The Beast and me

I could write a book about the adventures the Beast and I have been through. This car has been perfuming me with the scent of freedom. And sweat, as there is no airconditioning to be found. When no one else had faith in her, I did. I looked further than the obvious issues like rust and old tires, a broken light. And the hidden issues: holes in the gas tank, oil leaks, a loosely hanging exhaust. "So what", I said,"no one is perfect!" We made it work all fine and dandy, maybe a bit louder and more rough than the average car, but rusty old trucks are nothing new in Canada and the USA.

Being a woman without night vision, travelling alone in a bric-a-brac car, I've been taking it really easy. The Beast started making new sounds, some things definitely felt like falling off and when even the cassette player spit out what I had fed her, I got worried. I parked, gave the car a motivational speech: we can do this! Let's show the USA what we've got in store! Imagine all the adventures we're going to be living! Road trips 4 life! I stepped back in, started The Beast and drove through the giant Sequoia trees. Until after ten minutes, the exhaust fell off. 

I ran across the street to pick up the hot piece of rust and panicked. It was dark. I had no idea how bad this was. "Is my car going to blow up?" I asked a passing driver seriously. The lady smiled and told me to spend the night at the Chevron gas station, where the mechanic would be able to have a look at it in the morning. Relief rushed through me. Thank goodness for people who know, or pretend to know what they are talking about!

At the gas station, they told me it was okay to sleep in my car on their parking lot, "but on your own risk. Things get dangerous out here at night." Stereotypes of crazy Americans with guns ran through my mind. "Okay, bye!" I yelled and drove a couple of meters further, where I saw a bed and breakfast. I stepped through the doors of Rio Sierra Riverhouse and told my story to the lovely lady who owns the beautiful place. Happy to help out a damsel in distress, Mars showed me my very own hotel room. 

I was about to cry tears of joy. After months on the road, it felt so incredibly nice to treat myself to the peace of mind and comfort of a room of my own. I filled up the bathtub and washed all car worries away. The Beast will be fine and the road trips unforgettable! As I dozed off in a soft puddle of pillows and blankets, I thought: travelling can be exhausting.

Don't get me wrong, I love it all. The long drives, sticky situations, crazy adventures, waking up and not knowing what will happen and where I am going to sleep that night. I love that my cocoon of comfort is so far out of sight, it's just a dot in the distance. While I also have my cosy little home on wheels with me wherever I go. 

That night, I dreamt the past year and a half away. Like it was the first time I reflected on everything that had happened while living in Canada and the USA. I slept a thousand sleeps and woke up feeling fresh. The mechanic couldn't help me, but told me I could drive without the exhaust. "It doesn't harm the car, it will just be loud." And loud she was, that crazy Beast. A five minute drive left me with a ringing in my ears. I smiled, because I saw myself in her. 

Seeing the Rio Sierra Riverhouse in the daylight was a wonderful surprise. The beauty of the river and breathtaking scenery! Arriving somewhere in the dark always carries the comforting weight of surprise. It felt like Christmas morning! While enjoying french toast breakfast covered in syrup, I talked with the ladies who work at the b&b and felt at home. First of all: desert for breakfast! And the conversations left me so inspired I wondered if all these travels, winding roads and long drives were needed to lead me here. To Rio Sierra Riverhouse in Three Rivers. Where brunch is sweet and the talks even sweeter. It felt like I found the destination of the journey. It was hard to leave, but I had to get The Beast home before she would completely fall apart. It was a long, sweaty, noisy drive home, but we made it to Santa Cruz just in time for sunset. Pure romance, that Beast.

California dreaming

My American dream is becoming reality. Late afternoons bathing in Indian summer colours, winding mountain roads, starry skies. The road is home. My old beat up truck The Beast makes me live at a slower pace. Going only twelve miles per hour uphill, I have been able to enjoy the scenery nice and easily, smelling the dusty desert air, getting yelled at by drivers lined up behind me. Ah, America. The ultimate road trip country.

Days are spent driving thousands of miles, stopping in diners with plastic seats and bottomless cups of coffee. The waitresses are platinum blonde, melted cheese covers every dish. The hours are midnight to midnight. It doesn't matter if I go in at 2 am on a Tuesday or on a grey Sunday afternoon, the place is packed. People are hungry for diner food, crave to live the diner life. Bring their dates, babies, books, work, comfy pants, their own special bottle of ketchup. Americans! I love their ways. I love the jukeboxes, the cheesy songs they play. The chain smoking servers doubling as therapists to customers. Refilling their cups with lukewarm black coffee all through the day and night. Like a blanket for the soul. It tastes bad but yes I'll have another one. I'm not sure if it's the coffee, but diners make me feel alive, even though time seems to stand still once you enter the joint. 

