Trusting The Universe

What signs from  the universe most impact how you go about your daily life?

“ One way to boost your curiosity is to assume that everything in life is a clue left from the universe for further investigation. Follow the clues the universe drops for you and you will always learn something interesting.” (Austin Kleon)

I’m sitting on the catwalk stairs at the second floor of our apartment building two nights ago as I normally do before taking out a bag of trash to the dumpster. I suddenly notice in the distance two young male strangers dressed neatly in white shirts and slacks waving frantically at me to get my attention. The taller of the two men yells out, “Can I take out your garbage”? I firmly say no but they both continue to approach me anyway. I soon notice a pin lapel on their shirts stating they are member of the “Church of Latter – Day Saints.”  

A friendly conversation now begins as each of them asks me “do I believe in God.? I answer somewhat differently than they probably expected with the statement that I put  the bulk of my trust in Darwin’s “Theory of Life Evolution” and proof seeking efforts of scientific thinking. In response, they ask for my name. After telling them I’m Jim, they ask my permission to read a scripture from a handheld Bible they are carrying. So showing silent respect, I hear but do not listen to the content of the passage they speak. They then invite me to join them at their church on Sunday. Of course, I politely decline and move on to complete my garbage task as intended. As I walk away, I hear them say “we love you Jim”.

So why did this coincidental encounter with two Mormon solicitors happen to me? More specifically, what could I learn from this experience here with respect to finding greater spiritual enjoyment of travel? Perhaps I should  reason that it’s “due time” for me to “let go” of overthinking what I’m seeing at a time and place. Simply allow the natural “powers of the universe” that impact earth’s land, air, and sea to take “center stage” and capture my pure impulse of emotion. Take for example the strong sense of calm and peace I surprisingly felt for almost thirty minutes as I experienced the dim light effects of the total solar eclipse at a Texas  Senior Citizen Center on our recent road trip journey.

In the following photo collection primarily compiled from my recent travels, I would thus invite you to simply gaze into the sky depicted in each image presented. Do you observe any intuitive messages that the “powers of the universe” might be sending you  at these  momentary times? If so, do you also notice any spiritual significance that these feelings provide in better coping with life’s mortal existence? Does this spectacular act of nature bring you closer to a God or other higher being as well?

Article Source:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/signs-from-the-universe

Total Eclipse Opportunity Arises

What  memories do you recall of a solar eclipse? 

“The sun has no audience unless it starts to disappear.” (Seneca The Younger)

Have you ever experienced a “calling” in your life that arises suddenly as a “must to do now?” Let me say I felt exactly this way as Ruth and I took a long sidetrack of 160 miles south today on our road trip from Oklahoma City to a Denton, Texas Senior Center to watch Monday’s solar eclipse in its entirety. 

Under the circumstances presented above, it does seem strange on the days leading up to the eclipse, that I did not really want to be there or anywhere else really to watch it. For I felt end of trip weary for return to our South Florida home. But when I woke up Monday, I felt positively energized by the thought of just being where I could watch the eclipse unfold on our road trip when it happened. It seemed additionally important then to share the sheer awe of the experience with other people in a “low key”, social setting  away from the “maddening crowds.

As far as the event itself, at around 1:30 pm, I was sitting at a park bench outside the Senior Center when daylight surrounding me obscured in a brownish dark hue. I next put on my special eclipse glasses for use on several successive occasions whereupon I noticed the sun slowly fade away into a tiny orb of darkness. Amid the dimmed light, I felt very peaceful  and content in such a rare moment in my life. Perhaps there’s a broader spiritual message that this eclipse event might be sending me to further pursue. 

How about you? Did you get a chance to see the eclipse and if so, how did it make you feel?

Winslow Weather Weary

How do you advise driving in winter like conditions? 


“My focus is never on the storm, Rather, my focus is on the next step I will take into the storm.” (Craig D. Lounsbrough)

Never take the weather lightly no matter what season I’ve learned on those long cross country journeys. A prime example of this credo  happened to us in early April on our road trip when we encountered a sudden snow burst without warning driving along Interstate 40 into the higher elevations of Flagstaff. Know then as the road quickly slickened into an icy mush with the temperatures dipping below freezing, my car proceeded to wobble sideways  Slowing down to 25 mph thus seemed the best way to handle such little traction on the road as I tightly grabbed the steering wheel with both hands to level off while gingerly moving behind a line of semi trucks. When the skies gradually began to clear in our descent from Flagstaff, I hoped that we had escaped the full wrath of the storm.

