ONTARIO, OR–I donated the truck to the Oregon Food Bank Friday, but it was too late to rent a car so I had to wait until today (Monday) to leave. Since no surgery date for my mother’s procedure has been set, I’m going to do a little sightseeing on the way to Florida. A few places that have been calling me: The Red Rock region of Utah, Durango, Colorado Springs, St. Louis (the Arch). With just a few jags, they are all along the central west to east U.S. corridor. Probably won’t do much more than pass through and take a few photos, but, as I said, they’ve been calling me.

MT. HOOD, OR–I’m still up on my mountain (don’t ya love that, “I own this mountain”). I’ll get into the why soon, but in the meantime, here are some thoughts on living in a cargo truck.

More below the break (huh?).

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ON THE LAMB IN BELLINGHAM, WA–So I drift into Everson, WA to honor The Bastard Doug Coone’s legacy, stop in a practically vacant church lot, and hop in the back to take a shower (the mornings and evenings are pretty cold up here, so afternoons are best for bathing). Clean and refreshed, I strap on my camera bag and wander around town taking photos and asking locals about a place Doug used to work at called the “Silver Fox.” The entire time I’m in town, the local police officer, let’s call him Earl, is following me about, giving me the evil eye…

More below the break (huh)?

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LOLO NATIONAL FOREST NEAR ST. REGIS, MT–As I drove northwest from Missoula, I stopped by a river, read, ate, and took a bath in its cool, clear waters. With no pressing engagements, I decided to spend the night.

I love the freedom that the stealth camper provides. Without the need to research campgrounds, I can just drive off in any direction I feel like heading, stop when I’m tired, make camp pretty much wherever. The freedom is wonderful.

In the last post I mentioned that I was inquiring into this “pebble” of self, this “Wayne” thing. If you’re interested, I go into it more below the break (huh?).

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ASHLAND, WI–So I’m driving and my mind is spinning around and around with stuff like, “Is this really the lifestyle I want? Look at the freedom! I feel like I’m doing something wrong when I make camp in someone’s parking lot. I can travel anywhere and stay anywhere!”

Round and round and round.

The doubts come up when I can’t get online to do some work or I’m taking a shower with a garden pump sprayer or I’m using a bucket and cat litter for a toilet. The joy and freedom is felt when I pull off the road overlooking Lake Superior, open the back doors and sit in my home and take in the view for a couple hours.

As my mind spun in circles and the doubts whirled, I asked myself, “Did I do the right thing?” and just as clear as day I heard Her voice, “You’ll know when you get out West.”

Until just that moment, I didn’t know where I was heading.

Take over Baby. I don’t need me anymore. Let me just get out of Your way.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA–One of the great lessons that problems teach us, as I have been reminded of over and over lately, is that we can resist them and be miserable, or we can step back, surrender, and feel free as Life takes us on Her own journey.

It’s natural to resist, to fight, to try to overcome the obstacles (the personal self loves to control things), but by surrendering your desires and saying, “Come what may,” you step away from the troubles, and then magically the stress just falls away.

For myself at times like these, I like to slide into what I call the Passionate level of Enlightenment–letting go, opening up, and allowing Her to flow through me.

I probably best described the Passionate Level here (and guide listeners into it here). It’s wonderful to feel some higher power (God, Tao, Spirit, Higher Self, Her) moving through you. You almost never know where it’s going, but it always feels “right.”

PS: Some more photos of the truck’s current interior (with new floor and dressers) below the break. (What does “below the break” mean?)

PPS: I picked up the missing bolt on Monday, the truck is fixed, and I should be heading north to cooler air in a couple days.

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NEWPORT NEWS, VA–It’s amazing what a few holes in a box can do. Two windows and a vent and all of the sudden, there is light and air and Life.

Pure awareness–that which is your nature before your mind starts buzzing–is a lot like the new windows in my truck. It really isn’t anything special, just an opening–but that opening allows for us to see and breathe. What was dark before awareness/windows, is now light. In a very real way, openings allow Life.

I differ from many non-dual teachers in that I spend a lot of time celebrating and appreciating the life that flows forth from this emptiness (and I call that flowing, moving Life, “Her.”)

Before, when I climbed inside the back of the truck and closed the doors it was pitch black and stuffy. Now there is light and air (and Life). Your awareness is the Light and Life–and ironically, your mind confuses things and makes everything dark.

(Raw pictures of the truck with windows and the early bed below the break.  What does “below the break” mean?)

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