WildernessPunk

August’s End

Down days are sometimes as good as the adventures. Relaxing. Soaking it in. Pool and Jacuzzi. Seeing a movie in a place that serves up giant mugs of nut brown ale and lets you take it into the theater. Now that’s living.

The rest of the Griffiths clan shows up, except my children. Seeing my nieces makes me want my sons here all the more, but if everything went like it should, we’d have no Punk Rock.

It’s time to leave the desert behind us, at least for now. Jagged cliffs and rolling sandstone will be replaced by dark mountains and sprawling forests.

Steam cliff

A long drive takes us away from the city, the people, and the endless convenience. Although I’m not saying that having a two floor, four bedroom cabin in the forest on the edge of Yellowstone isn’t pretty damn convenient. Having time with my nieces is a blessing, but is also a reminder of the constant knife in my guts. Why I was not allowed to bring my children so they could see their cousins is a mystery and a real crime in my eyes.

Still life without hardship gives us no challenges to overcome. No conflict = no heroes. If writers need to suffer, I’ve managed to pull that off. Still, no need to complain, I’m experiencing some truly spectacular things and in many ways I’m riding on a serious wave of luck, good fortune, and adventure.

I’ll have to see how this continues as we prepare to drive two vehicles into America’s first national park.

I end up being the driving road warrior for the family. Also since I’ve been to Yellowstone more than anyone else (more than half the people have never seen Yellowstone before) so I’m able to AZA it up a bit and be a tour guide for everyone, which I enjoy.

However, when being a guide, one also has to know when to step back and shut up. Part of the enjoyment of going to a new place is the pleasure of exploring it for yourself. Telling everyone your interpretations of past experiences. deludes their own ability to feel like they’re going to a new place, which they can learn and enjoy.

Family

Funny moment when we go to the Yellowstone Ranger Museum and while looking at the replica of a ranger’s back-40 cabin, the ranger working there said, “How’d you like to live in someplace like this?”

My response is, “Damn, that would be so great! Hell, I’d pay money to live in a place this wonderful.”

I haven’t worried too much about sleep for the last week or so, but I ended up getting some problematic news. I shouldn’t complain since I’ve been using Nicole’s laptop for the last five months, ever since my last one broke while fleeing from the Flagstaff PD. But now she’s moving to Indiana and needs it back.

This could put a serious crimp in ShareStorm, which is how I’m making my money right now, continuing my writing, and maintaining my social contacts with the rest of the world as well, the Punk part of my WildernessPunk.

Waterfall

With me being financially challenged and also seeking to travel to Texas for my one-on-one E-Book training workshop, I’m not sure how I’m going to make everything work and somehow get a new laptop so my whole life doesn’t collapse.

I guess I’m back into the conflict and challenge part of life, even if I’m currently living in a notch or two below Nirvana state here in the Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming vortex.

So as I balance pleasure and problems on this perfect forest-filed morning, I sit in on a ‘writing party’ with my nieces. Plotting and planning versus enjoyment and sharing. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

Shadowbone

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my the rest of the month goes as I continue to explore the wilds of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, myself, and the path of the WildernessPunk?

You can grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction here.

Buffo

WildernessPunk Utah

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Part of the theme of WildernessPunk is a certain level of conflict, perhaps the more the better, as even the title suggests, the dual characteristics are bipolar aspects on the opposite spectrums of our current human existence. Technology versus nature, but in this case complementing each other. Yet to pull that off takes a strange effort and can be an interesting struggle.

Balancing Bone

Net vs. Nature

Freedom vs. Stability

Individualism vs. Communication

I could go on, but you understand. So just as conflict is an inherent aspect of human life, it’s also reflected in the pages of this e-quest to…okay, I’m go to stop and just throw the issue onto the fire and see if it burns or puts it out.

Yeah folks, you see the thing is… not too many conflicts afoot. Sure I have problems and things to figure out, but I’m hundreds of miles from my normal life both literally and figuratively.

Desert Ride

This could be what people call living in the moment and this moment is running pretty smooth. Perhaps some people are used to this…. If so, I’m not one of them.

Even my agenda remained smoother than desert sand after a rainstorm. After Mexican Hat we headed into Valley of the Gods.

Valley of the gods Utah

AW in oh so exciting Blanding fuels up us to check in of the secret camp site I made in the mountains outside of CanyonLands.

Canyonlands I

CanyonsLands takes us to Moab.

