The Kaibab Plateau

         Staring out over the immense chasm of the Grand Canyon, I am aware of our infinitesimal nature. We feel so big in this world most the time, because our world is everything we know, our perception is all that really exists. But when we realize that this world around us has been forming and changing, rivers flowing, fires breathing, for billions of years, the realization of how diminutive we are as individuals is overwhelming. As a whole, the human race, our role on earth right now is just as influential as the wind or rain really, but this is the time and place of our reign. On a universal scale we are just an insignificant speck, we know the elements will never cease, where as we may be obliterated. This perception of mine will be gone, most definitely, in the blink of an eye.What am I here for, why am I standing on the edge of the earth musing about my place in the world? Am I here as an audience, an observer? Sometimes that's all I feel like, sometimes that's the only position I feel comfortable in. The grand Canyon draws an audience from all over the world, a mighty wonder, demanding recognition. But if we (people) weren't here to awe over it, if that moment of perception didn't exist, would it really be that mighty?
         
           In the forest of the Kaibab Plateau with it's lush meadows, Ponderosa pines, Aspens, and Blue Spruce it feels like a different world than the harsh canyons below. Their is a less noticed wonder at work here, the mycelium that hides under the duff, a living mass probably as large as the Grand Canyon itself. The fruiting bodies were everywhere at the time of our stay, popping up on the stage of the great Kaibab plateau, showing off their brilliance. Although less popular than the canyon, they too have their audience. Mushroom hunters from all over the world made sure to stop by for the show on their way to witness the immensity of the Grand Canyon. Aspen Scaber Stalks were the main event, but Fly Agarics, Shaggy Manes and Delicious Milk Caps were there as well. We didn't expect to witness the fungi in such abundance in these parts. When I think of Arizona, I think of desert, dry and parched. The Kaibab is like a lush island floating above the desert, full of life. It rained and thundered continuously while we were there. We didn't mind at all though, because we know what the rain has to offer and with our awesome rain shelter that Ty constructed, we didn't really suffer at all. After the rain, we would go out with our bucket and fill it with delectable mushrooms that we would dine on nightly. This was by far the largest yields we had ever experienced of wild edible mushrooms.

       Before we came to the Grand Canyon we had stopped in Vegas for a night of debauchery, so we left the City of Sin to be humbled by the Kaibab forest and the north rim of the grand canyon, quite a stark contrast. The experience of extremes  side by side, the extremes of humanity and the extremes of nature. Another epic chapter of our Soul Journey completed, leaving us thirsty for more, we left Arizona, heading closer to home and the end of the road.

“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” 
― Edgar Allan Poe

The Colors of the Rainbow

     My first instinct is to start this post by apologizing for neglecting our blog. But I'm not really sorry at all that I've been living in the National Forests of America far away from internet connectivity. I've noticed the most profound moments of my life generally go undocumented, for if I had time to write or photograph I would not be fully immersed in the experience. There is always time for documenting speculations and reflections later.

     We have spent the last four months enveloped by natures feathery cocoon. Entering society sometimes feeling like a rude interruption from this perfect stasis in which we have learned to find comfort in solitude. Everyone hustling and bustling with their individual agendas, emitting a feeling of chaos into the atmosphere, making it seem as if the harmony of the wilds we just stepped out of was a mere illusion There is not really time or inspiration to type away online when we enter the cluster fuck of human society, for we are technically homeless and if we want to sleep in our nice warm sleeping bags without being awakened by a law officer or worse we must quickly venture back into the safety of the wilderness. It's funny how the tables turn once one casts themselves out. Town is no longer a safe zone when you have chosen to live without a home. Sometimes town offers us a desirous social rendezvous and lifts our spirits, but more often than not we are rushing around trying to get our errands done quick, to avoid sleeping in Dharma's front seat. We get sucked right into the constant flow of commercial consumption, and money flows out of my wallet like ants out of an ant hill, bringing food to the queen.

