What I really want..

If you asked me what I wanted most from this life, I'd like to say that I want to have made a positive impact on the world.
I may think I would like to for everyone to have the ability to travel and explore the earth.
But if I had to be honest with myself, I'd have to say most days I just want an outlet always at disposal to charge my damn smartphone...

Going back to go forward...in the blog at least.

It's been a month since I have written in my blog. I have still been documenting my journey inmy private journal, twitter, Facebook, etc. For some reason, however, I just have not blogged.

I think I felt that I needed to experience and register my trip first before chronicling it.

Now that I've accomplished a major major step, which was getting into California, I think it's time to  blog a little each day, even if it's something small.

I plan to back date my blog as well, so I will do a catch up blog daily until I'm up to date.

Well, I plan to anyway...

Safe travels!!

Saying goodbye to Santa Fe.

So it's the last day in February and I'm in Santa Fe, staying in the emergency shelter for the last night. my second host fell ill before I could surf with them. Things happen and I hope he gets better soon. My first offered to let me stay an extra night last night, and I thought it only fitting I leave as I came in.

I had a great conversation with a volunteer at the shelter tonight which lasted for hours. I will never stop being amazed at how easy it is to connect with others when you open yourself to new experiences.

Speaking of new experiences, spending time in the history rich land of New Mexico had been amazing. Seeing the native New Mexicans selling wares, walking down old parts of the original Route 66, and taking photographs of both the old historical buildings and the newer place made to look old has been a pleasure.

Albuquerque us next up and I can't wait for what's up next.

Soundtrack for your Wanderlust

As I sit in the library today planning ahead a little bit for the walking Route 66 part of my trip, Country Road by James Taylor fills my mind. My favorite line is "I guess my feet know where they want me to go...walking on a country road".

So today I thought I would ask... What's your favorite traveling song?

You know that one that picks your spirit up...

The one that makes you want to pack a bag of you aren't currently traveling...

I know you have one, we all do...

Safe travels!

The Bucksnort.

After a great hike during my time in the mountains of Pine, Colorado with my Couchsurfing host Jamie we made our way to The Bucksnort Saloon  in Sphinx Park nearby.

Signed Dollar bills and other currency from travelers from all over the world lines the entire ceiling

 

When is the last time you ate somewhere while your server added wood to a stove?

This is Americana, the reason you go to the mountains, oh and pretty good food and drink.

Now about the food... If you are in a hurry, forget about it. This place takes it time, and it's well worth it. Besides that gives you time to take in this biker bar/ hidden tourist attraction/ old saloon. They serve giant amounts of food and it's pretty tasty. We split nachos and in the afternoon and I didnt need dinner. I also had a cold glass of their speciality, Antler Ale.
This was one of my favorite times so far. Having an ale in a rustic bar with a fellow traveler and new friend...definition of good times.

A guy and his garden.

Once upon a time in Pueblo, Colorado...
There lived a guy named Deric. Deric had a farm...on his table!

That's right! In Colorado during the winter and inside a house grows garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuces, cooking herbs, carrots, and much more!

I have grown cilantro and the like in my apartment before, but this was crazy! A lot of it was grown from seeds of leftover vegetables he'd eaten rather than packets from store.

He had a fashioned a simulated rainshower from a 2-liter and some ingenuity. He created ways to simulate greenhouses and amplify sunlight. And it all was working perfectly. Did I mention winter and Colorado?
Just in the couple of days I visited there I saw things just recently planted sprouting already.

Seeing this, which my picture doesn't do justice, makes me excited to see what else people are doing to grow organic. I will be visiting an organic farmer in Albuquergue soon. The ways that people are taking control of what and how they eat are amazing. With a little work and know how its easy to know what exactly is done to your food, because your the one who cultivates it!

So the next time you think you can't grow veggies because of where you live...Think again!
Safe travels!

The Old lady and the beat up pickup truck.

So, a while back, I had just spent a great weekend with my hosts Jamie and Cindy in the mountains when Monday arrived signaling it was time for me to move on to Colorado Springs. After deciding with Jamie’s help that getting dropped off in Franktown would be the way to go we made the short trip there.

We said our goodbyes, I gave my thanks, and he waved as he drove off. I had a quick moment where I wished I could've stayed in the mountains longer, having had so much fun, but I pushed those thoughts aside. Traveling like I'm doing is about moment to moment and next adventure laid ahead of me.

I started to walk down the left side of the road a bit to find a suitable spot to hitch (on the right, of course) when an old green pickup slowed down while passing me. An older lady stuck her head, gave me a quick going over and pulled off to the shoulder.