CanyonLands II

Today we spiked Arches and then I took us along the last of the once named Route 666, which we have taken from Kenyenta to a few miles south of Salt Lake City.

Path to the arch

One more night and then much of the rest of my family arrives. Then a new an adventure begins.

Conflict might drive much of our life, but what if we removed a good portion of it? The concept of always needing more, competition with others, and constantly proving ourselves through consumption are ruining us and our world. We have set up an artificial world, we think it’s real, correct, and makes sense, but it’s stabbing a slow dagger through our planet.

Maybe if the conflict between ourselves and others could be removed somehow. We compete with the environment, but mostly we compete with ourselves. When we compete with ourselves can we ever really win?

A warrior without conflict might just have to fight for something else. Peace, the planet, their friends, joy… what would you fight for?

Boneatah

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my the rest of the month goes as I continue to explore the wilds of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, myself, and the path of the WildernessPink?

You can grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction here.

Tom

WildernessPunk: Road Ripping

So yeah, after having my Driver’s License suspended for two years, being denied the Forerunner I bought, and I’m still paying the insurance for, I end up behind the wheel of a brand new Jeep Patriot with only 3000 miles on it. Cherry red and fuking road-ripping. My father rented it, but I’m driving and tearing through monument valley during the combination of thunder/dust storm is pretty close to as good as life gets.

Dust and loki jeep love

As an added bonus, I’m getting to stay in Mexican Hat, which is something I’ve wanted to do for about 10 years now, since the first time I ever drove through the place. Relaxing rooms next to the rain soaked San Juan. My father and I walk to the restaurant the place sports in the rain and I have a sirloin as I watch the river roar by.

San Juan River

Sometimes there are moments in life where you feel you’re getting more than you deserve and I guess this is one of those for me. Are things so perfect I almost feel they’re bordering on the supernatural or is some sort of bounce-back mystic karma in effect and is rewarding me for sucking up the nasty so long for the sake of my children?

Whether man-made or a cosmic gift from Yig and friends, I tend to believe in the later. But enough of the self-absorbed whirlwind for a moment.

Dust and Thunder

We’re about to enter the land which inspired Edward Abbey. I’m not equating myself to him or staying I wish to try, but despite the bad rap and blood soggy baggage the descendants of Europeans get, or subtly feel they should be getting after the history of our mostly foul behavior on this continent, I still believe we have the right to be one with the land.

Sometimes I feel it might be more difficult for us trickle down Euros. We want to connect with nature, but are still new to this hemisphere, while the lands holding our ancestor’s spirits are thousands of miles away. Especially in the west and in Arizona, we’re surrounded by folks with a stronger right and claim to the land than us, at least in theory.

I think some of the ill effects individuals and corporations bestow onto the environment is due to this fear to connect and/or the feeling we’re not part of these lands or even allowed to be part. Perhaps this idea should be rethought, for if we aren’t allowed to feel we’re part of the earth, this will lesson our desire to preserve and protect it.

Horse and donkey

How about the idea we all have an equal right to embrace our environment. Race, gender, age, only an idiot would give a shit. I don’t care if your people have lived here 500 years or 5, to deny someone the right to become spiritually grounded in the land is what leads to its destruction. One could argue it leads to war, torture, and rape, but I won’t bother to go there yet.

Like I said before, we’re still animals of the Earth. We may wear clothes, silly hats, and consult the magic rectangles, but all animals deserve to have their place on this planet. Your place can be a box somewhere too, with more magic rectangles in it, but you may have a harder time finding your true self in the world of ticking clocks and controlled routine.

Do you think I’m waxing on about some nebulous big ideals? Do you think I’m full of shit? Really, how many people do you know who have self-actualized and embraced their happiness? How many people do you know who are backed into a black space, or having trouble with friends, family, work, divorced… How are things going internationally or with the world economy, everything’s just peachy, right…no.

Junky

Reaching an internal peace is the exception not the rule. To quote The Talking Heads, “Some people can touch it, but they can’t hold on.” Like the passion of a new love affair, the best of things can dwindle into mundania and drab angst if we let it.

