PLACES.....on the road

    Before leaving Bisbee, I HAD to visit the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area about 15 miles from Bisbee Old Town. I'd longed to see it ever since I started reading Going Back to Bisbee by Richard Shelton. He LOVES the San Pedro River and writes enthusiastically about it throughout the book. He was even there for the ceremony officially designating it as the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. After visiting the area, I can tell you: Richard Shelton was right!
    My first stop was the biggest cottonwood tree I'd ever seen, just to the right of the entrance. It's 371 inches around, 86 feet tall, and spans 134 feet. I had to touch its gnarled trunk to absorb some of its ancient energy and leave a bit of mine. I rested the flat of my hand on the trunk for a few minutes, letting the wonder seep in. Just being in its presence touched me deeply, and I felt that sense of peace which comes when I am overwhelmed with all life has to offer -- the beauty of it all. As I walked along the path, I activated the grasshoppers; hundreds of them jumping from branch to branch. They aren't still for long, but I caught a glimpse of one about two inches long wearing a colorful coat of green, yellow, and bright orange. I continued on through tall, yellow blossoms and prickly pear cactus laden with plump, reddish-purple fruit.
    Outside the entrance of the Visitors' Center was a hanging, two-foot long sack of bird seed attracting as many as a dozen tiny flashes of gold (Lesser Goldfinches). It was a living, moving work of art. Fascinating! The Visitors' Center, run by volunteers, had four or so rooms filled with delightful children's books (like Josephina Javelina), exceptional art (especially the simple but elegant photographs of plants by Sandy Upson), jewelry, postcards, etc. -- all nature related. Now I was ready to take the long-awaited trail to the San Pedro River!
    The two-mile loop trail started through head-high grasses but soon opened into a broad, dirt path. The vegetation was waist high now, and I could see miles and miles of lush vegetation -- not a house in sight -- and sooooo green. I noticed deer tracks on the trail. It wasn't far to the free-flowing river, swollen from the recent monsoon. Tall cottonwoods and willows lined the banks. I returned to the path and stopped again at the river further on. I felt I could walk forever. I again felt the bliss I search for and often find when the time is right: quiet, solitude, fresh air, nature, and being present in the moment. It requires attention and appreciation -- the two things on the path to enlightenment.
    It is a perfect day for this walk: cool with overcast skies and a light breeze -- a melancholy background fitting my mood for leaving Bisbee. On the return walk, a long-legged, shiny, black beetle ambles, apparently unconcerned, across the broad path. I turn and look one last time at the area surrounding the San Pedro River -- just one more thing that makes leaving Bisbee so difficult.

Places #10....DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT....Colorado and Utah.....9/8/05

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Places #9.....TWO DAYS ON TOP OF THE WORLD.....Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.....8/10/05

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Places #8.....TECOPA HOT SPRINGS.....Tecopa, California.....12/10/04

(NOTES FOR STORY IN PROGRESS)

