The end of L.A. lingering….

After the Topanga days festivities were over I finished up my visiting with folks on a more one on one basis. I hung out at Pat’s Grill where I used to wait tables a million years ago, and ran into my friend Ildiko (sp? Forgive me Ildy) who I enjoyed a great conversation with over breakfast and oodles of coffee-she shared her beautiful love story she is currently enjoying, and then we went to her house so I could ogle her lovely paintings and her whimsical garden. I saw Pat and he as usual is a great cheerleader for me and my endeavors. I went to another restaurant that I used to work at, Froggy’s (see pics above), and visited with the owner and long-time dear friend Lance-he wanted to hit the road with me so badly. I went to see my friends Cindy and Earl and they took me to a physicist turned “healer”(for lack of a better word he was much much more), Carlos, who I won’t try and even explain that experience-suffice it to say there was a zero gravity float tank that was indescribably marvelous and I got soooo much out of the experience with him that I just feel I’m more dialed in and confident in my path. I spent one more afternoon in Topanga and got to hang with Dena-another great and powerful woman in my life who without seeing-my trip would not have been complete. I spent an afternoon in the valley having lunch with my friend Marie who is bravely battling breast cancer-I pray for her peace and well being everyday. After leaving Marie I joined my magic mermaid sister-Jade for cocktails at Jerry’s Deli and got serenaded by her astoundingly unique and gorgeous voice and guitar playing skills. Her friend Jordan was there as well and what a light being… she had theeee best laugh ever, both dainty and snorting-it was absolutely infectious! Had a last supper with Mar Mar and then spent the last night at the Momster’s house.

I left my heart in San Francisco…

My dad drove me with all my crap from the dregs of my parents’ garages, my camping gear, suitcases, etc. to get the truck from San Ramon in the East Bay. When we got there I spotted it immediately because Bill had the previous owner of the truck put a decal on the windshield that says MERMAIDONWHEELS-love it! Hilarious! I have gotten some strange quizzical looks and some interesting comments on that. Anyhoo, dad and I had a great time and it was nice to spend some extra time with him-he is always good medicine. After we parted ways I forged my way into rush hour San Francisco and very busy, narrow, one-way streets in the F-350 big ol’ silly non-San Francisco friendly truck. Meanwhile the damn GPS was like a broken record saying “re-calculating re-calculating re-calculating…!” …..AAARGH! No! Noooooo! No re-calculating for you!!! After some white-knuckle, nail-biting lane changes I did “arrive at my destination on the right.”

I had such an amazing time with my old friends Sean and Anthony, my oldest friends going back 20 yrs!They are brothers and really good friends who live together. The older brother Anthony has a son Nicholas who is 17 months (that’s parental talk for approximately a year and a half ;)). Oooooh....and let me tell ya-what a fantastic and joyful little baby! It was so much fun to be around them all together-the mother is not around so Sean and Tony are raising this little guy themselves (definitely 2 and a ½ men)-and they are doing a stellar job. I stayed an extra day in San Fran because I hadn’t seen these guys in 10 years-and I’m so grateful that I did. We had a tequila afternoon and a walk thru the park with a visit to the drum circle, and took nicholas on a spin in the playground. It was a well overdue visit-thank you guys...love you both xxx


Solace in Solitude and Adventures in Digestive Woes…

I was driving across the burning Nevada desert on Hwy 50-deemed “The Loneliest Highway in the World.” Farthest from the truth for me-all I felt was purity and contentment. I was in utter bliss with time to revere my previous experience and space to dream of those to come, not to mention aha! I can also be right here right now. I drove for countless miles without more than a handful of other travelers on the road-and none of them going my direction. There was a fantastic radio program called “Club 88” that played all the great American songs from every era-big bands, blues, jazz, r&b, rock-a-billy, 50’s, 60’s, etc., show tunes, hair bands, rock, 80’s, and on and on. That station lasted most of the way thru the desert and was my soundtrack for 400 miles. My favorite line from this rare and swingin’ rhythm and blues song from the 40’s was “I ain’t fattenin’ frogs fer snakes…”

When night fell and the sun finally set on a stellar day of driving, I decided to press on and keep driving to make some tracks East. Of course this decision was influenced by the four cups of coffee I drank earlier that day in San Francisco with Sean and Anthony. I thought , well I’m totally awake so I can totally make it to Utah! Well as some of you know I have a cat brain, not in size but in attention span, so if I see bright shiny lights I’m going to stop and play with them. So an already daunting twelve hour drive turned into a good fifteen hour drive because there were things along the way like “The Shoe Tree” (see pics above) that I just had to marvel at. At two a.m. I finally decided that it was time to call it a night(only an hour and a half from Utah! Btw) and pulled over to a large pull-out on the side of the road. There I made my bed in the back of the truck to sleep under the abyss of stars that were above me….mmmmmmmagic! Only the sound of crickets, nightingales, and distant cries of coyotes. (Well-there were also the horrible sounds of the pterodactyl mosquitoes buzzing around my ear-I guess my butt was not under the cloak of invincibility because I got bit up all over there on my left side. Still itches-yep. Stupid AND dumb ol’mozzies…harumph...)

