Tag Archives: Roadtreking

Changing the Situation

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imagesSometimes travel is easy. At those times I sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. There are moments in travel that are hard, things don’t go right and the trip becomes a struggle. I believe the term is “Roadblock”.

Riding down the coast with Cat has had moments of each. The ride itself has been comfortable and the sights have been rewarding and awe inspiring. Cat’s days are long and often she is tired when arriving at camp. It is hard for her to want to interact and be social. Sometime I have been lonely on this trip and I long for the socialization at the end of the day. These two separate daily events have made it hard for both of us.

About 2 weeks ago we decided that staying together each day might not be the healthiest thing for us. A friend of mine reminded me, it is important to remember that this is a situation that Cat and I have chosen to take on. We can change the situation anytime we want. We decided to try a different approach to our current situation. After a few different experiments on how we could make things work smoother, Cat is now riding unassisted. That means she is carrying her tent, sleeping bag and all her gear with her on her bike. I am there if she needs me and I am somewhat paralleling her ride down the coast. We touch base by text every few days to make sure this is working for her and myself. So far, it is working well. As Cat has gotten stronger and increased her mileage, she has become more independent. It feels, to me, like a natural progression.

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Paralleling each other has given me the time to explore more at my leisure. I can pick my campsites and stay a few days or more. This has allowed me to relax more and not feel like I always need to be on top of where we stay the next night. It has given Miss Elsie the Cat a few dog free nights in a row. I think that is a good thing for her.

Friendships are fragile. They need to be taken care of on a daily basis or even more frequently. The hardest thing to do sometimes is to communicate with others. I have found on this trip that often when things have gotten stressful between the two of us, it is a result of miscommunication. Our friendship is new, we have not known each other long. It takes practice and time with other human beings to learn how to communicate well. We are a work in progress.

I travel alone, now that Jim has died. He and I traveled together, frequently. We had our moments of miscommunication. It wasn’t always stress free. Most of the time, though, we did communicate well. It was usually smooth and easy and supportive. The longer we were together the easier and smoother it became.

Now that I am alone again I have to learn how to communicate with others again. It is not an easy process. We as humans are fragile and can be broken pretty easily, at times. We are also resilient and can pick up the pieces and move on again. This combination of fragility and resilience is what makes friendships worth the effort. This is why Cat and I keep adjusting our situation as we move down the 101. We are not ready to give up on the trip or our friendship.

Sometimes it is worth the effort one puts into a situation. This whole adventure with Cat continues to allow me to grow and define who I am as a human being on this planet. It is giving me the opportunity to find my strength to learn how to communicate freely and openly with another human being and hold my ground. And, if this situation doesn’t work then it is OK to change it again.

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img_3971Hi everyone, Miss Elsie the Cat here. I finally got Janet’s permission to post to my fan club.

This little house on wheels must be a permanent thing. Janet doesn’t mention going home. This must be home. I am still adjusting to this. I miss my outdoor space. Janet tries hard to give me time out. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I also have to be on a leash. What’s with that? I remember last summer I had to be on one. It really isn’t that bad, I just don’t want Janet to know it.😏

Have I told you that there is are two dogs traveling with us? They seem OK but I am keeping my eye on them both. I don’t think any cat should trust dogs too much. When they ride in the Roadtrek with me they are either in a small green thing called a Playhouse or up front. So far this has worked out. I still keep my eye on them because I have to be ready.

One morning I was outside on my leash and the dogs came by. I ran for the bushes. Thank goodness for those big green things. I blew my tail up larger than it has ever been before. I was ready to “mean business” if I had to. Thankfully Janet and Cat kept us apart.

img956725Cat, another human, keeps coming in and out of my new home. I am not sure about her. She smells like those two dogs. She keeps trying to be friends, my eyes get big and I am not quite sure about her. I did celebrate our arrival into Oregon with the two humans. They had champagne, I took one sniff of it and decided the it wasn’t for me. Now if it had smelled like fish….

Rolling

Rolling

I have done some traveling, for a little kitty. I will have to make a list sometime of all the places I have been. As long as Janet is around I am pretty good with that. I like when I go outside and smell interesting things in the grass. I think it must be like catnip because I get down and roll and roll. I also like the dirt and sand to roll in, too.

