Ain't Got Time for That

I don't have time to blog any more.  The muse that so filled me with words and letters I needed to write has been on sabbatical for more months than I can count and my recent life has been lived within a swirling whirl wind.  This was my day last Thursday:

Got a text from Steve to come visit so I made the short walk to his site for our almost daily conversation and laugh fest.  A little caramel Baileys made everything even funnier.  A few hours later and it was time for line dancing.

After line dancing I was back in my RV when Mr. Wizard came by to talk about his recent dental surgery.  At one point in his life he was a silversmith so I asked if he could help fix a necklace I recently purchased.  Off we went to his RV where I played his crystal and Tibetan bowls while he fixed the necklace.

Left his RV and was heading home when Evie flagged me down to discuss her cervical bone spurs and her recent visit to the neurosurgeon.  While in her RV I saw Steve knocking on my RV so found him as soon as my conversation with Evie was over.

Back to Steve's RV where he has promised to make steaks for dinner.  A little more Baileys and conversation before I was interrupted with a text from my bank regarding recent fraudulent purchases on my credit card.  Dang!  Probably need to take care of that so out of my chair and here comes Gordon in his cadillac golf cart to give me a ride back to my RV.

The bank taken care of, back to Steve's for dinner.  In the middle of dinner Dutch and Evie come by so we are all soon outside for more conversation and laughs.  As it gets dark, here comes Dave with an electric razor in his hand.  He has gashed his head and wonders if someone can help with any further trimming of hair and help with the butterfly bandages.  Seems I am the only one with the stomach for this kind of thing so I spend a good 15 minutes helping repair the back of his head.

What a day!!  That one was particularly full but all my days seem to be filled with activity, laughter and conversation.  I am also learning how to Swedish weave and practicing an Abba song for the talent show next month.  Add in water volleyball and line dancing and well....is it any wonder I have no time for blogging.

Filling Time

It is summer once again and since I retired I have no summer workamping job to keep me stationary for months on end.  That means I have time to fill and places to travel.  And so, I have been traveling.

After my many months in Arizona I said good bye to the tiki bar and my winter family and started my way back to Eugene.

Bye bye Tiki Bar!

I was back at City of Rocks, NM for the Equinox to meet up with friends I met during the Kaypacha Healing Festival and Star Knowledge Conference and met new friends that I would continue to enjoy in Truth or Consequences, NM and Elephant Butte, NM.  I wonder what world I have stumbled upon while at City of Rocks when I can climb the stones to the other side for a drumming circle, watch the sun set atop these magnificent Rock Beings and then climb back over to my side of the park and and attend a star gazing party.  I continue to be enchanted with New Mexico and in particular this state park.

Just one of the campsites at City of Rocks, all of them are unique and amazing!

New Friends

Reunion in Shasta with Kaypacha Healing Festival friends

I spent a week stuck in Albuquerque due to high winds and then headed to the Bisti Wilderness http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/bisti_badlands/.  Spooky and other worldly!

Just a small sampling of these formations

I viewed Ship Rock, NM from a distance and my plans to stay in Farmington, NM were quickly dashed when I pulled into what I considered a VERY unsafe RV park where I quickly made a U-turn and continued down the road to Cortez, CO and a brand new park in the Ute Mountains.

Ship Rock, NM

Park at base of Ute Mountains

And then I went where I have longed to go...Four Corners, where the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet and form a cross.  It did not disappoint and the drive from Four Corners to Moab, Utah was one of the most beautiful of my life.

Another place on my list of "wanna go there some day" was Moab, Utah and Arches National Park.  Words nor pictures can describe what I found at Arches.  It is for each to have their own experience of this profound creation.

Arches National Park.  Love the rainbow effect.

After Moab my mission was to get back to Eugene.  My dad was going in for triple bypass and "just in case" I wanted to be near an airport.  All went well and he is doing well in his recovery and rehabilitation.  I feel so very fortunate to still have both parents living and walking on this earth and enjoying good health well into their mid-80s.

That's my dad....aka Herbie

But returning to Eugene is always a good thing.  I get to spend time with my son, his girlfriend, their dogs and some of the best friends a person could wish for. 

