I was at a point in my life where I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was working a part time job as a receptionist at a doctors office and, to keep things short, it was not for me. My body is not meant to sit still in one spot all day. Also there was not a single person I was helping. My calling in life is healing and helping, and this position gave me neither. In addition, I was not happy where I was living. I had a small apartment in Oswego that I had lived in for two and a half years. Those few years I lived there it was everything I needed and more. I absolutely loved it but as things went on I just outgrew it. I found I needed something all around new and I had no clue what to do or where to go. The only thing I could do was start searching, not for anything specific, just keeping my heart and mind open to any new opportunities that might come my way. I was manifesting greatness.
As my search for new continued, I was invited by my boyfriend to a Fourth of July party at his friend's house. We went not knowing what to expect but excited for the event. It turned out to be not just a little backyard barbecue but a full blown festival. There were yoga circles, tree climbing, a sweat lodge, a fire circle and most Importantly, amazing people.
That’s where I was first introduced to Joy and Syd of Permatours, a traveling volunteer event series focused on permaculture action, education, and sustainable alternative construction projects. Joy explained that “volun-tours” would camp on farms and homesteads, partake in community meals, and practice yoga, meditation and other mindful practices. It’s purpose is education, connection and co-creation with mama Gaia in mind. After learning of the next stop on tour I could join, I decided to quit my job, move out of my apartment and go blindly on this adventure to see where it would take me.
After realizing I only had two weeks until joining permatours, I began selling anything I could and donated what I couldn’t. My amazing parents let me store the belongings I couldn’t part with at their house. I put in my notice at work. I made arrangements for my dog to stay with two very good friends and my boyfriend.
It was a very busy, hectic two weeks to say the least. In a sense it is nice that it was so busy though because it kept me focused and prevented me from overthinking what I was doing. Sometimes the thought would hit me, “wait did I really just quit my job? and get rid of my apartment? What am I even doing?!” But when those thoughts popped in I reminded myself why these decisions felt right. I was unhappy where I was, and this transition seemed like just what I needed.
The day finally came for me to leave. I said goodbye to all the wonderful people in my life. My car was packed with everything I might need on the road. I was prepared for anything that might happen, especially my car breaking down, as it had started acting very funny but I did not care. I was going anyway. As I was getting ready to leave I got a message from my friend, Mikey, who also decided to join permatours. He told me that a terrible act of nature had happened and the place we were originally going to go had been struck by lightning and had partially burned down. Thankfully nobody was harmed in the fire. The host had to tend to their own matters and we had no place to go. Everyone was scrambling to try to find somewhere new. The permatours crew quickly found a place in Marshfield, Massachusetts where we would be building a log cabin and gardening.
The route I chose to take to Massachusetts was around seven and a half hours. There were shorter routes with tolls but I wasn’t heading there to go fast, rather I was leaving for a journey. I drove slowly listening to my music and enjoying the view. Any time I drove by a beautiful river or anything that sparked my interest I stopped, taking in all the beauty around me.
The day passed by and it started to get later. I was driving along through Vermont, which is one of my favorite states. It holds so much beauty with its vast forests and winding roads. I eventually came to a river that looked nice and I pulled off. As I walked down towards the river the place started to seem familiar to me. It reminded me of a place I had stopped and camped a few years prior on a road trip. The river bed was full of rocks, they were all beautiful shades of pinks, yellows and oranges. It looked like a sunset under the rushing water.
As I walked along the rocks the place became more and more familiar and it wasn’t long before I realized this was the exact place I had camped before. I couldn’t believe it, I wasn’t even taking the same route but I had somehow stumbled upon the same crossroads I was at before. It felt like the universe was speaking to me. It was telling me I was on the right path.
At this point it was getting later in the day, the sun had just started setting, and the chill right before nighttime was starting to sweep the land. I knew I should find a place to camp soon and it seemed as if I was already at the perfect spot but something kept telling me to keep going. I just had a gut feeling that there was a better place out there for me to camp. Against all logic, but following my gut I hit the road again and drove as the sun set in search of a perfect place. I drove along pulling off at different places seeing what I could find. Eventually I did have to turn to technology and I looked on a website I knew that showed free campgrounds across the United States. It just so happened that there was a campground ten minutes from me. It was this long dead end dirt road that reached out into the forest. Along the road every half mile or so was a beautiful campsite that was cut out into the trees along with some hiking trails. The first few campsites had people in them but the next was empty. I pulled into this little spot that seemed to be saved just for me. I got out to look around and take in where I would be staying for my very first night camping completely alone in the wilderness. I saw that there was a little fire pit in the corner that already had logs in, it was like the universe was confirming that this was where I was supposed to be. I used my car light and lantern to set up my tent and collect sticks for the fire using a little hatchet I had. There was something about being out there by myself that made me feel so empowered. I was all alone. Everything was up to me and it was beautiful. Sitting by the fire I took it all in, my life, the beauty around me, the unknown I was heading into. I was full of excitement but also, so much peace at the same time. I woke up in the night to the sound of rain pounding on my tent. It was a downpour out there. I wasn’t sure how my little tent I bought off Amazon before the trip would hold up, nonetheless it did so amazingly.
I slept warm and dry through the night to the lullaby of the rain. When I woke in the morning the storm was still in full force but I knew I had to get on the road. I ran to my car for the rain poncho I had almost left behind. I pulled my car up to my tent and just threw everything in the back seat, all organization was gone. I took down my soaked and muddy tent and wadded it into a bundle, tossing it into the trunk. Then I was off again driving through the winding roads headed towards my destination in Massachusetts to my first, of hopefully very many permatours.
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