      The west is still wild, it may be splattered with towns tamed by corporate sterility, but no matter the population of people congregating on the fringes or even those exploring the playground of mother nature's domicile, the wild cannot be tamed by our presence. Geography and atmosphere dictate this kingdom in which flora and fauna merely inhabit, relentlessly proliferating. We can create artificial environs to protect ourselves from the elements and make our lives more comfortable, but still we are at the whim of mother nature. We have been through seven states so far and have soaked in at least two dozen hot springs, slept in more national forests than I can count, and have enjoyed the pleasure of fresh scenery around every corner. There is nothing more humbling than bearing witness to a mighty river, a vast desert, a deep forest, all under the endless sky.  These humbling moments are why we have chosen this lifestyle.

         The Rainbow Family Gathering in Montana turned out to be an incredibly positive experience. It was  amazing to unite with so many like minded brothers and sisters, fellow travelers, inspiring musicians, artists, dancers, and just plain kind hearted souls. To see such cohesiveness within a tattered group of people with no actual leaders or laws was amazing. It made me realize how efficient it is for society to collaborate on daily agendas and share in responsibilities. If everyone helps just a little bit, no one person is run ragged and work is accomplished at a much swifter pace. For example, everyone has to eat dinner, at Rainbow Family there are community kitchens where large meals are cooked to feed everyone. Everyone who has the time or will to help can help and everyone eats. So there are maybe 100 fires lit to feed 10,000 people, rather than 10,000 fires lit to feed everyone individually. This was so beautiful to see everyone working in unison rather than struggling on their own. We had a chance to work and camp with the Rough and Ready Kitchen, a really great group of people, making our little section of the woods a heaven on earth. Like any other society even Rainbow has its undesirable neighborhoods and we were careful to find an area where we felt comfortable and inspired. All day people gathered and sang and made music together, children and adults alike juggled, slacklined, hula hooped, danced, and talked. Chores such as cooking, dishes, building structures, gathering fire wood, digging latrines, compost and grey water pits, all these were done without grumbling, an announcement made when help was needed and always a willing group of people to get the job accomplished. Everyone referred to each other as brother and sister and hugged and gave words of love, even when they were strangers. We felt like we belonged, like we could live as one big happy family forever. But as fast as the city was built, it was taken down, and we as well as the rest of our family migrated back to Babylon with a rainbow shining brightly in our hearts.

 Our first glimpse of the Rainbow Family Meadow

 A feast of Neolentinus Ponderosus

 Lakefront campsite in Wyoming on Targhee Lake, the place of the great insect attack, looks deceivingly peaceful doesn't it? lol

 Grand Tetons

Good ol' Dharma girl

        After the gathering in Montana we continued into Wyoming to experience some of the most breathtaking wilderness and friendly people in the country. Only to be scared away by the most horrendous populations of biting flies and mosquitoes we've ever experienced. We've meandered our way down into the beautiful red rock country of Utah, stopping at awesome hot springs and visiting friends that have taken us on adventures off the beaten path and shared their creature comforts and good company. Thank you Jim and Gayla. We still have adventure ahead of us, but responsibility is starting to nag at the back of our minds as our funds are running low. Soon a new adventure will began as we reincorporate ourselves into society and become part of a new community. It should be fun, and in a way I look forward to yet another chapter, but for now the open road is still calling our names.

“Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.” 
― Robert Frost

   

Relaxing through a waxing moon...

