The Gypsy Van Captain's Blog

Most of you who read my blog know that I purchased a 1998 Eurovan/Winnebago a few months back. It's been an amazing gift in my life and I love being in it. My partner, Alex has been instrumental in getting her all fixed up and road ready and has been a great and very fun travel pal.

The Pearl Suite

I wanted to create a "Captain's Blog" of our travels - so here goes. We've already had such incredible journeys and put more than 5,000 miles on the van. I may go back and write about those here but for now I'll start with our last trip.

Saturday, June 28.

The Ebony Suite

We are getting very good at being able to throw what we need in the van and make a quick getaway. We decide to drive to McCammon, Idaho for the grand opening of my cousin's hotel. He has purchased a building that was built in 1901 and sat empty for many years and created an incredible boutique hotel with 8 rooms. It's now called The Harkness Hotel. We were there a few weeks back and could not believe that he would be ready for the grand opening this weekend. There was still so much to do. But with the help of his large extended family who worked with him 24 hours a day for the last several weeks - they had a great opening. More than 1,000 people came to support them. I'm so glad we went.

Later that evening, we drove to Lava Hot Springs for a soak in the famous healing waters. We walked around town for a bit and the place was buzzing with energy. Live music on the street, a vendor selling buddha statues, drums, incense and banners, a line outside the ice cream store a block long...

The Harkness Hotel

We went to the main the hot tubs and it was a madhouse. Way too many people and it didn't look at all relaxing. We went down to the Lava Hot Springs hotel where they have their own pools and it was a much better scene. Beautiful pools of different temperatures, a man playing guitar, a huge cockatoo named Peru watching over things and lovely people. We stayed until they closed at 11 pm. I have not felt so relaxed and happy in many weeks, it seems. It was so sweet.

We grabbed a quick shower and headed back to McCammon in the van. We parked at the small rodeo grounds near clean new bathrooms and buttoned up our van for the night, made our comfy bed and crawled in. It's called boondocking - parking someplace for the night with no plug in, no sewer line....and we're getting really good at that too. If we're not going to have the whole "camping" experience of a campground and stay for several hours (or days), we just find a nice safe place to sleep where we won't disturb anyone. It was lovely to walk around the town the next day. So small and quiet on a Sunday morning. We went to The White Wolf diner for good hot coffee, eggs and toast and then we were on our way.

Yummy breakfast

We decided to drive the back way to Maple Grove Hot Springs outside of Preston, Idaho. The road to the hot springs was dirt, rutted and intense. Not really a good fit for our low-to-the-ground van, but it was in such a beautiful valley with the Bear River running through it. We had a nice visit with the current owner and his wife. They plan to make it a healing retreat space, complete with raw food restaurant and a yoga space. They have 8 camping spots, two trailers and two yurts along with one small cabin for rent. It is very much in a state of change and I'm sure in the future it will be amazing. We decided not to spend the night, but put it on our list of places to visit in the future.

We drove toward Logan, Utah on our way home but then looked at a map and decided to take a back road over James Peak and drop down to Eden and Huntsville which is on the east side of the Ogden valley. Probably not a great plan - as the road turned out to be mostly used by 4 wheel drive vehicles and ATV's. Definitely not a place for our *not* off road van. It was a 13 mile stretch that took us over an hour to complete. We were quite shaken and rattled to the core when we got down the mountain but the views were absolutely stunning. What an adventure. We stopped at the park in the Huntsville town square for a walk and a rest for the van and then decided to go up to Snowbasin ski resort for Sunday Blues. It was a delightful, sunny afternoon with great music by Screen Door Porch. We were pretty exhausted by the time we got back to Ogden. It was a pretty intense, fun filled 24 hours in the gypsy van!

A photo montage of my travels

This is my first upload on Vimeo - a photo montage of my travels from 2009 through 2011. I hope you enjoy it. I sure had a great time making it  :-)

Click here......

Number 42

clean out my closet and give all those extra clothes, shoes, hats and purses to someone who needs them and will love them.

Words

Nothing to do but write
writing feeds the soul
why don't I put more words down?

Empty ~ but filled to the brim
bubbling over with things to say
dreams are vivid
haunting
wild
running, chasing
faces from the past
symbols floating

What are the messages?

Dig deep and you'll find the answers
just be still
they are there
within
waiting for the big reveal

 

Julian's poetry and artwork

"To The Dolly Lama~
Today I saw a butterfly.
Nana and Dolly Lama saw stars in the sky.
My name is Julian. I am 5 years old."
          January 11, 2014

dreams in color

orange, maroon, yellow
robes
all swirling
tumbling
meshing
swimming
together
entwined inside
a hot dryer

industrial size
the door like a picture
window

will the colors run
onto my white robe?

I hope so....
I thought

Love me TENder

What's a guy like you doing in a place like this?

sawdust floor
leather vests and chaps
dead animals on the wall
stale beer smell
Johnny Cougar on the jukebox
the room is hungover from the night before

My old friend
haven't seen you in a while
same bright smile
falling inside your kind eyes
big bear hugs

I go outside to say goodbye
only to see you riding away
hog between your legs
wind at your back
happy smile on your face

Back inside
my mom is there
she hands me a shiny dime
in the shape of a heart
Isn't that interesting?
she says




 

I love the things that Julian says

"You're funny, Nana.
But if someone is 100 times funny, then they're just weird."

10 Secrets to Raising Your Vibration

Ten Secrets to Raising Your Vibration

by by David Wolfe

It is great to have little reminders helping guide us on our path wherever we turn. The following 10 secrets are little reminders, they are things we already know and are always inspired to hear and read more about.. By incorporating these 10 secrets into your daily life, you always enjoy more vibrant energy, true joy, abundant prosperity, and exceptional health.

1. Plant Seeds. The most fertile soil in the world is found in the human mind. Seeds are karmic substances: they have a potential and a destiny. If you wish to reap a different destiny in any area of your, you need to plant new different seeds today. As you think so shall you be.

2. Set Goals. If you are not working to achieve your own goals, you are working to achieve another’s goals. Set goals which challenge your brain to think in new directions. Write down your goals with tremendous clarity and intensity. Goals backed by faith will get you there.

3. Have Faith. Faith is the ability to have trust in powers greater than yourself, to stride into the unknown with confidence, and to believe in your own abilities—no matter what. The stronger your faith and clarity, the quicker you will set yourself into the Divine time flow where one is always in the perfect place at the perfect time. Get out on a limb; you will discover that is where all the fruit is!

4. Guard Against the Negative. The opposite of faith is fear and doubt. Doubt stops the full expression of your life potential. Faith is the one power against which fear cannot stand. Be strong and fear not, for strength of deed and sincerity of character will prevail over all obstacles.

5. Trust Your Intuition. Your intuition is the greatest tool you were given to help you navigate through this world. Trust it and use it. Nature will guide you towards growing and achieving the greatest levels of happiness if you simply tune in, listen to, and act upon your intuition.

6. Eat Sun Foods. We are what we eat. Eating plant foods transfers the vital Sun energy directly to you, undiminished. Raw plant food is truly the most perfect food for human consumption. A purification of the diet supports self-healing and radical whole-body rejuvenation.

7. Breathe With Intention. For more vibrant and fresh energy, start breathing with greater awareness. By altering the intensity and frequency of your breath you can calm, cleanse, awaken and rejuvenate your mind and body. The more oxygen available to your cells, the more energy you have to accomplish your goals.

8. Move Your Body. Daily exercise and stretching are essential to excellent health. Moving your body circulates blood, moves lymph fluid, distributes nutrients, cleanses cells and strengthens your body’s systems and structures. A physiology of vibrant health leads to an enhanced mental, emotional and spiritual states. Practice yoga, martial arts, dance, sports, or anything that keeps you moving!

9. Do What You Love. You are endowed with a unique gift. Turn what you have in your heart into something others can enjoy and you may use your rewards to live an abundant life spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially. Remember that wherever your heart is, there too you will find your treasures.

10. Smile. The most attractive thing you can do is smile. Like the Sun, a smile brightens the entire day. Smiles are not just seen they are felt and have a profound and immediate effect. The vibration emitted by a smile is warm, friendly, inviting and best of all it is contagious.
The power of your thoughts, a gentle endearing smile, a confident stride, and a knowingness of your place in this world are all vibrations that define who you are. By raising your own vibration, you alter the vibration of others and the world around you. A great transformation in a single individual can alter the destiny of the human race. Now is always the best time to rise above, to make a difference, to profoundly change the world by starting with a few shifts within yourself.


http://www.thesmartwitch.com/

Things I've Learned From Walking The Dog

I find myself back in Healdsburg, for the third time, house and dog sitting for a lovely couple who are about my age. They travel a lot and this time they are in Panama for 2 weeks.

I really like coming to their simple, comfortable home and taking care of Coco, the crazy Pit Bull Corgie. I like the town of Healdsburg but even more I like the surrounding wine country and the open space in the hills where Coco and I spend part of each day.

Coco is a complicated soul. She's an angel trapped in a body that doesn't work well on many levels. She's pissed off a lot of the time and I can't say that I blame her. As a result she doesn't have many friends.

This time around, she is sulky and won't eat. She decided to show her discontent by tearing up the outside couch the day before I got here when she was left on her own.

Coco really is a dear girl and I love her. I hope she has an easier time next time around. That is if we do get a next time in the big scheme of things....

Coco and I walk each day and I learn a lot about life.

On our walks out in the beautiful natural surroundings of Healdsburg, I find I have to work hard this time to stay present. I let the leash get too long and my mind wanders off; have to remember to call so-and-so, have to make that entry in the spreadsheet I'm working on, did I make that bank deposit? What should I have for lunch? Maybe I should run down to that cute little coffee shop for a latte today....

I then remember to reel it in. To be in the present moment. To witness the layers of leaves crunching under our feet, piles of gold, red and brown, signaling the Fall season that is here in this present moment. I remember to listen to the birds overhead as they guide us on the trail. Cackling and talking about what's going on down below. I stop at my favorite old Madrone tree with is smooth red branches, old as time, it seems. She has a lot to say too. I watch the trail of ants marching along the trunk. The ant gang is busy in their day getting ready for the rainy winter that's sure to come.  I hear a rustle in the dry grass and look over to see four curious deer watching us. Ears perked, eyes wide. Deer in the headlights. Two squirrels chatter on the other side, taunting Coco. With a low growl and getting ever lower to the ground, she thrusts her 50 pound body towards them. With a yank on the leash, I try and reel her in. She is definitely living in the present moment....

Thank you for the lessons you teach me, Coco. I hope we have many more walks together in the coming years.

Number 43

Drink more water!

Mr. Lovett

Last weekend, I saw Lyle Lovett perform at the Deer Valley amphitheater along with a several hundred friends.

It was a beautiful evening that started out with fierce winds and intense rain. The weather report said that the storm would pass and hoped it was right as we sat in our car in the parking lot eating our picnic dinner. We arrived early in order to get good lawn seats. We had all we needed, except for additional layers that may save us from frost bite in the mountains of Park City.

This is probably the 15th time I have seen Lyle in concert since he came into my life in 1989 when I heard songs like "Here I am," "Nobody Knows Me," and "I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You." I revisited the first two albums and fell more madly in love with "If I Had A Boat", "L.A. County" and "Give Back My Heart". Lyle was pigeon-holed as a country singer during those times but with the release of Lyle Lovett and His Large Band in 1989 it was clear that he was so much more. Blues, Jazz and nothing but class. He was different. Really different and I adored him.

As the rain cleared on this August night, we found spaces with our folding chairs very near the front, next to the place that was blocked off for those with handicaps. The guy in charge of the space told us he would give us the "all clear" signal a half hour into the show if no one showed up to claim the grassy area and we could move as close as the front row. And we did.

No matter how many times I have seen Lyle perform, I always get a little giddy just before he takes the stage. He is a presence there. A smooth, tall drink of water with messy - and now a little graying - hair. His trademark. It's not as big as it once was but still a standout feature on his tall, lanky body.

The Large Band takes the stage first, every one dressed in dark suit, white shirt and tie. They play the intro - The Blues Walk and then Lyle comes on, smiling his wonderful, crooked smile, taking up guitar and starting with a slow, burning version of "Black and Blue" from the second album. 

Lyle fans are cool too. They are older - 50's and up and they know how to have a good time. Even the guy next to me who thought he had to drink straight vodka all night and dance until fell down - he knew all the words. Just hope he remembers what a great time he had :-)

Lyle  and The Large Band played, talked and sang for three hours. One of the very best performances in my experience of him. He just gets better with age. Like a very fine wine indeed.

Thanks Lyle, for your important words and for playing the soundtrack of my life for more than 25 years.

The Joy of Giving - From Five Year Old Eyes

On a 98 degree Monday, Julian and I decide to go to the local pool, one I have never visited before. When we arrive I am overcome with nostalgia. It feels like the pools I used to go to as a kid, where you can get candy at the concession stand, take a break from the sun at a picnic table in the shade, jump off the ancient looking diving board or play ball in the kiddie pool where you can easily stand up.

After paying our $6 admission, we change into our suits and hit the pool. There are water slides into the 4 foot pool and we head for those first. I am a little stunned that the way up to the slide is a platform climbing situation, instead of user friendly stairs. Julian is at the top in a heartbeat and waits while I hoist myself to each platform. I don't think I'll be a doing a lot of water sliding today...

I go down first so I can help him when he comes gets to the water. I feel like Alice in Wonderland as I fit myself into the kid size tube, but once I begin to slide, the world is a red blur. In seconds I am shooting out of the hole, into the water. Sunglasses flying, ill fitting swimsuit top slipping....I'm laughing as I gather myself and tell Julian to come on down. In a second he shoots out the hole like a banana out of the peel and goes under. I grab him and pull him up and his eyes are wide with surprise. He didn't think it was going to be such a fast ride either.

We spend the next several hours playing with an orange ball we got at the dollar store, going from kiddie pool to big pool and him laughing as I do a wobbly cannon ball off the wobbly diving board.

Later we are relaxing in the shade, eating hot french fries with delicious thick pink sauce, sipping cool water and talking about what a fun day we're having. He asks for some Starburst candies from the concession stand and I give in. I know he's spent a whole lot of energy today and maybe a little sugar is ok...

He opens his brightly colored candy stack and there are about 12 gooey cubes, individually wrapped. He tells me he wants to give some to the kids he was playing with in the pool and I watch as he offers them a treat. They smile and say thanks. Julian looks around and sees other kids and runs to them with an offer of candy. He goes around the entire pool, giving some to the teenage lifeguards, the Hispanic family at their table, the pre pubescent girls in tiny two piece swim suits, the toddlers in the kiddie pool. The whole time he has a big smile on his face. He comes back with one candy left, sits down to unwrap it and pops it into his little happy mouth.

I wrap my arms around him and give him a tight squeeze. "That was so great, Julian," I say. "Doesn't it feel good to share with everyone?"

"Yeah," he says with a sugar coated smile. "It makes my brain feel good."