I’m not saying nature can solve this problem, but it isn’t a bad place to start. For one, nature doesn’t let you take yourself too seriously. I don’t care who you are, a 10 mile hike in the Canyonlands will kick your ass. Even if you’re in rock hard shape, the environment itself is humbling. Twist your ankle the wrong way and you’ll feel real humble alright.

mouse

Millionaire, man, and mouse… we’re all the same creature. Strip away your gear and drop us naked in the Canyonland’s Maze and who has the best chance to survive? I’ll put my money on the mouse.

postapocalyptic artwork lakes 1920x1080 wallpaper_wallpaperswa.com_95

The mouse lives with respect for his environment. His is a world of danger and reward, fear and cozy comfort. Motivation when needed and times when the harvest is reaped. Give him a little water, some food, a soft bed, and guess what, it was a damn good day.

So who wants to learn how to be a mouse?

Brussels-mouse-645473

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my the rest of the month goes as I continue to explore the wilds of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, myself, and the path of the WildernessPunk?

Dust and monument valley

You can grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction here.

Boneman

WildernessPunk, Camp 1 and Having Fun

I find it strange to discover, after my back issues yesterday, that a night of sleeping on the earth has cured the pain. My legs are still torn up a bit from the sprinting, but I’m sure the 13 mile ride into town will take care of that. Also odd is… I woke up at 4:30 and felt no need to go back to sleep. I guess two nights of good sleep and going to bed at 8:30 will do this to a guy.

Storm Clouds

Yet, despite how lovely the woods were in the morning, I need a strong dose of the Cyberpunk side of the fence and about seventeen other things.

Pizza and Caffeine slams has me hitting the web and making a few things work. After taking care of some much less pleasant issues, I start back toward the eastern forest.

A pit stop at AZ Adventure headquarters brings me into the loop. Despite our setbacks we have purchased a mobile device that would allow me to jack into cyberspace from almost anywhere. I won’t be rolling out here with it on my bike, but it does bring up interesting options for some seriously burly possibilities.

Cyber World

Taking the Punk up a notch while we’re in the center of Wilderness.

One way or another we’re going to roll this.

I felt surprisingly relaxed when I made it back to camp one. I need to be careful. I might be letting my guard down and getting too comfortable here. Dangers from man and animal are a distinct possibility. Humans during the day and the animals at night. Something prowled around my tent last night. You’d think they’d be over it.

Random predators wonder through this area. My brother and I found mountain lion prints only a mile from where I’m camping. I know black bears and pumas go after people. I had to fight off a cougar in Colorado once, but I was awake then and had a sword in one hand and a shovel in the other. Out here, alone, and with no fire, the situation could favor the predators.

The coyotes kept up their howls until after dawn this morning. Of them I have little fear, but they are the gateway-predators to the real deals. Luckily the huge amount of tiny prickly pear has me constantly scanning the ground which helps with snakes and other smaller perils. So far Yig has protected me from such things and I haven’t gotten so much as a spider bite. Well time for some Pizza. I had to ride 18 miles and bum a lift for the last few, but hey, this is damn good pizza. Say are those Hatch chilies… nice.

8/23/16

Since this is the last night I’ll probably spend here for two weeks, in typical reverse, Alex Bone fashion, I bust-out the camp. Early in the morning I stroll under a cloud laden sky. A fine midst had proved enough to keep me from writing or reading, but I had already finished a book, so I set to explore.

Pre-stumps

I managed to get some contacts with the outside world, despite the cloud cover, which appears to dampen my iffy text status. I was just walking toward a lightning blasted tree, when I spotted something I’ve been searching for this entire time, cut out sections of trees. It proved quite the arduous walk through the forest caring these three sixty pounds tree tables, but well worth it for me.

I fixed up and repaired the camp chair and now have a little table for both my morning and evening writer’s nooks.

wildernesspunk work station

Again I suppose this brings up the concept of True Environment, I mentioned before. Do I really need an end table, or a chair for that matter? I’ve survived out here without both before. Is my presence ever so slowly eroding Camp 1’s True Environment?

Obviously, the answer is yes. Like most humans, I can’t help but alter my environment to favor my needs. I seek nature, but then change it with my hand upon entering. Still one could argue I have less of an impact on the overall True Environment by not using much gasoline, utilities, and other natural resources.

This will be my tenth night here and during all that time, I’ve only had one grocery bag full of trash which needed to be removed.

Flipping the dagger, it is important to consider the Punk(Cyber) side of my current equation. I’m writing and ShareStorming to in theory be improving my state. Since I recently lost about 95% of possessions, there’s the idea of starting from scratch and advancing forward. I’d like to get solar panels to recharge my tech, my own laptop instead of this borrowed one, and perhaps one day, gasp, a vehicle.

