(written during the evening of Wednesday, May 13th)
For those of you - maybe random people - who stumble across this blog and wonder what it is, I can only say that this is a document that describes my attempt to create a new me. If you know me, then I suppose you already understand. I have left the only place I have called home during my adult life, left family and friends and career, and decided to see if I can conquer the unknown. I am not ascending Everest or dog-sledding to the North Pole. This unknown resides within me. What will become of me if I strip down to the bare essentials and start again? It is a New Clothing Enterprise that may result in a new me on the outside, but will surely result in a new me on the inside (visit the Thoreau quote in the header of this blog).
I have with me only what I can carry in my car. I always have just enough clothing and shelter to stay warm, and just enough food to last for a day or two. It is no coincidence that I decided to begin this journey from my old town to my new one by camping in forests and parks along the way. Primitive camping starts with the most basic question; do I have what I need to survive until tomorrow? That is exactly where I wanted to start.
I am no Daniel Boone. I don’t hunt my supplies or make them. I buy them. And the ultimate irony is that I sit here now, on a chilly night, warmed by a small fire, typing on my laptop! I guess the concept of “basic” needs has been redefined over the millennia. I can’t help thinking, every time I sit near an open fire, how much it must have changed the lives of ancient man, how much it must have redefined their idea of basic needs. Suddenly there was protection from wild animals, warmth where it had been cold, light when it had been dark.
I departed Gainesville, Florida and have arrived on the wooded fringes of Washington, DC in search of my own fire. Here I am, despite the laptop, and, yes, the cell phone, sitting near the smoky flames, wondering if my New Clothing Enterprise will be successful. The longer I stare into the fire, the more I think I can classify this Enterprise as a success simply because I have tried. Failure would have been sitting and doing what I had been doing; toiling in a joyless routine, suffering from the lack of a challenge, feeling my brain rot inside my head.
The campfire is almost out now. That I can light again tomorrow. It is time to rekindle the fire within.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Symbols...
At all times I wear a necklace with two silver pendants that have symbolic meaning for me. Whenever I become aware that they are there, or see them dangling from their chain, it strengthens my resolve to follow the path I have chosen. Very few people know about these symbols that mean so much to me, so I thought this would be a good time to share…
Allez -
I bought this in June of 2007, and then got a silver necklace to hang it on. I don’t think I’ve taken it off since. It is inspired by a necklace that Johan Bruyneel wore during the 2004 Tour de France. Loosely translated, allez (pronounced ah-LAY) means “go for it!” I try to use it as a constant reminder that reward requires risk, and that the two are often directly correlated. I never want to NOT do something, and then spend years regretting it or wondering if I should have done it.
Some book I was reading not long ago mentioned the success – in private life - of combat veterans after World War II. The nation, rightfully so, provided them with the means to achieve – the GI Bill – but the guys themselves still had to go out and do it. I recall one anecdote, specifically, in which a hearty veteran said that, after the war, he started a business, made some money, risked it, lost it, made it again, lost it again, then made it back again. All the while he was unconcerned and not afraid to continue to follow the path of his own choosing. As he said, “I woke up in the morning, I was still alive and no one was shooting at me.” Risk, it seems, is relative to those who have been exposed to the ultimate risk - in combat. The point was – they achieved, in many cases, because they were not afraid of failure. When one fails, in civilian life, they are still alive, and, in all likelihood, no one is shooting at them.
That is what “allez” means to me. Go for it. Don’t be ruled by fear of failure or the inability to take risks.
Ankh –
This is the classic Egyptian symbol of life, sometimes thought to resemble the “key to life.” I added this to my necklace in December of 2008. By this time, I had pretty well decided that I would make the Big Move - what has become my New Clothing Enterprise – and the ankh reminded me that our needs, when it comes right down to it, are simple. I don’t need a fancy car or a big home or food from expensive restaurants. What I need is to be alive – to live. After that, everything else is a bonus. It is my way of reminding myself to focus on experiences rather than things.
I have been fascinated, for a while now, with outdoor sportsmen – specifically hikers and mountain climbers. Most of them have a hard time explaining what it is, exactly, that gives them satisfaction from weeks spent in the wild, or from ascending high mountain peaks. I often think of a quote from a mountaineer named Dick Bass, who had a very difficult time summiting Mt. Everest, but made it. “That mountain gave me peace," he said. "Not a superficial sense of well-being, but the peace that comes from going through the fiery furnace, by God, hanging in there, and coming out alive. And as long as there's life, there's hope.”
As long as there’s life, there’s hope. I can’t say it any better than that.
Allez -
I bought this in June of 2007, and then got a silver necklace to hang it on. I don’t think I’ve taken it off since. It is inspired by a necklace that Johan Bruyneel wore during the 2004 Tour de France. Loosely translated, allez (pronounced ah-LAY) means “go for it!” I try to use it as a constant reminder that reward requires risk, and that the two are often directly correlated. I never want to NOT do something, and then spend years regretting it or wondering if I should have done it.
