Traveling in the Twilight Zone ;)

okay, I'll try not to complain this time. There were many aspects of the trip that I enjoyed and one that was straight out of the Twilight Zone.  Of course reuniting with Jeff was the main highlight (more fam pics to follow.) Serene moments like this were also high on the list. I was surprised by the spectacular scenery along I-70 coming home. Just west of Green River is basically more of the North rim of the Canyonlands!  Very pleasant surprise. Avoiding Price and Soldier's Summit was a blessing in itself.

I had the most incredible, really unbelievable experience on the return trip through Moab. Since so few read this blog, I'm going to tell you. If you recall (from prior posts) how much I disliked the development around Moab as I drove up to Idaho, then this will blow your mind.
Approaching Moab, on Highway 191 South from Green River, I was dreading the sight of hot asphalt, construction and all the misery that goes along with "progress." Surprisingly, as I drove along waiting for the congestion, road workers and all the new buildings, I never saw them. The highway was two lanes with no sign of recent work. I drove further and soon I saw all the quaint little buildings and charming sites that I remembered from years ago.

I had strong thoughts of my friend Tom who loved to base jump from those fantastic red rock formations. He died in a freakish accident over six years ago. All those famous formations were visible, not blocked by any tall apartment or business buildings. I kept looking for the development that bothered me so much on the way up, but I didn't see any of it. I thought it must be at the other end of town. But as  I continued on, soon I was on my way out of Moab and still driving on a two lane dusty road. Then came the shock. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw pitch black asphalt, double lanes, with cones and machines and a lot of construction. Ahead, once again just my quiet two lane road. I thought to pull the van over, get out and investigate, but then I heard these words in my head:  "Don't try to figure it out, just enjoy." Somehow I know this was a message from Tom.  He used to give me the same advice about my spiritual insights and "Cosmic Transmissions" back in the 80s; "Just notice, give thanks and carry on" he would tell me.  So, Tom, strange and inexplicable as it was, I took your advice and just enjoyed. Thank you! Coming home was very nice. Perception is a fascinating thing!   

Grand Canyon or Bust

I was last there in 2002 with... well never mind about that trip. But, here I am sitting ON the rim with friend Eileen. That's me in pink on the left. I doubt I will hang off the edge this time. I hope to camp at least five days and ebike the rim. Not the entire rim, but parts of the south rim. Pictures can not do this place justice, not even my 3D Viewmaster reels. It's one of those places that must be seen and experienced.

While I won't devulge exactly when I'm gone, cause that's stupid (even tho there will be giant dobermans and guests with guns at my house while I'm gone. Ha, actually a mad man with a chain saw really will be there.) I will provide as much evocative description as possible. I will also participate in dark sky star gazing in Flagstaff, AZ and spend a few days in Sedona to meditate and cleanse my crystals (and chakras, tee hee /Wu Wei.) Sedona bums me out with all the development now, but it's still a wondrous place. Yep, it's alright, hold tight, I'm a highway star (glance to the right for links on that ;)

Alone vs. Lonely

I'm often amazed that so many people assume being single or solo also means being lonely. Is it better to be with someone who causes stress and anxiety, than to enjoy the many benefits of solitude? Not for me.

One of the few blogs I read is "Solo Traveler." I linked to her description of this topic in my title. But, another contributor on her site wrote a fabulous article on traveling alone to "still the anger." Here's a great excerpt;

The best thing about solo travel is that it can be anything you want it to be, because, ultimately, everything you do is totally up to you. It can be rehabilitative, healing, reflective, cheap, luxurious, serious or just plain unadulterated fun. It can even be a mix of all these. It all depends on the experience you want out of it and if you want to take this opportunity to discover yourself or challenge your boundaries.

Read the whole article for his perspective on the anger part. (And, look at those fab pics of Australia! I'll be checking out his blog, too.) I spend a lot of time pondering the anger angle and use all the Buddhist and Taoist techniques I can find to deal with it. But, for this post, I'm primarily considering solo travel.

I admit I have anxieties about it. I could write a tome on the pros and cons. Many pros were succinctly said in the quote. I would add no one nagging about directions or schedules. If I want to veer off to see something, I do. My dog does not question why. She's happy to go wherever I go. That's a huge plus! I guess technically I'm not solo, since I opt for RV Van travel so she can go with me. It's not a minor point -- being ALONE is different from traveling with dog. Izzi is a companion and protects me. She just can't help with heavy lifting. sigh...
And, I'm only speaking about road trips. If I was flying to foreign countries, I might have an entirely different take on travel, and I'm afraid I couldn't do it with a dog. I guess I'll consider that later when (IF) I truly am solo.

Finally, on a recent Charlie Rose show (late night PBS) Rose asked E.L Doctorow why someone would look inward rather than outward. Wow, I was blown away and E.L. looked rather stunned, too. It's really a bias toward coupling and especially here in the U.S. An automatic assumption that all answers are "out there" -- for God, for happiness and for society. I strongly believe that if you aren't comfortable in your own skin, you can never successfully be part of a couple or society.