Camp 1 snag

Right now efficiently is important. I need to max my time and resources so I can rip through as many projects as possible, for overall, their payoff is poor. If I need to alter the True Environment to aid me in my goal, I have to allow myself to remember I’m an animal too. I have the right to live on this earth as much as the elk, bee, or horny toad. They alter their environment to survive and now I must too.

Camp 1 Never leave

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my the rest of the month goes before I really head north and explore the wilds of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming?

Grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction here

Arizona Clouds

WildernessPunk, Lost in a Sea of Woe…Shit

Wowy Owy Zowy.

So maybe making the birthday kickball game double play might not be worth how sore I am for diving onto the hard dirt, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I’m just kidding. It was great to be part of such fun. Yet, part of me feels like an outsider, perhaps doubly. Everyone there has been allowed to live the lives they choose. Firstly, this was mostly denied me for years, so it just foreign to me to have a relaxed time. Secondly, it’s just plan strange to wake up in the forest and then ride into town and hang out with people with homes and jobs.

Wupapki

Oh well, wah, more of an observation or perhaps me feeling the oddness internally.

Knowing a former Park Ranger from Sunset Crater is guiding us to both there and Wupatki Ruins on the 21^st has me bumming rides with my bike to Jeremy’s where we rise early to pick her up.

Sunset Crater

I’ve always loved both Sunset Crater and the Wupatki Ruins. I usually prefer to take visitors there as opposed to the Grand Canyon. Still having a former ranger review and give us a tour of the area is a rare treat. I felt blessed to be out there and learning so much. And, I should point out that teaching this guy about Arizona is no mean feat.

However, the shit side of the hammer begins to fall. Jeremy turns ill in the desert 60 miles out of town. Both he and I, but mostly him, have put a lot of money, time, and energy into the AZ Adventure Tours, but no money is coming back at us. I’m in a place where even a little extra money would improve my state, quite a bit. He’s stressing hard and the pressure is wailing on him.

Desert North

I’m asked to drive the van back to town. I do get some one-on-one time with the former ranger and after a few dozen miles, I share the WildernessPunk idea with her. She says, “No one else can determine the value of the path you take. It’s up to you to judge it yourself.”

Feeling honored and lucky I drop her off. I feel the draw of the forest, I mean hell, I’ve been gone from nature a whole hour. I mount up with a truly heavy pack and head out to run a few tasks.

Lava

The road is long, about 10 miles. I had managed to Power Up and walk a few miles, while making calls, plotting, and planning. But after a grocery store run, the weight of my backpack becomes epic. I feel the aches and battering I inflicted on myself the day before.

I have to first encourage myself aloud. You know, pep talk time. Then on the second leg after I hit dirt, the final resort, signing out loud, but I think the horses and a mule liked it.

More contacts, both good and bad from Camp 1, which is weird in itself, but hey, it’s part of this process. Now I sit, sore and weary. August in Northern Arizona and its already growing chilly. My torn up muscles give me some concern. I’d hate to be in too much pain to move and be trapped out here because tomorrow is a town day. I guess you’ll know I wasn’t if I post this tomorrow.

CyberPunker

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my the rest of the month goes before I really head north and explore the wilds of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming?

Grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction here

Cyber_Seven_by_lieggio

Wilderness Punk… 8/19/16

Funny to me how this solo living, after being part of a family unit for so long, has become addictive. Even when I was being blessed with luxury, the best type of friends a man could ask for, and vistas of beauty, part of me longed for some of that alone time I’ve grown accustomed too. That’s just the way things are with us humans. Two Fridays ago I was feeling a little lonely between my visitors at the ponds, now, although I certainly don’t have to, I’m seeking out the seclusion of Camp 1.

Camp 1

Of course this is after a quick Jacked in spree at the Monte V. Had some of the social there and a few times after, but here I sit ShareStormed up and watching the darkness claim the forest.

I met a woman from the Sioux Nation while walking across town in a light rain. Funny how some people are unaffected and good natured in the middle of situations where others might freak the hell out or curse themselves for being losers.

Camp 1 turned out to be mostly fine, although damp. Hopefully the camo tarp given to me by Geff will lower the chance of this happening again and also help conceal the camp.

Can you see me

Ale, on ice this time, along with charged up tech leaves me fit, although darkness will descend soon. More of the social tomorrow as I emerge from to forest to attend a BD party. It’s the sort of thing I do. Missing some people. I need to contact, my family and a certain someone.