The best gift ever is when I get to watch my son dj

And be there for his girlfriend's birthday

And spend time with Ralph and Bella

I stayed a month before getting the "hitch itch" and then spent a few weeks traveling the Oregon coast, slowly moving from Florence to Newport to Pacific City. 

Mother's Day in Florence, OR

Octopus feeding in Newport, OR

Busy time in Pacific City, OR

Visited the Rogue Brewery and Pelican Brewery

And when I had my fill of the Coast, seafood, brew pub beers and the misty salt air, it looked like Reno, NV had the best weather around so that is where I am now.  Enjoying this border town between California and Nevada and enjoying the very good company of the tiki bar owners from Buckeye.  Thursday we went to Blues on the Porch, fed some burros, bought some farmer's market produce and remarked upon our amazing lives that lead us to such pleasures.  Blues, brews, perfect weather, friends to laugh with, open skies and roads to travel...having the time of my life.

Multidimensional

It's been awhile, but I am still here.  I have fallen into a vortex of hilarity here in Buckeye, AZ and life has just gotten too full to blog.  I took the trip to Palm Springs for the Star Knowledge Conference and made two trips to Sedona to visit friends but now feel stationary for at least another month or so.  Between water volleyball, line dancing and weekly socializing I have just enough time left for my pile of books which keeps getting higher.  I am currently reading the Divine Blueprint, the New Akashic Records and The Symbols (the Universal Symbols and Laws of Creation), and then there is the book on my Kindle that I am reading and a paperback novel for when I am at the swimming pool.  Walking in many dimensions.

I had a vision of a flute that has many air holes, each a different dimension of which I play singularly or in varying combinations.  That is definitely what it feels like.  Some days I am hanging with Elvis at the tiki bar, other days drumming in Sedona.

Tiki Bar with Elvis

Drumming in Sedona

Hermit time

I haven't blogged much lately.   I know.  But I just have not felt the need, energy or desire.  Previously I would blog entire posts in my head before I would put them down on computer but that hasn't happened in months.  My stream of inner conversation seems to have halted.

My guess would be because I have just been so busy!  When the festival ended I stopped in Eugene for a week and had five clients during that week.  Then I went back to the ECETI ranch (http://www.eceti.org/) over the Labor Day weekend and downloaded more information than I could process so needed a month of inner reflection and minimal outward distractions.

That took up the month of September into mid-October when I found myself in Chico, CA.  I met some people at the festival's first venue that live in Chico and I had hoped we would reconnect again as I headed south.  I stopped in Chico for a week and I saw seven clients over a four day span as well as spending lots of time with my new friends.

Now I am on the road again heading to Arizona.  After a long day on the road I don't feel like blogging.  I don't feel like talking about the road, the park I am at for the night or my inner feelings.  I just want to veg out.  I feel all talked out from the festival and my time in Chico.  My energies have been taken up with meeting so many new people in the flesh.

As my plans stand now, I will be in Arizona for two weeks then traveling back to Palm Springs for a conference (http://www.starknowledgeconference.com/).  Or not.  That decision has not been finalized.

But that is why I have felt too busy to do much other than just live my life.  It has felt too full to add anything else into the mix.  I need my hermit time.

I'm Baaaaack!

Kristi, Anouk Sophia, Lori and Me

Well, kinda back anyway.  I spent four weeks on the road with 21 of some of the most amazing and beautiful people I have ever met.  They came from Slovenia, Australia, Switzerland, England and the United States and we lived with some of the most challenging circumstances you can imagine. 

We formed into a community of healers, healing ourselves as well as helping others with their own healing.  We camped on top of mountains (Mt. Shasta, Mt. Adams, Mt. Ashland and the California Coastal Mountains) and found our way through the myriad ways and shapes of a developing community and all its many challenges, all the while being out of our own particular version of "comfort".  We all fell apart at one point or another (I personally found myself in a fetal position crying) and yet we all stayed together and in the end there was nothing but profound love for one another.

Yoga With Mt. Adams

During this particular yoga session I felt waves of love blanketing the planet and knew I had been part of creating something that made a difference.  Something that was so special in its making.  Knowing that we all showed up, no matter what, and planted the seeds of a new beginning.

