Across the Sands of Time

We have made so many awesome connections with strangers on this trip. On the streetcars, at gas stations and grocery stores, outside of public washrooms, in parking lots, at campgrounds, in parks and at restaurants. There are so many seekers and travelers in the world. Even those who aren't currently traveling have done some exploring and are excited to share their experiences and helpful pointers with us fellow explorers. Some of our favorite places were discovered thanks to suggestions from strangers. 

Photo: everydaydreamholiday

One evening at dusk, we played tennis with our pals who have recently relocated to Houston, TX. We were in a park just outside of downtown and we watched the Waugh Bat Colony flutter overhead by the tens of thousands.  They formed swirly clouds of black specs and came in waves, one after the next for nearly a half hour. Then after a break in the black swirls, we thought they were all passed...but then a short while later, more swarms passed overhead. They all live underneath a large bridge at the edge of center city and they swarm overhead every night around sundown. A similar colony lives in Austin, TX too on Congress Ave. 

A bit of weather irony: while in one of the warmest states along the south coast, we camped in some of the coldest weather that we have encountered on this whole trip. The locals told us we must have left the back door open when we left Canada. It's apparent that the USA doesn't teach it's citizens much about it's giant frigid neighbor to the north, as most Americans we have met admittedly don't know much about Canada. Funny right? We have also repeatedly heard the frustration of Americans with the new Obamacare system. They hoped to have health care more like Canada's. Things aren't always what they seem...even in Canada.

They say everything is bigger in Texas. I don't know where "they" get that idea, but it sounds good.  The state itself is huge. Other than that, the only things I have noticed that are bigger are the pickups, the speed limit (it's the only state we have passed through with an 80mph speed limit) and the penalty for littering which is up to $2000 and a prison sentence.  They are also big on military bases and intensive cattle ranching.  We noticed an imaginary line through Texas, where the eastern part had a very similar feel to many east coast cities, and the western half was very "wild west" feeling. 

We pulled off the highway to take a tour of one of the older military forts in central Texas called Fort Lancaster. It was erected in the mid 1800's. There were minimal remains of various structures and lots of stories to go along with them. What a life it would have been living in the wide open desert/prairies of the south back then. So desolate. 

We did see many different agricultural ventures along the southern border including massive pecan and walnut groves covering thousands of acres amongst the dry brown grasses and cacti. We also saw more cotton plantations (finally snapped a photo) and fields full of drying chiles. Goats seem to be a popular livestock choice, probably because they will eat anything, including the dry, crunchy brush that covers the wide open ranches across the south of Texas. 

We headed for El Paso, TX, which shares the border with Juarez, Mexico. As we drove closer to the lights of the city, the Mexican border was visibly illuminated along the south side. We did a little exploring and saw that the border is lined with several walls of razor wire fences and has a canal nestled in between. There were two US border inspection stations, one that we went through along the highway, which I haven't seen before, other than when we actually crossed a US border. I suppose people slip through the borders on a regular basis and smuggle illegal substances in freight trucks, or they wouldn't bother having such stations. 

We Couch Surfed with a couple of nice guys in El Paso and tried some of the local Mexican food. We also drove up one of the mountains bordering the city to get a Birdseye view. 

Our host suggested that we take a tour of one of the original homesteads in El Paso called the Magoffin House. We caught the last tour of the day and really enjoyed hearing about the history of that area beginning in the late 1700's. 

As we headed through New Mexico and Arizona we noticed the terrain getting increasingly dry and barren. Tumbleweed the size of dogs blew in the harsh winds across the highway. There were dust storms in the distance and many road signs warned of the dangers of blowing dust. 

This certainly felt like the Wild West. 

We did some research and decided to camp just outside of Tucson, AZ in the western half of Saguaro National Park, nestled in the Red Hills. It's home of the Saguaro cacti, which only grow in a limited area of SW Arizona and a small portion of Northern Mexico. These are those iconic tall cacti with happy, waving arms. They can live up to 150 years!

We took a hike down one of many dry riverbeds at sunset. The views were breathtaking. The wind was still howling over the hills and through the valleys. As we climbed back to the parking area, we heard a dog bark across a small ravine. In the dimming light I saw that it was a large coyote- Much bigger than the scrawny variety way up north. He trotted along the side and disappeared down into the brush and popped up near us on the near side. We barked back at him and waved our arms and he scampered away. 

