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Published: June 16th 2011
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((I'm sorry I've been so remiss, Fellow Travelbloggers! It took a lot of concentrated effort to get up and out on the road but I did it! I've got more posts on my own website at www.radiokuralt.com but I promise I'll try to be more diligent in keeping this up to date).
So after many sleepless nights trying to prepare for this thing, I left Orlando late in the afternoon on Friday, June 3rd. I was determined to try and get to Biloxi for my friend Maureen’s birthday party and I also realized that every day I delayed was less money to be spent getting to places like the Grand Canyon. The final days in town were manic, no doubt – because it’s really different to try and prepare for something that’s a lot more open-ended than a two-week vacation; what would I need? What was extra baggage that I wouldn’t really need at all? Still figuring that out as I go but when push came to shove I decided to take one final haul to storage, another to Goodwill, and then the rest in my car (to be properly placed in the car as time allowed).
I put the IPod on shuffle as I pulled out of storage and ABBA’s Dancing Queen came on as Yoda suggested Turn Right, You Must… and I knew it was a wonderful thing beginning.
Within even the first few hours the “house” arrangement started being modified – my beautiful Ukrainian pin from Hanna looked great on my visor but would get bleached out by the sun between here and there, so now she watches over me on the headliner above my rearview mirror – just above my Saint pendant from Nora. Add Chimayo Holy Dirt, Pinball’s Paw Print, photos of loved ones -and both useful and intrinsic gifts of goodness from friends and family, and this car is so chock full of powerful mojo it’s humbling to be riding with her.
And then there’s The Force.
The night before I left, my girls – the One Ball Wonders – came by the house to say “See you later.” I originally thought we were gonna paint the town but I was exhausted and nowhere near ready to leave. We drank some wine, all tired but being troopers – and they gave me what would soon become one of
my most precious gifts, EVER – a Tomtom GPS that talks like Yoda.
Yoda and I are still finding our way (both literally and figuratively), but it offers me the real luxury to get to look around and SEE things, and I really wonder how I thought I could do this thing effectively without it. Doesn’t mean I don’t have to do as Luke did; to sometimes put the blindfold on and intuitively bat at the ’70s version of the Golden Snitch – but Yoda as a copilot is a magical thing. Would that I had kept him talking when I went the wrong way down a one-way in New Orleans : ).
But I’m getting ahead…
I left Orlando around 3:30pm on Friday, June 3rd. Friends were rightfully concerned about me making such a late start but it was time and some inner drive said it was the day. I told friends truthfully that when I got tired I wouldn’t try to pull a John Wayne and I’d find a place to stay; maybe not the most cost-effective manner of departure but it was what I had to do.
And then I began what seems
to have become an incredibly magnificent thing – both the deconstruction and construction of Self. I opened my heart to the possibility of real kismet and magic, and also had to heighten my sense of street smarts; but more important than even both I’ve been working on getting the hell out of my own way – to roll with it.
At a rest stop near Tallahassee I emailed Maureen and said that I might not make it that night, after all, but would keep her posted on my progress. But then something bizarre happened – I never got tired until the last 20 minute stretch. I felt great, with a sense of lightness I haven’t felt in I don’t know how long. I was doing it, this crazy beautiful thing and it put the wind at my back like I never could have predicted. And at the risk of sounding Up With People I was so fueled by the love and support of the people in my life. I seriously freaking felt all these good thoughts coming my way – and was surrounded by all the gifts of time, effort and coin that made my car a Super Mobile.
I even got an email message saying my WUCF manager Kayonne Riley had contributed to my PayPal (this after I had just sent in an ArtBeat segment with a bare two hours before airing)!
And so I made it to Biloxi, Mississippi at 12:30am and experienced the surreal sensations of going from the relative societal deprivation of an 8 and 1/2 hour drive to the buzzing biz of a casino resort. Mo had gotten a comp’d room at the Beau Rivage for her 40th birthday and she was having an all-girl party that spanned two suites. She and her friends were winding down when I showed up and I was getting there myself, but it was cool getting to meet the gals she calls Tribe since I last saw her 16 years ago.
She COMPLETELY hooked me up, called in a surprisingly comfy rollaway, fed me, gave me drinky-poos… then the next day I went exploring while the rest of the gals slept in (well some had to work the next day, OUCH). I headed to a fabric store to finish up my camper curtains and drove along the beach with the windows down. I had always driven
by Biloxi on the highway but had never taken a look. I knew it was known for the gambling but what I liked was the old beach feel and the really nice people I met.
And thank you Baby Jesus a real oyster poboy!
Mo and her friend Leigh and I met back up and we got to talk about Life, our beliefs about the whole ball of wax, and it was so cool to see not only how much we resonated but how much more it was than when we were kids. We rarely did the remember when, except to try and fill in some much needed details and to have a laugh – but mostly we were talking about where we’re at now and where we hope to go. It felt so good to reconnect with her. Later, Mo said she was ready to be back home, even though she had the suite another night. So she suggested I come hang at her place, meet her awesome kids and then stay at her place or take the suite for myself. Though I’m new to the biz of conducting a Great American Adventure I believe that this
is what constitutes one major score!
She left me wine coolers and water, I left her at her house with a hug – went back to my home for the evening and lived large…
The next morning I woke up early to try and accomplish my first Challenge, but in the Universal void that is a morning-time draped hotel I was confused about why I was waking up so early. Then I thought, Oh yeah it’s time for my adventure, I’m leaving Orlando today. And only then figured out that the adventure had already begun, that I was doing this thing – I was going for it – and I jumped right out of bed ready to see what was next.
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