A new weather issue however soon developed as I began to notice strong cross winds kicking up dust and whistling through my car windows on the treeless high plateau. As these strong gusts proceeded to shift my vehicle to the left curb, I again placed a firm double grip on the steering wheel all the way to Winslow. So given the chance to find relief from such hazardous weather, this small town seemed to be an excellent choice for an early afternoon motel stop that night.. Enjoy this latest side trip collection of photos I took as we cruised along Route 66 on a later tour of this legendary town that “The Eagles” band  song “Take It Easy” arguably made famous. It’s linked below. 

https://youtu.be/32Oc2d_3yEk?si=N6Vbdxuk-FAnNMun

“Get Out There” in Vegas

What’s the  enduring charm of Las Vegas to you?


“Vegas is the most extreme and allegorical of American settlements; bizarre and beautiful in its venality and in its devotion to immediate gratification.” (Joan Didion)

I’m not a gambler, drinker or lover of nightly hedonism in my normal life. So why do I continue to book some extended time on our road trip vacations to enjoy Las Vegas with its attention deficit  pursuit of “gold and bold”. Actually I enjoy accepting  the challenge of “getting out there” in Vegas to find something new or interesting in the right moment at an affordable cost.

But don’t get me wrong! I have no desire to drag Ruth and myself on foot along the strip tirelessly from one resort to another to exact my hedonistic pleasures at this stage of my life. But I’m in a city where everything seems to continually change. So I might simply do some “window shopping” around the grounds of the casino during our three day stay at the Rio Resort Hotel to discover some interesting visual impressions. Or I can just take a long gaze out of our hotel room window located several stories over glitzy Las Vegas Boulevard to discover a striking architectural innovation. Scanning the street activity around my vehicle location while idling at a red light or a curiously looking around while I await my breakfast at a local diner might also yield some revealing images of human interest as well. 

Of course, we’ve scheduled at least one of these days visiting some desirable locations along this world famous Las Vegas Boulevard strip. Such places will include the Bellagio Hotel with its outdoor fountain displays and indoor botanical gardens, the elegant Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian resort and a concert featuring Foreigner at the Venetian Theater. Sadly, one historic landmark of interest, the Tropicana Hotel, will be closing its doors permanently during our visit to soon undergo demolition for the scheduled move of the Oakland A’s to a new stadium on this site in the foreseeable future. 

So check out my latest photos compiled after we completed this latest road trip stopover in Vegas. Do you notice anything that might “shake up” any current thoughts and actions pertaining to your daily routine? 

Sensational Seashore Sanctuary

What’s your favorite seashore “getaway”?

 

“Lose yourself in nature and find peace.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) 

Looking at the San Francisco Bay Area packed with over 7,000,000 residents from a local travel perspective in comparison with my equally crowded South Florida home region seems easy to do. Just get out of town when you can and enjoy wild nature’s blessing. For me, that’s  quite efficiently  done out of Fort Lauderdale as I just head due west on Alligator  Alley and barely turn the steering wheel to eventually stop at a boat ramp or nearby  canal on the side of the road in the Florida  Everglades. 

But not so fast when sizing up this west coast exploratory version! For while the same kind of leisurely excursion in the Bay Area can similarly yield such escape rewards, it typically must be done with considerably more time and effort. To demonstrate my conclusion, Ruth and I undertook a twenty mile journey from our motel in San Rafael on a busy Saturday morning  to well renowned Point Reyes National Seashore.    
  

Know then that such an outing into Marin County countryside would begin for us with a northwest turn into the steep mountainous ridges paralleling the Pacific Ocean coastline. Such an arduous route would thus require me to attentively maintain tight control of my steering wheel as I faced a series of “hairpin” turns and steep descents to and from the  Pacific coastline. Our loss of G.P.S. car guidance as we faced similar topographic challenges driving to sightseeing points within Point Reyes boundaries caused further directional and distance confusion at times.

Yet for all the intense driving effort I put in, our weekend outing here seemed totally worth it from a positive mind perspective. Such moment to moment impressions of this day trip are thus captioned in the following photo series. I hope to connect with you once again in my latest road trip blog series as we head to Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday afternoon.  

 I caressed the wetness and secluded darkness slithering through a giant Redwoods tree canopy.

I experienced the refreshing realization  that a herd of deer seemed unafraid of my human encroachment at the Bear Valley Visitor Center.

I stepped  quietly and safely over the “Sleeping Giant” of the San Andreas Fault Zone on the land ravaged Earthquake Trail.

I noticed the calming effect on my psyche of sleeping horses at Morgan Horse Ranch.

I enjoyed the  friendly human touch of “chit -chatting” with local produce sellers in the small village of Olema.                         

