Day 3: The Freeway is Closed

Alright, I think I'm getting the hang of Shanti time. In Shanti time, no one wakes until well after sunrise and there's really no action until nearly noon. So, somewhere around 11 we got back on the road with the intention of making it to El Paso. Unfortunately, in order to get to El Paso, one must first pass through San Antonio. Now, I can't explain why or how it is, but each time Shanti takes the wheel, we drive through very trafficy urban environs with bad roads and confusing thoroughfares. Yesterday it was ...

No Dogs Allowed in Houston

and today it was ...

The Freeway is Closed in San Antonio.

For real. Traffic came to a complete stop and we gazed in shock at the long, very long, to the distant horizon, long ass line of traffic sitting in the Texas sun going nowhere. I think we edged about a foot every five minutes or so. Then the lanes began to diminish and of course the lanes we were in were the ones you had to vacate. Now, you know what it's like trying to get across tight traffic in a car. Now imaging doing the same thing in a mini-semi. No one wants to let you across and even though you could just barrel on over, you don't want to damage other cars in the process. Needless to say, it involved a lot of nail biting and pigging out on absolute crap cause there's no such thing as good food when you're on the road. As we edged along slower than the slowest snail, we came upon an exit and Shanti believed there must surely be a way around this mess and anything would be better than the mess we were in. So we exited, took a left, and headed up a mountain toward an out of season Six Flags park and a remote Westin Resort and Spa. I volunteered to go inside the resort and ask for directions. What I didn't know is I would need directions to just find my way around the resort. Sadly, after locating the concierge desk, I learned there's no other way around the nightmare on I-10 and that one must simply endure for two miles and then freedom can again be had. I then asked if the hotel allowed dogs.

"No".

So back down the mountain and back into the painfully slow traffic we crawled. We didn't know it at the time, but in a short while we would enter some of the most beautiful landscapes I had seen yet. The land stretched out in a big yawn, the skies opened wide, and we rode long, wide hills. I became peaceful, the dogs settled down, and Shanti snoozed. We decided to stop for the night in Sonora where the only restaurant in town was Pizza Hut. I've never eaten so much pizza in my life than I have over the passed three days. Ah well, tomorrow is another day. Stay tuned for more on

Shanti, Michael, Karma, and Zen's Incredible Cross Country Trip Out West Extraordinaire.

Day 2: Entering the First Ring of Hell

Early Saturday morning, Shanti and I got off to an early start. Actually, much earlier than Shanti would have preferred. We knew it would be a long day but we had no idea how long. We started off down I-10, Shanti in the cockpit and me with the dogs. There wasn't much to see through the first tank of gas that day but after refueling and switching places, we entered Louisiana and the ground sank into the marshes while the highway was supported on stilts. It was fascinating and disturbing. It was clear why the hurricanes have such a devastating affect on this part of the country. I kept up a good pace, going much faster than the tow dolly suggests we should. 55! Good Buddha, no one goes that slow anymore. For the most part, the other drivers respected our BIG wheel status and gave way when needed but some (a lot) insisted on passing on the right and nearly causing quite a few accidents. Most of these drivers seemed to be from the area. Hm. At one fairly magnificient point, we crossed the Mississippi River which was very big and very muddy. Later that day, after we once again returned to dry land and refueled again (poverty creeps in through gas bills), switched places, and Shanti took us into Texas, where we found ourselves in a miasma of twisting highways, big trucks, smog, and the birthplace of the oil business. Gross! The roads were in a perpetual state of disrepair and the traffic increased almost after crossing the state line. We decided to make our way to Houston for the night but after cruising around trying to find a pooch friendly abode, we struck out at every turn, nearly having another accident because some fool took a quick left in front of Shanti who nearly forgot her Buddha nature. We realized the Universe wanted us to get the hell out of Hell and quick. So we meandered on down the road looking for a manger for this Christ consciousness hippy, his friend Shanti, and the babes. We came to a little no-where town outside of Katy Texas and rolled into the first place we could find. The Executive Inn. Don't be fooled. It's a basically a trucker's stop and a virtual fleabag. Okay, maybe I'm being harsh. The management was very nice and didn't charge us for the dogs. There was a fairly decent pizza buffet in town for just $4.99 a person. Mmmmmm! And ... surprisingly ... WiFi in the room. I almost didn't even turn on m y computer because it never ocurred to me we had it here. It's 10:40am now and we have to be out by 11. Gotta go. Check back tomorrow for more on the incredible adventures of Shanti, Michael, Karma, and Zen as they try to escape the deepest rings of Dante's Inferno a.k.a. Texas.

Day 1: Whatever you do ... Don't back up!

Shanti and I got off to a very good start. After getting the townhouse in Satellite cleaned up and having an encounter with the landlady and her "friends"(a.k.a. potential new tenants) and being generously treated to brunch by Bonnie and waiting for the appliance rental company to pick up the washer and dryer, we were able to get going. I drove all the way to Gainsville and then Shanti took over until it got dark. I took over again and we enter an absolute downpour with lightning dancing across the sky somewhere between Tallahassee and Pensacola. We decided to stop overnight in Pensacola but once we were within the city limits, we saw that Mobile was just a short hour away so onward we went for the Florida border. Shanti made some calls and landed us a great room in a brand spanking new La Quinta with free WiFi, flatscreen TV, very mod, and ultra comfortable. Relaxation and rejuvenation was nearly insight.

