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Mountain Lion in my Campsite
Yosemite Valley After leaving my silent retreat, I continued through the mountains and ended up driving through Yosemite from the West Entrance to Lees Vining. I spent the night in Yosemite, parked on a pull-out at the side of the road. It was now after Labor Day so it was a bit quieter. There were less families with children, but lots of travelers were still on the road, taking advantage of the glorious September weather and quieter roads.
Yosemite Valley The next morning I drove through Yosemite Valley and saw the large granite walls, which were pretty impressive. I then took the Tioga Pass through to Lees Vining.
It was beginning to feel that my trip was coming to an end. Although I was officially on a four month journey, I had traveled so much and seen so much and was already on the road back home. I knew I could only go a bit further and I would be hitting the hot desert temperatures.
Lake in Tioga Pass, Yosemite The weather in the Sierra Nevada Mountains was perfect in early September, but I didn’t feel to stay there for the rest of the month.
I felt guided to take the June Lakes Loop and I’m so glad I did. It was still early in the day and I found a remote campsite on the river right down the road from a busy private campground. As I began setting up camp, the clouds moved in and it began to rain. Everything was so fresh and clean. I kicked back in my van with my journal and listened to the river rushing and the rain falling.
This is not my photo, but wanted to include one of a similar size Lion as to what I saw. It was “tea time” so I jumped out of the van and went to the back to put the kettle on. As I was preparing to light the stove I heard rustling in the bushes nearby. As I turned to look, there was a Mountain Lion about fifteen or twenty feet away. Obviously she saw me before I saw her and she decided she did not want a confrontation with the likes of me, and trotted off towards the river. I saw her in her full glory, tail swinging behind her.
When I tell the story of my Mountain Lion sighting, people ask me “did you get pictures?” Okay, so here’s the deal. When you see a Mountain lion as close as I did and it is in motion, moving through my site to somewhere else, the last thing on my mind is “oh wait, let me grab my camera.” The adrenaline is kicked in as my instinctive nature is preparing for fight or flight. I’m assessing the situation for possible danger and wondering if the Lion would be stalking me now that she knows I’m here. To grab a camera at a moment like this and chase after her in attempt to get a picture would have been stupid, to say the least.
I barely got my nervous system settled back down and a big white four wheel drive truck pulls right into my campsite. Mind you, I am in a pretty remote area without cell service or anyone else in sight. I had no idea who these people were or why they pulled into my campsite. I stood on the stoop of my van not sure if I should grab the bear spray or not.
Two men jumped out of the truck and began walking towards me. I didn’t say anything. I just looked at them. One of the men said “hello, are you camping here?” I’m looking at my camp set up, and it was pretty much a “no brainer.” “Yes,” I said, still sizing them up. They were older men, and appeared to be Native American. The same man said he wanted to show his friend the river. After he stated his intention, my nervous system calmed down again. They were older men and seemed harmless, so I told them I had just seen a Mountain Lion in my camp. They both seemed a bit concerned and told me to be careful.
The men did their tour of the river and came back through, complimenting me on my van set up. We exchanged a few words and they told me again to “be careful” and be sure to lock up the van at night.
The night went smoothly. It was so quiet! Not a sound from man or mouse, or….mountain lion. I never saw her again, but felt grateful for such an amazing experience. I had hoped to have such an encounter, without danger, of course.
When I was at my campsite outside of Markleeville, I saw a bear across the river and up the hill, sauntering along in the evening, before dusk. It was so far away, there was no concern, however this was a big bear area. There were bear containers for our food in all campsites I visited in California. One was not supposed to keep food in their vehicles because bears are known to break into vehicles. So that was always on my mind, because in my remote locations there was no “bear containers.” I kept my food in the Van and kept it locked up with the windows shut at night. The far away sighting was the only bear I saw on my journey.
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Lake Tahoe and More….