No better break from long slow road trips than a pancake stack with butter squares melting all over the place. Aunt Jemima's syrup and I'm in America. This country likes to make sure you know you are in the USA, at all times. Flags, stereotypes, halloween decorations for months, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Mc Donalds, drive-thrus, drive-ins, dive bars, colourful beach towns, wide open roads, the feeling you are living in a movie set.

The National Parks! Of course I had to play tourist and be a part of the traffic jammed Yosemite and Sequoia parks. I am here! So how can I not? I hugged the massive trees, took about two gazillion pictures of the autumn colours, went skinny dipping in the freezing river. National park rangers don't like that. They do. But they don't. So I kept my clothes on for the rest of the trip. I got tired of the long hot drive, and so did The Beast. Her exhaust fell off just as we left the Sequoia National Park. I saw this as a sign: time to go back to our Californian home. We hit the road, rattling, growling, louder than ever. With the exhaust in the back seat and a smile on my face, we drove until the air tasted salty and life was sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. Home sweet Santa Cruz.

 

Oregon eclipse: mind blown

The insides of my nose, ears and nails are still black, even after many a shower and scrub. Remains of two weeks in the Oregon dust. A head full of inspiration and a heart filled with love is what I take home with me (to my car). I am almost lost for words after an eclipse and festival so magical! But if you know me, you know how much I love talking. So with a husky voice and a twinkle in my eye, I'll tell you all.

It started with hugs and words of love, saying goodbye to Canada after 14 months of living and travelling in that massively beautiful country. Let the US adventure begin! First stop: border control. Hours of questions and officers turning my car inside out was the wonderful, fluffy, sparkly start of a roadtrip of a lifetime. Not. I needed to meet some nice Americans asap after that. Which of course, I did! Americans are ridiculously sweet and helpful. Except for border control people. 

Driving for days through mountains and desert landscapes, I made it to the prairies of Oregon. The festival was taking shape and volunteer hands were needed: perfect. Locking hearts with my Australian wifey Gemma, celebrating our fourth year wedding anniversary, I knew this festival was going to be a special one. And I'm not even talking about the crazy thing that happened in the sky. 

After a couple of days, the gates opened and colourful people started rolling in. Dust masks on, eyes still fresh with desire and curiosity of what might happen. Every single stage was a piece of art, with performances and dj's and everything you could wish for and more. The art installations were out of this world, creating a true wonderland, making me feel like a kid again. Full of energy to play! I rolled around in the mud bath, enjoyed the lake swims and the tree houses, the beautiful land and the magic happening behind every corner. 

Long lost friends were found and reconnections lead to loud laughter. Because come on: we are in the USA! All of us! The festival family is a real community, travelling around the world and gathering in the most remote places on earth to celebrate life. And in this case: the eclipse!

Many thousands of people walked the path to the other side of the lake on Monday morning, preparing ourselves for the eclipse in all different ways. Eclipse glasses and friends in hand, champagne showers, costumes and mannequin parts, all kinds of things were brought to the solar temple to enjoy this special moment. My Vancouver family and I gathered in a cuddle puddle as the moon was slowly moving in front of the sun. As the light faded and the moon covered the sun, we all took off our eclipse glasses to soak up this amazing ring of fire and light.

I didn't know what to do with myself, I was so full of joy! So I jumped up and laughed and danced, while others screamed and some cried. It was incredible. By the time the diamond in the sky appeared, as the moon made her way further, my mind was totally blown. The adrenaline I felt rushing through my body left me with an urge to dive in the lake. Water is always my healing power. Whenever I'm overwhelmed by emotions, I pretend to be a mermaid and all is good. 

The rest of the days felt different, I was calmer and more in tune. Experiencing the jomo (joy of missing out) instead of my ever feeling of fomo (fear of missing out). Grateful for where I am in life, open to any opportunities coming my way. And you know what happens when you're open to anything: abundance! Like bumping into that special person you never expected to see again, a dj playing your ultimate jam, and a ticket to Burning Man.

With the wind blowing dust in my face, Black Keys on full power and endlessly beautiful landscapes passing by, I'm on the road to Black Rock City. 

Life, you rock my socks!