We're in Lebanon, TN and this is our last night in a motel. It seems impossible that our journey has almost come to an end. Tomorrow we will arrive in Asheville and then I'll be heading back home on Sunday. It will be good to have a day to just settle a little, unload Donna's car and transfer all my stuff to my car and get a little break from the road.

Originally, we planned to end the trip in Nashville and have one more honky-tonk night on Music Row. At the time, it seemed the most appropriate ending, but that was before Memphis and Graceland.

If anyone tells you to not to go to Memphis because it's too dangerous, thank them for the info and go ahead and make your reservations. Sure, there are areas you might want to avoid like in any other city, but Memphis has a soulful energy that you really don't want to miss. We stayed in the downtown area and felt perfectly safe to walk down to Beale Street and hang out..and walk back. Now, I would warn you that on Wednesday nights from April through September, the Bikers take over the main strip on Beale. It's very noisy and some of them were a bit on the rough side, at least to my way of thinking, but except for that little annoyance, it was a great opportunity to listen to some good ol' blues and foot-stomping honky-tonk. And absolutely fascinating for people-watching!

Somehow I had forgotten that the Peabody Hotel was in Memphis and was so delighted to see it and actually, go in and talk to the consigliere about the ducks. They were already tucked in for the night, but if one wants to see them, just be there at 11am and 5pm to watch them cross the street to the lake. Had timing allowed, I would have been right there at 11 to take photos of the little duckies. I used to love reading that story and am so happy to learn the Peabody has continued the tradition. The hotel is beautiful, very elegant and of course, totally out of our budget limits, but just knowing the ducks are still there was good enough for me.

Graceland!!! How can I possibly convey the thrill of bouncing into Graceland??? Have you ever anticipated something for so long that once it actually happens, it's almost a de ju vu experience? That's how I felt about Graceland. With that sense of familiarity, I knew that no matter what happened, I would not be disappointed because there were no outlandish expectations and I was entering this experience with my total heart and soul...the brain was not invited. Have you ever noticed how it's usually the brain that really fucks things up? Well, that's exactly why I left it in the car along with the luggage, water bottles and tourist brochures.

Graceland, to me, is really not so much about Elvis and his music..it's more about that he bought the house because he promised his mom he would buy her a "mansion" someday. The home is all about love and giving. And, as much as I love Paul Simon's "Graceland'... for me, it's not about losing love....it's about the pilgrims and families who come to Graceland to be "received".

My idea of being received in Graceland is like transcending into a higher state of grace...it validates who I am and why we're all who we are.... and ultimately... we really are all One. We're all bound for Graceland in one way or another. Donna put it so well..."if someone asks if we're saved, we can say...no, but we're received. That pretty much sums it up.

I have learned so much on this journey and it will take some time to process it all. For now, I can tell you that my heart is full of gratitude for this opportunity, and I do feel some subtle changes in me that will, hopefully, help me on my quest to become the best I can be and all that I am supposed to be.

As we roll into NC tomorrow, it will be so good to be back in our home state and even closer to my home at the beach with the love of my life and my sweet Sadie Mae dog.

But, first...Asheville and the Friday night drum circle.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is my new spiritual resting place. The energy I hoped to find in Sedona apparently left there some time ago. It's been replaced by quacks who sell everything from t-shirts to enlightenment. The only thing I enjoyed was the place we stayed...Star Motel...funky, sweet and inexpensive. Donna and I were so excited about getting there, but once we walked around and got the feel of the place, it was like a kick in the gut. We drove around town to a few of the special places looking for spiritual energy, but there was none to be found. The Cathedral Rock was pretty, but didn't compare with the serene beauty of The Arches. We looked for a vortex which we were told was the strongest in the area, but when we asked the park ranger if it was near by, she said, "so they say" and pointed to the path we should take to look for it. We asked several folks along the way and no one knew anything about it. Finally, one lady told us she thought it was a little further down the path, but to watch out because she had just seen a rattle snake there. Well, trust me, if I have to encounter a rattle snake to find spiritual enlightenment, I'm just going to have to pass on that particular opportunity.

Now, get this....as we were leaving town (at a snail's pace because of traffic) there was a cowboy gunfight show going on right in the middle of town. The cowboys were shouting at each other and then they started shooting at each other. Literally, we left Sedona with the sounds of gunshot. WTF???

To be totally fair to Sedona, we did visit the beautiful chapel which is built into red rock and it is truly an incredibly holy place. We went in and just sat for a while and soaked in all the peace and beauty. It's located a short distance from town and the views of the red rocks were spectacular.

In talking with a couple folks about our Sedona experience, we were told that, essentially, the energy has moved from Sedona because of the over-commercialization. I perfectly agree and it saddens me to, once again, see the soulless raping of our Mother Earth. Even the holy church grounds have been compromised by a hugely ostentatious house right across the street. I thought it was a hotel, but it's a single family residence. You have to wonder what kind of an ego a person must have to think it's ok to build his mansion in a place that is so obstructive and shows such disdain for everyone else. Personally, I would hate to have their karma.

Traveling out of Sedona towards the Grand Canyon, we went down a narrow, winding mountain road that had no rails on the side...aarrgg! We stopped at a little rest place and met some folks who told us how horribly crowded and hot it was at the Canyons. That did it for me. I was sick of winding mountain roads, and really was going to the Grand Canyon because everyone told me I needed to see it and I figured it was my duty as an American citizen or something along that line. Donna had already seen it and we made an instant decision to get the hell out of AFZ and head to New Mexico. My heart felt ever so much lighter after that decision.

So, we got on I-40 and made a beeline to a cute little town called Gallup, New Mexico. We went to the town square to watch the weekly performance of Native Americans...this week was the Zuni women dancers and they were great. Danced with bowls on their heads! There, in this quiet little town, listening to these beautiful women, I found the spiritual connection I was looking for...these were my people. I just love that feeling of being in a place and knowing that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. We stayed at the Comfort Inn, very nice, clean and inexpensive, and right next to the Olympic Restaurant which had great food and cheap, good wine. Hallelujah!

Beautiful drive into Santa Fe this morning...some rain which produced the most beautiful cloud show I've seen in a long time. As soon as we hit Santa Fe, we fell in love. The people..the energy...the beauty...the cool weather..the air...the spirit. I'm thinking they knew what they were talking about when the named this state the Land of Enchantment. I am truly enchanted.

Looking forward to tomorrow and all the special places we'll discover right here in glorious Santa Fe.

Hard to believe we've reached the return segment of our journey, but, here we are in Sedona and eastward bound. It is so very good to be heading home. As much as I have loved almost every single piece of our trip, and as excited as I was as we headed westward, I find myself feeling the same sense of excitement and anticipation of the journey home.

Sitting here in a quiet little motel in Sedona and loving it's delightful quaintness. I love finding these off-the-wall little places that have their very own personality and surprising quirks you never find in the corporately appointed hotels. We may miss out on the Continental breakfasts, but they're pretty boring anyway.

Last night we were in San Diego with dear, dear friends, Allie and Jim and oh, what a magical time we had with them. They offered their home, their time and their whole hearts to us throughout our 2 day visit. Allie is my soul sister and I so needed to be with her and spend time and share hugs and tears and love...so much love. It was wonderful to see how very well she is doing in her new surroundings. Most definitely, Allie is growing her wings. It's a joy to behold. Jim looks 10 years younger that he did when he left Wilmington a month ago. Just shows what happiness can do for ya! I've decided to adopt Jim as my new soul brother. Haven't really asked him about that, but I really don't think he'll mind. Back home, I'll miss them with all my heart, but just knowing how happy they are and what a beautiful life they are experiencing, all will be well with my soul. I think the older I get, the more important it is to know that all the people I love and cherish are safe, happy and well within their souls.

My heart is so full of love, peace, and gratitude for the beautiful experiences of the past few weeks and it seems impossible to even begin to find the words to express the impressions which lay just beneath the surface of my being. I think, in time, the words will flow, but for now, I am content to be in Sedona, in a sweet little motel, with my little sister bustling about like a busy bee. I think I'll settle down and hopefully sleep and dream of all the magical energy of Sedona just waiting for us in the morning.

And, of course..we're one day closer to Graceland.

Saturday :

So...here I sit with an ice cold Smirnoff Ice...listening to the Rolling Stones...exchanging wise-ass barbs with my 8 year old grandson as he builds yet another majestic tower with his legos. My son is preparing dinner...sister on her computer... pre- teenage granddaughter holed up in her room doing god-knows-what on her i-phone, and I'm thinking...life is good and I'm just so grateful to be alive, healthy and relatively sane.

We went to Universal Studio today to visit the set Amanda (my daughter-in-law) is working on and even at my advanced age, I was downright thrilled to see cowboys and horses on the western set. It all looked so real, I expected to see Miss Kitty and Matt Dillon come walking out of the saloon. This is a commercial and it just amazes me how much work goes behind these 30 second slots. Almost makes me feel guilty about using that period of time to grab a cookie or go pee.

Our short time in San Luis Obispo was a little disappointing in that when Dave and I drove past it a few years ago coming down the PCH, it seemed like a wonderful little town and I developed a fantasy about moving there. I, actually, went online and looked at a cute little house(1.2 mil.). that was for sale...it was within walking distance to the farmer's market. : ) My plan was to check it out on this trip...just for the heck of it. Well, after spending a little time in the town, I realized it wasn't quite what I expected. And that was totally fine..this gypsy gal has found her home. I think I'm becoming more like Dorothy...realizing where home really is and that there's no place like it. Of course, being a cancer crab, there will alway be a little part of me that needs to keep on moving in one direction or another. But, that really doesn't have much to do with home, does it?

Flash forward to Sunday morning! Oh, the time is is going way too quickly. I am soaking in all the love and hugs I possibly can.

Last night, after everyone one else had gone to bed, D.R., Donna and I sat out on the deck and while he played guitar, we sang a few Beatle's songs, and Kristofferson's "'Bobby McGee", but most awesome .... we sang "Hallelujah"...twice...and I remain so blown away by the words of that song. For some time I've wanted to get into a deep discussion about the lyrics and finally last night we did just that. Now I think I get it and perfectly understand why it took Leonard Cohen five years to write it. Itv was such a wonderfully special night..one that will always hang out in my heart and be there just when I need it the most.

Some years back, my granddaughter, Keely, was so excited about starting kindergarten, which she called "big girl's school". I called her the evening of her first day to ask how everything had gone. A very sad little voice responded..."it was ok...but, Grandma...I'm still 'wittle' (aka little)." I thought it was so cute that she believed she would come home a big girl after her first day of "big girl" school.

Today, I fully get her disappointment. After a day on the Pacific Coast Highway, I still feel very "wittle." My big plans to drive so my sister could really enjoy the view came to naught. I did ok with certain parts of the drive from San Fran to Monterey, but, for the most part, that was pretty flat land and when we hit the few places that were more mountainous, I didn't do so well. Actually, I was pretty crappy.. essentially a wuss. I was driving so slow the bicyclers were passing us. Pretty pathetic, right?

Needless to say, we both knew I'd never be able to drive us from Monterey to San Luis Obispo. So, Donna, God love her, took the wheel and managed to get us here without driving off a cliff and despite my occasional panic outbursts. As in...watch the #$*)^#@ road!....put both hands on the %$@#*! steering wheel!....WTF are you doing???.....and then when she was heading to a major curve over a really high cliff and was actually looking over her shoulder behind her...I didn't even have a voice to speak ...all I could was snap my fingers and point to the road. Understandably, she didn't appreciate me snapping at her and had a few choice words to share with her big sister.

Well, I didn't pass my fear-of-heights test and even though, in a way, I feel just like Keely felt when she was still little after her first day of big girl school, I do have one advantage...age. I'm saying to me..it's ok to be afraid...I faced the fear and even though the fear won...hey, WTF! I'm still me and there are plenty of things I'm not afraid of ....like dolphins... and one of them broke my toes for crying out loud. It was a beautiful drive and I'm so glad we did it so Donna could (halfway) enjoy it, but I'm never going to do it again. Once with my Dave and again with my sister..that's all I need in this lifetime. Besides, the other route goes through wine country and I'm totally cool with that.

So, we're all safe and sound in our Ramada Inn room in San Luis Obispo and ready to hit the bed for a good sleep before tomorrow. We'll get back on the PCH down to Santa Barbara, but it's pretty flat and maybe I can even manage to drive this section...if Donna will let me and, after today, I wouldn't blame her if she didn't. She is the best sister in the world...and get this..she can even parallel park. Shazam!!!

Oh...very soon I have to tell you about our many trips to the Goodwill stores..and other thrift shops. Oh baby, did we ever get some deals!!! : )

A little quiet time here in San Francisco...a great opportunity for a bit of reflection. We've been on the road for two weeks now and looking back, it seems incredible that we have done so much in such a short time.

We bought little "spirit" rocks in Colorado and I keep thinking about all the reasons we picked our particular one. Donna's is "Believe" and mine is "Courage". I think the main reason I chose courage was because I can be such a wuss about so many things and I knew I'd need a little extra something to get past the most worrisome issues...like heights and crawly critters...my sister's driving and just simply making such a leap outside my comfort zone. I think I needed to find the courage to believe we could make driving across America actually happen.

Well, two weeks on the road and I'm beginning to believe we're gonna make it just fine. I had my moment of total panic in Moab when we drove to Dead Horse Point to watch the sunset. We drove into to the park and didn't see a single car for at least 25 miles. Now, as most of you know, I like having people close by...at least close enough to feel some sense of assurance should an unexpected critter happen by. There was nothing but wide, open spaces and lots of red rock. I would have enjoyed the beauty of it all had a few cars been around, but the absolute fear of desolation was pretty hard to get beyond. Then, we began climbing the canyons and that put me into an even deeper fear because I wasn't expecting it...somehow we both thought we'd be on the lower road the whole time and just enjoy looking up at the beautiful colors of the canyons. (Silly us!) Finally, as we neared the top, I looked at the side of the road and there was nothing... but sky...and a very, very deep nothingness. It was all I could do to keep from screaming like a banchee, but I didn't. I waited until we got to the top and saw several cars with real people...then I just put my head in my hands and sobbed and sobbed. Poor Donna... all I could do was nod my head when she asked if I was OK and shake it when she asked if I wanted to go back down. Hell no, I didn't want to go back down! I wanted to stay with the people.

It all turned out well...we took lots of photos and hung out with the peeps, and came down with them. One car in front of us and one behind us...being in the middle made me feel very safe. : ) I said to Donna...I love being in the middle...she responded...I knew you would. Ah, sisters!

The next day we went to The Arches National Park and I climbed up part of the canyon to take photos of the Delicate Arch, walked on the edge of the Fiery Furnace and didn't even blink when we came down the scary part of the road.

So! I do believe I found my courage, but...and there's always that "but" with me...there were a few turns on the road through the Sierra Navada's that gave me pause and when we venture down the PCH, no doubt there will be brief (hopefully) moments when I just need to take deep breaths and hold on tightly to my courage. I can do that! Right?

Here we are at this comfy little inn in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco. It's a wonderful place in a great location...we feel very safe here. If you're coming to San Francisco, check out the Pacific Heights Inn....decent prices...free parking...you will not be disappointed. We have a kitchen and we're cooking pasta and veggies tonight. In the mornings we toast the delicious sourdough bread and add a little local honey....perfecto!

I'm figuring out why I needed this trip. The obvious is that it's been a dream for most of my life. It's not at all about escape or getting away from my life in CB. I love my life there...I love my husband with every fiber of my being and my dog, Sadie. I love my friends and my work with Gregory and Roland Grise and my Grandmothers For Peace and my book group...and dear God, I do absolutely love the ocean and just being able to breathe the air. But...being a navy brat, I think I'm responding to the gypsy part of me. Growing up, I never lived in a place more that 3 years, and although a part of me longed for a permanent place, another part became a bit of a gypsy..always moving around...always searching. I realize this is not a search for me...me is with my Dave and Sadie...this is simply exploring the country and learning a little more about courage...and believing.

Here I sit in Moab, Utah...yet another place I never thought I 'd be. And, once again, I find myself searching for the words to describe the utter beauty of this land. To be honest, I didn't know much about Moab prior to this journey, and too be even more honest, I thought it, being a desert town, would be totally flat with lots of sand..or just plain dirt. The desert I envisioned was something more Saharaish. Well, you can imagine how surprised I was to discover that: a) there is no sand and b) we're surrounded by mountains, mesas, and red rock. And..it's a funky little town to boot! Ya just nevah know, right?