  As is often the case while living beyond the connections to cyber stimuli, the opportunity to spend a few hours typing away are rare and far between.  Instead of ether- nets and communication devices, our days are spent reflecting the roots of various edible plants, or deciphering accurately the edibility and toxicity of various mycelium.
  Invariably our day starts upon a routine.  We awake around nine thirty or ten, though often times a bit later as we stay up late around the fire or return late from a "Midnight Run" to the Hot Springs.  We rotate rolls of "Fire Handler", though its usually the one with the most gumption that morning who quickly procures a handful of flammable leaves and proceeds to prepare a small morning fire in which we may be able to percolate some coffee for mutual morning enjoyment.
  Noses in books and sleep still grimy in our eyes, we set forth to explore the strange new area we are within, to decipher its singular beauties.  Each day brings new experiences, waterfalls ranging from voracious and turgid to elegantly powerful, delectable mushroom growing from the loam of the fertile forest floor, salads derived from abundant and tastily yet under looked greenery, not to mention unpredictable and intriguing companionship.
   Endlessly we are slaves to our stomachs, aware of the toll the sun exhorts upon our mortal bodies, of calories burned and the continuous requirement to acquire hydration, and invariably contemplate the menu for the successive meal.   The waters of fate offer us a gift.  "Would you like some chicken as we brought too much to use tonight", a stranger asks us as they prepare to leave the Hot Pools.  "Surely!", we cry, and dine finely that evening, though all evenings offer a delicious treasure trove of nutritional and savory scrumptious delights through Shawna's impressive culinary skills.
  We are warriors of the road, on a self initiated right of passage.  Our war drums are ever ready to unleash their rhythm in a crescendo of fervent palpitations akin to a beating heart as we live in the moment, a nearly real now, that fades into cadence with memories of pure symphony.  Our Fires are small and inviting, as we adhere to an interesting Native American quote we heard on our travels.  "White Man makes a big fire and stands far away, the Indian makes a small fire, and stand close together." 
  Juggling and reading and reaping and seeking, running and laughing along streams that are babbling, dabbling and soaking while sulking and rambling, dreaming a life that truly is living, these are the dreams that we are all feeling.
                                                                                                         Truly yours, Tieas J. Cone

Family and Fun in some California Sun

  California has been a gem for us.  We've spent two weeks with my parents and brother up in Lucerne Valley, who opened their home for us and fed us very well; Lemon Chicken, Spicy Pork Burrito's, and a night at Buffalo Wild Wings, where we shared fifty boneless chicken wings, which came with a delicious and truly sweat inspiring Blazing and Mango Habenero sauce.  It's great to fatten up again before we head north.

  My folks let us use their place as a great base camp, we met up with an old and good friend Katrina, and her boy Damien, and we all went to Big Bear on a nice hike to see one of the largest Lodge Pole Pine Tree's in the world, and to enjoy an afternoon picnic.  We also made it down to Huntington Beach to visit another friend for the day, Tina had opened her door's to us and we had a great time seeing her again. I made animal balloons on the Boardwalk, made about twenty dollars in all, while Shawna, Denton and the pups went down to the Dog Beach, where Maia jumped right into the ocean, so that some waves crashed over her, and yet she wasn't afraid at all, even though it was her first time.

  Of course we had to go to our favorite place, the very place where Shawna and I first fell in love four plus years ago... the beautiful oasis of Deep Creek Hot Springs, located outside of Apple Valley, Ca., a short hop away from where my dad lives.  We spent Cinco de Mayo weekend there inadvertently, not realizing it was a holiday weekend, and were surprised to find at least sixty people there at one time.  Luckily Deep Creek has nine separate pools, four of which have been recently added since last we were there over three years prior, and we felt a bit over crowded, though there was enough space to accommodate everyone, and over all the energy was fairly calm.

  We next went to visit Shawna's family in the mountains of North County San Diego, in the small town of Julian.  Their home is way up a winding dirt road, and offers a spectacular view of the sunsets.  We stayed for a couple of days, were we were plied with more delicious food and great company.  We went to a local park and a lot of Shawna's cousins and relatives came to visit. Including the kids, there were about twenty of us there, and I entertained with animal balloons and juggling, Shawna busted out some of her awesome Hoola- Hooping skills, and we all in general had a fun day eating and playing in the California sun.  It was great to meet so much of Shawna's family, a special thank you to Aunt Sherry for making it all possible.

  After two weeks of sitting around and visiting, we were ready to head north. We made our salutations, and  they wished us luck as we headed North, to Remington Hot Springs.  This was our first time there, and we marveled at the work put into the five pools.  The Main three pools were right on the river's edge and inlaid with polished semi precious stones and varied in temperature from 96- 104 degree's, and were crafted with evident love by the locals.  There is also one natural pool and a small one person pool, both cooler temperatures.  We camped there for two nights, hiked around the area, found some cool stone formations in hollowed out rocks and even a California Sycamore tree, that had been converted into a nifty stone chair.  In a moment of randomness, Denton noticed a rock and turned it over to find a mandala drawn on it, and the next one when turned also had a different mandala.  We left them face down, as we found them.