Can you see me know

I’m going to shut down for tonight. Like my devices, my batteries are recharged, yet as always, being away from your home leads to gaining perspective and a renewed motivation to take up the struggle to build on your goals so they will come to fruition.

Guilt and joy battle in my mind. Like freedom versus currency, I am torn. Stepping outside of the mainstream is like climbing up a muddy back that threatens to send you sliding back into the raging river that most of us are swept away with our whole lives without really knowing it.

What is life for? Is it for love, experiences, getting more things? Who am I to say which is more reasonable? Am I living true to myself or avoiding life and the responsibilities hanging around our necks like barbells of thorns?

Whatever the case, I tend to feel if you are striving for something and improving yourself, your life, and maybe a being decent to a few people around you, you are not only a success, but perhaps, just a little bit of a hero.

Drying

Thanks for listening

Grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction her

True Environment and WildernessPunk

What you gonna do?

Call the Lilly Ponds Camp 2.

Lilly Long

Yeah is there really anyplace better to call Camp 2? Sure I could be in Arivipa or Coyote Buttes, but if I was, I’d probably just be doing the Wilderness and have to minus the punk pretty quick as I set off on a quest to insure I survive. I may have sacrificed a few things to get here, but I’m still riding on the wave of reciprocity I received for E-Jacking Kurt into the world of ShareStorm by making all his platforms for him. It took all day, but it was well worth it for both of us. He got and will be getting, about 1000$ worth of services for tossing me some grub, a few beers, and driving me up to the Lillies.

Yep, not a bad requirement to have to drive yourself into paradise.

I write while he gets his nature photography on. Not a bad deal. I will join him down by the ponds when I am done with this. I don’t feel behind in my game for I already took a dip last night before sunset.

Kurt Camera

With just a few supplies in hand life becomes easy on this end. Water and Sun. Good times and fun. Like a Disney world for adults, or at least adults who like to experience things closer to the real, closer to a state where one strips away as much of the clingings of civilization as possible. Moving through the woods with just a spear, dagger, and the clothes on my back

The land has an eerie calm today. Not a leaf moves. After all the rain, Northern Arizona has received a green carpet of life, which sweeps through the brown spikes of the forest. Even the bugs and birds go quite as the sun holds its breath, like the world is waiting for something to happen.

Camp View

Perhaps the real me is what’s about to happen.

What does it mean to attempt to get closer to the true environment? How can you do it? What would it look like if you succeeded and how would you even know if you had?

Big questions, perhaps too big to answer, but maybe taking small bites would help. So let me back up a little and create a new term. True Environment (TE). True Environment is a concept I would like to throw out into the world. I’m not saying I’m inventing as much as defining something. True Environment is the idea you are in a place existing the way it would whether humans lived on our planet or not. So in a sense one could call it an area where humans have not altered the environment away from its natural state.

Hair Washing

In many cases this would not be an all or nothing situation. Most of existence is measured on the bell curve as would TE. Think of Antarctica on the TE side and Manhattan on the other side which we can term HE, or the Human Environment.

Sure with a little effort most of us can get to some places with a high TE score which would be close to how a place would be with or without human involvement, but we must also be careful not to oversell a space in the TE scale.

Of instance, I LOVE the Lilly Ponds, but… We have sheep being herded in this area, houses are really not too far down the dirt road, a mile away lumber is being harvested, and Boy Scout camp lurks to the southeast. Also people have been collecting firewood here for decades. A wonderful gift for all who encounter this place, true, but are these woods and waters the same way they would be if humans didn’t exist, close, but there would be differences surly. Bears and Mountain Lions might be more common in the area just for starters. More animals might be migrating through as well. And I won’t even bring up the Crawdads again.

So obviously a place even as close to Nirvana in so many ways, as the Lilly Ponds, would not receive a perfect TE score. Sometimes when it comes to human survival, having a lower TE score can even help, remember when I found the huge tile during the rainstorm and used it to cover my tent? Then I used an old tin can to help dig post holes to make the poles holding my ramada more secure.

Human things help humans. It’s that simple. Face it, toilet paper is a good thing to have. However, an area’s TE rating does not revolve around how well it helps humans survive, it’s based, again, on how untouched a region is by the hands of man and womankind. It is that simple.

Cat tails

Now you understand the concept and I think the next step is to develop a system of measurement, because that is what OCD math-mind oriented people like me do. But that will wait until next time.