"Where you are you headed?" She called out as I made my way in a slight jog over to her.
I told her as far to Colorado Springs as I could get...
Talk about fortune, I'd only been in the road for about THREE minutes, but she was going further than Colorado Springs!

We moved some stuff from the passenger seat for me and I threw my pack in the bed.
Her name was Peggy, and as we headed down the road we had the best conversation. I amazed how much you can cover in an hour or so. I talked about my travels, and how much fun I loved my time here having never been out West. It turned out as much as she had traveled here and abroad, she had never been out East and the Midwest. If her health was okay she was planning to make the trip in a few months.

When we neared Colorado Springs, Peggy turns and looks at me, “You know what you would like Mark, Garden of the Gods!” She takes the exit, smiling. As we made our way through and find a place to park, she was giving me an audio tour of the area.

“I know I’m not going to make it walking up there today, so you take as much time as you need. Get some great pictures. I’ll meet you back at the truck.” She said to me, still smiling.

After I took a few photographs we left and finished our way to Colorado Springs. She would have dropped me anywhere I wanted to go, but I just had her drop me off downtown.

“I’m going to miss you.” She said.
“Me too.” I gave her a big hug, as we said a few more things before I got out.

Traveling is an amazing gift you need to give yourself whenver you can. Meeting people on the road, you connect with them on levels you don’t even connect with some people you’ve known for years at work or such.

Whenever anyone ever asked me why I hitchhiked, I never felt my answer was enough. I could never convey just how rewarding it can be when it works out. Now I will tell them about Peggy.


Tip: Depending on where you're at two lane highways a good way to travel. If you have to walk its better as you may hit towns easier, and you may even get picked up as you walk. Just check the state laws to make sure of the legality and such.

Safe travels!

Seeking shelter in Santa Fe.

So my plan was to arrive into Santa Fe Forest area by early Friday afternoon. I wanted to have time to set up camp, get warm and settle in, since I hadn't found a couch to surf.

But all of us who have ever truly traveled know that plans change...a lot. A whole lot. Did I mention a lot?
Leaving later than originally planned was the first setback. We also hit bad weather going through Raton Pass coming from Colorado into New Mexico*

I ended up arriving close to 8:00 pm. It was dark, extremely cold and  camping was out of the question. I have never stayed at the Salvation Army or a Regular homeless center, but I know fellow travelers who have and that wasn't an option at this time either.

So with 35% phone battery I looked for one place I can usual count on in the cold weather. An emergency winter shelter. These places are easy to get into and setup sort of like a hostel but with less travelers and more homeless guys.

Finding one quickly on my phone I made the short forty five minute trek there. I got in with no hassle as  I expected, having to undergo a quick search, give my name and check my bag.
I grabbed some food from their kitchen window and later grabbed a sleeping bag and a bunk.
Morning, of course, comes early in a place like this...
"Watch your eyes gentleman, here comes the sun!" was announced seconds before the ultra bright lights came on.

Taking advantage of a continental type breakfast, I had two bowls of cereal and grabbed a couple green tea bags and all natural oatmeal packets for my bag.

"Checkout time" is 7:00 which is pretty standard in a place like that. I was out before that anyway as I was excited to explore Santa Fe.

Well, that just about sums my first night in New Mexico. It wasn't an exciting evening, but I thought it worth mentioning as a travel tip concerning emergency shelters. While they are not for everybody, in last case scenarios they are life savers. You don't need money like at a hostel and you don't have to get there at four or five o'clock like a homeless shelter.

I plan to camp today, and keep looking for couches, but I will keep the emergency shelter in mind if the weather gets too bad.

*How Cowboy did I sound?!...Coming through the pass in bad weather...awesome!

Safe Travels!

The First Blog.

Right now I'm in Pueblo, Co getting ready to catch a rideshare to Santa Fe. Today will mark the end of my time in Colorado. Its been nearly a month for me on the road now, and I am just beginning my journey. I thought instead of going through a lengthy origin story, I would talk about the reasons for this wayfaring year as I go along. I thought if i post things not only as the just happened, but do some flashback blogging with time to reflect on certain events, that would add some depth and make it more interesting.

I will say I started this expedition in Kentucky and have made my way to Colorado and I'm headed very soon to New Mexico. Just in the three or so weeks I have been traveling I have seen the Rockies for the first time, rode and unfortunately flipped an ATV, had a drink in a Saloon and eaten Vegan "BBQ pork", and so much more!

So stay tuned and follow me along this yearlong trek as I walk, hitchhike, couchsurf, camp, and  adventure all of these United States!

 

Safe travels of your own!!!