Fortuna, CA

I am stationed in Fortuna, CA for a few days, the last of my RV parks before the Kaypacha Festival.  Tuesday I head to Garberville, CA and the great unknown.

I have heard that the road to the Heartwood Institute is "scary and challenging" so am a bit concerned but also excited to board this thrilling ride.  I am also feeling nervous and excited about stepping into this community of my fellow gypsy travelers who have also jumped off the cliff into this great unknown.

I won't have cell service or internet access for the upcoming week and my updates may be few and far between as I festival travel for the next month.  But I do hope there will be some interesting tales to tell when I eventually resurface.

Off I go, into the wild blue yonder.  Climbing high into the Sun....

Break Free Story

 For those of you who may be interested in hearing more about my spiritual journey this link will take you to a recording of my Break Free Story.  My story begins around the 1:00:00 mark and it will only be available for a short time.  Enjoy:).
http://www.bethmartens.com/break-free-stories-kaypacha-archives/

Brookings, Oregon

It is a foggy day at the Coast and I am listening to the sound of the lighthouse and the crashing surf.  I changed parks but am still in Brookings, OR.  I love my new site and this new town.

The View From the Last Park I Was In

My New View

There was nothing wrong with the last park I was at other than I could have been anywhere in the U S of A.  It was clean and quiet as was perfect for my needs at the time but now I feel like I am at the coast.  I tried to get a pull through site with a more unobstructed view of the water but since that was not possible I chose the best back-in site I could find. Totally love my new territory and have extended my stay for four more nights.  Perfect, perfect, perfect.

Next stop is Fortuna, CA and then on to join the Festival for a month of traveling.  Gonna be so good!

A Perfect Day

I wasn't having the best of mornings.  I was feeling disconnected, unworthy and old.  Yes, the mirror was telling me I was definitely older.  New signs of aging seem to have magically appeared on my face, neck and arms.  I could swear they weren't there yesterday.  It didn't help that in dream time there had been yet another man I was totally connected to only to awaken and find he had stayed in the other reality.  I hate when that happens and it happens with far too much regularity.  Is it any wonder I want to stay in dream time as much as possible.

But the weather was sublime here on the Oregon coast so I stepped outside my door.....walked a 1/4 of a mile down the road....and walked into a Perfect Day.

The Dock at Brookings, Oregon

A Saturday market was set up on the Brookings dock and with the sun shining and temperatures in the 70s it seemed that everyone was in the best of moods.  And then the gifts just kept on coming:

1.  I purchased a beautiful bead bracelet for $1
2.  Had divine conversation with a beautiful woman as we shared our hearts with one another.   I love those moments of connection, where you are authentically seen.  I saw her, and she saw me and we hugged as we parted, total strangers only a few moments ago.       
3.  A micro-brew and good conversation with the man who brewed the beer and was also a massage therapist.
4.  A gift of some of the best fried shrimp I have ever tasted, compliments of the food vendor next to the beer brewer.    
5.  Held and snuggled a 6 week old Peek-a-Poo puppy.  Fell in love!  Maybe the dog for me?
6.  Browsed a real bookstore and more conversation, this time with the lady who owned the store.   She is loosing her sight and must cut down on her book reading.  We shared our love for books and talked about the haunting episode of the Twilight Zone where the man steps on his glasses.  If you have seen the episode, you will know which one we talked about.  Haunting!  I bought two books and a paisley patterned coloring book.
7.  An Umpqua mint chocolate chip ice cream cone.

I walked home with a pretty big smile on my face, thinking I had just experienced one of those perfect days.  I had turned my "frownie brownie" into a "smiley eyely", my heart was young and buoyant again and it no longer mattered what my old arms had to say.

'Nother Day, 'Nother State

 I had a wonderful 5 days in Crested Butte, Colorado enjoying the scenery, hiking and weather.  And I even enjoyed being parked on the frisbee golf course.  But there always comes the point when it is time to go and when that time came I drove straight into a heat wave.