    Tecopa Hot Springs is one of my two favorite places on earth...although wherever I am tends to be my favorite place at the time. If you look at a map of California, you will find a very small dot near the southeastern corner of Death Valley. That is Tecopa, about 30 miles from the Nevada border.
    11/8/04.....Tecopa Hot Springs, California....It's SO wonderful here: 24-hour hot springs, open space, mountain views, hiking, STARS, sunsets, walking, biking, peace and quiet, etc. I don't know how to describe what I feel here: happiness? contentment? bliss? .....jane Also, if you're near Las Vegas, I strongly suggest you go to Tecopa Hot Springs on the southern tip of Death Valley -- just a small dot on the map -- one of my two favorite places on earth. Nothing there but open space, and I'm sure it's the place sunsets were created. They have 24-hour free hot springs. Camping was $60 a month without hookups. If you look it up on the internet, they also have one or two motels there, but not much else. I like it that way! we go to warm springs virginia. it is 2 indoor pools I DISCOVERED IT BY ACCIDENT -- DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS A HOT SPRINGS UNTIL I DIPPED MY TOES INTO THE STREAM BY MY CAMP (AT THE COUNTY PARK) $60 A MONTH TO CAMP LAST TIME I WAS THERE -- HOT SPIRINGS ARE FREEEEEE. I VOLUNTEERED TO HELP OUT AT THE SENIOR LUNCH, GOT A FREE LUNCH, AND ALL THE LEFTOVERS...SO BASICALLY I HAD ROOM AND BOARD FOR $60/MONTH. OH YEAH! BUT IT'S BEST TO BE BY ONESELF -- THE QUIET YOU KNOW AND A SKY FULL OF STARS. THE FEEL OF THE WATER ALL AROUND YOUR BODY THAT MAKES IT SO GREAT. BESIDES, THERE IS EVERY SHAPE, SIZE, AND AGE BODY THERE. MAKES YOUR OWN BODY LOOK GOOD! (YOU'VE SEEN ONE; YOU'VE SEEN THEM ALL!) IT'S A VERY DRY AREA -- NOT MUCH VEGETATION, BUT THE ROCK FORMATIONS CAN BE NICE. IT'S ABOUT 30 MILES (?) FROM PAHRUMP (YES, PARUMP, NV - A NICE DRIVE) WHICH MEANS CHEAP FOOD SUBSIDIZED BY GAMBLERS. IT'S A SMALL TOWN, BUT HAS A NICE LIBRARY AND LARGE FOOD STORES. I USUALLY GO THERE ON WEEKENDS WHEN TECOPA GETS THE WEEKEND CROWD. I DON'T DO CROWDS EITHER... GET AN ATLAS AT WAL-MART FOR $4.95. TECOPA IS A LITTLE DOT ON THE MAP AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF DEATH VALLEY. YOU WILL EITHER COME FROM LAS VEGAS, DEATH VALLEY, OR FROM THE SOUTH. THE ATLAS WILL SHOW YOU. YOU CAN PROBABLY PRINT A DETAILED MAP ON THE INTERNET (MAPQUEST). NO THERE'S MORE: LIKE THE DATE FARM WITH IT'S DATE SHAKES, A WONDERFUL HIKE THAT STARTS BY THE POST OFFICE, LOVELY WALKS AT SUNSET, THE PIONEER CEMETARY, THE LOCALS WHO THINK OF THIS AS SACRED LAND, ETC Just a bit about how I feel about it: Tecopa is one of my two favorite places on earth (the other being Everglades National Park in Florida). The thing I like best about Tecopa is there's nothing there. I go to sleep with a sky full of stars and wake up to the sunrise on the desert. The sunsets are glorious -- surely the place where sunsets were invented. Just lots of open space, fresh air, and quiet. It is the closest I ever get to bliss. As if that isn't enough (and it is), the hot springs are open 24 hours a day -- separate buildings for men and women (each with two deep pools) -- no suits allowed! Pretty liberal for a county operation. I'll tell you there's nothing like sitting in the hot springs all by yourself in the middle of the night looking up through the open ceiling at a billion stars.

Places #7.....THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK...Macomb, Illinois....6/4/04

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May 24-26, 2004...GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK (The park crosses two states: North Carolina and Tennessee.)

    WHEW! If you visit the family farm in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you will never again complain about what a hard life you lead.

    Next stop was the mill that ground the dried corn into meal and wheat into whole wheat flour. I picked up a recipe for Greqt Smoky Mountain pancakes (see my food link), but the flour and cornmeal were for sale only as animal feed. There was a volunteer who supervised the grinding, just as it was done years ago.
    I stopped at several overlooks and picnic areas, and walked a bit on the Appalacian Trail in two places, and knew I was stepping in the Peace Pilgrim's footsteps. I believe she was the first woman to walk the entire length, more than 2,000 miles!
    The piece de resistance was the 1/2 mile hike up to Clingman's Dome, the highest structure in the park at more than 6,000 feet. It was all uphill, and the dome itself was a corkscrew with 360 degree views of mountinas upon mountains as far as the eye could see. It was a 7-miole drive off the main highway but worth it.
    It was still daylight; so I decided to park in Gatlinburg, TN overnight. It was only 7 miles away, and I would save the camping fee. I drove to the next town (Pigeon Forge) as well. Gatlin burg was a shock: just one big tourist attraction all jammed together. I couldn't wait to get out of there. And the library is the first one I've encountered in four years of travel that doesn't permit e-mail! Pigeon Forge wasn't much better; it was still touristy but more spread out. I saw a sign that said "weddings $99"; drive-thru $79." "Dollywood," Dolly Parton's tourist attraction is also located here as well as lots of live country shows. Motels are plentiful and cheap; I saw one for $16.95. These two towns are a great example of how a town can prostitute itself for the tourism dollar. I bet the locals hate it. Since The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is so close, I know it would have gone the same way if some people hadn't worked hard to save it from development.
    Tuesday, May 25 (GSM National Park) - Back to the park this morning where I checked out the Visitors' Center at the Gatlin burg entrance, the largest one of the three in the park. There was an excellent film on the park. Then I started 24-mile drive to Cade's Cove, the most popular park destination. I stopped at the first campground after the Visitors' Center to see what it was like. Actually it's a parettier campground than Cade's Cove because it's on a river and very woodsy. I continued on the winding road, a lovely drive mostly along the river. I found a campsite but moved when I discovered several vehicles in the site next to me and a group of noisy adults and children -- a sign of things to come with the holiday approaching. That and the hot, humid weather (80s) made me decide to leave tomorrow after I bike the 11-mile loo road which is closed to traffic tomorrow morning. I ended the day with a bike ride around both campsite loops and an excellent evening program by a volunteer whose enthusiasm and lvoe for the park were obvious. There was a slide show of the park's gorgeous wildflowers and the four seasons in the back country, including the Appalacian Trail. The talk included poetry, quotations, and music and couldn't have been better. The speaker mentioned the pioneers who lived here before and how this area "sustained their bodies and nourished their souls." I liked that!

