation, you can realize that there is always another side to the story. I had a friend tell me about accidentally putting a $100 tip in the starbux jar, and she turned it around from “I’m so stupid for doing that” to “I hope that it really made someone’s day.” Dad’s life lessons are deep, y’all.

“You never know what kind of day someone has had” and “Give flowers to the living.”

Following on the change in perspective from looking both ways, my father once explained to me that just because you may have been treated badly by someone in that moment, doesn't mean that their actions had anything to do with you. The guy that cut you off on the freeway? He was trying to get to his daughter's dance recital and was running late. That cashier that wasn’t particularly friendly? Their child was home sick from school, and they are worried about them. Since there is no way for you to know anything about the history behind your chance encounters, it’s much easier to try to make their day brighter. Giving flowers to the living is about honoring people that you see in your daily life with some thoughtful kindness, or even just sincere well-wishing. We will often beautifully eulogize the recently deceased, sometimes when we didn’t even like the person while they were alive. They get a beautiful bouquet of flowers on their grave, but how much better would it be if they got to enjoy the flowers while they could actually smell them?

“Remember these three things: 1. Don’t step on Superman’s cape, 2. Don’t spit in the wind, 3. Don’t pay people to scare you.”

While these have obvious, face value relevance, I think there is still deeper and broader applications. Obviously, if you get the chance to meet Superman, you probably want to stay off his clothes. But you know what’s interesting about Superman? Even the people that interact with him on a daily basis don’t recognize him out of uniform. So you should be kind and respect the personal space of others, no matter who you might think they are. This also includes being kind to yourself, by not spitting in the wind. There are enough people out there that will mistreat you, whether intentionally or not, so be kind to yourself. And don’t reward behavior that is detrimental to your mental health, or pay people to scare you. There are better things that you can find to do with your money, or you can ask me and I’ll help you spend it. :)

“I don’t call you sun because you shine, I call you son because you’re mine.”

This is one of the corniest, and sweetest things that my dad used to say to me. It makes more sense when read aloud, and sounds best in my father’s gravelly voice. The sun is the brightest object in the sky, and to think that I could be confused with that heavenly body is nice. Coupled with the verbal statement of patrimonial claim, regardless of actions either past or future, is nice.

I love my dad, and he loves me, too. Happy Father’s Day, Papa.

Snap. Smoooooth. Tuck. -- day 201

Snap. Smoooooth. Tuck.

They say most folk don't end up in the job they went to school for. I say, "What's the point of school, then?" I actually heard one professional teacher explain that school was to help kids learn how to learn.

Learn how to learn? Didn't you come out of the womb not really knowing anything, and have to learn how to eat, talk, walk, and use a toilet? How did you learn to do all of that without going to school? Is there a secret prebirth school that you attend that teaches you how to learn the preliminary skills to learning that a school can only help perfect?

I am not here to knock school. I went to some really great schools in my lifetime, and made some really great friends as a result. I have been exposed to public, private, parochial, homeschool, christian school, and charter school. I've worn uniforms and had dress codes. I've had free dress Fridays, and half day Fridays. I've had field trips to art museums, working farms, and once to night skiing on Mt Hood. My point is: I've seen a lot of different kinds of schools. In all that time, I think the two biggest lessons that school taught me is that people are jerks, and my parents are the best teachers that I've ever met.

Confucius and Marc Anthony are both credited with the idea that if you find something that you love to do, you'll never have to work a day in your life, or some such. And I have to disagree. Sometimes the pressure of doing something that you love for money ends up killing the dream that you had to begin with. I think the secret to being happy is not trying to get someone to pay you to do something you love, but to find something that you love to do and do it for free. Do it with friends, teach other people how to do it. Surround yourself in it, and let it define you. Be what you love, and the work that you have to do to pay for it won't really seem that bad.

Right now, I'm working at a job that some would say is a waste of my talents. But they are missing the point: I am not my job. I am all of the things that I do when I'm not working. The job just allows me to pursue the other things that I want to do in life. I also fold a mean hospital corner.

My parents are wonderful teachers, and one of the greatest lessons that they taught me was to be an awesome parent. So, that's what I'm doing. Teaching my little one to be authentic, and unapologetically herself. Hoping that she continues to love herself regardless of what other people say and do, or what they think of her. Show her that if she shines her light bright enough, she can change the world.

Meanwhile, I will snap, smooth, and tuck.