My Last Hike in Crested Butte

 

It was a good 30 degrees hotter my first rest stop after leaving Crested Butte and it only got hotter the further I drove.  All I could think of was "GET ME TO THE WEST COAST!".  And so with manic desperation I pushed the Aspect and myself through Colorado, Idaho and Nevada and back into Oregon.  Yesterday it was 104 degrees in Winnemucca, NV at 5 PM.  Today in Oregon it was 90 degrees.  Still hot, but a noticeable difference.  Tomorrow I will make it to my west coast destination and the weather should be much cooler. 

The drive from Winnemucca to Klamath Falls, OR was one of the most challenging and beautiful roads I have ever driven.  For the first 200 miles I barely saw another vehicle.  It was mountainous, curvy and desolate.   And then there was this:

It was a section of a rainbow coming out of a cloud.  It was not raining, there were some clouds but I couldn't quite figure out this swath of rainbow that kept getting larger and larger.  And then I looked behind me and saw this:

WOW!  So amazing and not another soul for miles around to enjoy it.  What a wonderful way to start a new day....rainbows, mountains and cooler weather.

Welcome back to Oregon.

Crested Butte, Colorado

I have found myself in Never, Never Land, a town where the Lost Boys have taken up residence.  The name of that town is Crested Butte.

I went to college in Boulder, Colorado and I can't help but feel that I am 18 again and back in college.  So many young people live here!  Mountain bikers, hikers, kayakers, skiers...name any outdoor sport and they are here.  I am dry camping across the street from my friend and it is a parking lot for a frisbee golf course.

I get the distinct impression that no adults live here and certainly don't make the rules.  And yet there is no crime to speak of, the town is thriving and the nature that surrounds the town seems surreal because it is so beautiful.  Everyone I have met in the streets or in the stores seems so happy!

No wonder Peter Pan took up residence.

Golden Days in Golden, Colorado

I finished up my business with South Dakota and started my trek back to Colorado.  I decided to break it up into two days and stopped in Gering, NE and ended up in the most amazing park! (http://www.gering.org/rvpark.html).  Biggest site I have ever had, most cable channels I have ever had and good, fast wifi.  All for $27!!!

Now THAT is a Big Site!

My View (With 2 UFOs on the Left Side - Have No Idea Where They Came From!)

 Sometimes I don't know why I end up where I do, or for what purpose. While in Gering I needed to have my RV looked at after an exhausting day on the road. I drove to one RV repair place and no one was there and I could not reach them on their phone. After a trip back to the RV park and a trip to another RV repair guy, now totally exhausted, I met Butch. Butch fixed my problem and all he asked for in return was a hug. I guess Butch needed a hug and I needed to be there to give him one.

I was tempted to stay for several days to re-energize and take advantage of the site and the amenities but I was on a waiting list for the park in Golden, CO and when they called to let me know a site was available I opted for the road.

I heard about the park in Golden from Amy of gopetfriendly.com.  I met Amy and Rod when they stayed in Truth or Consequences, NM and knew that our routes would be similar.  Thanks again Amy for this beautiful gem of a park! http://www.cityofgolden.net/play/recreation-attractions/clear-creek-rv-park/

Amy Enjoying a Beer During First Friday in Golden, CO

Beyond That Fence is Clear Creek

Clear Creek

Kayaking Clear Creek

Tubing Clear Creek

Even Dogs Enjoy Clear Creek!

 

The creek is freezing but the temps have been in the high 90s so I have seen a lot of action on the path across from me as people head further up stream with their assortment of tubes and kayaks and the intention of floating down stream.  I hear people screaming as the rapids douse them in the frigid water which makes for good entertainment :).

There is always a waiting list for this park and 14 days is the maximum stay.  I will stay my 14 days and then move to the higher elevation of Crested Butte and hopefully cooler weather.  Who'd thought it would be so hot in Golden, Colorado!?

Whirl Wind

It has been a whirlwind lately and I can scarcely keep up with the days as they fly by.

My last day of work in Truth or Consequences was Thursday, May 30th and I left the next day and headed to Santa Fe for the night.  The winds blew me into Santa Fe Skies RV Park (http://www.santafeskiesrvpark.com/) which was a very nice park but the winds made it impossible to do anything other than stay in my RV.  When I left the next morning I drove through the smoke from the Pecos fire which at that time was 0% contained.  The area was so beautiful and green after my many months on the desert and I wondered how much damage was being done to those trees as I sped through 20 miles of smoke.  It was a bit unsettling but as soon as I got through the smoke the roads opened up and it was a beautiful day to be driving and listening to my new love...Sirius radio.  How did I ever live without it????