We sat under the full moon and played cards by headlamps at our campsite.  The campground was nearly silent. We heard a coyote yelp in the darkness across the campground. Then we were surrounded by a shrieking, yelping, barking chorus of dogs that were strategically scattered amongst the campsites in the bushes. We weren't alone. It was eerie. The desert winds picked up in the night and whipped our tent around above us. Twice more during the night I awoke to that alarming sound of coyote packs that seemed like it was right outside of our tent. In the morning, one of my sandals was curiously far from the tent.

This morning we awoke to the sun rising over the mountains and the cacti and into our tent and the sound of hummingbirds zooming around our campsite made us smile. The melody of a cowboy's harmonica in the desert breeze brought me a feeling of being a cowgirl on a trail ride in the old west where you never know what might be waiting around the next bend. 

The Mailbox on the Beach

It's been surprisingly tricky to make time to write and reflect while everything is new and exciting all around me. I made notes along the way so I would remember all of the great experiences we have been having. This is going to be lengthy but enjoyable!

I left off with us heading to visit my mom. We spent a few days with her and my step dad around Middletown, New York, driving around the countryside which was dotted with Victorian mansions, large horse farms and apple orchards. We sought out a particular farm which we saw advertised in a local magazine called Dirt. This magazine is distributed freely in mailboxes around that region and features local food growers and tips about sustainable living. Such a great resource. 

The farm we visited had produce galore, fresh eggs and even grew their own black beans. We wandered into a large barn which housed a walk-in fridge full of more produce and prepared meals and snacks made from the farm's own goods. They also hosted monthly local food dinners in the large, rustic dining room. My mom inquired as to whether their produce was organic. The owner explained that even with an organic certification, certain pesticides and herbicides are still "ok" to apply to crops and that they use no pesticides or herbicides at all on this farm. "So you're beyond organic then?" I asked. "Exactly." She answered. 

Folks are trained these days to seek out an organic certification logo on their foods. Take it a step beyond that and get to know the people who are growing your food (or grow some yourself!). Challenge yourself to find a local farmers market or farm stand. In addition, you can join a CSA (community supported agriculture) group at a local farm, where you can participate in growing your food and get heaps of fresh produce each week all growing season!

Mid-week we booked a room in a hostel in Brooklyn, NYC, which was only an hour and a half away. We drove into the city after morning rush hour and checked into our hostel, which was actually a converted third floor apartment. It was cute and cozy and hosted young folks from around the world.

Outside, at our car we were approached by a man in his 60's who was a passenger in a large SUV. He asked in French if we spoke French and I said no (where did my french skills go from two years of French class in high school?) He pointed to our Canadian license plate and must have guessed we were French speaking. He got out of the vehicle and proceeded to tell us all about NYC, and Brooklyn in particular, in his thick foreign accent. He said the recent mayor had broken up the mafia and that it's now a much safer city, with less dismembered bodies in garbage bags. (Phew!) He did give us pointers on how to out-think anyone who may be trying to intimidate or assault us on the streets. Mind over matter. He said that he, too had traveled around the USA for 9 months in the 1960's after saving up for 5 years. Harvey was a tall, African man, native to Haiti and had lived in NYC for over 40 years. He was warm and cheerful and listening to him was like a scene from a novel. We had just listened to The Alchemist by Paolo Cohelo on CD (amazing story!) and this encounter was like a chapter from that story. We shook hands and thanked him for all of his wisdom and advice and proceeded to the bus station about 8 or 10 blocks away. For the first time in my life, I got a taste of what it was like to be the racial minority. We were the only Caucasian people as far as the eye could see. I suddenly had an even deeper respect for folks who are treated as unequal in much of North America. Racism is very much still happening all over the world and I can not understand it. I will write more about that another time. As we sat on the bus stop bench, about 45 minutes later, Harvey drove by and shouted and waved from the passenger seat of the SUV with a big grin on his face. Amazing that in a city of millions, he happened to find us twice. I suspect we were easy to spot. 