The Adventure Awakens -- Day 189

Today is my third day working, and it's my day off. I mean, I'm not working today, but I'm officially back to work, as of this week.

We arrived Sunday afternoon and got settled into our site. We met a few people from the staff, as well as some long-term campers. Most of the staff has only been here a couple of weeks, and there is a small group of folks that have been here about a year. We really vibe with the crew, and I think we're going to have a marvelous time here for the summer.

All of our preparation, and learning how to RV over the past six months (which really has felt like a year), has brought us to this point. This was a goal line, of sorts. The finish line. Time to relax and enjoy our accomplishment!

Except that we are now working full-time, five days a week, off on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

"Out of the flying van into the campfire." ~ Sensei of Truth

This place is truly gorgeous. The sheer enormity of these wooden giants is difficult to capture with pen or lens. Words like "vast" and "giant" get bandied about as to lose all significance. To stand beneath these gentle souls and tilt your head back until your spine protests is like a tiny child looking up at a parent. But the parent is actually 400 feet tall and 1200 years old. Zoe and Anya walked THROUGH the base of one of the trees. Not the commercially hollowed out desecrations, but a genuine giant that had survived many forest fires, one of which opened up a passage at the base of the trunk. I'm pretty sure if Gandalf had THESE Ents on his side, that battle would have gone a bit differently.

Another teacher of great wisdom nearby is the Eel River. Deep enough to enjoy a swim in, but cold enough to make you regret that decision immediately. Lord Eel has deposited a treasure trove of round river rocks, some of which defy classification.

To reach the river from the campground, one must descend the River Trail. A winding 350-yard path that ensures you will carefully consider a return visit, and you will also appreciate the resting benches that are strategically placed along the way.

The walk down persuades you to spend a bit of time with the river, if only because you're dreading the walk back up. Ascending the hill didn't quite take me 127 hours, and I do have all my limbs intact, but I'm pretty sure there is plenty of fodder for an Oscar-worthy film of the man-vs-nature variety. My single-minded plodding was motivated by the realization that there was no food down by the river, and I'll be damned if I'm going to die of starvation because I can't climb a planned hiking trail.

Found out from the staff the next day that there is actually a paved river access road a few feet farther down the river, and they usually drive the 4-wheeler down there. Lazy.

Now that I've survived that ordeal, I'm fairly certain that we can make it through anything, including this summer long hiatus from LTE service (thanks for the memories, Sprint) and the fact that the nearest shopping district is 80 miles away. And it's not that we're getting rid of our phones, we just can't use our unlimited Sprint internet because the nearest coverage is something like 200 miles away. And when I say shopping district, it's where CostCo, Walmart, Winco is. There are grocery stores closer, but they are significantly more expensive. Also worth noting, we have been encouraged to leave our rig here, parked, for the entirety of our stay. There will not be a weekly Fezzik trip to the grocery store. We're relying on our new-found friends and Amazon for our grocery needs. Having said that, if you want to send us a block of cheese, our address is:

Cheo Jackson
75000 Highway 101
Leggett, CA 95585-8910

"Live life as though everything is rigged in your favor." ~ Rumi

Facing these odds, we know that we are going to be ok. Every change requires adjustment, and flexibility is what allows you to bend and not break. Flexibility can be increased by stretching. Stretching is most effective on warm muscles, after exercise. Looks like we're going to be in really great shape!

The Desert is scary and Water is wet -- Day 165

We made it to California! After blazing through Arizona and New Mexico in two weeks, we now have a month to make our way up to Northern California where we'll be spending the summer. This period of constant, rapid change is going to be put on hold for a while, and a new chapter of the adventure will begin.

Our first stop in California was in Needles, just over the border. We wanted a couple of days to charge up our spirits before braving the Mojave, having seen way too many Bugs Bunny cartoons as children. Anya is descended from forest dwellers, and I am of tropical stock -- so the desert is a scary place. We stayed three days at Fender's River Road Resort, right on the Colorado river in Needles. It was the perfect, peaceful respite before undertaking the Fury Road across Tatooine.

"You could not step twice into the same river" ~ Heraclitus

Being so close to the Colorado, I had to go down to it. It was really interesting to me to go down and touch the water. Imagining that this is the same river that had come from the Grand Canyon, and would eventually make its way to the Pacific. Some of it will evaporate and become the rain that feeds the crops that will eventually make their way to my plate. It's weird to think of the interconnectedness of it all. So I had to touch it. It was wet.