Birds fighting over fish

Birds fighting over fish

I am still not sure of all the water and the people and the animals around. I like watching the birds. They are quick and it makes them fun to watch. One day I saw some seagulls fighting over something in the water. Janet says it was food. They were squawking and fighting.

Janet and I seem to spend more quality time together in this small house on wheels. I like that. I like it when she sprays my scratching pad with cat nip. At night while she sleeps I play with the small super balls she bought for me. I would like to say, I hope I don’t keep her up but, I am a cat, so I really don’t care too much. Maybe if she is up, we can play.🙃

Time to get back to what is important. I think it is time for a nap under the sheepskin, after I check on those two dogs.

To the Sheepskin

To the Sheepskin

 

Art as a Way of Healing

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What makes travel interesting is the people I meet along the way, the locals who bring to life the area I am traveling through.

Friday I finally got on my bike and went for a ride

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On the Trail to Westport

. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. Camp had been set up. I decided to ride to the small fishing town of Westport, check it out and return to the camp later in the day. The best part of this ride was finding the path that followed the Pacific coast into town.

After settling over a cup of tea and reading I started the return ride. It is always nice to have the wind at my back on the way home.

On my way into town I noticed an interesting vehicle, so to speak, on the right side of the road. I promised myself, when I returned I would stop there and take a few photos. On the return trip I did just that, stopped to take a photo or two.

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Christopher & his Traveling Studio

Just as I pulled off the road, a man came out to say hello. Meet Christopher Bollen. He is an artist. He has been practicing art since he was young. He started as a pen and ink artist and then progressed his way to watercolors. I could stop here and you would know him as an artist, yet there was much more to this man.

When he first came out and spoke with me, he recited a poem.

He has been an artist most of his life. After returning from Vietnam, art helped him conquer PTSD. When he decided to attempt to become a working artist, he chose a neighborhood Seattle and knocked on doors offering to depict homes in framed drawings for $100 each. He had seven commissions the first week.

Christopher told me he took an art class at a community college. He went to one class and never went back and still passed the course.

His traveling art studio was designed and built by him. His home was simple and plain but inviting and well laid out. He raised two children as a single parent. His son now runs his own business on the same property, Barrett’s Gym. He is a personal trainer. He and his father built the gym. It is private and not open to the public.

At one point in his prolific career he owned nine galleries. He was well known in the Seattle area for his pen and ink drawings of local scenes. He opened up his traveling art studio and would travel and paint. Everyone was welcome into his studio.

 

Now he paints for himself, focusing on miniature watercolors. None are for sale. His goal is to paint a thousand paintings for his children’s legacy. He knows what his paintings are worth. What a creative idea.

When I finally made it into his studio I was taken. His art is beautiful and varied. He worked exclusively for eight years in pen and ink before branching out into watercolor art.

 

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When I told him I was a watercolor artist who has not painted since Jim died, he told me this is the time I need to paint, not for others but for myself. Painting is lonely and grief is a great time to start. He asked me if I felt guilty for Jim’s death. When I said emphatically, no, his response was “good”. He told me to pick up a brush and start. Record my history.

He decided that Cat and I are on a pilgrimage, each one different yet one with a common goal. It is not always an easy one, yet at the end of the day we need to lay down our differences and recognized we are in this together.

I stopped by this morning to thank him for his time and to give him one of my cards.  I left with two watercolor prints.

A most amazing man, indeed. I am glad I stopped. I am glad I stayed. I am glad to have met him and maybe not today but soon, I will pick up a brush and begin.

 

 

Dreaming

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Everyone has dreams, big or small. Dreams are important to the dreamer.

 

My dream was to trek in Nepal. Back in the late 80’s that dream came true as I hiked for 19 days in the Solu-Khumbu region of Mount Everest. It was a life changing experience for me. For many years after that trek I spoke of events before Nepal and after Nepal.

Riding the River

Riding the River

About ten years ago Jim and I did a 15 day river raft down the Grand Canyon. It too was a life altering experience and really fun. It certainly was another dream that found fruition. We often spoke of events before Grand Canyon and after Grand Canyon.

Cat & her Canine Companions

Cat & her Canine Companions

I would like to introduce you to my friend and fellow adventurer, Cat. I first met Cat when she was biking across the United States. She was towing her dogs and all her gear and was hoping to make it to the east coast. Unfortunately the trip ended in New Mexico. Not one to be defeated, she bought a travel trailer and now she and her pups call it home.

