Entry. For blog day 1. Jan 9th
Leaving the beautiful banks of Westhampton Beach Long Island NY for the Sunny coast of California woohoo!
I did not leave early! I slept in. Kinda rolled with the morning in order to pack and say my goodbyes to the kids.
I had errands to do still…need a USB to USB-C in order to charge the laptop from the solar panel charger I got.. so I went to Best Buy. I shopped there to no avail…barely any cords at all in stock! Little frustration but decided to order it online and ship to my sis's house!
Got gas at Costco and did a return and started off.
Onward!
I actually didn't have any directions to the exact campsite and had to search apple maps for the road - Frew Road campsite #7 in RothCreek State Park (PA). I reserved the site online but (what the heck!) it didn't give me any lat/long or anything!
Drove across the bridges, the NY traffic everywhere and eventually the road started to open up, as did my mind then. More space. More Peace. I can feel it happening already. Hopefully there's a pic or two here of that - that is if they loaded ok lol...and my lil companion - DuckPond Pete Jr.
He sits up on the dash like a little puppy excited about where we're going.
I found a road close to the campsite and as I'm driving down it now - geez it’s dark dang! Look at these houses all run down n pretty sketchy. Wonder if it’s safe around here. Is that a boat on their front porch? And a fridge right next to the porch lol? Isn't that backwards? Usually the fridge is on the porch with the couch!? Oh geez that house looks super down and out…hope I’m not camping to close to here. Oh this area looks pretty crappy maybe I should go to a Marriott? I can't bail on camping day one can I!?
Is this where they filmed Deliverance?
Finally I'm on the campsite road ( I think!?). Is this Frew Road? No signs on the road at all!? Dang wish it wasn’t dark already….woods always feel spooky at night especially when ya have no idea what’s around. The campsites are supposed to be pull-offs of this road and I haven’t seen a sign in over a mile. Wait theres a sign post…but it looks like a bunch of lat/long looking numbers…what the...? A bunch of gibberish - how am I ever gonna find this campsite? Shouldn’t it say "Campsite #7 Welcome Mr. Brierton?! " I Hope they turned the heat up for me in the room it seems kinda cold here now. Maybe turned down the sheets for me too lol.
Wait holy moley there it is! Actually has a number #7 on it too but I don’t see the valet anywhere?? But whoa! Nicccce picnic table. Maybe there's a charcuterie board on it...
I Got out and checked for bear droppings...wait do bears drop? They must right? Screw that I don't wanna know.
Being the tent is on top of the jeep it's a pretty cool unfold. Literally just pop the cover off, grab the ladder and pull it open. So easy a cave man could do it. Which is, now that I think about it, kinda like what I am. But I'm more of like a cubicle cave man though. I mean I can sleep in a tent, cycle in 28 degrees up a mountain and yet type 40 words a minute and I love to make iced lattes so...
wait where am I going with this?
Made a PB and honey sandwich in the jeep, I'm kind of freaked out by attracting bears so I was super conscious of keeping everything neat so as not to have any scent of food anywhere… Geez I can see the headlines now..."Bear Eats Duck in Tent".
I know I know, the Duck name thing geez I'll get to it.
I jumped into the tent after freezing my hands and un-doing it from the roof which actually went pretty smoothly I must say…thanks Ray for the walk thru setting this up at your house!! Dang hope this tent holds my weight Geeezz. Sleeping on top of the jeep is so cool but I don't wanna cave the roof rack in either lol. That could slow down the trip a bit lol.
Now - do I get changed in the tent? Or in the jeep where it’s warm? Cuz it’s freakin' cold!!
Let’s do it up here…so much more room.
Wait! What's that!? I think I heard a noise outside..what? Raccoon perhaps? Cute lil chipmunk? Nah gotta be something else...maybe thats the warm towels I called down for?? Hope so!
Feels like about freezing temps already too wow…wish I had cell service to see what the temps were or to talk with someone…anyone geez.…kinda lonely all of a sudden.
Actually I would take any kind of service actually - like Room service lol.
I put on a Body armor layer first - top and bottom, then sweatpants, a hoodie and a hat with an led light..perfect! In the sleeping bag now with a blanket also…pretty toasty!! 5 star Marriott sweet!
Wish I could text people but dang I wanted to get away to clear the head to see what God has in store for me next so I guess this is his way of forcing me to do that lol.
Saying a little prayer for for no bears and that I don’t lose a toe to frostbite. Not to much to ask is it? I think the Big Guy and I are pretty close so I feel like He heard that one… No bears. No frostbite. Simple right!?
Feeling super gratefulness all of sudden. SO many blessings in my life …this tent and bikes and friends and loved ones wow…smile on my face and in my heart. God’s way of telling me everything will be OK and to sleep well…
So I read a little bit… and then I wanted to update the website and blog but without any service I can’t! So I’ll just take notes here on the laptop and have my secretary transfer them later. Maybe I could fax them to the office? Wait does anyone fax anymore? What ever happened to the fax? Seems like it was there and then it wasn't? Like was there a big send off party or anything? It just kind of disappeared? What the heck took it’s place?
Wait I don’t have an office anyway so what do I need a fax for anyway - scratch that idea. I’ll find a teenager somewhere to help.
Woke up two hours later…dang I gotta pee. I don’t wanna go outside! I stuck my head out from under the blanket whoa it’s cold!!! Do I really have to climb down a ladder to pee? Not doing it- definitely not! Peeing from 6 feet in the air has got to be way cooler than that.
But how do I do that without falling off the ladder in the dark and fully "exposed"!? To the cold that is : )
Wait does urine attract bears? No I’m thinking it wards them off? Isn’t that what they use to repel deer? Does that even mean anything? Dang I gotta really go - wouldn’t be good to pee in here that’s for sure…day one and all : )
So top step of the ladder and let 'er fly!
I'm actually getting used to the cold temperature - weird I always thought I was part Mexican… but maybe I’m part Eskimo too? I mean I love tacos and spicy food and I think there’s a spicy woman joke in there too but not gonna touch that one. I mean I could always go for a little mexican. (food! Geez what are you thinking!!?) But I’m digging the freshness of this cold air too! And I like sleigh rides and pegging my kids in sno-ball fights so there’s probably some eskimonian in my blood too.
Jumping back into the sleeping bag though and it feels cozy but this pillow is horrible! It’s an LL Bean tiny (and expensive ) lil pillow that’s giving me a kink in my neck. Lets make one out of my jeans and this Patagonia jacket… oh much better. I wonder where the receipt is for that pillow? Wonder if I can still return it. I don’t think I dribbled on it tonite (not much anyway, besides it woulda froze if I did : ) so I think I’m good.
Wait what was that!? Is that a bear outside geez?! That was a heavy branch snap! Holy crap that sounded like a massive branches just tossed aside what!? No wait it can’t be I just protected fort DuckPond with a urine stream that splashed down from 6 feet high. Perfect perimeter barrier right?
Don’t move,… keep still. Just listen…dang it’s quiet now. Is that my heart pounding lol? Think it’s gone… or maybe the bear was just checking out my jeep? I mean it is pretty killer looking? Can't blame him for looking at it. Or maybe it was just a branch falling? Yeah going with that theory. Ignorance is way better to fall asleep with.
I’m impressed with my planning actually too. The little plate and knife set…awesome. The packing, the water containers, having enough clothes and a blanket etc (.Typing this up in the tent now and everything seems pretty decent. But wow is it cold out! I think it’s going into the upper 20’s tonight.
I’ll be fine : )
Little prayer and I’m off to sleep again….
The title stuff:
Inside
When I left and started my goodbyes I woke Matt up to give him a hug (3 of my kids that are home w me right now still). Actually Matt gave me a hug…so good the way he got out of bed with ultimate peace and calmness. Working midnites and Dad wakes him up two hours into his sleep - what a guy I am lol...and he rolls with it just to give his Dad a hug. I teared up upon the realization that I would be gone for nearly 6 weeks. A few memories of leaving the house just after divorce and backing down the driveway in a mess of tears flooded my mind for some reason. I guess it had that same ring of I’m leaving the kids…. Geez Pete it's just 6 weeks! Wait that is kinda long.... totally different type of tears now though...a complete gratitude for the love of my son and gratitude for the journey that took me thus far and is stoking me on still.
