As I drive away from the comfort of El Paris Motel and Campground (Yes, I loved the place's vibe so much that I went back to it. It was also an opportunity to do laundry). I'm happy I did, because here I am again meeting another solo traveler. The conversation with Carrie is deep and spiritual. Those are the sweet moments of my journey. I hope to reconnect with Carrie at Joshua Tree National Park.
I know I'm heading toward even colder weather, but I decided to follow my original plan and take it one step at a time.
My first stop is Holy Trinity Monastery at St. David. It's no longer an active monastery and now serves as a retreat center. They have a campground, and I hope they will have an open spot for me. Halfway through my travel, the wind picked up so strongly that I questioned my decision. I can handle cold temperatures, but wind and rain are conditions I want to avoid. Traveling and sleeping in my car has many pros and cons, and I need to learn to respect them. I want to make sure I make my decision based on my intuition and not on my ego, whatever is left of it. (I let go of most of it many years ago to give room for my creative mind).
I'm excited to say, I get a spot at the edge of the campground, which makes me happy. This place is sweet and quiet. I take the day to walk around. I stop and enter the church. I am the only one in this holy place. I take the opportunity to be alone with myself and God. I am not a religious person but am more on a spiritual path. This beautiful journey brings faith back into my life, and I welcome it with an open heart. There are few paths to walk around the property, and I take my time strolling.
Later in the day, I check the community room and meet Thelma. I love meeting women that inspire me. Thelma is 90 years old and full of life. She is kind and fun to be around. I enjoy learning from her wisdom and life experience. A funny fact I learned later about Thelma is that she is THE "Mrs. Meyer's". Her daughter created the soap company and named it after her mother.
One of the unique things about this peaceful place is that it is home to 28 peacocks. They are freely roaming around. I sit on a bench under a huge tree at sundown, watching them get ready for bed. They walk next to me like I am not there. What an incredible experience to watch them so close and to feel their stunning colors vibrating through my body. One male is so close to me that I can see every detail of his feathers and the marking on his head. One by one, they jump on the fence wall next to their tree and line up like soldiers. Then, they take turns flying up to the tree to find their place to sleep.
It was bound to happen, and I was expecting it to present itself at some point. Loneliness creeps into my happiness tonight. I could pick up the phone and reach out to one of the beautiful souls in my life. But if I’m seriously considering converting my life to a nomadic one, I want to know the truth about it. I’m not even sure what made me feel so lonely this evening. I do miss my boys and my dear friends back home. I do enjoy being alone but feeling lonely is an unpleasant emotion. I choose to live a wholehearted life without sugar-coating my feelings and emotions. It is part of life but it sucks when it falls on you from nowhere. I know I will be hiking in a day or two, and that is usually my best self-healing.
Ok, it is time to adjust my plans. The weather is calling for rain the next few days at Bisbee, so I decided not to take my chances. The three days I was planning to spend between Tombstone and Bisbee, I am now squeezing into one. Both towns will put you back in time, something I always enjoy. I experience the Wild West in Tombstone by watching re-enactments of an 1881 cowboy gunfight at the O.K. Corral - a fun and excellent performance. At Bisbee, I was planning to tour the Mine, but by the time I realized it was Saturday, there weren't tickets available. Oh well, maybe next time. I stroll along the old town, imagining the era.
Instead of going east and visiting Chiricahua National Monument, I am heading west to warmer weather to explore Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
I enjoy driving days when I am rewarded with a beautiful view. It's as if I am watching a nature movie as I drive. I chose to take the longer scenic road. Ten minutes into my drive, the rain started. It's a comforting feeling knowing I made the right decision. I love when there is a gloomy day full of clouds, when there is a break in the clouds. You can see the sunray illuminate some of the mountains. There is a feeling of divinity in the air!