Maybe some of the water that I touched will make its way to you. I hope that when it finds you that it's particularly edifying. We are all in this thing together, you know?

I have made a lot of friends on the internet, recently. It it a reminder to me that I am not a rolling island on the highway, but there are real people out there whose lives are affected by my actions. And in turn, they are affecting me. It has been said, "Your vibe will attract your tribe." I think that I have found some of mine, and it feels pretty good.

Refreshed and recharged, we were ready to tackle the desert. Fingers, still wet from the Colorado, firmly grasped the steering wheel. "Let's do this!"

And then it was really uneventful. The desert is not nearly as bleak as we had thought, there were plenty of opportunities to stop for supplies (not that we needed it, since we were prepared to be stranded for a week, you know, just in case.) There was a lot of traffic, and it didn't really even get very hot. I'm sure it was the blessing of the Colorado River that moistened our way.

Our first stop, on the western edge of the desert, was in Newberry Springs. I'm not going to link to the place, because it was honestly one of the worst places that we've ever spent the night. (And that list includes Walmart parking lots.) To add insult to injury, it was also one of the most expensive places that we've ever stayed, so my advice to all travelers crossing the Mojave would be to get as far past the desert as you can, because they know you're coming. Everything near the desert is more expensive, since they are preying on your fears. It definitely worked on us.

Today is also "National Sibling Day" and my brother coincidentally called me. It was pretty cool, since he had no idea. He just hadn't talked to me in a while, and we got to catch up. He had big news: he is getting married, again. I'm super happy for him, because he seems really happy. Lots of things have changed for both of us through the years, so this is an exciting direction in which to see his life go. It seems like the changes in my life have accelerated over the last few years, and moreso over the last few months. But getting a call from my Big Bro reminds me that even though everything is in a constant state of change, there are some things that still remain true.

Water is still wet.

The Best Laid Plans -- Day 138

I had this entire entry written, but couldn't post it because we were not in a service area -- and then it got deleted. Which is particularly funny to me, since the title becomes more significant.

When we started this journey, there was no end destination in sight. The road was the goal, and we had accomplished it. The new plan was to figure out how to keep the vision going. I figured that with careful planning and budgeting, I could probably make our money last for a year.

Things that I didn't account for in our budget (that maybe I should have):

• Dad's birthday
• RV Bootcamp
• Losing a sideview mirror
• My birthday
• The brakes failing
• Christmas
• The Great Data Crisis
• Jason's 21st birthday

 Unexpected experiences are a part of life, and the lessons that we learn along the way make us who we are. I don't regret any of the things that we spent the money on, or the life lessons that we picked up along the way. But now, faced with depleted resources, we had a decision to make: was it time to draw this chapter of our life to a close?

"Flow like water" ~ Bruce Lee

When you are flowing like water, your path changes many times. This lesson applies so broadly in my life, from our financial situation to our travel itinerary.

Anya took on the task of finding us jobs, while I tried to rework the budget to stretch our dollars "until the eagle screams" (credit to my wise father for that turn of phrase.) Online searches for opportunities yielded lots of results, but not many that would work for us. We have some needs beyond the financial, and we believe that the perfect job will meet all of them. Encouraged by this initial foray, we planned to continue our westward trek, still chasing that warmer weather.

Hiking the trail through Bull Canyon.
Posted by Anya Phenix on Monday, March 7, 2016

We left Lake Arrowhead in high spirits, spent a couple of amazing nights at Copper Breaks State Park, and got refreshed by nature and rejuvenated during our time of being unplugged. We had planned to hit up Caprock Canyon and then stay at Palo Duro Canyon for a week, where we were going to really delve deep into nature, and commune with the buffalo. However, having disconnected so completely from society, I was unaware that we were running into Texas Spring Break crowds, and both of the campgrounds that we were going to visit were full. So much for my careful planning!

I love the silhouettes of the branches against the sunset sky.
Posted by Anya Phenix on Monday, February 29, 2016

My hours of meticulously planning out the trip, mileage, driving conditions, and budget all went out the window. When am I going to learn that on this journey, when you wake up you may not know where you are going to sleep that night? Gazing into my crystal ball (Samsung Galaxy S6) I sought the answer to our dilemma.

