Peaceful Valley Walker

[pcflvly]

Welcome home, that's what we say in my tribe and just looking around here, this is my tribe.

I'm an old traveler. I hit the road when I was 15, back in 81. Over the next five or six years, I hitched to 48 states and nine provinces of Canada. Full time on the road freegan style. I never flew a sign or asked for anything but rather learned how to open up to the many blessings. Gratitude is my greatest ally.

I rubber tramped after that, starting out in a 53 Chevy, two ton dump truck. All together I spent ten years on the road. I was a mountain man after that. I grew most of my own food, worked seasonally planting trees, and had a couple kids up there on the mountain.

A nomad, a mountain man, then a scholar. I have a couple degrees. It's all BS knowledge but the pursuit of it made me smarter. I'll never use it for a career...

I'm still raising my youngest child but will be free come spring when she graduates. She let me spread my wings this year already and I made four hitchhiking trips, three big bicycle tours totalling a thousand miles, and several cross country road trips. The world is still as magic as ever.

2016 is my year. I'm parting with my possessions, minimizing to almost nothing, and hitting the road on my bicycle (with my dog). My goal is South America. I don't have my shit together yet. I have a lot of artwork and need a good photographer to help me make prints. I'd also like to find a writer to help me with making an ebook. I'll sell prints of the art and give the ebook to those who donate.

Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you all. My profile picture is from a hitchhike across Nebraska in 84. That's my soul, long-haired and in the wind.

 

[Matt Derrick]

hell yeah man, that's awesome. it's so nice to see people here that have been doing it for most of their lives, it definitely inspires me! is your daughter going to be a traveler too?

 

[Tude]

Wow - a great welcome to STP!! Sounds like you've seen a lot of country and am on the way to see more. Good for you! But rubber tramping in a two ton dump truck ... hats off to you I look forward to more of your input especially on the bicycle trip side

 

[pcflvly]

hell yeah man, that's awesome. it's so nice to see people here that have been doing it for most of their lives, it definitely inspires me! is your daughter going to be a traveler too?

She is already a traveler, a good sidekick so far but she'll be off on her own soon. Ha, if she hadn't had me, she would have left by now. It runs in the family. My mom left home at 15 and so did I. She's the same but with me has had the freedom to not need to leave. She's family in her own right though. She can run a rainbow kitchen, ride unicycle, clean and cook a fish, and sing like an angel. One of the best parts of our last trip to California was finding a pack of dirty kids in Flagstaff. I stopped of course and she joined them with her guitar and spent two hours singing Andrew Jackson Jihad and etc...

 

[pcflvly]

Wow - a great welcome to STP!! Sounds like you've seen a lot of country and am on the way to see more. Good for you! But rubber tramping in a two ton dump truck ... hats off to you I look forward to more of your input especially on the bicycle trip side

Thanks Yeah, it was one heck of a year for traveling. Six rainbow gatherings. Dancing with a witch, the pagan dominatrix of LA, and the queen of the lesbians in Topanga Canyon high on shrooms. Visions of light and chakras aglow on my Missouri bike trip. Meeting Nahko in Tulsa. Smoking weed with the faerie guardians of the forest. Generosity of strangers. Hitchhiking again and each time getting a ride right to the door. Skinny dipping with 30-40 other people while a three piece band played on the rocks.... just a few highlights of the year. It's enough for a book but I'm not that much of a writer. Draw me out...

 

[pcflvly]

A little guide I wrote for hitching.

I hitchhiked for five years in the eighties living entirely on faith. I woke up and counted my blessings every day. I expressed my gratitude in song and never asked for anything (except a ride). I never went hungry. The universe is conspiring to shower us with blessings but you have to let go of a lot to find the truth of it.

Anyway, BE THANKFIL! That's the most important thing. Also carry a good kit and be as self sufficient as possible too. I always had rice, lentils, flour, salt, and coffee.

If you hitchhike, don't wait anywhere and don't try to walk between towns. Simply rest at the edge of town at a place where it's safe for rides to pull over. Smile and stick your thumb out but be indifferent. If you find yourself waiting, you are not in the right mind for hitching but there is a sure remedy. Look at the clouds, sing or meditate and have an epiphany at how the beauty of the universe permeates you too. At this point you are not waiting for a ride but you will have a ride. You might even find that you are the ride for the people who stop in need of your light.

One more thing, picture yourself there. This is a strange universe with many concurrent realities, concurrent moments too, and in a very real way, we arrive before we ever step on the path. The idea is to set yourself a beacon at your destination. It's very much like teleportation. You translate your essence from destination to destination.

I practice this. It's metaphysical but practical. I took four hitchhikes this year and each time got a ride right to the door. I rode a thousand miles by bicycle this year too. Incredible magic will happen to carry you home when you know you are already there.

 

[Deleted member 2626]

Howdy hiverant.You sound awesome sir. How do you plan to bike with the pooch? And good guide. I totally agree. I struggle with rides when not in the right mindset every time. And why not walk between towns? I do it a lot, self sufficiency to the t and get rides that way too. Welcome man.

 

[pcflvly]

Thanks. My dog is only nine pounds so she can fit about anywhere. She has her own box though with a compartment under her for her food and water (and my secret beer stash).

 

[pcflvly]

Like this

 

[Hobo Mud]

Welcome bra! Happy to see you on this site. Peace and safe travels....

 

[Deleted member 2626]

awesome set up. Like me, I'm sure you can't spend loads of cash on fancy gear. I'm thinking about a trailer for my 70 pound pooch. . .may just stick to walking and thumb