  This morning, we decided to pack out of there, for the weekend crowd would surely drive us crazy.  Last night, we saw a train of teens hiking to the springs, and there were at least twenty people down there.  Sadly, we found lots of trash left behind too, some glass on the trails as well as nails, and for some reason we felt that people were lacking of that kindred connection that strangers experience so often while enjoying such beauty.  In all, I think it was the best hot pool construction I have yet to see, though the proximity to the city draws an ever larger and less respectful crowd.

  We are now headed towards Mammoth and Bishop area, for you have guessed it... more hot springs!  We will keep you all posted, and all five of us send our love as we continue our adventure northwards.

  Truthfully yours... Tieas and the Gang :)

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

 

Dharma Dances into the Verde Valley, AZ

 
  We left San Antonio Hot Springs some what sadly, as it was such a beautiful place, but our next destination uplifted our hearts, and with smiles openly worn, we disembarked.  Initially we planned on backpacking into the Petrified Forest National Park to sleep, so we high tailed it there, barely making it to the gates with a half hour of sunlight remaining.  The lady working the entrance informed us that we had arrived too late to to be able to do the back country camping, but the silver lining was that it was FREE National Park weekend, and we were able to take a leisure drive through the park until the sun had set for the evening.

  The area was truly breathtaking, with amazing overlooks into the painted desert and ancient petrified forest studded with the remains of felled and fossilized trees, that were marbled with every imaginable hue, and seemingly more gem like then not.  We took a short video at an overlook, and should be posting it near the end of this post.  We raced the setting sun, with the last part of our drive nearing dusk, and as we exited the park, we noticed a sign that said "Free Petrified Wood" at the local souvenier shop, so decided to stop so that Denton could acquire a piece.  While stopped, we noticed a sign that said "Free Camping" as well, and they had these really cute Teepee's that initially had a draw to us, but after closer inspection and discussion we decided that the night was still young, and the Teepee's a tad small,  so we hit the road again.

  We rode throughout the night, coffee and nicotine our only defense against the monotonous, hypnotic, winding desert freeways, and arrived at Camp Verde, AZ around 1 A.M.  We stopped to fill our gas tank at the local gas station, and then headed over to a Denny's to update our blog and to enjoy some $2 Hashbrowns and Biscuits and Gravy.  While there we asked the Waitress about the Verde Hotsprings, she was under the impression that the road leading in was closed, so we worriedly googled the information looking to confirm her statement, but were unable to find any information that collaborated her opinion, so we decided to risk the trip anyways.  In retrospect, she was probably thinking about the Verde Hotspring Resort, which closed in 1958 due to a massive fire, or that nearby Strawberry Road was closed most likely due weather conditions, either way, we were determined to make our way there.

  The road leading into the Verde Valley was a wash board dirt road that wound around the mountain side, following the river that had carved it's gorge into the valley below.  The ride down was tedious, most of it down hill, with sharp banks and a steep grade, and with the added weight of our gear, it put a lot of stress on our brakes as well.  Shawna was a bit nervous, after driving all night over four hundred miles, and was a little on edge, but  moving along slow and steady, we made it the twenty five miles to the end of the road, and the Child's Campground.  When we first arrived, we noted a sign that said "No Motor Vehicle's Allowed", so we decided to break out our hiking gear, hike down the little hill, and find a spot to crash for the night.  By this time, it's close to 4 a.m., we scavenge out a nice little camp area, and notice that everyone actually did have their vehicles down near their camp sites, yet decided to get the Jeep in the morning, so we hastily assembled our tents, and fell into a blissful sleep.

  We awoke after only a few hours of sleep, as is often the case in tent sleeping, the roasting morning sun was our wake up alarm.  We stepped out of our tents, and beheld the beauty of the flowing Verde River not a hundred feet from where we slept.  We took a short hike around, greeting our neighbors and asking where the path to the hot springs was, as well as looking for a shaded camp site, then grabbed a light snack, some towels, and headed out to explore!  The hike was a fairly easy one, with rocks stacked upon each other in formations known as cairns, helping to mark the trail, and with only a little scrambling, some boulder hopping, and a single river crossing, we were almost there.  The hike itself only took about 25 minutes, and as we approached the waters crossing, our little puppy Maya swam confidently across the river current for her very first time, we were so proud of her!