For anyone that is going to take a trip in an RV, or anyone that likes to go camping, I highly recommend the AllStays app. Using it, we traced a new route, still westerly (albeit more northerly than before) and found a few places that would offset the extra gas by actually being cheaper (a couple were even FREE.) The silver lining in this cloud and the confirmation that we were on the right path: three of the four new stops featured 18-hole disc golf courses!

Gone were the canyons, but say hello to small town Texas!

We spent three nights in Childress, which had a beautiful city park with a great disc golf course, a playground, and great LTE coverage. This facilitated the job search, and we actually got to do a phone interview while we were there.

Posted by Anya Phenix on Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Our next stop was the McClellan National Grassland, balancing our nature needs after three days in town. Serene in the extreme. Also had just enough cell service to get a job offer email, which we accepted. We now had an actual destination!

Posted by Anya Phenix on Thursday, March 10, 2016

Disc golf stop in Pampa, on our way to camp out in Borger. Free camping in Borger, with water and electric hookups, is a deal that can't be beaten. They also had one of the most exciting disc golf courses that I have ever played. This is a picture of me walking along hole #9, what you can't see is the canyon drop off just to the right.

Disc golfing in Borger, TX. Some of the terrain was rough, but it was also beautiful.
Posted by Anya Phenix on Saturday, March 12, 2016

After Borger, we stopped in Dumas for a night, and then Dalhart for disc golf and our final night in Texas. Having a deadline and a destination is a bit foreign to our style, but we are flowing with it. Figuring out the budget for the rest of this chapter of the trip was an interesting endeavor, trying again to balance what we had with what we need. But, as always, we know that we will always have enough, because that is the Way of Things.

Of course, this is still just more of the Best Laid Plans that are subject to change. :)

Unplugged -- Day 121

I’m a pretty smart guy. I have managed to survive on this planet for over four decades and have created a couple miniature versions of myself (one male, one female -- just to see what that would be like), but I will still never understand the wizardry that is cellphones. Between the science and the economics, it is a mystery that just makes me want to move to a cabin in the woods on the edge of a lake and talk to the trees. (If you haven’t noticed, I’m halfway there already.)

We like to stay connected as much as anyone else. Maybe a little more. Okay, truth be told, my daughter and I are constantly online. It is one of our basic needs and it is her key to happiness. I have disc golf as my happy place, Anya recharges with the energy of the trees, but Zoe needs her virtual friends to find her center. When we were living in our last apartment, I paid a premium for super fast internet, opening up the entire world with a few mouse clicks. No questions went unanswered, no topic went undiscussed. We felt superior to our TV watching friends, because we didn’t have to sit through commercials -- we were the commanders of our own entertainment. Movies, TV shows, and music, all in glorious High Definition. Researching how to take this experience with us on the road led to frustration.

There are people out there that are full-time RVers that make thier living via the internet. Not just because they publish a travel blog that has advertising on it (although there are dozens of those -- you probably can’t live on those residuals alone.) They run a business of some kind, and always have a good connection. The secret? They have unlimited internet on a “grandfathered” Verizon plan. That is not helpful! What we needed was something that was going to be attainable NOW, not something that we should have done three years ago. Through trial and error, we did finally come to a solution. Remember the Great Data Crisis? Now we are online as much as we need to be. As long as we stay in the coverage area.

Trip planning has become an interesting project, as we now are trying to follow the Sprint data coverage map with stops along the way for disc golf. Online coverage maps are notoriously inaccurate, as illustrated by our experience here at Lake Mineral Wells State Park. The map says that we’re within a good coverage zone, but it doesn’t reach our actual campsite. We’re about a half mile outside the range of the tower, making for an excellent example of a First World Problem. I like to imagine Zoe telling her kids in the future about the days back when she had to hike up a mountain to get cell service.

Our backyard

Posted by Anya Phenix on Friday, February 26, 2016

We have now been here for four days, and I have learned to accept the separation. Letting questions go unaswered, trusting in my prior trip planning for the route to our next stop. I have discovered that my constant connection is a crutch that has been preventing me from finding the inner peace that I have been seeking. I have to let go of the worries of the outside world, and accept that what I have is all I need.

Learn to be content in your present situation. Where you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. Savor each moment as perfect. Live in the right now. When you can do that, you will find eternal peace and happiness.

I am not yet there, but I’m working on it.