Cat is about to begin one of her dreams. She is bicycling, with her two dogs, the Pacific Coast Route from Vancouver, BC to Mexico. You can follow her blog by clicking the link below.

The Silver Hooligan and Her Hounds

Cat is not without some physical issues, yet she is determined to complete this route. Because she was concerned about riding the route alone, she asked if Miss Elsie the cat and I could be her “sag wagon”. The timing was perfect as I really wasn’t sure what to do after the house sold.

I met up with Cat a couple of weeks ago. We camped for four nights in Crescent City, CA. A day later we met up in Medford, Oregon. She joined the adventures of Mary and me, exploring the Medford and Ashland area.

Two days ago we left Mary and Medford behind and began the journey north to Vancouver. It was a long drive through some beautiful country. We crossed the border last night and after a drive through the city of Vancouver, camped outside the city. Today the adventure began. While Cat biked the 10 miles to the port, Elsie and I moved the Roadtrek to the Ferry.

The Team

The Team

What is my part of this adventure? I am not entirely sure. Here is what I consider to be the many facets of my part in this epic adventure.

  • Make sure that Cat and her dogs stay safe while out there riding.
  • I am carrying  her tent and other supplies. She will be hauling a lighter load.
  • Making sure that she is hydrated and that we both eat healthy.
  • I have medical supplies on board if she needs them.
  • Create a place to rest, when she needs a break.
  • Elsie and I are her cheering section, routing her on. “Go Cat, Go!”
  • I have my bike with me. I plan to ride and meet her some days. We can then ride in to our camp for the night, together. That will be really fun.
  • Enjoying each other’s company on her rest days.
  • I am sure this will be a continuing role of discovery as we develop a routine.

While she is bicycling I will have the opportunity to discover new places. My camera will not be far behind. I will share highlights of this epic adventure as it unfolds. Our goal is to be at the Mexican border by late October.

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Crossing on the Ferry.

Today we traveled by ferry to Vancouver Island. Cat covered about 16 miles today. We are staying in a lovely campground right on Nanaimo Bay (Horseshoe Bay). it is a beautiful site. Tomorrow while Cat rides I will have the chance to explore the area between our camp tonight and the camp tomorrow night.

It is an honor and a privilege to be invited to share someone else’s dream. I love the fact that I can meander along short stretches for a whole day. It makes it fun to come into the campground and share experiences with Cat at the end of the day.

Tonight I am grateful for Cat. Her adventure is giving me direction. I felt a little loss after the house sold. Now I have a purpose and it is fun to watch someone else dream unfold.

 

 

 

On the Move

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IMG_3342Last Tuesday I started driving Miss Elsie and myself northward. I did not get far. I received an invitation from other Roadtrekers to visit them in their beautiful home in Camarillo, west of Los Angeles. I could not have had nicer hosts and now friends.

I did not stay in my RT. Miss El and I had a very nice suite within their home. Elsie really liked the door than opened to the back yard. She thought that was pretty cool and was always ready to get hooked up to her leash so she could explore. Of course, she could only do that when I was around as coyotes and hawks live in the neighborhood.

IMG_3359In the three days I was there I had an opportunity to explore, on my bike and with Jeff and MJ. Since I have lived in southern CA, it has never ceased to amaze me that I can find wild open spaces in a land lived by so many people. I biked one morning into Hill Canyon, a beautiful reserve between Camarillo and Thousand Oaks. What a delightful way to spend a morning.

Jeff and MJ also took me to the beach one evening. We sat in their Roadtrek and enjoyed a delightful dinner while watching the sunset and the birds play in the surf.

Life is certainly changing for me. It takes some getting used to and that will take time. It is OK for me to give myself the time to adjust. In the meantime it is good to explore what is out there in the world.

Here is a list of things I need to remember in my new chose lifestyle.

  • I do not need to be a tourist 100% of the time.
  • Remember to pay the bills.
  • Remember to check my e-mail.
  • It is OK to stay in one place for more than a day, in fact it may be preferable, especially on a summer weekend.
  • Do not think you can just drive to the Big Sur Coast and get a campsite on a weekend in the summer. It is not going to happen!
  • Pay attention to the news, at least a little. There is still a wildfire burning in the rugged hills east of the drive up the coast. There had been talk of closing Route 1. It might be good to know this information.
  • Always make sure Elsie is taken care of first. After all, she is the princess. On a more serious note, I want her to be comfortable so she doesn’t overheat.
  • It is OK to sit down with a good book and relax.

