Flying

Once a 1K (100,000 miles) flier, I'm relieved to no longer fly for business (only 1 flight to Tucson this year). Between airport security lines, threats of terrorists, and Ebola, it is a scary time to fly and my heart goes out to all who have to fly.

Where am I

I moved from Redding to Vacaville on Monday and plan to stay a week in the area. Drove to Davis yesterday and signed up at the Swim and Fitness center to have a place to swim and workout. I like Davis; it has changed a lot since I considered graduate school here many years ago. Plan to hang around the area for several weeks.

6 months on the road

September 27th marked the 6-month milestone of my journey; time to reflect, but first a few traveling statistics.

• 16,820 total miles driven (includes 8,660 miles towing the Airstream)
• 57 Campgrounds/RV Parks
• 8 States (AZ, CA, CO,  ID, NM, OR, UT, WY)

I've benefited greatly from this journey, especially in a spiritual sense. My stress level is almost non-existent and I smile every day! Having the time to meditate, reflect, read, and enjoy life without the worry of deadlines or work performance goals is wonderful and something I'm still getting used to.

Although I'm still relatively fit (gained 5 pounds since January 1st:) my frequent moves and lack of a regular schedule present challenges to maintaining a high level of physical fitness; it would be very difficult to maintain a training regime with my nomadic lifestyle. Currently, working out is largely opportunistic; do what I can when I can depending on the weather, location, and how long I'm staying.

The answer to "what's next" continues to evolve and I'm fine with that. On a related note, my thrill-seeking addiction is less prominent and under control. At one point in my life, I sought and trained for some sort of big adventure every 6 months; this was exhausting, and ultimately unfulfilling.  Thrills (e.g., sky diving, mountain climbing, etc.) remain part of my future and I see nothing wrong with this, but I now recognize addictive thrill-seeking as a path that does not lead to happiness. I suspect its not too different from compulsive shopping or other behavioral addictions; in my case, it reflected a lack of consciousness.

Daily Routine

Staying in one place (Redding, CA) for several weeks allows the luxury of a routine; of late, that includes swimming and running. Unusually warm in northern California for October - in the 90's this week and 95 this weekend!  In August these temps are too hot for me but this time of year, the days are shorter so it is less intense; and, 90s are great for outdoor swimming! I've been swimming at the local Y; a gloomy and expensive ($10/day) facility but a nice outdoor pool. After swimming, I ru on the treadmill for 30-45 minute. My swimming technique is improving and running on the treadmill is easier on my joints than outdoor hard surface trails. Its feels good to get back into a daily workout routine!

Swimming

Since I'm staying in one place (Redding) for awhile, I decided to take up swimming. Never been much of a swimmer and haven't been in the water since diving the Great Barrier Reef August 2013. Although I love the beach, I've never been entirely comfortable in the water; my technique is terrible which leads to a lot of wasted energy and ultimately frustration. I've been thinking about (haven't decided yet:) doing a triathlon in 2016 so thought it'd be a good time to take a lesson at the YMCA. 

My instructor confirmed my technique sucked:) and gave me some good pointers and drills to work on this week. She also gave me a link (see below) to the most graceful freestyle swimmer I've ever seen; not that I'm an expert but he seems to expend a lot less energy than I do. I'm working on drills this week and have another lesson; my instructor says there is hope and I hope she is right:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4&sns=em

Book Review - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Decided to read Wuthering Heights again. I was struck by this sad story; couldn't help thinking of what a different world it would be if we as individuals spent less time focused on ourselves and more time being nice to others.

Book Review - The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

The Untethered Soul the journey beyond yourself by Michael A. Singer is good book about consciousness. There is a lot to absorb so I'll probably read it again to fully appreciate. It is a bit redundant in parts but this helps to drive home key points to readers like me who sometimes gloss over text:). I thought the book might include a few methods for awakening but this doesn't detract from the book's value. The more I read, the more I learn about awakening and becoming fully conscious; it is a journey:)