Some book I was reading not long ago mentioned the success – in private life - of combat veterans after World War II. The nation, rightfully so, provided them with the means to achieve – the GI Bill – but the guys themselves still had to go out and do it. I recall one anecdote, specifically, in which a hearty veteran said that, after the war, he started a business, made some money, risked it, lost it, made it again, lost it again, then made it back again. All the while he was unconcerned and not afraid to continue to follow the path of his own choosing. As he said, “I woke up in the morning, I was still alive and no one was shooting at me.” Risk, it seems, is relative to those who have been exposed to the ultimate risk - in combat. The point was – they achieved, in many cases, because they were not afraid of failure. When one fails, in civilian life, they are still alive, and, in all likelihood, no one is shooting at them.
That is what “allez” means to me. Go for it. Don’t be ruled by fear of failure or the inability to take risks.
Ankh –
This is the classic Egyptian symbol of life, sometimes thought to resemble the “key to life.” I added this to my necklace in December of 2008. By this time, I had pretty well decided that I would make the Big Move - what has become my New Clothing Enterprise – and the ankh reminded me that our needs, when it comes right down to it, are simple. I don’t need a fancy car or a big home or food from expensive restaurants. What I need is to be alive – to live. After that, everything else is a bonus. It is my way of reminding myself to focus on experiences rather than things.
I have been fascinated, for a while now, with outdoor sportsmen – specifically hikers and mountain climbers. Most of them have a hard time explaining what it is, exactly, that gives them satisfaction from weeks spent in the wild, or from ascending high mountain peaks. I often think of a quote from a mountaineer named Dick Bass, who had a very difficult time summiting Mt. Everest, but made it. “That mountain gave me peace," he said. "Not a superficial sense of well-being, but the peace that comes from going through the fiery furnace, by God, hanging in there, and coming out alive. And as long as there's life, there's hope.”
As long as there’s life, there’s hope. I can’t say it any better than that.
Getting Oriented...
Sunday/Monday/Tuesday – May 10th, 11th, 12th - For the sake of convenience, I’ll lump these three days under one entry. It really has been a matter of just getting oriented. Saturday was tough – coming down from the mountains into the city, and then meeting up with people from Gainesville in the middle of DC. Talk about disorientation!
So, by the time I woke up Sunday morning in my tent in Greenbelt Park (Greenbelt, Md), I just needed to breathe and look around. It was a beautiful day, so I decided to drive straight down US 1 into the city – assuming that Sunday traffic in DC isn’t too bad. It was a pretty easy drive, and I ended up a few blocks east of the Capital building – looking for the place that hosts Gator gatherings up here – the Pour House. I drove around, then walked around, then drove around some more.
Drove down US 1, took a left, and this appeared in front of me:
By Monday, I had found a Starbucks (for easy internet access), a laundrymat, a grocery store, etc, etc. I began scouring Craigslist for places to live, and got a surprise call from my former co-worker at WRUF, Mel. He was in town with his wife (who was attending a seminar)! Made plans to meet him at the Smithsonian on Tuesday.
We spent a few hours wandering around the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, then sat and ate and caught up on developments in Gainesville. All in all, a pleasant afternoon in the city. I rode the Metro all the way from the station nearest my camp (Greenbelt), and it worked out great. I think I’m finally getting the hang of that too.
My immediate goal is to find a place to call home for a while (besides my tent!).
I must say, though, that if anyone wants to play tourist in DC, and do it cheaply, this campground is perfect. It is just a couple of miles from the Metro station, and it’s only $16 a night. Try finding a hotel in DC for that! Many of the major attractions in DC are free, so you can really do the nation’s capital on a budget if you choose.
I’m looking at three apartments between today and tomorrow. We’ll see what happens…
So, by the time I woke up Sunday morning in my tent in Greenbelt Park (Greenbelt, Md), I just needed to breathe and look around. It was a beautiful day, so I decided to drive straight down US 1 into the city – assuming that Sunday traffic in DC isn’t too bad. It was a pretty easy drive, and I ended up a few blocks east of the Capital building – looking for the place that hosts Gator gatherings up here – the Pour House. I drove around, then walked around, then drove around some more.
Drove down US 1, took a left, and this appeared in front of me:
By Monday, I had found a Starbucks (for easy internet access), a laundrymat, a grocery store, etc, etc. I began scouring Craigslist for places to live, and got a surprise call from my former co-worker at WRUF, Mel. He was in town with his wife (who was attending a seminar)! Made plans to meet him at the Smithsonian on Tuesday.
We spent a few hours wandering around the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, then sat and ate and caught up on developments in Gainesville. All in all, a pleasant afternoon in the city. I rode the Metro all the way from the station nearest my camp (Greenbelt), and it worked out great. I think I’m finally getting the hang of that too.