  We approached the deck of the two pools, a concrete outcropping over looking the river about fifteen feet below, and immediately we noticed the beautiful mosaics and art adorning the pillars and walls of the stone bath house.  Lucky for us, the locals had just recently detailed and cleaned out the larger of the two pools (with a temperature of about 97 degrees), so that the waters were clean and inviting.  The larger of the two pools was the coolest, about 7 feet deep with a few stones to stand upon, and probably five feet wide by 15 feet long.  At one point I counted thirteen poeple in that pool, with room for more to join.  The other pool was enclosed in a stone room without a roof, it was about five square feet, and only a foot and a half deep, but the temperature was very enjoyable, chill-abolishing 102 degrees.  This hotter pool had a variety of awesome murals on the walls, an ever changing collage of color and self  expression that bespoke of a love for life and the sacred nature of the pools themselves.  Quotes and images inspired us and offered a fun opportunity to reflect while soaking in the curative properties of the waters.

  Our first trip to the springs was very enjoyable, the only other interesting point being that the other people there also had their dogs off leash, so that there was like eight dogs running amuck, but they all behaved well and incorporated our dogs into their expanding pack.  We introduced ourselves to the others in the pool, ate an orange apiece, and soaked ourselves until the noon heat drove us back to camp for shade and nourishment. 

  Shawna was very hot, so I took our 15 foot tarp and made a very nice shade structure for us all to enjoy.  We made a fire that evening, and Shawna cooked the best campfire meal to date, bacon wrapped green bean bundles with a balsamic sugar glaze. We must thank Chambrey and April for inspiring the recipe. That night a Verde River Elder slash Dead Head named Jack that we met at the pools stopped by for a bit to show us his musical skills.  When we met him earlier at the springs, he had a CD playing by the pool that he said was his band.  Listening closely, I noticed what sounded like a musical saw.  Jack was impressed that I correctly picked out the sound of this archaic instrument, and admitted that it was indeed him whom was playing the saw!  Jack sat down around our flames, and commenced to seranade us with violin like peals of enchanting music accompanied by a very trippy Grateful Dead song.  It was a first time experience for us all, and much enjoyed!

  The rest of our six day stay went by far too fast, we made friends with another Elder named Brett who offered us his shaded campsite, as he too was relocating to a better one, and we siezed the opportunity to find real shade and to be close to the babbling river.  Brett also let us borrow an air mattress, as ours seemed to be losing air (as is always the case it seems with air mattresses!), and over all was a very cool person who hooked us up in a number of small ways.  We met some traveling street kids who were pretty cool, we jammed out on some drums a few times, and helped them out with a pot to cook rice in, which they failed to return before they left.  Sad Face.  Denton caught his first snake, a three foot King snake, that we released so that it could continue to scourge the area for its main food source, Rattlesnakes.  I also happened upon a lethal Coral snake that was crossing the road in front of me, it was only maybe seven inches long, and I wisely left him be. 

  Our days consisted of a trip or two, to the springs, a nightly campfire, good company and wonderful new experiences. One evening, Denton went to the hot springs alone with a water bottle full of rum to enjoy some solitude under the stars.  The next morning came, then noon, and we still hadn't seen him. Worriedly we hiked to the springs, only to find that he wasn't there either! Come to find out, he took a different trail back to camp, and we had just missed him. Thankfully, he finally returned and was perfectly intact, much unlike our bottle of rum.

  On the last night of our trip, we had a chance to bond with other Verde Family members, and stayed up late drinking and conversing in the springs, as they had talked us into staying for an impromtu farewell party.  The next day we took group photos, and was told that we too were now Verde Family,  we exchanged facebook information so that we may stay in touch, as they were now a part of our family as well.  Shawna sold some more soap, all natural unscented bars to a cool hippy chick named Becky, Brett gave us some dehydrated road rations, and we packed up to hit the road once again.