    Next stop was the mill that ground the dried corn into meal and wheat into whole wheat flour. I picked up a recipe for Greqt Smoky Mountain pancakes (see my food link), but the flour and cornmeal were for sale only as animal feed. There was a volunteer who supervised the grinding, just as it was done years ago.
    I stopped at several overlooks and picnic areas, and walked a bit on the Appalacian Trail in two places, and knew I was stepping in the Peace Pilgrim's footsteps. I believe she was the first woman to walk the entire length, more than 2,000 miles!
    The piece de resistance was the 1/2 mile hike up to Clingman's Dome, the highest structure in the park at more than 6,000 feet. It was all uphill, and the dome itself was a corkscrew with 360 degree views of mountinas upon mountains as far as the eye could see. It was a 7-miole drive off the main highway but worth it.
    It was still daylight; so I decided to park in Gatlinburg, TN overnight. It was only 7 miles away, and I would save the camping fee. I drove to the next town (Pigeon Forge) as well. Gatlin burg was a shock: just one big tourist attraction all jammed together. I couldn't wait to get out of there. And the library is the first one I've encountered in four years of travel that doesn't permit e-mail! Pigeon Forge wasn't much better; it was still touristy but more spread out. I saw a sign that said "weddings $99"; drive-thru $79." "Dollywood," Dolly Parton's tourist attraction is also located here as well as lots of live country shows. Motels are plentiful and cheap; I saw one for $16.95. These two towns are a great example of how a town can prostitute itself for the tourism dollar. I bet the locals hate it. Since The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is so close, I know it would have gone the same way if some people hadn't worked hard to save it from development.
    Tuesday, May 25 (GSM National Park) - Back to the park this morning where I checked out the Visitors' Center at the Gatlin burg entrance, the largest one of the three in the park. There was an excellent film on the park. Then I started 24-mile drive to Cade's Cove, the most popular park destination. I stopped at the first campground after the Visitors' Center to see what it was like. Actually it's a parettier campground than Cade's Cove because it's on a river and very woodsy. I continued on the winding road, a lovely drive mostly along the river. I found a campsite but moved when I discovered several vehicles in the site next to me and a group of noisy adults and children -- a sign of things to come with the holiday approaching. That and the hot, humid weather (80s) made me decide to leave tomorrow after I bike the 11-mile loo road which is closed to traffic tomorrow morning. I ended the day with a bike ride around both campsite loops and an excellent evening program by a volunteer whose enthusiasm and lvoe for the park were obvious. There was a slide show of the park's gorgeous wildflowers and the four seasons in the back country, including the Appalacian Trail. The talk included poetry, quotations, and music and couldn't have been better. The speaker mentioned the pioneers who lived here before and how this area "sustained their bodies and nourished their souls." I liked that!

Places #6...A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS IN THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA...Thomasville, Georgia...12/16/03

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Places #5.....PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK....Canyon, Texas....11/4/03

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for the thousandth time on this journey, I am awestruck. flat - canyon - dry country $2 entrance fee 1/2 mile to V center perched on edge - views Spanish skirts film 1 hr. - history of area from 1500s Quanah Parker story & town named after him quote from UC road leads down into canyon - return same way passed Pioneer Amphitheater - turned back - huge and lovely - outdoor setting several campgrounds $10-$12/night turkey vultures only sound - my footsteps along the path lots of low-growing trees and colorful, redish cliffs all around increasingly red soil as I drove along was in sharp contrast to the green and yellow of trees in the distance clumps of prickly pear cactus formations reminded me of Painted Desert -- it's that beautiful! "cathedral" area - Cow Camp cabins made of stone slabs water crossings trails enough for a month of hiking tan, dry, daisy-like flowers lined the road mostly green trees with yellow Places #4.....THE GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PRESERVE....Alamosa, Colorado....9/4/03