Now That's An Open Road!

Not Often You Find a Tribute to Women

Next stop was Colorado and a two night stop at the Garden of the Gods RV Resort (http://www.rvcoutdoors.com/gardenofthegods-colorado/).  I wasn't that impressed with the park but my neighbors from Leaf Verde RV Park (which was just awarded the Arizona RV Park of the year award) are workamping there and I wanted to stop and visit.  Jean and I had a wonderful day together in Manitou Springs where we ate, drank and shopped.  Oh, and I just had to visit one of the medicinal marijuana dispensaries.  It is not as open and available as I thought it would be but come January 2014 there will be no problem walking in and sampling the many varieties.  They told me to come back in January:).

Manitou Springs, CO

Lunch at the Keg

Best Strawberry Margarita I Ever Sipped

Gotta Have Your Paperwork

This Cowboy Bell Woke Me Far Too Many Times!!!!  The RV Park Served Dinner and Pancake Breakfast on Sunday Morning.....Who Wants to Hear This Thing on a Sunday Morning at 8:00 AM?????

But the Bar-B-Que Was Delicious and Those Were True Southern Greenbeans

After two nights in Colorado I drove north and spent the night in Cheyenne, WY.  I got in just ahead of a storm that blew 50 mph winds and when I saw those nasty dark clouds rolling in I pulled in my slide.  I have learned my lesson and when I start to experience winds that strong I just roll in my slide and take no chances on another ripped awning.  Dang all this wind!

And now I am in Rapid City, SD with more wind!   Once again I got in just ahead of the strongest gusts but 22-25 mph winds seem to be my new normal.  I am in Rapid City because I have finally gotten around to changing residency and I now have a new address and as of tomorrow will have a South Dakota driver's license and will soon have new vehicle plates.  America's Mailbox (http://www.americas-mailbox.com/) makes it extremely easy to walk through the process and with only one night's stay, although I am staying two nights, you can become a resident and no longer pay tax on your personal income.  Sorry Oregon, I loved you, but your 9% tax was just too much. 

After South Dakota I have around a month to fill before joining the Kaypacha Festival (http://kaypachahealingfest.com/) so I will be heading back to Colorado to hang for awhile.  I love Colorado and am excited about a longer visit.

Pikes Peak Way In the Distance With Very Strange Cloud Above It

And now even though it is only 8:30 PM, I am exhausted and ready for bed.  The whirl and the wind have had their way with me.

Oh What a Day

Serving Coffee During a Work Day

For the last three years I have worked Memorial Day weekend.  I watched the crowds, the families and the crazies from behind a front desk as I checked in the multiple RVers and vacationers out for their first summer weekend.  For me it was the beginning of a long workamping summer and I just wanted to get through that initial weekend and survive to tell the tale.  Well, not this year.  This year I get to be one of the crazies.

Rio Running

They opened up the dam and the Rio Grande came flowing through.  It started as an initial flush which brought all sorts of debris (bales of hay, tree limbs, bottles, cans, pillows) but by Friday most of the accumulated refuse had floated downstream and the river was now fast, deep, cold and totally enticing.  And then what should show up but the invite to float down the river in float tubes, kayaks or rafts.  Count me in!!!!

River Trip with Turtle Back Mountain in the Distance

Joan Ready to Go

Our group ended up being four of us...me and Joan, Ken and Jake (the manager of Riverbend) and an extra inner tube for the cooler of beer.  Because no one wanted to be too far from the cooler we tied our tubes together and had an absolute blast!  It took about 2 hours to float back down to Riverbend which was just the perfect amount of time.  Once back at Riverbend we hopped into the the hot springs and chased away the chill of the mighty Rio.

Jake and Joan with Captain Bob getting the van ready

Ken was in Charge of the Cooler

What a day what a day.   It was such a good day, we are going to do it all over again tomorrow...:)