  Our next destination is my parents house in Lucerne Valley, California, where I am writing this blog now in fact.  We should be here another week or so, then north we will head to Bridgeport and Mammoth area.  As we get closer to leaving, we will update again our time here in southern California.  Until then, we send our love, and hope to hear from all you lovely poeple.

  Empathetically yours... Tieas Cone 

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

San Antonio Hot Springs or Bust!

   Being out on the road has been rejuvenating, fresh scenery around every corner just waiting to be explored. We finally left the comfort of Aunt Terry's home, almost reluctantly, only our anxiousness to break new ground motivated us to load Dharma back up and roll down the road. On the way out of Oklahoma we stopped and stayed the night in Cordell with some old friends of Ty's. Ricky and Chambrey had taken Ty in 2001, after he had gotten stranded in Oklahoma on a cross country road trip. Ricky and his girlfriend April invited us into their homes again no questions asked. They welcomed us with shots of Crown Royal and we all became quick friends while Ty and Ricky reminisced. The next day Chambrey invited us over to her home for a cookout and we had grand time grubbing on hamburgers and hot dogs and drinking beer. Chambrey was very generous and not only purchased several bars of soap from me, but also sent us on our way with bags of canned and dry foods for the road.
  
  Our spirits were fresh with curiosity, and our bodies well rested and ready for a challenge. The first night we ventured onto BLM land to find a free campsite, since we are on a budget we plan to take advantage of our right to camp on public lands so we figured we'd start outside of Albuquerque on our way west. A large portion of the land outside of Albuquerque is tribal land, but we checked with the BLM office for a map and were able to find the patches of BLM where we could camp. It was not easy to find, but after turning around in the middle of the highway several times we located a gate that appeared to lead to BLM cattle land, so we ventured off into the desert towards a stunning mesa. The road was a little rough and after trudging through a few sand beds it just ended. We decided to throw on our backpacks and hike to the base of the towering mesa to set up camp for the night. There were timid herds of cattle everywhere that responded to us like foreign invaders, staring us down with their wild bovine eyes. We set up our tents as the sun was setting, and settled into our camp feeling like cowboys sleeping under the stars of the wild west, a priceless experience far richer than paying to sleep in a cookie cutter state park campground.

  We ventured back into the Jemez Mountains after camping in the desert, determined to find the San Antonio hot springs now that we had warm weather on our side. This time our efforts were a success! There were several undeveloped free campsites about a 5 mile hike from the hot springs where we set up camp for a few days. We finally got to relax in our hammocks as the sun shined through the forest and the wind rocked us to sleep. And the hot springs, well they were well worth the renewed effort, some of the most amazing we've been to yet. The length of the hike was a bit tiring because we are all still out of shape, but it was easy walking and the reward of the springs made it more than worth the tired legs and blistered feet.

   San Antonio hot springs consists of four descending pools of various temperatures nestled in rock outcroppings on the side of the mountain face, with the most spectacular view I've had the pleasure of enjoying in a hot spring thus far.  While soaking we met Alex, Rachel, and Erica, three very interesting individuals. We really enjoyed their lively personalities and since they were camping in the area that night as well, we invited them to share our campfire with us. We polished off a cheap bottle of Brandy as we played drums around the fire and told stories of past adventures. It was really a joy to run into like minded peers that we could share some of our excitement with. In the morning they went on their way after buying several bars of soap. Alone once again at our campsite, we had a lazy day in our hammocks. The wind was relentless though, and we decided to move on the next morning.

   Now here we are at a Denny's in Camp Verde, Arizona, about thirty miles from our next destination, Verde Hot Springs. Apparently Verde Hot Springs is an abandoned hot springs resort near the Verde river that you can still soak in. Their is supposed to be an unofficial campground about a mile from the springs which is where we are headed tonight, wish us luck. Sadly, Denny's only offers a single hour of free internet, which is why this post is a week late, sorry for those who have patiently waited.  Love to you all.

Peace, Love & Road Dust
Shawna

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained"