Updating Once Again

These picture are mainly here for our mothers, but hey, feel free to look at them. We live in Michigan now. It's August, but it's already snowing. I'm going to a social work education institution that's colored gold and blue. Maggie works at at fancy grocery store that sells tasty fruits and vegetables that come in considerably more colors.

This is the law quad.

This is the school of social work.

This is one of the school's 350 quads.

This is a graduate library.

Farmer's market. We help out on Saturdays at Frog Holler Farm's stand. I keep telling them that it's spelled Holla for Maggie and me because we are from the south. Really, how many southerners say holler? They tell me to be quiet and keep selling kale.

That's Maggie's head.

Fancy building. I'm not sure what all is inside. It might be where they play football here.

This is the produce station where Maggie works. Notice the stationed produce.

This is Ann Arbor's version of Canton Road. My mom wants to live on Canton road because it has "personality." I'm not really sure what that means other than having fast food places, more car repair centers than there are cars in the world, and tattoo shops. I think there is also a pawn shop.

The next two pictures are from a bike path.

Our house is on HISCOCK Street. This is our living room and kitchen.

This is a black rat snake in a tree at our aunt and uncle's house in rural Virginia.

Well, now that we no longer live at Twin Oaks I've decided to start updating more often. Because now that we don't live on the commune living intentionally is going to be a hell of a lot harder.

New

I've been planning on doing this for a few months. I'm going to now start regular updates about life at Twin Oaks and post my random mutterings about (what in my view) is a growing stew of cultural disconnection and societal disillusionment. There are many I've met who share these views.

Life Going in Cycles, or Cycling, or Somthing

At about the same that I toured on Blue Ridge Parkway last year, I decided to ride skyline drive this year. Skyline starts in Shenandoah National Forest and runs a little over 100 miles through the blue ridge mountains. The two roads meet up outside of Afton, VA. The entire ride ended up being about 250 miles from Twin Oaks and back. The ride on skyline was pretty similar to the parkway, but not quite as painful (still painful though).

Camp on the first night after 110 miles including 6 miles at the end that included about 3 miles with a 1000 ft altitude gain.

Typical scene on the drive.

Typical view on the drive.

I end where you begin. The bike at this year's end point and last year's start point.

Ok, so people are probably more interested in Twin Oaks.

Ok, so I'm taking pictures today of the community and will post in the next few days.

updates about twin oaks life are forthcoming with the next few days. I recently moved rooms and once I get everything in place I'll start posting

Twin Oaks

We moved to Twin Oaks about a month ago. So there's that.

Or maybe not. This might require some further explanation.

The short story is that out of all the places we visited on our trip, all of the various lifestyles we encountered, and all of the options that surfaced during the last year of travel, Twin Oaks was the closest to our ideal. Yes there are elements that aren't super fantastic. But there are fewer issues than living in a city working mainstream jobs, doing americorps, or being graduate students.

So what is this place? Stereotypes aside- Twin Oaks is a group of people that decide to share things, own and operate several businesses, work to be as self-sufficient as possible, and try to build a society which is more inclusive/less wasteful/and less destructive. This means different things to different members.

To me it means following through on my beliefs. I have respect for all folks engaged in making the world a better place. For me, making the world a better place means a real lifestyle change. Members of Twin Oaks use something like 60-80% fewer resources, support all kinds of lifestyle orientations, and are willing to accept discomfort to make it all work.

If you ever read this blog please make a note if you would like me to update about living on a commune, what it means, and how it goes. Otherwise, this might be the last post as adventurequest has come to an end (for the time being).

And for you White Buffalo... we leave

Oh the mixed feelings we have about the wwoof program.

We made the decision to leave White Buffalo yesterday amidst a farm drama, that in all honesty, did get blown out of proportion BUT served to hammer in two points:

1. The farm needs a lot of work. The cause is worthwhile (being one of the originators of the organics movement in Colorado) but the wwoof program needs to be restructured so that all voices are heard and all individuals given equal respect and consideration. The potential is certainly there- it's just not something with which Maggie and I wish to be involved. It's someone's community to build, but not ours.

2. Leading to the second point: we want a community to build. We are going back to Twin Oaks. More on this later.

Mark II

We've started again- it's true.

On April 2nd we started our drive out to rural Colorado. Our first stop was memphis where we stayed with lauren and clifton. thanks to them.

2nd day was a drive through the Ozarks and camping. I got to ride a fantastic mtn bike trail called Woomble. Next we drove through texas and oklahoma. Look, I'm sorry to those states but I'm simply not a fan. Everytime we drive through something:

1. happens to our bicycles (last time it was a bike flying off, this time a migrating roof rack)

2. happens with where we are supposed to stay and we end up at a motel 6 unexpectedly (last time an ice storm in southern texas, this time a campground not existing and being nowhere near a place to camp)

3. happens to my self-esteem. I recognize that I don't have an "average Texan" vibe, but are all evil looks really necessary?

Following our adventures in deja vu we drove through New Mexico (awesome) and camped in the Rio Grande gorge on BLM land for 2 nights (awesomer). Stunning- what else can I say? More cycling was had and two cold nights were bundled through (we think the second night was in the teens). It was well worth it.

The closest town was Taos. Lots of arts and one of the best food co-ops we've seen in awhile. More interesting is this . An earthship community not far outside of town. It's the only one I've ever seen- many many alternative buildings all in one community. It's encouraging to see so many people making such a drastic change in context and lifestyle.

We drove from Taos to Paonia the following day. I must say it was one of the best drives I've ever experienced. We drove over two passes that were both 10,000 (plus!) feet. They just don't make it like that on the west coast.

We've been on the farm for three days and are trying to figure out the schedule and get adjusted to the altitude. 5500 feet doesnt seem that high until you start doing farm work all day long. I've been learning to prune fruit trees and maggie has done everything from massive plant burning to stick pick up.

It's a good experience thus far, but we still aren't completely sold on WWOOFing just yet. Learning experience or exploitation of idealistic young folks? Jury's still out.

Pictures to follow.

Maggie fixing all of my typos to (almost surely) follow.