My sister and I have been on the road for a week now. We celebrated our first week yesterday evening at a little pub in Glendale Springs Colorado right across from the old train station which sits on the banks of the Colorado River. We toasted ourselves with a glass of wine for me and a Margarita for Donna. It's hard to believe a whole week has gone by. We actually hit the 2,000 mile mark today. Amazing, isn't it?

So, we left Asheville last Sunday and travelled to Nashville...a short distance the first day because we wanted to make it relatively easy and thought the Nashville Honky Tonk scene would be an excellent beginning. It was and we had a grand time listening to blues, country and just plain ol' honky tonk. It was the perfect place to begin and may very well be the perfect place to end.

Our destination was Colorado Springs, CO to visit Donna's son, Ian, who is in the area working at a camp. From Nashville to Ian, we pretty much stuck to travel and rest as we meandered on I-70 through Missouri and Kansas. We enjoyed watching the changes in scenery along the way and were especially taken by the vastness of Kansas. I spent a lot of time hunting for those amber waves of grain and although the season isn't quite right for their true majesty, they were pretty impressive. Certainly made this ol' southern gal feel humbled.

Had to take a break because of computer issues, but hopefully back on track now. So...we're out of Moab...spent a night in a purple room at the Montego Bay Casino : ) and last night in Reno. This morning we hit the road for San Francisco. We're going to see the ocean today!!!

My heart is singing!!!!

What a birthday this has been! Donna, aka, Luna and I got up this morning and went down to the Farmer's Market in Woodland Park. It was not so big as Wilmington's market, but not quite so small as CB. One of the vendors was selling meats that we don't see in our markets...elk, bison, and lamb (as in Marry Had a Little Lamb). Lots and lots of great fresh veggies..we bought some corn to microwave in our room tomorrow night. Lots of food and it being my birthday, naturally, I had to have a very large chocolate chip cookie. : ) People were so friendly and when we told them about our trip, they all had suggestions on how to get where and what sights we had to see.

Next on our agenda was a ride over to this delightfully quaint little town, Manitou Springs. Such a fun and funky place this was! We parked in the most groovy hippie neighborhood and the houses were so cute and whimsical. I fell in love with this little pink house on a hill! Some of the shops were unlike anything I've seen. I bought my Dave's late anniversary present here and I'm so excited about it, I can hardly stand it. And, it being my birthday and all, I found this fabulous big ol' bag I just couldn't live without. Also, a beautiful rainbow colored peace scarf which, you all know, I most certainly needed.

This evening, we're going out for Mexican (the mild kind) and maybe a little wine. That will end a perfectly beautimous birthday for this old lady. But, you know what? I don't feel old...well, except for the fact that I can't really breathe very well in this high altitude. : ) My spirit feels young and I feel like my my tired old wings are actually rejuvenating themselves and maybe, if I really tried, I could maybe even soar for a block or two. Who knows!

Mostly, we're loving the beauty of this incredibly beautiful land. Although, we shopped a bit today, this is not what our journey is about. Of course, we have to check out the thrift shops wherever we go...I believe that is our patriotic duty, right?

Gotta go wake my sis up and head to dinner. Adios, y'all.......

Ok...now I've actually created a blog! Yikes!!! Where did all those heady thoughts and ideas go? What happened to all the words I wanted to share?

Here's what I'm telling myself. Step One was creating the blog and eventually the words will come. It just goes back to the if-you-build-it-they-will-come theory, right? Right!

For now, I'll simply say that here I sit at a small square table in a sweet little room looking out the window at the very top of Pikes Peak. Wow oh wow oh wow...who would have ever thought I would actually be here? Although I never dreamed about Pikes Peak per se, this is part of the journey I've dreamed about for more that half my life.

At the base of the hill outside my window is a field of daisies and for those of you who know how much I love daisies, you can understand how very right this place seems to me. At any minute I fully expect to see Maria running across the top of the hills singing "The Sound of Music." I'm not even sure I'd be surprised if it would happen...I'd just think...of course Maria is here....where else would she be?

I'm thoroughly enjoying some "alone" time and the absolute quietness of my gloriously beautiful surroundings...the only sounds are my fingers tapping the keyboard and the occasional bird flying by to say hello.

How grateful I am for this trip..for this experience...and for life. And, I'm pretty dang proud that I finally found the courage to create a blog!