Improve, test, and reward your body and mind. Yeah, I just gave you some homework.

Trail II

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my Trip back to the Lillies goes. Will I have to fight off dogs? Will there be enough beer for me to share with the frogs?

Grab some of my SkinJumper-Punk fiction here

Lilly Cliffy

WildernessPunk: Blazing

I grabbed Chaos by the tail. I’d say it grabbed mine, but I don’t have one.

Meetings went fine that night. Looks like I might become a young comedian’s manager and I got a few free ales from the Aussie Skateboarder skating Route 66.

Sunest Storm

Despite my lack of, well almost everything, I have chosen to head form Phoenix and then make Tucson my goal. I must make in to the Castle in the Desert.

castle

One might throw out the idea that passing through 300 miles of Arizona desert during the summer without a vehicle might be a rather questionable thing to do. However with at least some money, you can lever a way and in the end, good friends usually prove more important.

Shuttle

Van -> Downtown Flagstaff -> Shuttle to Phoenix Sky Harbor ànd I get picked up by Kurt. He decided to hire Sharestorm to get his platforms ready for his Nature Photography business and after some day beers and mixing my Rising Hy with his fresh garden goodies, we had quite the feast. ->Wooks takes me to the north side of America’s fourth largest city. After a two mile, 100 degrees even with the sun down, hike we hit a Brewery and then call it a night.

Kurt

Wooks and I hit the highway after I Jack-In and ShareStorm it there. We rip it to Tucson, where as it should be, our first stop is the Nugget where we greet Nick Nicholson who has moved back to the USA after living in Brazil for a quarter of a century.

After some 4^th Ave brewery love, I finally make it to the Castle. Jacked in and loving life. After so many years of torment and distress, to be truly relaxed, at peace, and happy feels strange, like finding a yacht after swimming through a thousand miles of open ocean. As I lounge in the pool with the BBQs going, well, this is a slice of Nirvana. Later a storm seeps in providing us an A+ lightning show. It blasts the city of Tucson while the night lays claim to the land.

ThunderStorm

Poker, IPAs, great food, and pool hopping. What more can a Boneman ask for? Well, I guess I might have liked winning the poker game. At the end of the night, one of those Facebook miracles happens and I’m set up for a ride to Phoenix from my old school punk rock buddy, Andy Horsehead. Sometimes the world rewards us once we get on the right path.

The heat cleanses me like nothing else can. It sweats my toxins away, frying off the spiders worrying at the edges of my mind. I am a man seeking a rebirth, needing a new path. The desert dries me. I become a husk, purged of my past, my items. I become just a hollow shell. A void seeking to be refilled with new direction and purpose. I take a step

Desert

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my Trip back to the Lillies goes. Will I have to fight off dogs? Will there be enough beer for me to share with the frogs?

Grab some of my Skin-Punk fiction here

Three Guys

The Real World? Wilderness Punk vs Tarmac

I go from getting up in the woods and riding through five miles of forest, to having my Avatars powering through the web to support some of my Sharestorm people. But free food and Dr. Ps at AK Café makes it all so easy. One of my fav places to Jack-in for sure.

AK Rain

After hitting the storage unit and Jeremy’s, I set off for a huge ride to see if I can get a job at the Arboretum, which would include free housing, utilities, and wifi. Odds might be against me, but I would be perfect for the job. However it does have me riding form 3 miles far east to 4 miles past town to the far west. I’ll be putting in about 30 miles on the mountain bike today.

After spending 7 out of the last 9 nights in the forest, riding alongside the never-ending stream of loud vehicles harshes my senses. The constant hum of fossil fuels chokes a man after so much pure perfection. The overwhelming percentage of motorists in ratio to bikers or pedestrians is appalling to me. My heavy backpack is like the weight of human necessity and I feel it pulling me into the steaming tarmac. The miles rip by as I weave through the garbage trucks and pumped pickups.

Light head

Four miles into the western forest, I meet with the man who could be my new boss, but I doubt it will be that easy. He speaks of the frailties of the former employees and the ‘tough’ requirements for living so far out into the woods. I want to laugh, and may have put him off in my disregard for such minor non-issues. Living within such beauty even in such a small place would be a luxury beyond what I feel I could deserve. If only such physical and emotion issues of his former employees were my worst obstacles.

Later, I make it to Down Town Flag. I see some down and out guys and stop because I know one of them. They are homeless and panhandling. Part of me wonders how far off I’m really removed from them. After a shared minute, I feel a certain unease, like the universe is watching and I’m at some cosmic tipping point. I excuse myself and move on.