Then things took a turn for the worst. The glorious solitude was suddenly a curse when I woke up with the most gut wrenching stomach ache EVER! I felt like someone was punching me in the solar plexus while simultaneously trying to pull out my gall bladder…ACK! Dizzy, nauseous, blah blah blah YUCKY. So after and hour or two I pulled myself together-still no signs of life on the road-and drove my unhappy ass to Salt Lake City. After good council from Bill and my dad I decided to pull over and get a room for the day/night and just wait til I felt better to press on. I slept for 16 hours and finally woke up to an almost normal internal life. That day Wyoming was calling so I answered-and landed in Jackson Hole…

The drive to Jackson, Wyoming was just glorious. I drove on scenic Hwy 39 east. It was a quaint and sweet drive with gentle curves and a swiftly moving creek dancing down the road-then turned into a beautiful country road with big red barns, lazy horses and cows grazing away the day. The prairie dogs darted back and forth across the hwy risking their very lives for a seemingly important task on the other side. I was absolutely engulfed in Aspen trees (the largest living organism on Earth in case you're interested in useless knowledge),and rolling hills that gave way to an endless valley dotted with more palatial ranches and parcels of land with only campers, rvs and some mangy dogs.

Jackson Hole-hmmmmnnnn…… not terribly impressed to be honest. For me at first glance it was like Eddie Bauer disguised in a faux rustic exterior. Lots of shops and river trip outfitters, fly fishing tackle, etc.-but not so interesting to me. It felt a little homogenized and lackluster-or as Michelley would say it had no 'groove factor.' I decided to give it a chance anyway. So I went to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar(because clearly some things just need doin')and met a couple of very nice bartenders(John and Jackie)and a door man(Greg),and Mickey the Boxer,(his boxing name had something to do with lightening). Mickey was 50 and had been hit in the head a few too many times, his famous line was “was that the bell ringin’?” or his less famous one punch pick-up lines he claimed always worked on his girls. He was not a dumb guy but talked kinda slow and with a constant drunken slur that I don’t think was entirely attributed to the rum in his glass. He was a good character and had a big heart, and i found him positively endearing. I’m glad he was in my movie that day. Greg the door guy took us out to dinner which included Bison ravioli(which was really hard for me to eat because along with alligators they are my favorite animals, but I tried it anyway),Elk sausage, and a juicy steak, with pickled vegetables. Yummy! And so gracious of him to treat us. My night ended with me safely back at my crappy but comfy hostel bed in Teton Village.

Mama Montana Medicine…and the Big Sky Soul

Although Greg had invited me to go horseback riding the next morning-it was raining and cold so I decided to hit the road and hi-tail it to Emigrant, MT to see Mama Montana Michelley!!!! Yipeeeee!

Montana is BIG!! The expansiveness is breath-taking. I took the long way thru the Tetons and Yellowstone. I slowed my pace to 45mph with everyone else and became a tourist animal watcher-but really you can’t help yourself-it is so stunning and the nature really is at the very side of the road. Wild bison, elk, deer, moose, coyotes, marmots, etc. etc. etc. are all over the place-not to mention to countless hot springs, geysers, rock formations, valleys, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Yellowstone is the place where you truly feel small-that wonderful sense of space, appreciation for this planet is all consuming, and our own egos disintegrate, leaving us with the taste of an ever changing landscape and the wonder of the possibility of GREATNESS!

Meanwhile back at the Mama Montana ranch I was greeted by Carl-a carpenter helping build Michelle and her lovely boyfriend Garrick’s house. They are in the process of turning a school house from 1915-195? into their home. Very cool project and made with lots of love and genius from both Michelle and Garrick. Garrick and I got a chance to catch up before Michelley got home from their beautiful gallery (The Mill Creek Trading Post, see pics above) just up the road a bit.

I am staying in their bunkhouse/cabin and it is so peaceful and quiet-I am sleeping very well. I am not very motivated to leave this place of serenity and nature. Its right on the Yellowstone River in between Gardiner and Livingston.With a full soul and a happy heart I'm staying another day...

Being around Michelle is an inspiration and a lesson in grace, gentleness, patience, and positivity. She is always re-inventing new ways to create space, art, and an inspired life. Her boyfriend Garrick is such a dedicated, hard working, talented, and perseverant soul who creates beautiful music and carves flutes that I do not believe have an equal in this world. They are trying to bring the sense of community and healing and consciousness to these somewhat compressed parts of Montana. Next to the Gallery they own, they are in the planning stages of building a Dance/Yoga/Art studio and community center. It will be in a big beautiful round Yurt that is still looking for some fundage to begin with. If anyone has fund raising ideas-I believe they would be most welcome.

So here I am finally all caught up-I’m sitting in a hip little coffee shop in Livingston called Chad’z. Its rainy and about 47 degrees out today-the perfect day to write and stare out the windows at the friendly faces passing me by. My wanderlust is certainly in full swing now and the thought of heading back is not terribly appealing at the moment(alas i will be headed that way soon tho).There are ample examples of generosity, love, and compassion around me. I am inspired to live life in new and interesting ways-and certainly non-conventionally.It never ceases to amaze me the diversity of landscape and people that paint the road I'm on.

I am off to the Gallery to spend the afternoon with Michelley making jewelry. I guess that makes it a “Crafternoon.”

Well here I go…off like a herd of turtles as Capt Ran always said- and I'm happy as a clam in sand! ;O)

From the coffee-shop-nook-anti-desk of the Mermaid on Wheels-
Be well and follow your sillyness wherever it may lead