NYC was wonderful and absolutely insane. I grew up very near there and made yearly trips with school to see Broadway plays and museums, and the US Open tennis tournament was an annual high school tennis team trip.  However, I had never been in a passenger vehicle, as we always traveled by greyhound-style buses.  It was madness. We were on constant high alert for wild drivers and daring pedestrians and cyclists. We spent an evening strolling in a fun neighborhood in Brooklyn called Williamsburg, and met up with some fellow Albertans. The following day, we trekked into the heart of the chaos and accidentally drove (extremely slowly, in a sea of vehicles) through Times Square. The art, music, fashion ad architecture are so unique in NYC. A feast for the senses. It was a short visit to NYC but a memorable one. We both decided spur-of-the-moment to get a permanent keepsake to remember this crazy journey. 

After NYC, we spent a few days regrouping our energy and relaxed back in rural Pennsylvania with family and friends. We took my dad for a birthday brunch with some old friends at a beautiful B & B called The Settler's Inn. They had dozens of spectacularly carved jack o' lanterns decorating the place and it was so cozy and fall-like. We both bonded with my 7 year old nephew and we were all so sad to part. Can't wait to see him again. 

We made our way down the east coast through Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, down to a tiny place at the southern border of North Carolina's coast. This is where my mom has decided to retire with her beau. We have been here for several days and have enjoyed the beaches and balmy weather. 

On our first day here, we walked several miles on the lovely Sunset Beach to a very unique place. A 1,300 acre wildlife preserve along the beach has been protected to assist in the successful hatching of loggerhead sea turtles. There are thousands of rolling sand dunes covered in tall native grasses and scruffy brush.

A mile from the nearest parking, just off the beach, marked by an American flag pole, on top of a dune, stands a lone mailbox. It reads "kindred spirit". Inside of it are several notebooks and pens. The notebooks are filled with mostly anonymous journal entries from thousands of global visitors. Based on the dates at the start and end of one journal, I would guess that there are hundreds of visitors each month. I paged through and saw hopes and wishes and even confessions. I was so moved by this concept. There was even a package of tissues in the box for the teary-eyed vagabond.  I just about needed one. We left our own entries amongst the others and sat down on the weather-worn bench to take in the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean. What a perfect place for souls to come and recharge. 

Give. Thanks. Everyday.

On Saturday, October 12th, we marched with a crowd of protesters in Cleveland, Ohio. This was the second of a series of worldwide protests against the behind-the-scenes takeover of our global food systems.

An estimated 400 marches took place on that day around the globe. Millions are standing up and telling the government that we are not ok with the fact that GMO (genetically modified organism) foods are not labeled in our grocery stores. 

We passed out hundreds of fliers to educate the public about the devastating (not to mention the yet-to-be-discovered) effects that Monsanto is single-handedly (with ample government support) having on our worlds food supply, people and environment. It was astounding how many folks looked at us puzzled and said "G-M what??" It was also exciting how many people in cars passed by and honked and waved in support. Gave me shivers of hope.

It was such an inspiring experience. We met families who are educating themselves together by growing some of their own food, reading, watching documentaries and spreading the word to others. We also met folks who are becoming bee keepers because they want to be part of the honey bee revival that will help to move our planet back to a state of thriving. 

We highly recommend joining the next global MAM, which will likely be in the spring.  Stay tuned, and in the meantime, do some research to keep yourself up to date on the topic. There is an official Facebook page that will list upcoming marches. 

These are two flyers that we handed out that I believe are very informative. Please feel free to print many and hand them out to everyone:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/ten-things-monsanto.pdf

http://organicconsumers.org/monsanto/gmo-no.pdf

We decided to take a walk after the march to see the Rock and Roll hall of fame. It was pretty neato. Cleveland was fun. The squirrels there are very friendly. We couldn't resist stopping at this awesome little place at the end of the day for some delicious vegan pumpkin soup. 

We scooted back across the Canadian border to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with some family near Niagara Falls. It's funny how little we know about some family members. In a nutshell, we learned about Eco-friendly mining practices, Transcendental Meditation, Ayurvedic cooking and shared a wonderfully-fun-to-prepare (and eat) organic, GMO-free Ayurvedic Indian Thanksgiving dinner followed by a trip to the falls. This will be hard to top next Thanksgiving. 