I left the smokey Mount Shasta area and headed to Lake Tahoe. It was only about four hours of driving.Of course, it was beautiful! I have been blessed to visit so many beautiful areas. However, I arrived the week prior to Labor Day and it was really crowded. Since I arrived right before my work week, I didn’t have a lot of time to explore, but did find a few hours to hike around Emerald Bay and take some photos.
One of the highlights of Tahoe was meeting a beautiful fellow solo traveler who was camped next to me. She offered me her extra bag of ice as she didn’t need it and what began as a kind and neighborly gesture turned into an amazing conversation that kept us both engaged for hours. The sun went down and it turned dark, yet we were standing there in the dark talking. By the time our night ended we knew so much about each other and our lives.
Beverly worked in an Orphanage in Haiti and was on leave for a few months for some R & R. Like me she was traveling around in her vehicle but only for a few weeks. We exchanged stories of our travels and it was evident we both had a passion for the Spiritual, “the One” who guides us in our 
lives.On Thursday, prior to Labor Day, I pulled out of Tahoe, searching for a quiet place to ride out the busy weekend. Some might say “is this even possible?” But, I trust in “the one” who guides my footsteps and only about an hour away, outside a little town called Markleeville, I found my place.
My Intention was to have a week of silence and solitude. I took a week off work and went into an area that was out of Cell range and just unplugged. It was heavenly. -
Mt. Shasta and Shedding Old Skins
I would have loved to offer a beautiful image of Mt. Shasta, however with the nearby fires, I never saw the mountain. It was so covered in a smokey haze.I stopped in the City of Shasta to stock up on supplies at the Natural Food Store and then headed toward McCloud. About eight miles past McCloud was Fowler campground and there was actually some blue sky there. I was tired. I had just driven from Gold Beach, Oregon, down the Redwood Hwy and up I-5. I was ready to stop for the night.
This is a favorite campground of mine as I have stayed here several times. I booked a site for the weekend so I didn’t have to deal with weekend traffic or camping issues. I did a lot of hiking along the river, visiting, the lower, middle and upper falls. The weather was perfect. Other than having a group of rowdy men camping next to me, it was a great weekend. Well, the men were actually pretty respectful, always engaging me in conversation and asking if they were too loud. They seemed conscientious about not being too disturbing to other campers. This was their annual men’s camping trip. Far be it for me to put a damper on that. I just surrendered and enjoyed my time there.
Precious little deer in ,my campsite. She was there with me most of the time. Prior to stopping at Fowler, I had spent four nights fourteen miles down the Rogue River out of Gold Beach, Oregon.
Since I was in my work week, I had to drive the fourteen miles every morning to Gold Beach to work. There was no reception down the river.
This was a bit of a rough week for me. The weather in Gold Beach was cold and gloomy and I was doing some heavy duty emotional processing. I had to switch campsites three times due to reservation issues and while carrying a heavy bag, I badly hurt my neck. Driving the long, windy road along the river with the bad neck made me car sick.
My Van had become my cave and I spent more time in it then out. I wasn’t hiking or spending much time in nature, although I was camping in nature. I was doing a lot of writing in my journal and dealing with some archaic pain coming to the surface as well as a lot of physical pain. I don’t think I took one picture during this four day stay.
upper falls It felt like I had gone deep into the cave where there was no sunlight or fresh air. The deeper into the cave I went, the deeper into my own subconscious I went.
The drive from Gold Beach to Shasta was equally heavy. It was cloudy with thick, dense fog way into the Redwood Forest, which was beautiful, but I didn’t feel like stopping this time.
Once the clouds lifted the smoke started. There was really thick, dense smoke from the top of the mountain all the way to Mcloud, California and it never let up. I felt the sadness of all the forests burning, which seemed to match my current mood. I released so much of the pain I was holding onto and what followed was a calm, peaceful state.
Once I found my camp spot, everything shifted. It was like the clouds cleared away and I felt happy and connected again. I had integrated some things that needed to be integrated, and cleared what needed to be cleared. My connection with the earth and the nature around me was powerful over the weekend.It is said that the ocean is where we go to get in touch with our emotions. I was deeply in touch but happy to drive away from the Ocean and back to the Mountains.