IMG_1476I feel so honored each time I am invited into someone’s home and life. I have discover delightful people with many varied stories to tell. I find it so interesting to share our life stories. Sometime I find I have more in common than I know and other times, I find I am just fascinated by the stories they have to tell. Life is an adventure.

I am in Monterey now. I finally found a campsite at Laguna Seca. And I am staying here until Sunday when everyone heads back into the city. It is an interesting place. Down the hill to one side is a gun shooting range. Over the hill on the other side is Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. This morning I hear gun shots on one side and cars racing on the other. I am definitely going to take a walk over to the raceway and check it out. This area sits in the hills east of Monterey. It is so nice a quiet at night and busy during the day.

After a few more posts I may be dropping the link to Facebook and LinkedIn. If you want to continue to follow my blog there is an easy way to do that. If you go to my blog https://journeysofthankfulness.com and click on “Follow my Blog” it will ask you for your e-mail address. Each time I post, you will receive an e-mail. I am considering this option for several reasons. One of the major factors is security. I will alert you before I take this step.

There are some interesting things on the left side of the page.

  • Check out the Go Fund Me link. This shares information about The James Fenningham Scholarship.
  • There is a Book Recommendations link. I added that after so people came up with their favorite book suggestions. Some of the books are my recommendation and others are from people, like you, who submitted them in one post.
  • The Favorite Website link, with one click on the website and it will take you to the appropriate web site. keep an eye on these as I will be updating this at intervals.
  • Click on Photos and it will take you to my Shutterfly and you can see the latest photos.

Well it is time to adventure on. I need to check out the car noises. Off to explore.

 

 

A Break in Time

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4 Desert Divas

This past weekend I met up with a two other Roadtrekers, Mary and Linda,  in the Anza Borrego Desert. There were four of us for part of the weekend as a local friend of mine, Phyllis came out for Friday night. We hiked, we toured, we laughed and had wonderful conversations. The wild flowers were in full bloom. It was a great time for photographers to be out in the desert.

As we were returning from our last hike together, I slipped on some loose scree and fell hard. The results? I fractured my right ankle. As I am lying in the middle of the jeep road, well thank my lucky stars, here comes a jeep. The couple in the jeep lifted me on board and drove me the two miles to the trail head and Linda’s Roadtrek. I crawled on board, laid on the floor, with my foot elevated and iced. Thank goodness for the RV lifestyle.

one break on the outside- one break on the inside

one break on the outside- one break on the inside

After double ace wrapping my ankle I actually was able to drive home. (Maybe not the best idea but the most convenient). Phyllis met me in the driveway and drove me to the Emergency Room. It was orthopedic night. I guess everyone shows up from their adventures over the weekend. Ah the weekend warriors.

Now I sit with my foot elevated, splinted and wrapped until after my appointment today. I am also on no weight bearing. I am getting used to crutches.

I have had my share of injuries over the past six years. Jim was still alive when I injured myself before. Now I am on my own. It is different. When someone is around on a daily basis, there is always help when I need it, someone to prepare meals, drive the infirmed, me, places. Now I have to figure it out on my own. It makes it a bit harder and I have to be a bit more creative.

I am re-discovering again, the fact that I have good friends. Phyllis was supportive and patient during the initial wait in the emergency room. She also helped me clean out my Roadtrek. Yesterday some work friends, Yvonne and Annie,  showed up with food and conversation. Today, another friend, Janet is driving me to my first appointment. Oh my goodness, I am so thankful for friends. All we can do is help and support each other. Every day I am thankful that I am cared about.

I am trying to do as much as I can on my own. I feel a need to challenge myself to do my daily life. My desk chair has become a good friend. It has wheels, I can wheel it around the kitchen to prepare my meals. I also wheel it around the house when I weary of my crutches. I am not immune to crawling. I have found that is a good way to get around too. It is OK to be humble.

The dilemma of a single person is certainly in the forefront of my mind. There are many of us out there, in the world. When you have a partner there is often a false sense of security. I always assumed Jim would help me out. Now that he is not here I have to be creative in figuring out solutions. In the next few days I plan to start investigating services that might be of use to me. Some of the local grocery stores have home delivery. How do I get around? What if I want to go to the library or a coffee house? Unfortunately I live in an area with limited bus service. Uber might come in handy.