      I LOVE THE GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL MONUMENT! My oh my! Another paradise!
      I'm so glad I stocked up on yellow tablets for writing because I'm a long way from a computer here (about 30 miles from Alamosa, Colorado). I only paid to camp for three nights, thinking I will move on early Saturday morning to Walsenburg, CO where there might be a farmers' market. Then on to Amarillo, Texas in time for the Unitarian service on Sunday and Palo Duro Canyon State Park (25 miles south of Amarillo), but I'm already wondering if I can tear myself away from here. And why not stay a while? I have lots of time before I want to get to Florida near the end of November (avoiding the hurricane season June-November). Then a voice in my head says, "Florida is a long way, Jane, and think of all the other places that will arise and surprise you on your route east -- places just as captivating as this one -- places you will also want to stay." So we'll see come Saturday.
      Meanwhile, I found a campsite and have made my salad with fresh organic produce from the Saturday farmer's market in Alamosa. I had to stop and write a bit first, while the writing juices are flowing. I set up my lawn chair so that from my campsite, I have a sweeping, uninterrupted view of the great expanse of sand dunes, small mountains really, light tan in color. They appear to be about a mile away. The people are tiny specks moving on the surface. The only sound I hear is the crunching of cauliflower as I eat my salad. The only movement is a bird with yellow on its wings on a nearby bush (lush with purple berries) joining me for lunch -- and the swaying of the colorful wildflowers and tall grasses (lavender, green, tan, golden, gray-green, off-white, and yellow) which lead up to the dunes. The afternoon is sunny and warm. I never tire of watching the sun set over the dunes, casting shadows of every shape and size, surely the prettiest time of day. So peaceful! I'll settle in today and climb the dunes tomorrow. I could stay here a long, long time.
      The campground is very nice ($6/night with a pass), located in a stand of low-growing trees (pinon?). This is a good time of year to travel. With school having started, the campground is fairly empty. I chose a campsite where I could back in; so my the back door of my camper opens to the view. Within five minutes of finding a spot, I saw a deer and now a hummingbird. As I sit in my lawn chair in the shade facing the dunes, I feel a sense of relief to be in the middle of nowhere without the lure of city temptations. Wherever I am, it is so easy for me to get caught up in libraries with computers, exercise classes, farmers' markets, outdoor concerts, movies, etc. which I also love. Here there are none of those things.
      The countryside has changed so much since I left Pagosa Springs a week ago. Pagosa has a spectacular view of the nearby mountains, and I drove through those tree-covered mountains east over Wolf Creek Pass. On the other side, the country became flat as I approached the San Luis Valley, a broad flat valley with few trees and distant mountains -- not much to see at first, until you stay a while, and it works its magic. Driving toward the Great Sand Dunes National Monument via Highway 160, I crossed flat grasslands with no trees as far as the eye could see to the distant mountains. I turned left at Highway 150: the highway to the dunes. The road was outlined with small, yellow, daisy-type flowers interspersed with lavender ones. The ranger calls them desert sunflowers.
      There are many warnings about wild animals in this area: on the bike trail in Alamosa, mountain lions and here in the dunes mountain lions again, but mainly bear. I rejoice at these notices, applauding wildlife that can survive anywhere in this day and age. And, I have no fear -- well maybe just a little!
      Sand dunes towering 700 feet above the valley floor and covering more than 50 square miles are swallowed up by the huge scale of the San Luis Valley and the 14,000 feet Sangre de Cristo mountains....so says the brochure. The sand dunes are backed by towering mountains on all sides. Funny how distant mountains in Alamosa turn into close mountains so quickly -- just a few minutes walk from my campsite -- sand dunes one way, mountains with jagged peaks, another.
      My first day here had perfect weather followed by a day of constant rain. ("Wait five minutes, and the weather will change" is what they say about weather in Colorado.) To relieve the cabin fever, I spent an hour or so at the visitors' center, including watching a video about the area. Before leaving the visitors' center, I walked the short, sandy path through trees which opened onto the vast dunes: sand as far as the eye could see. It was like walking into another world.
      On my second, three-day visit to the dunes, my campsite has an unobstructed view of the entire sand dunes, but is more out in the open. Around this new campsite, amongst the tall grasses, there are four kinds of yellow wildflowers (from tall to small) interspersed with tall lavender ones with dark purple centers. There is a patch of trees off to my right, mostly pinon I believe. As I look back from my campsite, the campground itself is nestled in the trees leading to the mountains. It's a pretty area, but one doesn't get the sweeping view of the dunes from that high up. I am camping very near the campground trail that leads to the dunes. I much prefer this one to the one at the visitors' center. This trail meanders through low-growing plants for about a half mile before getting lost in the sand. One evening, I followed the trail, walked across the sandy expanse to the nearest dune, and climbed to the top. Even from this relatively low dune, I could see for miles into the valley and had a panoramic view of the nearby mountains. I sat on the dune for a while just taking it all in: the view, the quiet, the approaching evening, the shadows on the dunes -- all the while breathing in the clean, fresh prairie air -- adding up to a feeling of calmness and serenity. This is surely one of my favorite places on earth.
      This is one thing I've learned. NEVER travel or go camping on holidays or weekends! I was still at the sand dunes the Friday before Labor Day when the traffic started rolling in. My serenity disappeared with each vehicle and noisy camper. The campers next to me had their radios blaring. With as much restraint as I could muster, I said to them, "I came here to get away from all that!" So, when the city came to the sand dunes, I went to the city. I left early Saturday morning and spent a very quiet Labor Day weekend in Alamosa, resulting in a great adventure. See "The Last of the Red-Hot Hippies" (Crazy John Coyote) on my People link #20.