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Breaking my Amazon Prime Addiction
The title of this article probably hit a cord with some of you reading this. Because Amazon Prime has made shopping extremely convenient and we don’t have to leave the comfort of our home. We can order anything from food to electronics and it normally arrives within two days.When you are a busy, working individual, this is incredibly appealing. You also have the benefits of reviews, to see how other “purchasers” feel about their purchase. We have the option of choosing only the products that are available on Prime, and we can choose only 4-5 star reviewed products. It is like we have all these friends who are telling us, “yes I loved that gadget,” to “don’t waste your money.”
When I hit the road on my “Flying Solo” journey, I knew I would have to take a break from Amazon Prime, but did I ever give it a good final run before leaving. I bought just about everything I needed from my Coleman Cook stove to my Igloo fridge. I bought extra batteries, battery operated lanterns, solar chargers and special gadgets to make my trip, more comfortable. Some things worked out and others were in the category of “don’t waste your money.” In the end, it was more positive than negative, which is why I continued to remain addicted.The Amazon delivery trucks visited my home in Arizona, almost daily. There was always something I needed. But as I was getting ready to go on my journey, I had to assess the difference between what I actually needed and what was just feeding my addiction. I actually had a bit of anxiety as I realized I didn’t have two days left to place any last-minute orders.
The “wake up” call came when my Quickbooks program revealed that I had over $6,000 dollars worth of Amazon purchases last year. Some people would say that was low. I purchased a new computer and various business necessities, but it was a reality check for me. I had to ask the question “how much of this do I actually need and how much is just filling a gap?”
As I pulled out on my “Flying Solo” journey, I actually had far more packed in my Van than I needed. I was ready to start throwing things out the window, or giving them away. Instead, I reorganized and made what I was actually using or wearing on a daily basis more easily accessible. The moral of that story….”next time pack lighter.” More space, less stuff, has become my new motto.It takes approximately thirty days to break a habit, or form a new one. If this is truly the case, then thirty days into my trip, my habit was changed. This was a great benefit of the journey. I was no longer addicted to Amazon Prime, because I no longer had access to my drug. Sure, I could find a friend or family member where I could order while visiting and the merchandise would arrive during my visit. I did think of that. But I didn’t follow through. It seemed rather ridiculous. After the first thirty days, I could see just how ridiculous it was.
Lack of availability of one’s drug, makes it so much easier to break an addiction.
Okay, so now I am going to get really honest. I work with addictions! I know what it is to be so addicted to something or someone, our ability to function in the world is slim to none. I have had a severe eating disorder and also the same addiction to an ex-narcissistic partner that most people experience in this situation. My Amazon Prime addiction was nothing like that. Once I left my house, I didn’t really think about it, unless I felt I needed something, I normally ordered through Prime. So, it was really more a habit than an addiction. A habit becomes an addiction when our life becomes unbalanced and unmanageable as a result and we lose healthy functioning. This happens a lot with Computer/Internet/Cellphone addiction.
Another benefit of my Flying Solo journey is that I have spent far less time on the computer and Internet. It was so easy, in the evening, to just plug in and tune out the world as I watched youtube video’s and read interesting articles. When I don’t have electricity or Internet, which was frequent on this trip, the temptation is removed. As I said, lack of access to our addiction makes it much easier to stay away from it.For me if Internet and electricity was truly an addiction, I would have had to plan my trip around locations where I had access. Sometimes this was important, such as on my work days. But I enjoyed being further out in nature where there was no signal. Where I am camping, while writing this article, I’m fourteen miles out of town, where there is no signal. I drive the 28 miles a day so that I can work. But I have gained a new appreciation for not always being “plugged in.” I appreciate the ability to “plug in” to nature and get fed from this powerful energy.