Kinda threw myself a lil love and then honed in on gratitude for these beautiful kids that I have...
Ari was working at the kitchen table, her husband is in training for a month and she is able to remote work from anywhere - what a blessing. Gave Kaitlyn a squeeze and she layed her head on me geez…Ari got up to come over and hug me too then. Wow how did I get so lucky!! A few tears again...
Now on the road like 2 hours in -I notice the urge to contact people! What's that all about!? Funny how we leave to get away from everything, to quiet the mind and breathe and when finally out of NY's traffic I thought ok what now? I should call someone lol.
I also thought there would’ve been some fear about going out on my own -
But I feel confident, I kind of feel embraced by the Universe, I feel lots of love on my heart, the love of family (that I just received in hugs) and I feel myself just loving myself in a way that gives me peace. That sound weird as I write it but whatever... feels right and "though it might not mean much to you...it does to me" (any Luke Combs fans?).
Also thought of past relationships and my journey thru them… This trip definitely began as a journey to open myself up to this country but also open myself up for a relationship that will last the rest of my life. Funny I met someone just before I left though... that raises an eyebrow, but wow only time will tell. Man God can deliver anything at any moment huh!? Right when you least expect it He may even just open your eyes to something that was right in front of you along...ya never know!
The spiritual side of me that wanted this trip in the first place pulls at me to let all thoughts of anyone or anyplace go and to live in the moment here and now. Receive and see all that God has offer,. So I'm hoping that some time traveling alone gives clarity to my life...relationship-wise and also a place to live! Whether a nice lil home near where I am now or perhaps somewhere in Iowa!
No wait - definitely not Iowa.
And actually I've come to the conclusion that home is where the heart is...I could be happy in a one bedroom apartment if surrounded by friends, family and the one I love. SO much more important than a waterfront home in California. (oooo wait can I change that? That does sound reeeeeally nice : ). Just no place where it rains a lot. Or has earthquakes.
Maybe this journey is about shedding old layers or old habits? The similar surroundings and friend circles can lead life to become routine and lose some of it's lustre if we are not careful. Is this trip to explore and perhaps live somewhere else to stretch my mind and grow? Or is it to revel in this countries God given beauty.. Or maybe to embrace the good life I have and raise a new family here at home... ? Wait where'd that come from lol? Well I don't think I'm going to have a new kid but geez I can definitely continue to grow the family of friends and community here that has embraced me over the years!
Either way I feel overwhelmed at the blessings that I know are in front of me and those that I am surrounded with now...of a new 'life' in front of me somewhere else or a new approach and life here in the same location… I’m in tears at the revelation of this…so much love being heaped on me…
Outside
Leaving the house and a lot of the story written above. A revelation of the juxtaposition of the city buildings and traffic versus what I will see later in this trip. Passing Yankee stadium brought back memories of taking the kids to games and it was actually a beautiful view of the stadium…across the river. A different kind of beauty than that of in the mountains or near a stream…
Pennsylvania has some beautiful farms...I just love t=seeing the silo's as I drive by. Nothing like home.
Upside
I find myself turning a lot of the ‘downsides’ into upsides and that in itself is an upside lol.
Wait...I’m on the road free of any responsibilities other than taking care of myself - no work, no emptying the dishwasher, no bills no taking out the garbage...huge! That's just crazy huh!? I have a jeep to travel in with two bikes man life is good.
downside
Feel like it would’ve been great to have someone along side me for this trip. I have thoughts of missing friends, track suit Tuesday, rides, the customers at the shop, and even Suzy and Paula at the shop across the street lol. All beautiful peoples. And my kids wow. Missing coffees and making them at home with Kaitlyn with our espresso machine...luv y'all!
The enormity of this trip after giving Matt a hug…6 weeks on the road geez…
Also had a feeling...I had just felt my brother Tom’s presence as I was driving (he passed away not long ago) I remembered I have his survival kit bag with me and I felt connected to him because of that bag and this jeep and was a lil sad, teared up a bit but did not harbor any sadness for long…smiled knowing he was probably watching me begin such an incredible journey... Grateful to be alive.
Can bears climb ladders?