We set out on this journey, we conquered everything, and we had arrived in Mobile Alabama.

We pulled into the lot and parked in front of registration. Shanti went in to settle up on the room while I hung with the girls in the truck. Shanti returned shortly thereafter, snacks and room keys in hand, and we were on our way to park. Here's where things went kinda south to sucksville. As we went around to the back of the hotel to park, we also encountered a deadend with no room to turn around. The one dreaded thing we were warned by multiple parties not to do was back up when your pulling a vehicle on a tow dolly. We tried and the car went the oppposite of whatever we needed it to do. We both became very frustrated. I wanted to disconnect the car from the dolly but Shanti said "No way." When we were at our wits end and the girls were getting used to the idea of spending the night in the car, Shanti decided to call Penske for help. They sent some outsourced tow dude out to save us. He came, he fiddled, he saved. I can't really say what he did but it had something to do with the chains wrapped around the axle. Whatever. He got the truck and dolly out of a very tight situation and turned around so we could continue our cross country journey in the morning. Check back next time for more of

The Great Shanti-Michael Cross Country Express.

On the Road Again

Strange how quickly things happen sometimes. A few weeks ago, my friends Shanti and Tony had said they may be moving to Santa Barbara, CA. I was disappointed that they would not be around anymore because we had become such good friends. Also, Shanti is the founder of the Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship and very active in the local peace movement. Her presence would be dearly missed by many. A few weeks went by and there was no definitive news but more urgent rumblings that a move may be eminent. It was during this eminent period that Shanti suggested I go with them to SoCal. Of course, I was immediately on board but I wasn't entirely sure Tony was. After all, he married Shanti but not all her friends too. Anyway, some more time passed and then this past Saturday they came into the Herb Corner to tell me that the move was for sure and I was definitely invited. Now, they also told me we would have about three weeks to complete the move. However, the very next day Tony had already hit the road because his new employer wanted him there yesterday. Okay. Later that afternoon as I was enjoying the most delicious curry chicken with my dear friends (Bonnie, Matt, and Don), I checked my messages and found one from Shanti. She tells me that we have to be out of town by Friday because of a release clause in their townhome contract. "Friday," I said very perplexed? Today is Monday and we have already sold and given away many miscellaneous items from the now infamous, "get out of town," townhouse. I have yet to inform my family, friends, or work that I must be on the road by Friday. This Friday! Funny how things happen. So, keep coming back to check out my manifested reality to see how my life goes from the East to the West, coast that is, and what new adventures I encounter along the way.

PEACE

Obama Wins!

Exercise Your Right to Vote Today

If the past eight years were not enough of a reason to get you out to your local polling place today, then I humbly request you do it just because it is your right to do so. Over the past eight years, many of our rights as Americans (and human beings) have been challenged and rescinded under the guise of patriotism. The actions of the current administration have had wide reaching effects not just on our own people but across the world. Whether we like it or not, America is a major player in world politics but in order to keep our standing, we must relearn how to play fairly with our neighbors. In addition, America's education and health care ranks as one of the worst nations in the world. If we want to improve our actions to the world then we must improve the way we treat ourselves.

America has never been a single race nation and was never meant to be.
America is not a single social status and was never meant to be.
America is not a world conquering empire and was never meant to be.
America is not the world police and cannot dictate to other nations how best to serve their own people based on our example when our current example is that of a war mongering empire that attempts to police the world!

If there is a single race on this planet who deserves our full attention then it's
the human race.

It's time we ceased looking at the world as them and us.
It's all us.
This election is not about political power. It's about renewing the people's spirits.
It's about remembering who we are and our purpose on this planet.
It's about changing our focus from world conquerors to world humanitarians.
Let's set an example that other nations will want to emulate rather than the example that other nations fear and revile.

Whatever you choose to do today, please get out and vote.

Boomerang

A few months ago, I went to Unity of Melbourne to see my friend Fred Goodnight speak and enjoyed the service so much that I continued going on a regular basis. On one Sunday soon after, the awesome band did one of their many very original songs called Boomerang and I never forgot how much it affected me. The song is a reminder to each of us that we are all here for a purpose, even if we don't know right now what that purpose is, because "like a boomerang, it will come back to you." After going to Unity for many weeks, hoping the band would perform Boomerang again, I finally went up to Julia, the pianist, and requested it. She said they would do it the following week. That was yesterday and it was just as poignant as the first time. Today I have the pleasure of sharing the words to this enigmatic song with you.

Boomerang

Every little thing that you say and do
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you
All the love you give, if you want it to
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back

Every time you fight against something new
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you
Every single thought that you hold as true
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back

Round, round like the seasons
Like dark into light and day back to nighttime now
Circles, completion
Like rain to the river to the ocean returns to the sky

After you were born you forgot what was true
But like a boomerang, it will come back to you
You may not recall what you came here to do
But like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back

All that you desire when you ask it to
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you
It may seem like a fortune sailing out of the blue
But like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back
It will come back to you
It will come back