Where's Dan Now?

RAIN ON THE PRAIRIE

I was huddled under a huge paper birch tree. You know, the kind that has bark peeling off the trunk that looks like it could be used in a pinch as typewriter paper? I was on my bike and heading for the cemetery. Still i got drenched and spent the next hour laying in the hot sun at the tool shed trying to dry out. Then one time i was in the belly of the volcano on the island of Maui and thought it would be hip to just stay in that sacred place overnight, in my little tent. Which i did, and was blown to pieces by all that sky, all that heaven just right there, so close it felt like you might just get whisked away any instant by a passing UFO. The next morning dawned cloudy and a heavy rain came in, making the long upward slog out to the parking lot at 10,000 feet a freezing, wet affair. Boy did that rental cars heater feel great on the way off the mountain to the warm waves far below. Next was the time i was pedaling down the California coast and the morning drizzle soon became a noontime deluge. The temperatures were mild so i kept on pedaling till a friendly looking Motel 6 came into view and i lounged in the luxury of that no star accommodation enjoying the Super Bowl and soaking for hours in the bathtub of hot water. Another day i found myself on the road to nowhere when a rain storm swooped in from the chilly north. With no shelter in all directions i walked onward, my Simple Barney boots getting wetter and wetter until they felt like two buckets of dishwater attached to my feet. Having put in nearly 20 miles for the day i headed off a hill to an enticing meadow below that bordered a small stream and cow flops here and there. Soon i was sound asleep in the cozy tent in a change of dry clothes from the backpack. Later that afternoon the summer sun returned, drying out my socks, pants and shirt that were hanging in a nearby tree. Steam rose from them. A woodpecker thunked a tune high above. Then of course the worst time rain comes is when you are locked onto a speeding frieght train heading for some unknown destination out there somewhere. You could see it long before it hit. One of those low lying, dark and ominous clouds that roll across the prairie like a Mac truck and slam into you saying, "Here I am. Are you ready for a good old wash down pal?". And washed i was, but luckily again an afternoon sun blazed in, chasing the cloud away and warming the hills, the train and me enough to dry things off within the hour. A friend of mine who climbs all the big mountains on this side of the world once commented that human skin is waterproof! That made me realize to never be afraid of the rain. Just make sure you have the right clothing. Like yesterday. Yet another day of rain? Unbelievable here in our relatively dry country. But, down it came. So to hell with this, i said, pulling on the rubber boots, rain jacket and gloves and went out to rebuild the Nanking Cherry bush enclosure anyway. Still though, it's hard to live through. Endless down pourings. All my shoes are soaked. The lawn squishes when you go down to the river. The squirrel eats his cones on my hobbit hole door, showering the entrance with the remains. It makes one wonder where is all that water coming from anyway? And will it ever stop? I've got adventuring to do! The high mountain passes await my snow shoe laden feet. The far away roads of Oregon pine for the spin of the trikes three wheels. Until then, I guess I'll just read another book. HOBO

WHEN THE MOON RISES FULL

Home sweet home. My friend asked me in the sweat lodge the other night why i travel incessantly if i love the meadow so much. I was at a loss for words. I guess in retrospect all i can say is that i love it all. The road is such a strong adventure. Filled with days of discovery and serendipity. Home is a mantra of days that flow into each other like a dream. Each additional year spent in the meadow seems to slow me down and give me more and more appreciation for the minute details. After working on the various projects on those 2 tiny acres i sit back in the wooden beach chair and just stare at the deer, the new leaves, the grass pushing itself out of the damp ground. It is a joy just to be in such a pristine, undeveloped environment. And the mix of activity ( last week i rebuilt the trike shed, set up 3 tipis up town, cleaned out the neighborhood irrigation ditch, set up the water pump for sprinkling the lawn, shingled the tool shed, finished MC 64 and got it mailed out, and washed the clothes!), went by unconsciously. Those days were just a blurr of contentment. Each task melding into the next. Then after a hot sauna, dropping off into a deep, deep sleep. Isn't this how life should be lived? It took nearly 20 years, but it seems that i have somehow finally learned how to live in almost complete harmony with life. Gas is nearly $4 a gallon in our secluded valley. Food prices seems to rise and rise. The news continues to speak of airline closures and failed businesses. Yet living a simple life seems to exclude all those concerns. Long ago i came to the realization that really all a human needs is food, shelter and clothing. And food is something that is generally grown. So maybe there really isn't anything to worry about. All we need to do is learn to live in a simple shelter that protects us from the weather, grow as much food as possible in the climate we reside in, and keep some clothes on our thin skins. Then spend our free time reading books and becoming wise. And fishing. And using bikes to get around. It could be a solution to all man's problems. What do you think. HOBO

HOW TO BUILD A GAS FREE VEHICLE

We're all a both of spoiled wussies. There. That should set the tone for this entry. Maybe a little harsh, but unfortunately quite true. So many of our modern day technologies are leaving us overweight, unexcercised and weak in the knees. But can you envision a nation navigating around only by pedal power? If the gas prices continue to rise, say to $5 or even $10/gallon, many more people will be dragging their old unused bikes out of the garage and putting them to good use. Because my trike was built lightweight and for seeing how fast one could go on three wheels, (comon, admit it Jack), i decided a while ago to rebuild the rear end to haul more cargo. Not only for touring long distances down the road but to also transport the sauna propane tank up town for a refill and for getting a couple weeks of groceries on one 12-mile round trip to Safeway. If you'd like to do the same thing, here's what you will need. One pretty good welder (check ebay), they make them really small now, so don't be gettin' intimidated. And learning to weld isn't any big deal, welders even come with a book on how to do it. Okay, then you'll need a small hand grinder. That's for grinding off all your crappy welds so they look smooth and professional. Get a grinding disc and one metal cutting disk, as it's way faster to cut your pipe with the power tool than an old dull hacksaw like i used for 3 days! Then order up several pieces of steel pipe the same size as the tubes on your bike. Then sit down, have two beers, and start to draw up your plans to stretch that baby out. Two is the number because you are actual going to destroy your bike by chopping it up, before you put it all back together again. And that is like sorta scary. The idea is to create more hauling space of some kind. That way you won't be one of the wussies who always make up a million excuses as to why they are driving instead of pedaling. Draw carefully. Go online and Google "homemade bicycles" for endless ideas. Some people have big baskets in front, some in the middle and some make trailers that simply hook to their existing bikes. Okay, were the beers good? Do you have a fairly good idea of what you'd like to do? Well have at it, and remember, no welding in the kitchen and don't be using the wife's cutlery for tools. The screwdrivers. hammers and other needed items are out in the garage. When you're done email me a picture of your new ride. We could have a contest to see who came up with the coolest design. Prizes could be a pair of Simple shoes or some Chronicles. Whatddaya say? HOBO