Places #3.....THE QUEEN OF THE TRAILER COURTS.....Quartzsite, Arizona.....1/07/03
      I LOVE QUARTZSITE! And I don't know exactly why. But I can tell you I have more fun here than anywhere! There's no place like Quartzsite; it is truly unique -- like Key West, Florida is unique. One reason I like Quartzsite so much (I jokingly say) is that I have more dates here in a week than I have all year in Seattle. Like this year: I've been here a week today, and I've already been invited out six times by four different men! Let me tell you; it's great! I really feel like The Queen of the Trailer Courts!
      If you look at the atlas, Quartzsite is directly south of Las Vegas and Laughlin. It's desert country: wide open spaces encircled by mountains upon mountains. The early morning sunrise turns the sky to muted golds and pinks while the sunsets turn the sky to fire. The shadows on the mountains during those times leave me speechless with their beauty -- always changing -- always miraculous! Just makes you glad to be alive; makes you want to thank whoever is responsible for one more glorious day on this beautiful earth. You can read about Quartzsite in National Geographic. I believe its the January 2000 edition. The magazine photographed Quartzsite in the summer (when it can exceed 120 degrees), and there's mostly vacant land. Another photograph shows Quartzsite during the winter months, and it's wall-to-wall RVs. Amazing!
      Then there's the people. I was talking to a woman who agreed with me that Quartzsite is wonderful, and we didn't know exactly why. Then it occurred to me that the people are REAL here. There's no pretend; there's no fancy airs. They are just who they are, and you can take it or leave it. How refreshing! How easy! People who say what they think; so you don't have to figure it out. I'll take those kind of people any day over what I call "yes" people: people who will tell you what (they think) you want to hear. You don't really get to know those kinds of people, and besides it's just too much work. I'll take REAL any day.
      I paid for one month at Desert Gardens RV Park, and I'm already thinking of staying through February. January and February are "hapnin" months here because of the gem and mineral show. I couldn't care less about gems and minerals, but Quartzsite is a "kickin" place during that time. People come from all over the world to display their wares -- not just rocks but all kinds of goods and food. I call Quartzsite the "swap-meet capital of the world." I stayed a month here two years ago, and it's really fun to run into people I met back then. For example, the first night I was here, I ran into a guy I met from Australia.
      There's a library in Quartzsite that opens at 8:00 a.m. week days, but I can't type on my website there. Once a week I drive the 20 miles to Blythe, California to write at the library and bring my "Where Am I" section up to date. There's a movie theater in Blythe and also an Albertson's. It's a small city but bigger than Quartzsite (which doesn't even have a bank), and it's much more "normal." But then, normal has never appealed to me!
      You can go dancing every night some place in Quartzsite. My favorite place is Silly Al's because of Rocky Watson, the terrific singer who can play any request; he's here January and February. There are other places: The Silver Buckle (mostly country) and The Yacht Club (which I have yet to check out), all three smoky to varying degrees. I told a friend that I'm undressing OUTSIDE my camper and hanging my clothes outside because they reek with smoke. But what can I do? I'm addicted to dancing, and it's such good exercise (for the spirit as well as the body). I just hope I'm not getting lung cancer from second-hand smoke! (All three places have kareoke two nights a week, which I avoid like the plague.) The QIA Community Hall has dances on Wednesday and Saturday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m., but it's a bit slow for me, and there are mostly couples there. Before the Wednesday night dance, there's a pancake supper for around $2, and they serve other things as well -- all cheap and good.
      I'm really thrilled with the place I'm staying: Desert Gardens RV Park. At first, I thought I might stay on BLM land for a couple of reasons. It's free for 14 days and costs $100 to stay six months. That's right! They provide water and outhouses. The other reason is that I thought I could avoid being crammed into a small space as is the case with most RV parks here. Last time I paid $210 to stay one month. The advantage was I was right in town and could bike everywhere. I eliminated the BLM land because I workout five days a week, try to walk daily at sunset, and dance a lot. That means A LOT of sweating. I really need to have access to showers. So, I started looking New Year's Day. I don't know why I started with Desert Gardens which is on the north end of town near Love's Gas Station. The office wasn't open, but I was able to talk to the locals who gather every morning for coffee and conversation in the rec room. I walked around the premises and decided to stay. Desert Gardens has everything I need: showers, water, laundry, activities (including music/dancing), and I even played canasta one night. Showers are a quarter (if you're fast) and it costs 75 cents to do a load of washing. There's a rec room where I can go at night or in the early morning when it's cold. I can work on my laptop or do paperwork there at night and do my stretching and exercising in the morning. It gets dark around 5:00 p.m. here, and my camper is much too small to stay inside. There's no TV reception here, and radio is not much better. But, BEST of all is that I'm in the "dry camp" on the very edge of the desert -- nothing between me and the breathtakingly beautiful mountains and desert. I never get enough of the desert and mountain view. It gives me great JOY! All that, and the cost is only $70/month.