The First 100 Days

So here we are. 100 Days on the road, and counting. Sometimes I didn’t think that we would even make it this far, and I’m really proud of my family for the flexibility they have exhibited to make this all possible. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, and the learning curve was rather steep, considering we had ZERO experience in RVing prior to this adventure. People all the time tell me, “Wow, I wish I could do that!” And I think to myself, “I know why you don’t!”

Pilgrim, life is short. Dream big and then have the gall to chase those dreams. There will always be people that are going to tell you why you can’t do something. And you know what? They might even be right! But there is something to be said about TRYING. The great Yoda once said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” I feel like some people internalized that as a message about giving up before you even start. But that is NOT the point at all! The message is actually along the lines of the famous Nike slogan, “Just DO it.” So what if you fail? You will have learned something amazing in the process.

Sometimes along the journey, you have some hardships. I think that if I had the ability to read this blog prior to starting out, 100 days ago, I might not have even wanted to do it. But you know what? That would have been a colossal mistake. Sure, there are days when I don’t really like this life. There are times when I miss being able to call up a few friends and meet to split a bottle of expensive wine. I miss being able to play Call of Duty with my brother via the magic of the internet. I miss being recognized as a regular at my favorite restaurant, and getting phenomenal service as a result.

This life now has indelible memories for which I have happily traded those past comforts. Yesterday, we hiked down to the Lower McKinney Falls and skipped rocks in Onion Creek. We talked about geology and erosion. We watched local fishermen below the falls, patiently waiting for signs of life. We laid back on the bedrock and soaked up the power of the earth and the azure sky above. It was an amazing day. And that was just day 99, by itself!

Today we’re going to try something that we have never done before, which is pack a bunch into a travel day. We’re planning to hit up a disc golf course, the grocery store, and still drive to another State Park. Because life is short, and you should get out and do something today! Don’t let anything hold you back, because you will end up spending you whole life in preparation and die with too many dreams unfulfilled.

That thing that you have been getting ready to do? Go do it. When someone asks, tell them that you had the Sensei's permission.

Happy New Year! -- Day 75

Been a while since I sat down to write, and so many things have happened! I almost don't know where to start. I guess I could go chronological since my last post, just to catch up.

So the last time I wrote we had just pulled in to Independence Park in Gonzales. It was the last week of the year, and we hadn't decided where we were going to spend New Year's, but there was a disc golf course that I wanted to check out there, and the park was really cheap. We ended up liking it so much, we stayed 10 days, which is actually a record length for us. The disc golf was fun and challenging, and the park was peaceful with plenty of trees and a playground that Zoe loved. A storm came through, so we figured it was better to hunker down and ride it out, rather than hope that the next place we would drive to would be as good.

After the first, we needed to hit up a place that had nice showers. We have a shower in the rig, but it's barely adequate for some basic cleaning, and it doesn't get the job done when it comes to washing the dreads. So we consulted our various maps and tools and finally decided that we wanted to hit the town of Victoria, about 60 miles away from Gonzales. Most people laugh at the way our "road trip" works, but then we aren't in a huge hurry or trying to set some kind of distance record. We're mostly trying to stay warm, and have as much fun as possible.

Victoria is a bigger town than we've been in for a while. There are lots of RV parks to choose from, and we did a lot of online research before selecting the promising sounding Crossroads RV Village on the north side of town. Before checking in, we stopped off at the local Wal-Mart for a much needed resupply, having depleted much of our reserves while staying in Gonzales for a week. Pulling into Crossroads was disappointing, as it really looked like a storage parking lot than a "village" and after talking to the manager we discovered that they didn't even have showers! To add insult to injury, they wanted $35 for the single night that we planned to be there. We spent the first few hours researching where we were going to be spending the NEXT night, because we knew we weren't going to be staying at Crossroads any longer than necessary.

The next day we drove to the very creatively named RV Park of Victoria, and I confirmed that they did indeed have the showers that we so desperately needed. The guy behind the desk looked like Yoda's dad, but he was cool enough to let us park right up front for the single night that we were going to be there. It seems there is a huge market for people wanting to stay for months at a time, and those Winter Texans make it tougher for us rag tag vagabonds to find a crash pad for a single night. But the hot shower was glorious, if the setting did look a bit like a horror movie or perhaps a prison. I should have kept the picture that I sent to my friends on Snapchat, you would have laughed.