I crossed coastal waves of green grassland throughout the highlands of the park with mind clearing hypnotic focus.      

I joined contented cows in celebration of conquering the highest hills in the park. 

I inhaled the harmonious feeling of nature’s unity with springtime blooming.

I felt the exhilarating freedom of flight as I stared in awe down to the vast Pacific Ocean.

I took greater interest in protecting our country’s fragile beach shorelines from destructive human encroachment. 

Magnificent Morro Meanderings

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What’s your favorite outdoor place to visit in California?


“Walk or wheel yourself outside if you can…. where furred or feathered things might be.” (Emma Mitchell)

I’m not much of a “beach bum” in South Florida in spite of the fact that I live in such close proximity to prime oceanfront land. So it’s an interesting contradiction that I’m magically “drawn” to the Central California coastline, particularly in springtime, and thus make it a point  to stay three or four days at  favorite sites along this region on our road trips at this time of year. Thus it’s fully expected that Ruth and I would again include on our latest Pacific Ocean based plans on this road trip the  picturesque town of Morro Bay.           

So you might wish to understand what makes Morro Bay so special every time we visit? For one, consider that its enticing midway location along our coastal driving route from Los Angeles to San Francisco regions makes it a convenient stopover point to reset our energies. It’s also quite reassuring to know  that there’s reasonably priced lodging usually available within one or two blocks  of the ocean where we can find peace and quiet. Then there’s the stunning views!  For we often book within sight of a massive volcanic landmark called  “Morro Rock” which offers ease of free walking access to a profusion of marine life surrounding its vast perimeter. 

Usually, the timing of our “Rock” visits means that we prioritize taking pleasant walks along the calmer inland bay lying on the south side of the rock. For nearby this shoreline, we usually find captivating photo opportunities of barking seals, playful otters, scurrying squirrels and aggressive sea gulls co-existing in their natural habitat conditions. As we also move to the opposite north side of this towering rock slab, we’re directly facing the wild Pacific Ocean, whereby the surfing crowd will typically enthrall our attention us as both young and old participants challenge the big waves.

Hoping for sunny weather on our  Morro Bay stopovers, we also set aside a morning for a scenic coastal drive north from Morro Bay on California Highway One. Along the way, we’ll be looking out for Elephant Seal colonies humorously sunning themselves on the beach, lazily enjoying  our picnic lunch at historic  William F. Hearst State Park and gaping with awe at some steep cliffside views at the beginning sections of the famed Big Sur Highway.

Of considerable environmental interest to us as well a few miles south of Morro Bay lies “Montana de Oro” Park.Upon enjoying some easy trekking along the Bluff Trail there, we frequently pause for closeup observations of crashing waves along the jagged rocks as well abundant  birdlife flying in and out of their spring nesting grounds.

The Morro Bay region might lack the sheer size and scale of natural grandeur that more notable California landmarks like “Lake Tahoe”, “Yosemite National Park” and “Redwood National Forest” definitely do. But its appeal to less experienced hikers like us makes it considerably more manageable to visit. We next make our way to the San Francisco Bay vicinity for four nights. Enjoy the photos.

Grand Canyon Re-Assessment

What comes immediately to mind when you think of the Grand Canyon?


“When your spirit cries for peace, come to a world of canyons deep in the old land.” (August Fruge)

Whenever I’ve visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, I’m at war with myself as to how much time I could spare at this spectacular panorama of geologic history. So it simply did not seem fair to myself to endure once again the expected stress of waiting for a rare parking spot and then competing with so many other tourists for the best vantage points to look over the edge across from the Visitor Center. Nor did it make sense for me to engage in a strenuous hike down to the Colorado River to please my masculine ego or wait in long lines for a park shuttle. I simply needed to take my time to more patiently absorb what I was experiencing there and thus fully engage my senses in the present moment with less distraction.

So on our present  road trip visit to the Grand Canyon, my new plan focused more on visiting multiple sites along the Rim located in less populated places. So after a short walk along the more familiar Mather Rim vicinity, we then took a slow drive east along rim parallel, Desert View Drive to continue our visit. Our three stops along the way at Grandview, Moran, and Navaho Points each offered different visual perspectives of the canyon environs below in considerably quieter conditions. So take a look for yourself in the photo set below. What landscape images most stand out for you in each of these photos? 

I encourage you to also click on the following video link to learn more about the Grand Canyon from an inspiring musical perspective. We’ll be reaching Southern California by way of the Mojave Desert next on this adventure. 

Time For Rescue Kindness

How do you show kindness toward rescue animals?