What does it say about which side I’m tipping over?

One cup of tea later and I’ve set up no less than 4 meetings for tomorrow afternoon. A piece of Migo pie, right. I must be back in e-land. The most exciting of which is an Australian I will be meeting with who’s skateboarding across the old Route 66. I’ll be trading PR for beer, yep, that’s how I roll it. I might even be trading PR for some Re… I do important things.

Next Morning:

In town, showered and I’m told a client I’ve been chasing for about four months wants to see me. I meet with her and her husband.

Her: “Getting this super inflated bid for internet service triggered me to want to contact you again.”

Me: “Let’s just make this happen. I can start today.”

Him: “Okay here’s a check and one of each of the products we sell.”

I had left my backpack back at Jeremy’s and I’ll just say that was a tricky bike ride home.

Four more meetings before sunset. Punk > Wilderness, but ale is also > Sunburns.

Thanks for listening and turn back in to see how my manic meetings of doom go. Will I meet with these folks before I have too many beers or will having too many beers help me take it home?

Grab some of my Skin-Punk fiction here

Wilderness Punk: Back to Camp I and some Fun

I found myself out of the cyber loop for a while out there in the Lilly Ponds. Friday night I spend alone. I wrote, hiked, looked at frogs, you know, the normal things. I did take a long mountain ride down the Sycamore trail. First time for that one and in the drizzling rain, it was well…awesome.

Biking It

Later circumstances forced me to defend my camp while alone. My habit of talking out loud alerted the sheep herding dogs to my presence. These half feral monster sized beasts barked and growled as they attempted to surround me like a pack of wolves. Some shouting of my own and moving at them with my war club clenched in hand sent them packing, but only after a minute standoff, which I guess this Boneman won.

Lilly Fields Forever

Wooks did make it and lucky for me (even if he did beat me 3 games to 2 in horseshoes) he did, for that would have been a long ride of twenty miles into town after I would have been forced to stash some gear. Instead, I put my cooler etc, into the storage unit and plunged back into normal, well at least as normal as my life gets, humanity. An attempt at jacking up my gear and getting work done, became a fun bit of the social at east side Historic. I learn some useful factoids, and even double gear up while I eat three bags of croutons.

Next day, no tour, no money, some low spirits. I set myself to hitting the Cyberpunk world and then do a few tasks to take advantage of this thing we call civilization, while also prepping for a quick turnaround to camp I. Along the way I find a giant unopened bag of trail mix. Accorded to some paths of mysticism such an event would mean the Gods favor my current quest. So since it was a double mystic Day of Yig, I’ll send the All-Father serpent my thanks.

More power-cyber slamming for the touring company and I’m ready to bum a ride out to Camp I. Jeremy hikes up to see it with our touring mutt mascot. I forgot the ice, but what would life be like if everything went smoothly.

I finished my fifth Chronicles of Jack Primus book out in the woods. See, I’m doing some writing out here. New Primus E-Book here I come.

Camp I Day II

An unused road leads down to some powerlines. I discovered that if I’m willing to walk down these powerlines about half a mile, my cell reception rocks. Not all-important to me, but good to scout out resources. No water, no random supplies other than a giant spike and two nails.

Managing to slam some writing and prepping for some of my cyber-business, which actually does pay a few bucks and you know what, I think it’s about beer:30. Which is good since my water is running low, due to the lack of my frozen bottles of ice.

3PM

Jeremy arrives with two bottles of chilled water and tells me a hurricane has been tearing up through Mexico and is ranging through Arizona. We both looked at the dark arrowhead of clouds moving east to cover the land in shadow.

Clouds

“I’m here with the van if you want to pull out.”

“No, I’ll ride it out. I’m ready.”

“How about any gear?”

“Nope, I think I’m ready for whatever might be thrown at me. Bring it on. I’m going to ride it out.”

And…Yeah…It was a big no show. Not so much as a drop. So I went mountain bike riding until the trail disappeared.

Where did the roadd go

Great day though, Clouds came in and gave me some shade.

Smile

When I woke up today, I really, really wished I didn’t have to leave. Maybe this whole WildernessPunk thing is dangerous for me. I may never want to come back.

Morning

Thanks for listening and return to see how the Punk side goes this week.

Grab some of my Skin-Punk fiction here

Bike Camp I