That night it rained so hard that I thought surely disc golf was going to have to be canceled the next day, but the morning brought sunshine and smiles all around. Everyone was fresh and clean and ready to see this Riverside Park that I had been telling them about. As we were driving, we saw an Academy sporting goods store and felt compelled to stop. I had been needing shoes for a while, and this was probably going to be the best place to shop for them that we had seen in a while.

Walking in, I was drawn to the disc golf stuff and impressed with their selection. I don't really need any new stuff, but it's always fun to look. Zoe and I had fun playing with all the toys while we made our way back to he shoe area, where I found some really decent kicks for $25. Gotta love it when the inspiration strikes, you know? Anya joined us shortly after and as we were all walking toward the check out, I steered us back around to the disc golf area, since Anya could use some additions to her bag.  That's where we met a young man that was a new player to the game and he was seeking some guidance. I helped him select a disc that was suited to his skill level, and he asked if we had played the local course. Coincidentally, they were on their way to play there today, too!

I'm not going to bore you with a review of Riverside Park's disc golf course (but if you're interested, it can be found here.) But what i wanted to relay to you is the wonder of kismet, coincidence, fate, destiny or predestination -- whatever you want to call it. We saw the young man again, once we got to the course. They arrived a little while after we did. I got to see him use the disc that I helped him pick on a huge birdie that probably made his whole round. I know that it made mine. But if I hadn't listened to that still small voice that suggested we stop at Academy, and if I hadn't happened to steer Anya over to the disc golf stuff, we would have missed out on that opportunity. I don't know what you believe, but I love to make the world a better place, even if it's just something as simple as helping someone get better a disc golf. I believe that if you are faithful and diligent in the little things, then the big things will be just as simple.

Are you listening?

Life, the Universe and Everything -- Day 38

I have been looking forward to this particular birthday for a very long time. For those of you that don’t get why, I encourage you to read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams.  It would take far too long for me to explain the significance in an eloquent way, so suffice it to say that the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is 42.

Little did I know that when I reached that magical number in my life, I will have understood the meaning so much better!

This latest adventure is just another chapter in the much larger epic that has been my life. Each experience teaching important things, shaping my worldview, and making me the person that I am today. The path that I am on has been daunting, and exhilarating, and magical, and depressing, and wonderful, and frustrating, and ultimately mine alone.

Here’s some of what works for me:

1. There are no mistakes.  Everything in life boils down to choices. Should I eat this? Should I go there? Should I say that? Every choice that we make shapes the world that we live in. Sometimes I make a choice that has consequences that make me uncomfortable, and I wish I could go back and make a different choice. But if I had made a different choice, I’d be a different person. I like who I am.
2. Perception is reality. I’m not breaking any new ground here, but this concept has a real depth of meaning for me. I have seen firsthand the difference in how I am treated based on what people know (or at least perceive) about me. But it is so much deeper than that! The geopolitical landscape, our entire Western culture is shaped by master manipulators that work on the public perception to influence the flow of global power. **puts tin foil hat away** But seriously, there are a lot of things that we accept as fact that are just concepts that we have been taught and accept as true.
3. Love yourself. Do no accept the external message that we are presented with on all sides about who and how you should be/act/do/say. You are the only one that can make choices for you. You are the only one that can determine what is right or wrong for you. You are the only one that can effectively change your circumstances. Love yourself enough to make choices that are going to make you happy within yourself. When you are making the choice to be happy, you are changing your perception/reality to one that is happy and you will have a much better life.
4. Time is meaningless. I used to rush around from appointment to appointment, trying to maximize my time, my work, my money = my life. Then I experienced spending five minutes with the most amazing person and it felt like hours, and I sat through an amazing epic movie and it felt like it was over in minutes. The passage of time is related to our perception, and that perception becomes reality. So rather than rushing around and feeling like I was always running out of time, I made the choice to enjoy the moments of my life. The individual scenarios and scenes that made up my epic saga. I began choosing those moments over the need for fancier toys, or a nicer car. We still only have the same number of years on this earth, but you can choose to spend them in a way that makes you happy.

One of the most common comments that I hear from people when I tell them that we are living full-time in an RV and travelling around is, “Man, I wish I could do that.”  Do you? Do you really? Because I am betting that if you really wanted to, you could. I didn’t think that we could do it, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, but I can tell that I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life. I feel more freedom and excitement every day when I wake up than ever before. Make the choices that make you happy, spend your years wisely. Change your perception, change your world.

See you on the road.