“Be kind to all creatures. This the true religion.” (Buddha)

One of my more interesting hobbies during our westbound American road trips involves taking time to interact with wild animals in their natural habitats along side roads off the Interstate Highway. How fortunate for Ruth and me  then that we took time yesterday to visit a rescue animal operation at the Grand Canyon Deer Farm along historic Route 66 nearest our next stopover in Williams, Arizona. 

On this visit, we both realized  the importance of giving kindness to such animals that clearly came from stressful rescue conditions. So following an open farmyard path around the park, we first enjoyed feeding pellets to hungry herds of deer crowding us on all sides along the way. Such fun activity made me feel like a “kid” again as I mercifully played the victim while these aggressive acting deer nibbled at my jacket. Ruth on the other hand took better charge to minimize their constant  biting.We then entered the petting portion of the facility, where friendly reindeers, moose, alpacas and zebra looking burros in enclosed conditions nudged closer to us along the fence to receive from us a caring scratch or rub. Or maybe it was just the food they wanted! Engaging in some free play  with a lazy cat and dog also provided pleasurable entertainment on this visit. 

During  our two night stay in Williams, we also  traveled sixty miles north to gaze again in awe along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. That experience will be the focus of my next blog.  

Rock Energy Fulfillment

What makes Geology for you a subject of human interest?

“Deliver the heart of the earth to humanity” (Llchi Lee, The Call of Sedona)

Ruth and I arrived on our road trip yesterday in Sedona, Arizona to once again appreciate the geological wonders of the town’s unique red rock canyons. But it’s obvious that these sedimentary marvels of geologic nature represent far more to both of us than their physical presence and underlying land processes they’ve revealed over eons of time. 

I must elaborate further then why throngs of tourists visit Sedona each day to experience the reputed spiritual burst of vortex energy at prominent sites like “Bell Rock”, “Boynton Canyon” and the “Airport Road Mesa.” Know then that for many knowledgeable explorers of this landscape, Juniper trees, growing with twisted or spiraling branches throughout the town might provide more specific clues about where to locate these notable centers of spiritual boost. Yet I’ve learned on this vacation that the same feeling of self serenity can be sought more intuitively given sufficient time at less prominent rock formation sites surrounding the town.

As for me, I’ve yet to find any scientific proof concerning how or why these vortexes work to enhance my “inner chakras” during previous town visits. But as I’ve chosen on this three day vacation to remain silent on two casual walks around this iconic landscape, I do tend to feel better about myself as a person. Consider in the photo set below then how I might have been clearing my mind of distractions on such walks to find inner peace as a  colorful stone, cracked crevice or spiritual shrine most meaningfully appeared.

For your next blog reading enjoyment, follow our road trip as we’ve opted to take the more indirect north from Sedona on Route 89 to the higher elevations of “Grand Canyon” country tomorrow.

Springtime Desert Excitement

How does springtime emerge in the desert?

“If a flower can emerge in the desert, you can flourish anywhere.” (Matshona Dhilwayo)

Living in sultry South Florida, I never pictured a desert flourishing with colorful fauna amid such an aridly harsh environment in my wildest dreams. Yet our Mid March visit to the Sonoran Desert in South Central Arizona, to begin the second week of our road trip, provided ample evidence that such seasonal aliveness of springtime here did in fact exist.         

For starters, two days ago, it felt very odd that this dry land would be actually pelted with heavy rainfall all morning and into late afternoon as I drove carefully from Tucson to Phoenix into a mysteriously chilly mist. But as the clouds began to clear, I vividly noticed spring signs of natural life as colorful wildflower beds lined the side of the road and  tall Saguaro cacti in the distance stood out like human statues across this desolate landscape. In addition, the recent drenching of rocky hillsides seemed to accentuate various shades of red, green, and yellow at this time. 

So many tourists vacationing in our next road trip stopover in sunny Phoenix might have opted next for a more guided experience of the surrounding desert terrain as there would be plenty of jeep ride, hot air balloon, and walking tour operators to choose from. Other visitors might have paid pricey entrance fees to visit such popular nature spots like the “Desert Botanical Gardens”,”or Tohono Chul Galleries”. 

Yet as independent minded travelers like Ruth and me tend to be, we  would instead search those upland areas close by our Air B&B location for self guided  trails away from such crowds at minimal expense. Thus you might notice in the following photo set that we indeed found the ideal spot on this St. Patrick’s Day Sunday to feel the amazing sensation of springtime desert beauty at “Dreamy Draw Natural Recreation Area” and “Phoenix Mountain Preserve.”

Stay connected to my latest road trip blogs as we travel to the mesmerizing red rock canyons of Sedona, Arizona for a three day visit starting tomorrow.