What about exercise? I am not one to sit around. I don’t mind having my foot up for a few days but then I want to move. Gary, has offered me his knee scooter and I think that would be a good solution. A scooter is certainly a better solution for me to go a bit further afield, down to the end of the street to get my mail. I can do some yoga poses so I will continue to practice. Maybe I will even adventure to the gym for some upper body work. I hope they will let me in.

I am so glad that the house has not gone on the market yet. I can delay that. Thank goodness. Right now I am set up in the living room in Jim’s and now my favorite big red Lazy Boy chair. I have the computers close by, the phone is my best companion, and I can see the finches at the feeder outside. I also have four library books sitting next to the chair. Now that is what I call a good set up.

Living alone is easy when one is healthy and able to take care of themselves 100%. With on little slip that can change in an instant. So here is what I know.

  • Ask for help. Be as independent as possible but never, ever be too proud to ask for help.
  • It is good to have friends.
  • Get a good rolling chair in your house, seriously, it helps so much.
  • Ask your HMO for services to help you out. I plan to do that this morning.
  • Investigate your resources.
  • If not on a good diet make yourself get on one. Food heals. This is an important one for me. I have not been very good regarding eating as a single person. Now it will become one of my focuses.
  • Drink plenty of water. That helps heal too.
  • Apple TV helps. I can watch a lot of current movies and documentaries.
  • Get some good books to read.
  • Now is the time to catch up on the chores I don’t want to think about, update all the financial stuff, balance the checkbook, pay bills, clean the desk off while sitting in my rolling chair.
  • Have the phone nearby so I can talk to friends and make calls with minimal effort.
  • Keep the spaces clear in the house so I have a good path for said chair and crutches.
  • And don’t mope, it could always be worse. I haven’t done the moping part yet and I don’t plan to.
  • ASK FOR HELP-this is the one I need to remember most of all.

    Linda, Phyllis, and Mary

    Linda, Phyllis, and Mary

I always thought that as I got older personal growth would slow down. I would have reached “it” whatever that is. Instead, every day I am growing as an individual on this planet. This is one more life lesson for me. Why I needed it might not be clear and that is OK. I find I need to accept this latest incident as just another place to discover thankfulness and gratefulness. Even though it has only been a few days, already, I am soooooo…..grateful to so many. Grateful to Yvonne who stepped in at the last minute to take a tour I was suppose to lead this week. Grateful for Nancy who fixed my fence last night so Miss Elsie the cat can still venture into the yard. Grateful to that couple who picked me up and drove me two miles down the hill. Grateful to Linda and Mary for all their assistance. Grateful to Phyllis who is always there when I need her. Grateful to Gary who is going to loan me his knee scooter. Grateful to everyone else who is out there loving and supporting me as I continue to explore the life of the single person. Sigh.

And here is why I was in the desert in the first place.

Desert Sun Flowers

Desert Sun Flowers

Sand Verbena

Sand Verbena

Desert

Desert Primrose

 

Desert Liliy

Desert Lily

Forgiveness Revisited

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north shore Lake Superior

 Lake Superior

I am returning to the subject of forgiveness. I have been traveling for quite a few days through miles and miles of forests and lakes. There is nothing out there except forests, water and the Trans-Canada Highway. It gives a woman time to ponder.

There have been times in my life because of something I said or did that I have seen friendships fade away. Sometimes it feels OK and sometimes there is a bit more reckoning that I need to do. I wish forgiveness was an easy process but it always seems so complex. There are times that it is not anyone’s fault that friendships end. They just do. By acknowledging my role in the departure, I choose to not feel angry or hurt. Mostly I am learning not to blame myself and tell myself that I am a bad person. It has taken me over 60 years of my life to understand this and not hurt or feel guilty about it. Mostly I am finally learning to not blame myself for everything. Whew, it has been a long process and I certainly know the learning curve is not over yet.

Sometimes friends come into my life for a short period of time and then we part often with fondness. The end of the friendship is not often spoken of, we just head in different directions. If we see each other again, we greet each other, enjoy some time and then go on our way. Sometimes we never see each other again.