"To know life you've got to be part of life, you must get down there and LOOK, you must get into the nooks and crannies of existence, and you must rub elbows with all kinds and types of men before you can finally establish what man is".....L. Ron Hubbard from Images of a Lifetime, a Photographic Biography.

Places #2.....KEY WEST.....Key West, Florida.....4/24/02 (revised 8/4/04)

      I LOVE KEY WEST! And, they're going to have to carry me kicking and screaming outta here! In the end, I'll leave because it's getting REALLY hot here -- in the mid-80s. That's not so bad when there's the usual breeze, but yesterday (4/23/02), there was no breeze at all, and I was very uncomfortable.
      You have to go over a lot of bridges to get to Key West, the last island in a chain of islands known as the Florida Keys. Key West is about 125 miles from the Florida City/Homestead area, and the drive to Key West via the Florida Keys is one of the most beautiful in the world! The road is so narrow between some islands that one can see the water on both sides. The ocean is indescribably beautiful -- the color of the water the clearest crystal blue. Shades of blue blend into the sky on the horizon. The drive to Key West and back can be done in a day, but two would be better.
      I think one reason I like Key West is that it has no tall buildings; so it seems like a small town. Most of the houses are cottages nestled together, kind of like Carmel, California. There are none of those huge, monstrous homes like in Naples, Florida. Here's what I've learned about Key West; first I had to get past the "tourist thang." If you visit, bring $$$$$. I'm glad I ignored my impulse to turn around and leave Key West the same day I arrived, right after the Unitarian Church Service on Sunday. After being in the Everglades area for several weeks, it seemed congested, crowded, materialistic, and expensive with a WHOLE LOT of partying going on. Sunday night I went to the Sunset Festival, which I had been to two years before. Again, I thought, there's nothing for me here: lots of tourists, lots of money. Then I walked Duval Street -- ditto. It's called the "Duval Crawl" because it's so packed with people.
      But, as it turns out, I hadn't found the good places yet. Yesterday, I did. I parked facing the ocean, walked the White Street Pier, did stretches on the white sandy beach, and visited Higgs Park/Beach. WONDERFUL! By the time I walked to town, I was hooked. (Lessons here: give it time, don't be so quick to judge.) "I Followed Three Rabbits" in my story "The Medicine Garden" tells all about my AMAZING Monday, from sunrise to sunset, and all the things about Key West that made me change my mind (see "stories" link on my home page).
      The atmosphere in Key West is very encouraging to artists of all types. Painters paint and sell art on the street, and street musicians are everywhere along Duval Street in the evening. Live music comes from every open doorway. It's a happening town. In less than a month, I've completed five pieces, and the ideas continue to come faster than I can write. I call it the "Hemingway Influence!" (The Hemingway House is on Whitehead Street, and if you pay $9, you can visit there.)
      Speaking of HEMINGWAY, the famous author, this is a great town for name dropping. There's the AUDUBON House near Mallory Square (the Sunset Festival site). The sign out front says the owner was so impressed by Audubon's art he named the house after him. Audubon actually visited the house, and there are several original Audubon paintings inside. (There is an entrance fee; so I haven't been there.) TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, who lived in Key West, has a performing arts center named after him on the Key West Community College Campus. On a lighter note (much lighter), there is JIMMY BUFFETT'S Margueritaville, made famous by his song of the same name, where you can get in free, drink Margueritas, and buy Jimmy's latest CD or a T-shirt. No, I haven't met Jimmy - - mainly because I haven't been inside, but I'm not sure he's even in Key West now. There is a MEL FISHER museum; he's the one that looks for treasure in sunken ships. TRUMAN all over the place, as in Harry S. Truman, who had his "little White House" in here. You can see the house where he lived. Truman Street is one of the main streets here, and today I saw Margaret Truman's Drop-Off Launderette, of all things. Did I say this was a funky town?
      Well, I have put off leaving for ANOTHER week which means I have to write the post office in Homestead to tell them that I have been kidnapped by Key West gypsy chickens and to PLEASE hold my mail until I arrive on Saturday, May 4. (The post office will only hold general delivery mail for one month.)
      The main reason I've stayed longer in Key West is because of Sharmaji. His card says "Ancient Indian Meditation, Open Meditation every Monday 6:30 p.m." I will only say here that he is WISE and WONDERFUL. I will put a copy of his bio on my website under the "Jane Sez" link.

Here's what I like about Key West, so far:

THE ATLANTIC OCEAN: I've never seen water so beautiful. This morning (4/24/02) just after sunrise, the water and sky were one color (kind of a pale gray-green) with only the slightest deepening of color where they met on the horizon.

