Eureka! Gold Rush Grief

The morning of May 15, 2014, I awakened to a redwood forest morning with clouds rolling in. As I packed up my gear, I noted a baby bird on my picnic table. I looked up and saw that, if it fell from a nest from the lowest branch, it would be dead, so it must have at least some flight capabilities. I planned to cup it in my hands and take it to the ranger station next to the campground, as soon as I was packed up. So, I folded my tent and turned back and, lo and behold, the tiny critter had left. I looked all around the ground but couldn’t find it. I heard its tiny chirping a good 20 feet away but still couldn’t find it. Then silence. I will have to trust Mama G on this one. As on all things on this planet. Nature has its way.

The ride was beautiful but slow along the Avenue. The road is not always the greatest and the bumps and rivets effectively slowed me down. When I rejoined the 101, the travel was much quicker and I made good time to Fortuna. I stopped at a Starbucks to refuel and check messages. While sipping a blonde roast, I met Benji Bendarez. Of Native American heritage, this slim, ageless, attractive man with long curling hair came for a chat. In no time, he shared his passion with me: he is an incredible artist. Sculpting, metalwork, painting, and music. He is retired and I think he said he was 66 or 67. But he looked about 45. Simply beautiful. As was his work. He had a photobook of some of his works. He doesn’t even sell it. Incredible. I told him he needs a manager because his talent is supreme. He said he does the art for art’s sake. If it sells, that is great. If it doesn’t, that’s ok too. It is the process of creating that completes him. He works in his shop, or warehouse, and his land and home are decorated with scupltures, hangings, paintings, etc. While he loves travel, he loves making his art come alive even more. He spends a good deal of time outside, collecting scraps from nature and even industrial discard that he can recreate into beautiful things. He showed me photos of a few chairs he made from metal scraps found on the ground or in industrial yards. I saw a photo of a glistening metal globe with inlaid copper countries on a fascinating stand and with a shining angel perched overhead. Gorgeous work. 

His art had beauty as well as meaning. Some art is functional. Some is art for art’s sake. Some has a deeper meaning. All of it is art. His art had all of the above, wrapped into a single piece. I loved that globe!

Blessings, Benji! May you continue to create with those gifted hands and that seeing soul.

I pulled into Eureka, CA in the late afternoon, stopping at a Kmart for a new bungee cord and tropical trail mix. I am staying at the Super 8 for a few days to try, once again, to catch up. The Kmart did not have a decent camera so I need to shop a bit today. But it is already early afternoon. I have had 2 phone conversations, multiple emails, exercises, and blogs to complete. Then to shop for that camera. Then back to see if I can upload the blogs and do other website management. 

Funny how the “paperwork” never ends. Even on an epic journey. Jeez!

Note about Eureka so far. I came out of the redwoods to cleared land, from Scotia and Rio Dell to Eureka. Logging companies, industrial sites, and, not kidding, some sadness. Even though it is a college town, the people I met on the streets seemed woebegone.

I have seen homeless in LA. I have seen poverty in small towns. But I have seen the happy side of these same people. Here, in Eureka, I am passing people arguing, fighting, yelling in the streets, and alleys. Sitting in front of dirty stores on dirty sidewalks with hopeless eyes and meager bags.

It is like an area that lost its soul in the industrialization and land rape from the gold rush, logging industry clearing millions of trees, and now, mining for natural gas. Other areas have undergone industrialization but, sometimes, when the change is ongoing and relatively recent, there are still scars that are palpable. I realize that I am only seeing a fragment of what is here and impressions can be so wrong. But this area saddens me. Especially after the glory of the deep redwoods and the down to earth mountain folk, eking out their living with little pubs, stores, and gardens. 

Poverty can have many faces. You can live without riches, but not without soul. That is not living. 

There has got to be more.

To give Eureka credit, it is a college town, so there are a lot of young people here and that brings a certain zest to a town. 

But, mid afternoon, after wandering around, I still feel a sadness here. 

Maybe I just need to go camping again. Tomorrow night. And beyond.