Words

In summary, Southeastern Arizona has been a high point of my trip. Topographically, this became true at Onion Pass. The landscape though had been compelling since the first hour South of Tucson. Into the sky islands of SE AZ I rode, across the high desert grass and scrub. The Chiricahua Mountains have been the culmination of this segment. In Portal, AZ, I met a good and varied crowd. Cowboy Lonny warned me first thing about the possibility of getting sucked in to Portal. I found the rocks on this side of the mountain just as awe inspiring as those on the other side of the pass. Liminal spaces have long attracted me. The people made me more inclined to stay. I'll be here through the first week of February, give or take.

Along the way on this trip I've thought about much. Two things in particular keep coming to mind: What is my place in the world? What is valuable to me? There are many answers to those questions. In short though, I believe what I most have to offer others right now is teaching my computer literacy. I can do that anywhere. I've decided that building a healthy sustainable community is important to me. I want to see my friends and family succeed. I want humanity to grow and learn. So, I decided to live it.

I made friends with the folks at the Portal Lodge(and restaurant and general store). I really got a chance to meet them at a dinner party a local, Cliff, invited me to. There Mitch infected me with his enthusiasm about the community he is trying to build. I was excited by it, and after a wonderful home cooked meal, couldn't get to sleep because my wheels were spinning from the new people energy. Also, this place is magical; the mountains move me. I couldn't sleep. The next morning, I saw Loonie Loni, Mitch's wife, doing the books with a hand calculator. I knew that I had computer literacy that I could help out with, and here I am, helping them digitize the business.

It's not what I expected to find, nor what I expected to do along the way. Becoming a bicycle engine is becoming something inhuman. Generous folks have humanized me along the way, readers included. So now I'm practicing a little work/life balance while I do data entry, analysis and training. I ride my bike and learn the area on nice days. I practice karate every day. And I've gone flying, and hope to do more. Flying is something else.