Cattle and Corn and Cops! Oh my!

I have been procrastinating writing. So much to take in! My senses are on overload, in a very good way. The motorhome made a fantastically flawless journey through the Rockies to the beautiful west coast and then went on a ferry ride to Vancouver Island. We are so proud of that ol' girl! She's resting with some lovely friends on the island as we embark on our USA tour. 

One of my goals on this USA road trip is to gather some info about the average American's knowledge about GMOs in our food supply. I am calling the project "What do YOU know about GMO's?" and it consists of a five-question interview. I purchased a digital voice recorder so I can play reporter. If all goes well, I will continue this project once we return to Canada. (Please contact us if you would like to participate anonymously at alongthehearttrail@gmail.com ) I was pleasantly surprised when we made our very first stop on the US side of the border in Washington and saw these signs in an organic grocery store:

Montana is ginormous. Luckily it's also beautiful and has lots of interesting things to see. The pronghorn antelope are very plentiful and cute and seem to stay off the highways better than the deer. We made a stop in Butte, MT at sunset. The downtown has been carefully restored and maintained and it's really something! Also, we were puzzled by the giant glowing statue on one of the mountaintops nearby. Turned out it was a huge Virgin Mary called Our Lady of the Rockies. Who knew?

We stopped at a neato trading post across from the historical battlefield at Little Big Horn. 

Sadly, we couldn't actually get a tour of the area. Government shutdown.

 We listened to Glenn Beck on the radio and shook our heads as he listed the effects that the shutdown is having on US citizens. Mind boggling. He said that Mount Rushmore (as all national parks) was closed and that they went so far as to place cones along the highway so that passers-by can't even stop to look. What?? Needless to say, we settled for this postcard. If we hold it up and squint, it's pretty lifelike. 

As soon as we crossed the border into South Dakota, suddenly there was about 2 feet of snow on the ground and the trees still had green leaves, but they were broken and mangled from the freakishly heavy early snowfall. We overheard a man at a rest area saying he was trapped for 3 days in a house with no power or water under several feet of snow. As we continued, we witnessed something very bizarre and quite gruesome. There were miles of lifeless, black cattle in snowy pastures. We saw dozens of them strewn about in the ditches and on the median between the highway lanes. We stopped for fuel and asked what happened as we saw a huge heap of carcasses in a pen just behind the gas station. Apparently, it snowed so hard and so fast and with such high winds that the cattle got lost and made their way over fences and many froze to death and/or suffocated in snow drifts. It was one of the eeriest things I have ever seen. And it smelled absolutely awful. Millions of dollars of cattle lost was what they said. I was more saddened for those poor cows than for the financial losses. What happened to human compassion? 

On a lighter note, we drove late into the night last night and stopped in Mitchell, South Dakota because we really had to see the Corn Palace. That's right, it's a giant building with flashy lights and it's covered with corn cobs and corn stalks of various colors forming murals. As we stood and stared from the dark, empty street, two men in a pickup passed slowly by and one of them leaned out and declared "my life is now complete!!!" And we yelled back "us too!!"  The campground manager called it the world's largest bird feeder. So corny.

Speaking of corn, it's currently whizzing by us mile after mile as we trek through the corn mazes called Iowa and Minnesota. I am certain that most, if not all of it is GMO seed. Since corn is wind pollinated, it would be nearly impossible to avoid contamination in open prairie like this. On the bright side, there are also thousands of wind turbines producing power which, to me, is a welcome change from the thousands of oil and gas wells and refineries dotting the Alberta and Montana and area. Winds of change...

This Saturday, October 12 is a the worldwide March Against Monsanto. We plan to march and we hope you will too. There are thousands of marches planned around the globe. Find a march in a city near you! If we don't start taking action, our food supply will be forever altered and the consequences will be unfathomable. Speak up. Every voice counts. Many nations have already said NO to these science exp  If you aren't familiar with GMO foods, check out this quick explanation from Slow Food:

www.slowfood.com/international/140/gmos-in-a-nutshell?-session=query_session:42F94CA90a61127947mv8286202A

I heart (parts of) Northern Alberta

Alas, we will be departing from lovely Northern Alberta next week. It's been a highly experiential six months here. I wanted to write down all of the things that have left a unique impression on me from this part of the world. The things that will stick with me wherever I go. Some of these things I have experienced in other places, but never to the extent that I have up here. There is a special way of life up here. That's for sure, eh?