Here is one of the things I don’t understand about forgiveness. Why are some people able to forgive and others not? Why is it important to some and not to others? What is about this act that is so tough and yet can wield such powerful results? What role does religion play in this? I think about the Amish community in Pennsylvania who after a tragic incident at the school, the community went to the wife of the man who killed so many and forgave her and helped her and her children through a difficult time. That took my breath away and it made my heart open. I wonder if I could do this. Hopefully I will never have to know.

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How do I forgive myself? I don’t just look in the mirror and say I forgive you and it is done. I feel that the first step in forgiving myself and others is recognizing that we are all imperfect human beings. Not one of us is without flaws. Maybe then, the first step is to stop expecting so much of ourselves and others. When I can expect less of myself or others then maybe I can begin to forgive myself. I believe that forgiving oneself is where all forgiving starts.

For me, recognizing that I have flaws as well, gives me the freedom to begin to not always blame myself for everything. Part of forgiveness is to acknowledge that I have done everything possible and now I leave it in the universes hands. I am still responsible for cleaning up my act and making sure that I don’t do the same thing again. Maybe the next time I will step back and take more than a moment to assess before I act. Maybe not but I can only hope that would be so.

I find myself grieving for the loss of some friendships. I think grief is a part of letting go and forgiving. At the same time I have begun to feel whole and at peace with this strange thing called relationship. Relationships of any sort are hard. It doesn’t matter if it is a lover, a co-worker or someone you only meet a few times. Relationships are hard!! I can see me still trying to understand and get this point as I age.

I will continue to ponder on forgiveness for a long time to come. Today I am thankful for learning about forgiveness. Today I am grateful for friendships. Today I am grateful that I can still learn and grow and try not to be so hard on myself.

Today I would like to think and feel that I can forgive myself.

The Wandering Kitty Checks In

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Elsie le Chat

Elsie le Chat

Bonjour, c’est Elsie le chat. Hee hee. When in Quebec Province I try to speak like the locals. It is hard. I am just a little cat. I find meow is a universal language for us kitties.

Janet and I are on our way west. One day I see the ocean and all that wonderful sand and rock and then next day just trees. Lots and lots of trees. First there was lots and lots of water and now, trees. I wonder what will be next.

IMG_5739We met this woman, Barbara the other day. She was really nice. She came as a package. She had a dog named Spencer. I know Spencer wanted to come in and eat my food but he was good and stayed out. That was probably because he was being watched. When us animals are being watched we are on our best behavior.

At times like this when meeting a dog I am glad to have my little house to hide in. I feel kind of brave looking at dogs, from inside. I watched Spencer come running across the yard. I was hoping he did not see me.

Wow, I cannot believe all the places I have been. Water, any kind of water still makes me nervous. I won’t hide though but I do keep a good watch on it, just in case it does something other than what it normally looks like.

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Boats waiting for water

Boats waiting for water

Today Janet and I drove along a waterway called the St Laurent (St Lawrence Seaway). Now here is what I mean about water. There was no water anywhere. the only thing I saw was mud for miles. Janet said

the tide was out. I am not sure what that means but at least I had an explanation. Boats were just laying on their sides waiting for the water to return. I wonder if it does. It looked like it might be fun to walk around in the mud but there were too many people around and I would have needed a blanket to hide under.

Our trip is not over yet. Janet says we still have places to see but that we are on our way home. I thought this Roadtrek was home. I am a bit confused. Oh well I guess I will just take it one day at a time.

Here is a new place I have found to sleep

Here is a new place I have found to sleep

I have seen amazing things and hope to see some more. When I am not looking around I like to sleep. Us cats do that well. I sleep under the blankets, on my sheepskin (thanks Janet for bringing that) and sometime on the dashboard. It is important for me to get my A’s and D’s.

When things make me nervous hanging behind Janet's leg is a good idea.

When things make me nervous hanging behind Janet’s leg is a good idea.

I am glad to have Janet around. She makes me feel safe most of the time. As caretakers go, she is pretty darn good. I get scratched and petted and played with and no matter where I travel, well that is the most important part. I really like being treated like a princess.

Well I am off to explore the campsite. I will report in soon.

Heading West

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Final Sunset, Prince Edward island

Final Sunset, Prince Edward island

Yes it is true I am finally and slowly heading west. It was very hard to leave Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. I really enjoyed my time there.

Barbara, Janet and Spencer the dog.

Barbara, Janet and Spencer the dog.

