The Mother and I

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Today, I was blessed by The Mother. 

Mother Gaia---Mama G.

The Sierra Madres. The Mother Mountain Range.

I asked her that I could become one with her and that she pull me up the mountain. Henry David is a slow mover, but The Mother responded with love and tenderness.

I had a fitful night last night in Ocotillo---a bit anxious about the mother ride today. I awakened and got on the road by 7:00. I headed out on I-8 up to In Ko Pah Park Rd and then to Old Hwy 80. The road was fairly steep but not unreasonable and the interstate was plenty wide enough for safety. On I-8, about 10 miles from Ocotillo, you have to get off Mountain Springs Rd for several hundred feet as the I-8 gets a bit narrow on the overpass. 

Once I got off for that particular exit, a Border Patrol agent pulled up alongside. YAY!! I had questions! He pulled off the road and we unfolded my little cycling map to make sure I knew where I was supposed to go. He was very friendly and he even took the time to answer some of those pesky questions! I took his photo but cannot put it on the website. That will remain in my personal file. He said his dream was to become a fireman. He did accomplish this dream and spent several years fighting wildfires--he found this career all he hoped for--exciting, hard work, a rush. However, he gave it up to gain custody of his little son, as he was “never” home and he needed to come home at night to be a dad. He said the choice came down to his two loves: firefighting or being a dad. Dad-dom won, hands down. So, he went into law enforcement and became a border patrol agent. He enjoys his work because he spends much of his days hiking around in the mountains, which is one of the things he liked about fighting wildfires. In fact, yesterday, on his day off, what did he do? Hike up a particularly difficult “hill”, part climbing on his feet, part on all fours. So, what does he enjoy? Being outdoors, physical exercise, rewarding work. What is his Joy? His son.

He said he would pass by a few times to keep an eye on me. Which he did, ensuring my  safety. Thank you, Officer. You are a good man. 

Approaching Jacumba, still on US land, I received a text message on my phone thanking me for entering a foreign country and that I could now use my phone with international charges!! Lol! We are very close to Mexico here and there was an imposing fence extending for miles along the border. Right across the mountains. I passed about 3 signs on the road today, warning that smuggling is a felony. I imagine that refers to contraband in both the form of drugs and humans. Funny. We don’t put up a fence across the Canada/US border. In fact, I met some Canadians on Harley Davidsons in Jacumba, enjoying a trip through the country. But they weren’t looking for work. Or maybe they were. Or maybe there is no fence on our northern border because Canadians aren’t in a rush to move here, but they might want to put one up to keep US out!!  Lol! Whatever your beliefs on immigration and borders---suffice it to say that I wish we didn’t have to put up fences. On our country’s borders, or on our own minds.

We finished our day with a few more miles to get to Live Oaks Spring Resort and Campground. I guess you have figured it out that we are in the campground part! The resort part is a bit beyond our pocketbooks! There are supposed to be showers for us tenters, but apparently they haven’t had a tenter for awhile. It took an hour or so for the management to figure out how to unlock the camper’s bathroom. It is a huge room with a toilet on one end and a tiny sink on the other. There are a few drains on the floor, but no showers! I had to turn the water on the toilet so it would flush. No hot water on the sink. But I am grateful for running water after a night in Ocotillo!

The folks here are very friendly. They have fountain outside, a little store, and a little restaurant/bar with a TV running boxing matches, a few pool tables, and a juke box. We are eating salads, drinking coffee, working on our computers, and we have heard a range of music from country western to rap. 

Tomorrow it is on to San Diego. Yahoooo! I hear the Pacific Ocean calling me. I hope my dolphins come by to say Welcome Home!