What will happen when I return home and have all the conveniences of Internet, electricity, a large clothing closet and Amazon Prime? It is my hope, I will have learned from this journey and incorporate a much more minimalistic lifestyle. I hope to take my van often to natural places and just kick back and write.
I’ve taken to writing in my journal because it is always available and doesn’t require anything but a creative mind and a functional pen. I have to go through the inconvenience of transposing later, but this is okay, because it gives me the opportunity to refine and edit my writing.
Learning to be more minimalistic and “unplugged” is probably the greatest gift of this journey so far. It is something I can take with me.Learn to be happy with less.
It is so ironic that as I write this, I am listening to Matt Kahn, a favorite spiritual teacher of mine, and he is talking about how too many options actually creates unhappiness. Wow!
Yes, I am writing and listening at the same time. Multi-tasking. But so interesting how the same lessons come to us from all directions, when it is time to learn them.
I am an eager student of life and so very grateful for these lessons; the lessons that make my life richer, deeper and more spiritually connected. Some lessons are easier to learn and others much more difficult, but they all are valuable, nevertheless.
And so the journey continues…..
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Back on the Road Again
After two weeks visiting family and taking a break from van life, I am back on the road again. I made my way to the Oregon Coast and slowly moving along the coast enjoying amazing views out of the back of my van.
In between Depot Bay and Newport is a great place to see the humpback whales. I had a favorite spot to park my van during the day and for sunsets, where I saw several whales quite close to shore. This area had deeper waters close to shore and didn’t have a beach. I was unable to get a picture because the whales only surfaced very short periods of time and went right back under the water. So I borrowed a photo as a reminder of this amazing experience. I was able to 
identify where the whales were by the spouting.This leg of the journey seems to be more about writing and reflection and less about hiking and activity. I’ve spent long hours curled up in the back of my van with my journal writing down my inner reflections and the wisdom of higher guidance.
The coast is quite cool, compared to other places I’ve been and the wind has been very strong. The cool temperatures inspire going into my Van Cave, to break the wind. I often have the doors open, depending on which direction the wind is blowing. I feel fortunate that my little condo on wheels has seen some amazing views.
My first night at the beach, I had another encounter with a young man, twenty something, I would guess. I went to a Thai Restaurant to get “take out” and this bright, happy young man greeted me with a big “HI” as I walked in the door. Just like the experience at Birch Bay, I was taken a bit by surprise and I asked him if he worked there. He said, “No, I just like the food.” I sat down next to him and we had a great talk about “living in vehicles,” and music. We were both musicians and were currently living in our vehicles. Within minutes we were talking like two old friends and passed the time as I ordered and waited for my food. Joshua shared his music with me and I shared a bit of mine with him. We said our goodbyes and parted ways. I enjoyed my Thai food at my favorite bluff, as I watched the glorious sunset. (If you are reading this Joshua, this is me saying hi and thank you for your kindness.)There was a very beautiful, majestic cloud formation in the sky that night.
Sometimes along the road of life, we have the opportunity to experience the random kindness of strangers, who are really “friends in disguise.” It is as if “light recognizes light” and “love recognizes love.” Just this morning, prior to sitting down to write this post, a stranger bought my coffee. The coffee house preferred cash to credit and I didn’t have anything smaller than a hundred, which they couldn’t break. I went to grab my debit card and the man behind me in line paid for my coffee. Of course, this felt amazing and I had a smile on my face that seemed to be contagious as I became aware of others smiling at me. Smiles are so infectious. We need to use them more often.
Have you ever seen the video where someone on a commuter train started laughing. The laughter was contagious and all the solemn faces on the train just couldn’t contain their smiles. Everybody on the train was laughing within a short time and people were getting on the train to this overwhelming presence of happiness and laughter. They couldn’t help but to join in. People were getting off the train with big smiles on their faces.
We have such power to affect others positively with just a warm heart, a kind smile and a caring act. If each morning when we wake up we can ask the question “how can I grow in greater love today?” We will be guided and given opportunities to let our love light shine.