My immediate goal is to find a place to call home for a while (besides my tent!).
I must say, though, that if anyone wants to play tourist in DC, and do it cheaply, this campground is perfect. It is just a couple of miles from the Metro station, and it’s only $16 a night. Try finding a hotel in DC for that! Many of the major attractions in DC are free, so you can really do the nation’s capital on a budget if you choose.
I’m looking at three apartments between today and tomorrow. We’ll see what happens…
Monday, May 11, 2009
In the City...
Saturday, May 9th - Sat up in my tent at sun-up, and it was cold and still drizzling! I tightened the zipper on my sleeping bag, pulled up my Gator blanket and slept for two more hours! I packed up my stuff and took my first hot shower in two days (which cost $2 at the little camp store up the hill). It was time to drive down into the city.
I took my time to navigate the remaining fifty-something miles to Front Royal and the end of Skyline Drive. At that point, I had officially driven the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, over the course of six days. With mixed feelings, I turned on to the ramp for I-66. I needed to head back to civilization, but I was finally enjoying my time in the hills. Oh well…
My path took me up the mountains, down the mountains, and, sometimes, through the mountains!:
For some reason, the National Park Service has a campground in Greenbelt, Maryland – 12 miles outside of DC. It was only 3 miles from the Greenbelt Metro Station, and it was $16 a night. Seemed like a decent way to transition from the mountains to the city.
The campground is nothing special – it certainly didn’t offer the same kind of view that Lewis Mountain did – but it is a decent place to spend a few days at dirt cheap rates.
During the evening, I hopped the Metro to meet up with TJ and Leah and Colleen somewhere in Columbia Heights. We stopped in some little dive bar and hung out for a few hours. It was strange seeing Gainesville people here, and really strange trying to get re-oriented from the top of a mountain to the middle of a major city! I caught the last train out, and flopped in my tent at about 4:30 in the morning.
I’m finally in DC. Time to be productive…
I took my time to navigate the remaining fifty-something miles to Front Royal and the end of Skyline Drive. At that point, I had officially driven the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, over the course of six days. With mixed feelings, I turned on to the ramp for I-66. I needed to head back to civilization, but I was finally enjoying my time in the hills. Oh well…
My path took me up the mountains, down the mountains, and, sometimes, through the mountains!:
For some reason, the National Park Service has a campground in Greenbelt, Maryland – 12 miles outside of DC. It was only 3 miles from the Greenbelt Metro Station, and it was $16 a night. Seemed like a decent way to transition from the mountains to the city.
The campground is nothing special – it certainly didn’t offer the same kind of view that Lewis Mountain did – but it is a decent place to spend a few days at dirt cheap rates.
During the evening, I hopped the Metro to meet up with TJ and Leah and Colleen somewhere in Columbia Heights. We stopped in some little dive bar and hung out for a few hours. It was strange seeing Gainesville people here, and really strange trying to get re-oriented from the top of a mountain to the middle of a major city! I caught the last train out, and flopped in my tent at about 4:30 in the morning.
I’m finally in DC. Time to be productive…
History Lesson...
Friday, May 8th – The first white man probably saw the Shenandoah Valley in 1716. What a sight it must have been to get to the top of one of the eastern ridges and look into the spacious, fertile valley below, with the north and south branches of the Shenandoah River swirling through it. By the time of the Civil War, the area was heavily planted and farmed, and was the source of much of the beef, wheat and corn consumed by Confederate armies in the East. The valley’s importance as the “Breadbasket of the Confederacy” meant that the area was fought in and fought over many times. The town of Winchester, at the bottom (northern) end of the valley, changed hands no fewer than 70 times during the War.
I was really enjoying Lewis Mountain, and had already decided to stay another night, and spend this day driving around the site of two Shenandoah Civil War clashes – Port Republic and Cross Keys – about 30 miles to the southwest. I had a late, huge breakfast of eggs, bacon and orange juice, stopped in Elkton for coffee and a few more supplies, then rolled along.
Port Republic and Cross Keys are not state or national parks, so you have to look for information, interpretive signs and monuments on your own – or with the help of one of the many brochures published by various organizations.
When you see road signs like this, you know you're in the right area:
A roadside interpretive sign:
There MUST be a story here. Graves of two Confederate soldiers in a local cemetery, but those headstones are new. Bodies recently discovered? Hmmm... :
Back at Lewis Mountain, I opted to avoid the previous night’s smoke signals, and have a giant pita stuffed with tarragon chicken salad, lettuce, diced onions, diced tomatoes and bean sprouts. It was delicious. I started a fire earlier tonight – the forecast again called for rain, and I figured I should use up the wood I had purchased upon arrival. The night was cold - colder than last night. James had departed for home in the morning, so I sat by the warm fire reading my book, probably for at least two hours.
