Return to Austin

Lift Cafe, 10 AM.

The next table over a group of Christians are talking about the stewardship of money.  Interesting.

We broke camp this morning, Smokie and KB coming back from 6th Street around 5 AM.  I was toasty, for a change, and didn't want to get up but they knocked at the door, came in, and it was time.

Sometime yesterday the cops came to the camp and let an official notification that it's time to move on.

Small wonder.  When I came back just before midnight Wednesday, I could see the tents from the trail.  Ahhh.  Not even trying to stay out of sight anymore.  Closer I could see a pile of rubbish over by where I used to camp.  Another guy.  Starting to look like a village with no garbage removal service.

So I said...if I were you, I'd take these down.  They're gonna bring the heat.

They agreed that's what they should do, and were planning to do it, but then the cops came.  No one was there, so that was to the good.

And I was planning to move today anyway.

Yesterday I went out to Wal-mart (loooong ride) and got a new tarp, a little cook kit, and a few other odds and ends.  40' of yellow polyester cord (barely enough) to pitch the tarp.  The tent was shredded by a vandal not too long after I went away for the holidays.  Smokie emailed me bout that.

The first few days are always about getting back into a groove, finding the way things are flowing this time around.  And this is especially so this time.  I don't know which way the new campsite lies, but have faith it will be revealed.

This begins in a minimalist way.  No tent, cold weather.  The Kids gave me a huge blanket which when doubled fits over Charlie's sleeping bag nicely.  It takes awhile but eventually I become warm, then toasty.

I'm thinking to sleep on the closed-cell foam pad (Wal-mart), with the poncho beneath that as a ground cloth.  Use the 8 x 10 tarp as additional ground cloth, cover up.  If it looks like rain, I can string a line between a couple of trees and make a little shelter.

Ahhhh.  Perfection.  That's how it will go.  Quick to set up, quick to tear down.  Minimally invasive.  Pick up whatever rubbish is lying around, clean the site.  Honor and respect it.  Leave as light a footprint as possible.

I'll miss having the Kids--Smokie and KB--around, but it's probably better this way. They just do not like tearing the tent down every morning, so they don't.  It stays up until they're told to move on.  And then they go to the next place.

It's just that there aren't that many places around here.  A long bus ride will take you out to better, safer places, but that means having a bus pass.

What would really help out would be little storage spaces for your gear.  Something big enough to hold tent and sleeping bag, pad, etc.  So you could move through the day unencumbered by gear.  I wonder if Willie would let me get one of those big garbage cans on wheels.  Drill a hole through the lid.  Padlock it.

It would be an elegant solution.

It's difficult not to overstay one's welcome.  I was welcomed back with open arms and effusive hugs, but I am very aware that there is a point where things become uncomfortable.  I'm not a paying customer, although I do help out now and then as chance and circumstance permit.

Need to stop in at Bicycle Sport Shop and say hello to Kris and Jason.

The beat goes on.

Stay warm, stay dry, stay safe.

Elijah

Learning something basic: How to link

I have never linked to anything in my entire online life.  So here I go with a first attempt.  This was interesting:

Let's see if it works.

Yep.  When I click on the underlined word above, it takes me to Lifehackers.  And that's a really interesting site.

Two Kokuas

I've written about Kris before, but he's been popping up in my head lately and just today his wife "Sam" left a comment on the last post.

So I took that as a sign from the Universe to get off my okole and write.

Thanks, Sam, for bringing the message.  I really look forward to seeing you when I return to Austin.

Kris is an amazing guy, in this old man's opinion.  He's doing work that he loves and it shows.  He's able to bring so much aloha to his work that it's not so much work anymore as it's...a calling.

Yes, a calling.

How many of us can say that about our jobs?

He's the kind of guy that just brings a smile to your face when you see him because...heck, I don't know the answer to that other than to say he seems to live in a kind of sacred space I like to call "Aloha."

He's my friend, you see.  And you know what? I don't know if he chose me or if I chose him.  All I know is that from our very first meeting he was just...incredible.

So...Kris, would you mind sending me your email addy?  Just send to jean.deaux@yahoo.com

It'll save the old man a stamp.

And below, here, is Jason, another fantastic guy from Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin.  He and Kris are co-workers, and the two of them have been incredible gifts to me.  Been thinking a lot about Jason lately, too.  Between the two of them there's not a whole lot about bicycles they don't know.  So I feel more than fortunate to count them as being in my corner.   I look forward to seeing both of them in the not too distant future.  Peace and aloha...E.