WHITE STREET PIER AREA: Rest Beach on one side of the pier and Higgs Beach on the other; Higgs Park and Indigenous Park across the street. I loved walking out on the pier and then doing my stretches on the white sandy beach. (Location: where White Street meets the Atlantic Ocean)

THE BEACHES: An expanse of white sand and palm trees at the edge of the most beautiful, clear aquamarine water I've ever seen. Did you know that water is not blue but shades of green? The green of the water is in contrast with the blue of the sky.

THE MEDICINE GARDEN: My FAVORITE place in Key West. To read "The Medicine Garden," click on the "Stories" link at the top of my home page. (MANY THANKS to Pejuta for sharing his amazingly beautiful garden with us!)

THE KEY WEST GARDEN CLUB BUILDING: This is in the brick building to the right as you face White Street Pier. It's an old fort that has been converted into the most beautiful of gardens with paths and benches throughout. It's a small area, which can be walked easily in 15 minutes if you don't linger, but you will want too. There are many interesting gazebos and other nooks and crannies. And, of course, it overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. I believe it's called the Martello Museum (but there is another Martello Museum on Highway 1A; so don't be confused).

THE CHICKEN STORE: One of a kind! To read about The Chicken Store click on the "Stories" link at the top of my home page (The Chicken War). If you visit, tell Katha, the owner, I said hello!

KEY WEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE: What a beautiful location! It overlooks the water and has lots of open space. (Watch for the sign on U.S. 1 as you near Key West.) An added bonus is Dan's, a tiny restaurant on the campus that serves THE BEST blackened fish sandwich I've ever had. Because of his low prices, you won't even know you're in Key West!

THE FLOWERS: The color of the bougainvillia bushes are amazing! Usually they are either bright magenta or bright red, but occasionally there will be one with many colors on the same bush: creamy yellow, light orange, pink, deeper orange, and red. Spectacular! One time I was surprised to see what looked like a rhododendron with bright yellow flowers (in Florida?), but it was a TREE rather than the usual bushes we see in the Northwest. Then, of course, there are the gorgeous hibiscus blossoms in shades of warm. Mimosa trees and honeysuckle vines brought back memories of my girlhood in the south.

BIKING KEY WEST: It's the chosen method of traveling in Key West because the traffic is horrendous. Bicycles and motor scooters are everywhere. (People KNOW I'm a tourist because I'm about the only one who wears a bike helmet; two bike accidents in my long biking career have made me a believer.) Biking is the only way to see all the quaint houses that are squeezed into this island that is only two miles by four miles. Kind of reminds me of Carmel, California, but the houses are a lot more funky here. Even though the houses are crowded together, the abundance of tropical flora give privacy and make up for the lack of space.

THE WATERFRONT MARKET: I'm very fond of this funky but fairly-good-sized market at 201 William Street near the waterfront that has organic produce.

KEY WEST FILM SOCIETY: It's great to have an organization that shows award-winning films. I went to two while I was in Key West.

THE SUNSET FESTIVAL: Everyone should experience it ONCE. People gather any time after 5:00 p.m. to watch the entertainers, listen to live music, buy food from the vendors, or just people watch. Sometimes there are HUGE cruise ships, like tall buildings several stories high, docked there. (Remind me NEVER to go on one. To me, they are the epitomy of excess! No wonder people in third-world countries hate us. A person from The New Road Map Foundation told me that $15 in U.S. money will restore the eyesight of a child in a third-world country. She added, "It's not righteous.")

DUVAL STREET: Everyone should experience it ONCE. It's the wildest street I've ever been on -- crowded with shoppers during the day and party-ers at night. Even the Birkenstock store is open until 10:00 p.m. You can dance every night in Key West in the area round Duval Street. There's lots of food and live music. The food is expensive (a piece of cheese pizza costs $3.00); the music is free. Kind of reminds me of New Orleans, especially the music -- EVERYWHERE.

BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK: About 40 miles north of Key West, is a gorgeous state park. There is an entrance fee, but you can get in free on Earth Day some time in April.

FLAMINGO CROSSING ICE CREAM: Pricey, but worth it! Large bowl, with a choice of two flavors, is $3.25 -- enough to share. There are many unusual flavors to choose from, including "Anon." Ice cream is made right there.

RED BARN THEATER: Live theater -- I've never seen a show I didn't like.

Walt Whitman wanted to touch and be touched by the universe and to leave his mark on all of it. He believed a poet's duty was to change people's lives by teaching them how to see, by throwing a bucketful of light onto the commonest things. Whitman's book "Leaves of Grass" is a journey of self-discovery whose message is that YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FATE AND INVENT THE SELF YOU WANT....(edited from Diane Ackerman's article "Where America's Poet Was Born" in Parade Magazine 12/22/85)

Places #1.....PARADISE ON EARTH: THE EVERGLADES.....Homestead, Florida.....4/2/02 (revised 6/3/02)

      To begin, I think they mean Chief Sealth rather than Chief Seattle. Anyway, it was heartening to find a quote from the northwest, my part of the country...my home?