As I sat there, I watched other campers pull in and set up – it was a Friday night so I figured it might be a busier than the previous night. One guy pulled in two sites to my right, and unpacked a few things. He was in a tiny car, I’m not sure what kind. He pulled out something and started eating. I think he had a small cooler. And that was about it. I sat by my roaring fire, and watched as he spent an hour trying to get a fire started, and then gave up (I didn’t tell him that I had started mine with a Duraflame log – one of the miscellaneous supplies I had acquired in Elkton). He had nothing. Apparently, nobody had told him that camping does require at least a bit of planning and preparation. He sat in the front seat of his car, reading by the dome light. I guess he was planning to sleep in his car.
By about 10 PM, you could see the lightning in the distance and hear the deep, long rumble of thunder. By 11, it started to rain. I threw any loose items in my car, and ran to the tent. I had tightened down the top cover of my tent, and, once I saw it was going to hold up despite the gusting wind and rain, I relaxed and went to sleep. I woke up at about 2:30 to pee. I held my raincoat over my head and ran up the hill to the bathroom. The guy two sites down was gone. Hahaha. What a dumbass.
It rained all night, and it was COLD. I awoke at first light, sat up, and I could see my breath in the tent. No thanks. I read for a few minutes and went back to sleep. Awoke at 9, had more delicious bacon, eggs and orange juice, and started to pack. The four deer returned to their little patch of grass. I watched, and tried to be quiet while I threw things around to get them in order. They didn’t seem to care.
I snapped a photo of the first deer that wandered toward me. I think he was trying to smile. Show off:
Breakfast of champions on top of Lewis Mountain:
Alligators need lots of water:
I really enjoyed my two days on Lewis Mountain. I would love to go back (I might do it next weekend). For now, I guess I have gotten close enough to DC that I need to get my ass down there.
I was really enjoying Lewis Mountain, and had already decided to stay another night, and spend this day driving around the site of two Shenandoah Civil War clashes – Port Republic and Cross Keys – about 30 miles to the southwest. I had a late, huge breakfast of eggs, bacon and orange juice, stopped in Elkton for coffee and a few more supplies, then rolled along.
Port Republic and Cross Keys are not state or national parks, so you have to look for information, interpretive signs and monuments on your own – or with the help of one of the many brochures published by various organizations.
When you see road signs like this, you know you're in the right area:
A roadside interpretive sign:
There MUST be a story here. Graves of two Confederate soldiers in a local cemetery, but those headstones are new. Bodies recently discovered? Hmmm... :
Back at Lewis Mountain, I opted to avoid the previous night’s smoke signals, and have a giant pita stuffed with tarragon chicken salad, lettuce, diced onions, diced tomatoes and bean sprouts. It was delicious. I started a fire earlier tonight – the forecast again called for rain, and I figured I should use up the wood I had purchased upon arrival. The night was cold - colder than last night. James had departed for home in the morning, so I sat by the warm fire reading my book, probably for at least two hours.
As I sat there, I watched other campers pull in and set up – it was a Friday night so I figured it might be a busier than the previous night. One guy pulled in two sites to my right, and unpacked a few things. He was in a tiny car, I’m not sure what kind. He pulled out something and started eating. I think he had a small cooler. And that was about it. I sat by my roaring fire, and watched as he spent an hour trying to get a fire started, and then gave up (I didn’t tell him that I had started mine with a Duraflame log – one of the miscellaneous supplies I had acquired in Elkton). He had nothing. Apparently, nobody had told him that camping does require at least a bit of planning and preparation. He sat in the front seat of his car, reading by the dome light. I guess he was planning to sleep in his car.
By about 10 PM, you could see the lightning in the distance and hear the deep, long rumble of thunder. By 11, it started to rain. I threw any loose items in my car, and ran to the tent. I had tightened down the top cover of my tent, and, once I saw it was going to hold up despite the gusting wind and rain, I relaxed and went to sleep. I woke up at about 2:30 to pee. I held my raincoat over my head and ran up the hill to the bathroom. The guy two sites down was gone. Hahaha. What a dumbass.
It rained all night, and it was COLD. I awoke at first light, sat up, and I could see my breath in the tent. No thanks. I read for a few minutes and went back to sleep. Awoke at 9, had more delicious bacon, eggs and orange juice, and started to pack. The four deer returned to their little patch of grass. I watched, and tried to be quiet while I threw things around to get them in order. They didn’t seem to care.
I snapped a photo of the first deer that wandered toward me. I think he was trying to smile. Show off:
Breakfast of champions on top of Lewis Mountain:
Alligators need lots of water:
I really enjoyed my two days on Lewis Mountain. I would love to go back (I might do it next weekend). For now, I guess I have gotten close enough to DC that I need to get my ass down there.
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