What made it even harder to leave was that I met another solo woman Roadtreker at the last campground I stayed in. Barbara and I hit it off and neither of us wanted to say so long this morning. She is living in her RV 6 months out of the year. The other 6 months, in the winter she lives in a 5th wheel in St Augustine, FL. She sold her house that she loved and got rid of all her possessions except what would fit in the RV and plans to travel until she cannot do it any more.

I have learned a few things from Barbara. When she goes somewhere she stays in the same campground for several nights. She doesn’t rush to go see everything. She sets up home in each campground she stays in. Some places she may stay for a month or more. I see her as truly knowing how to live on the road full time.

I have considered doing the same thing yet have been hesitant. I have actually sat in each room of my house and attempted to figure out what items I could see myself living without. It is an interesting process. Some items I can let go of right away. There are others that I have an emotional attachment to. For example the entertainment center in the living room is something that Jim and I were planning to keep for the rest of our lives. It is a beautiful piece of furniture. When I look at it I think of Jim and myself yet when I ask myself if I got rid of the emotions could I let it go. The verdict is out.

So much for the idea of non-attachment. I am still processing on much of the philosophy of Buddhism. Still working on enlightenment.

How do people, one day, let go of all those things that are in their homes? Barbara is not the only one I know that has done this. My friend, Cat, also did the same thing. She sold her home, got on a bike and took her two dogs on a cross country bicycle trip. Now she lives in a Fifth Wheeler and is traveling the USA.

I would love to be able to take that jump. It is not that I want to live in my small and cute Roadtrek but I would like to experience the sense of freedom of letting go of stuff. I don’t know if I ever will. It is something I have pondered on for quite some time. I keep thinking I could rent a storage space and put the things I want to keep in there. Maybe that is a first step. There is nothing wrong with doing things in stages. Step A, Step B, Step C.

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Taking the Confederation Bridge from Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick.

Tonight I am in Moncton, New Brunswick. I am moving northwest towards the St Laurence River. My plan at the moment is to work my way around the northern sides of the Great Lakes. I have never been there. It seems like a good enough reason to go there.

As I head west I will have a lot of time to ponder non-attachment.

So today I guess I am thankful for my “stuff” and considering letting go of it.

 

 

Last Stop on the Eastward Journey

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imagesYou know what is hard? It is when you have offended your pet and she is not going to let me forget it. The hardest part is that I have no idea what it is I have done. Cats!!!! Just as I think everything is OK she gives me a look with attitude and heads for the blankets. Cats!!!

I made it to Prince Edward Island yesterday. The crossing was about 70 minutes on the ferry. Now PEI has a deal. They let everyone in for free and then you have to pay to leave, either by ferry or by the Confederation Bridge. I am going to cross on the bridge and it is $45. Yow. It would have been more expensive by ferry.

Montague Harbor, PEI

Montague Harbor, PEI

This is a pretty island. It is filled with small towns and harbors and lighthouses. The first day I drove east from the ferry. It is one pretty little town after another. What is in between? Fields. Potatoes, Rye, Wheat, Corn and other grasses I did not recognize. Potatoes are big at this end of the island.

Last night I camped at a very nice RV campground right on a bay. They even offered free kayaks to use but it was raining and this morning, it was extremely windy. No kayaking today.

I ended up my day, today, with a hike in a section of Prince Edward Island National Park. It was a beautiful afternoon. This area contains an extensive and fragile coastal dune system, wetlands and different natural habitats in which numerous rare plants are found.

Parabolic Dune

Parabolic Dune

 

The parabolic dunes (crescent shaped anchored by plants and grasses) are among the most spectacular natural features in this part of the park.

 

 

The Floating Trail

The Floating Trail

 

The floating walkway was one of the reasons I chose this trail to hike on. The water on one side of the dunes is fresh and the other side is the ocean, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It was a wonderful hike, with plenty of photo opportunities.

 

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Janet on the Floating Trail

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Beautiful View

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Doesn’t this look like a water color?

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow I plan to go and explore the other part of this national park. I have extended my departure date for a few days. I did not want to just drive in and drive back out.

As you may be able to tell, I am feeling much better and a bit less road weary. I want to thank you all for letting me vent in my last post. I want to make sure you know I am more than hanging in there. I am enjoying the peacefulness of this island.

Elsie

Elsie

 

 

Now it is back to Miss Elsie and see if she and I can be friends again. Cats!!!!