      I knew there was some reason I hadn't written in my journal until now; I arrived on Thursday, and it is now Saturday morning. It is because I needed to find the above quote on a guidepost at Eco Pond. It captures my feelings exactly! It is always so affirming to find one's own private thoughts in writing. It says to me, "There are other people in this world that think and feel as I do." Like rare birds, they are hard to find, but they do exist.
      I arrived at the southern entrance to The Everglades National Park around noon on Thursday, March 28 after running the obligatory errands: washing, shower, grocery, e-mail, and post office. Then I stopped at Robert is Here produce stand to pick fresh vegetables and strawberries in the field plus arugula, basil, and parsley amongst the herbs. I really didn't intend to have one of Robert's fresh fruit shakes, but after picking produce in the hot Florida sun, I succumbed. I have NEVER been able to visit Robert's without ordering one of his luscious, fresh fruit milkshakes, for which he is famous.
      After arranging for my campsite, making sure I had a view of the ocean, I walked across a field of low-growing grass toward the water...THE ATLANTIC OCEAN! I noticed a few people walking together toward the water. Then I saw why. They were following a medium-sized alligator. The alligator was traveling at a good clip, stopping only once for a few minutes, and then walking again straight for the ocean where it didn't hesitate to plunge right in. What a wonderful way to start my Everglades visit. I knew why I was here.
      Early Friday morning, I walked toward the ocean but stopped to watch a fast-moving turtle going through the grass. It was about the size of a dinner plate and had a beautiful design on its back: tan stripes in what looked to me like a kind of African motif. When I got within three feet, it stopped and pulled in its head. I've discovered turtles are very sensitive animals. When they are near water, one often hears the "plop" of them hitting the water before one sees them. Even though I moved behind this one, a few feet back, and stood very still for a few minutes, it didn't move; so I moved on.
      My plan was to walk along the shore of the tent campground, on any path I could find that bordered the ocean, to the Visitors' Center about a mile away. On the way, I saw a flock of ibises foraging for food in the grass. They are white birds with long, thin, curved, orange bills with orange legs and feet. There were three turkey vultures by a picnic table. These are large black birds with bald red heads and beaks. Since they feed on carrion, my friend says their heads are bald to reduce the growth of bacteria. Then I saw a hawk-like bird with a curved beak sitting on a crag. Later I learned it was an osprey. The path along the water entered a canopy of trees, and a bunny scampered across the path and out of sight. I looked down at my legs, and they were covered by mosquitos. They were enjoying their meal, but I wasn't! I got out of there as fast as I could, making a mental note to avoid areas by trees.
      I continued on to the Visitors' Center gift shop which is one of the best I've seen. Great T-shirts, but like most gift shops -- expensive. Why would I spend up to $25 dollars for a T-shirt when I was wearing one with a huge black pelican that I picked up at a Florida thrift shop for one dollar? (Durango, Colorado is THE BEST for T-shirts -- fifty cents!) I walked around the grounds and over to the marina where one can rent bikes, kayaks, and canoes or take a boat trip. The prices are reasonable.
      My next stop was the Everglades Information at Visitors' Center, but since a ranger-led walking tour was just starting, I took that instead. Back at camp, I took the first cold shower of my life; that's all they have here: cold showers and no hook-ups. (Thank goodness for my solar!) I had a wonderful lunch and nap (my solar fan works great) and spent the rest of the daylight hours reading in the shade of the huge tree that covered my camper. Shade is important when the temperature is in the 80s. With all the humidity, Florida is like a perpetual steam bath.
      This morning, Saturday, I started with this journal entry at Eco Pond when I saw Chief Sealth's quote. Right now I am sitting in the lodge's covered, screened, outdoor patio playing catch-up in my journal, surrounded by pots of magenta bouganvillia, shades of pink to red hibiscus, bromyliads, palms, and various other tropical plants. I can see the ocean, and there is a cool breeze. I ask you, "What could be better than this?" There is no place on earth I would rather be.

P.S. Earlier I wrote in a letter to friends: "Picture this: Sitting by the edge of a pond where several birds with ten-foot wing spans swoop down to the water, brown pelicans float on the surface while white ones soar in from above, snowy egrets stand like statues near the shore, various shore birds continually poke in the water for food, and beautiful anhingas spread their wings to dry as they nest in the trees with their babies, each nest full at a different stage of development (newly-hatched, two-week old, or almost grown chicks). At another pond, an alligator blocks the path; neither one of us is in any hurry to move. (Ah, retirement!) There are LOTS of alligators here. One time I counted 109 in a two-mile walk along a canal near Shark Valley."