Cribbage

What? Sounds like a baby contraption and a vegetable combined. The first time I was introduced to this fast-paced card game, I felt like my brain might combust. Now I would guess I have surpassed my 100-game milestone. Any time is crib time. 

Moose and Elk

In central Alberta, a moose sighting was a rare occasion. Up here, I have seen a moose per week, if I average out the encounters. Many of the sightings were up close and personal, by car, and usually they are as surprised as I am and seem to be in a big hurry to get somewhere. They are so huge and awkward that its hard to miss them. 

The elk on the other hand, are usually in small herds and are casually grazing in fields. So pretty. 

This brings me to something else that is in overwhelming abundance up north. Antlers. Tons and tons of antlers. Adorning garages, mantles, trees, vehicles, cabins, but rarely on animals. I'm yet to see a bull moose or elk...

Although, some of these antler collections are "sheds", meaning the bulls dropped them in the fall rutting season. May as well decorate with them!

Poplars

My first autumn in Alberta was a bit underwhelming. I was waiting for a long transition of rainbow leaves, like I was used to seeing growing up in New England. Instead it was about 4 days of yellow, followed by a blizzard snowfall which stayed for about 7 months. Now it's my 10th fall in Alberta and I appreciate the rich golden hue of the rolling foothills of the Rockies. The sheer ability of poplars to survive and thrive in this extreme climate has earned them my respect. 

Firewood

Flash back only 50 years in this part of the world and wood was what kept you alive through the insanely long dark winters. Many homes here still have wood stoves for heat and/or a nostalgic feeling. I also saw my first wood-stove-heated hot yoga studio.  Kinda neat. We just spent a weekend cutting up deadfall poplars and filling a woodshed. I find stacking firewood extremely enjoyable and rewarding. Anyone else need their supply topped up?

Sunshine!

I was so excited about the abundance of sunlight here that I almost wrote an entire blog about it. I thought the days were long near Calgary...but up in the far north, around the summer solstice, for a number of weeks it never gets completely dark. It's truly amazing. This makes it pretty tricky to fall asleep or star gaze. Good for suntanning and gardening though!

Gardening

The long hours of sunlight make gardening easier up north. If you can outsmart the frost and ginormous weeds, that is. The tomatoes, zucchini, corn, potatoes, greens, beets, beans, peas, carrots and most of what we planted went great guns and we have been scrambling to use it all! Growing your food from seed is one of the most magical acts of creation that humans can partake in. If you haven't tried it, start small and work your way up. One raised bed or a community garden where the work is shared are good ways to get your hands dirty. 

The Other Weed

Yeah, I'm talking about marijuana. I have never been in a part of the world where it is SO abundant. I remember when I first came to Canada and noticed the smoke shops on every corner. Growing up in the US, where possessing pot was the equivalent to being a serial killer, I was shocked at how liberal Canada is on this topic.  It is surprising how many people up North are growing their own supply. In fact, I walked up to a used book store that I have come to love, and this book was staring at me from the front window. 

After opening the cover and reading the first passage, I couldn't leave without it. I'm so intrigued. You can bet your boots that I will be giving a full report after I read this one. 

River boating

In a nutshell, a sleek, fast aluminum boat that zooms through rivers and can maneuver with only inches of water under it, propelling its passengers over huge sand or gravel bars. It's scary. But fun. 

People up here sure love their recreational vehicles. ATVs, skidoos, boats etc. I prefer my bicycle. Call me boring.

The Night sky

The star gazing and northern lights in Nothern Alberta surpass any that I have experienced before. Of course, from late May through early August, you'll be lucky to see much because the sky is brightened by the sun hovering just below the horizon all night long.  Now that fall is here, I find myself looking up every night. We camped out in the back of our trusty pickup to watch a meteor shower above us and a wall of constant pink lightning to the south. It was a magical night. Rivaled only by the riverside driftwood campfire and mystical northern lights. 

I have a feeling we will be back here to visit. These experiences are what life is all about.