Major update. The Hunger Games sponsors were at me today. Etc.
No complaints. Goodness no. Complain about what in this Dying World?
But substantial depression has been part of me for several weeks despite this extraordinary setting at the base of Mount Whitney.
And it seems pretty sure today that the depression is Lifting and the reasons are fairly clear. Depression has been frequently encountered by me throughout my life and never has the encounter been something I regretted. Painful? Yes. Worrisome? Yes. To me it is analogous to what I suspect the caterpillar goes through when they turn into soup, they turn themselves into soup, they allow themselves to become nothing so that they can become something new. That's what occurs to me at these times anyway.
And I am becoming something new. Totally different? No. Slightly better? Yes for certain.
This vehicle, The Organic Transit ELF, it's a Marvel. I have no idea how it's being received in the world particularly if it's being received really well. It is not my impression that it is. But Jesus, the real man, He's not been received real well either. Or Confucius, or Buddha, or probably Muhammad Etc. On the other hand Donald Trump is received exceedingly well by a ferocious part of the US population. Things must not be judged by Me based on their popularity.
But this wonderful vehicle from Organic Transit, I mention it, because it is dramatically different as it sits here at the base of Mount Whitney, then how it comes off the factory floor. No credit to me a potential was seen and a rich man's toy was turned into a extraordinary solar RV vehicle with this old nervous system that sits here being the catalyst.
That is a Segway into the major work, and the fruit that seems to be coming, out Of these last several weeks. My 3rd, 4th, and soon V reading of the most important book available on Earth today, George vaillant, spiritual evolution.
That my nervous system took the Organic Transit ELF Way Beyond what the Creator envisioned, was that disrespect or disregard to the original creation? Quite the opposite, I saw the potential and put in the work to do the realization of that potential.
That's how extraordinary this George vaillant book is. No credit to him he has given us an extraordinary rough draft I would say. An extraordinary starting point. Tremendous homework that we can build on.
It is not typical that I would read a book three four five six times. That's how extraordinary I find this one.
But like the original elf extremely incomplete and with some terrible flaws.
Why the depression these recent weeks? Why not the depression for the rest of my years. Unending. You see what's happening in the world don't you?
But my nervous system is unwilling to either turn away from the unstoppable disaster, nor to accept that there's nothing we can do to help a little bit. And with this book and so many readings this old nervous system is digesting it and being substantially strengthened, enlightened, empowered, and emboldened by this meta-analysis that this 70 + year old Dr. has brought together for us.
Creator willing within the next week or so some form of review, critique, analysis will emerge from here in Lone Pine. The form is unclear. Annotation of the PDF to some degree. But probably a very detailed review that might be posted on Amazon by me, just to give an idea of where the work is headed over the next week or so.
Lone Pine is extraordinarily wonderful for this Mission at this time. The time is 7:40 p.m. Last Light here is somewhere after 5 p.m. so it's been dark for hours. Slight breeze coming off the mountain, clear night sky except for some of the smoke from the California fires high up but not much tonight. Internet signal within literally a several foot band at this particular campsite if the phone is turned a certain way. Miraculous really. Temperature currently is 40 degrees and it will probably drop to mid-thirties tonight, consistently 5 or 20 degrees warmer than the weather services say it will be. Sometime that will probably end.
My friend bill, and there are not many people that I would erm my friend, no discredit to anyone, was the host at the Mount Whitney portal Campground and I met him 4 months ago. An African American man. Rare rare rare in these parts. We very much enjoy each other. He's mid-50s I think, his sister lives about 2 hours away where he'll go and spend time at Thanksgiving. Nice relationship with her. He has gotten to know me in part through my Facebook posting and I think finds that my political and human views are to his liking.
We see each other probably 3 or 4 times a week one way or another. Over a pizza and salad bar that is insanely affordable for lunch that he introduced me to. He is much liked and loved up and down this extraordinarily beautiful, sparsely populated 395, white, Trump corridor. Tomorrow I'll gladly accept his invitation and go to a town potluck dinner in the Tiny Town of Independence about 15 miles north of here.
I understand from Bill that the economy in this Valley is stable. The people that live and work here spend maybe 4 months serving the flock of tourists that come to the Valley from LA and internationally, and then they kind of chill as Bill says, for eight months. At least one person who works in town is already treating me as a favorite townie, favorable rates. Many people have been quite nice to me.
Sol, the vehicle, and I have a better relationship than ever. I'm still learning a lot about how to be kinder to Sol and yet still get what I need. What I need is exercise primarily and secondarily transportation. Whereas I used to think that I needed to do 30 or 40 or 70 miles a day for the exercise I need not so. Turns out I can set things up so that going down the steepest Hills my maximum speed is 4 miles an hour with me pedaling! So traveling into town as I did today, 7 mi, from this free utterly magnificent campground at the base of Mount Whitney, I could turn a 40-minute trip into a two-hour trip allowing me to burn about 400 calories leaving only another 800 calories to burn on the way back up! Extraordinarily low wear and tear on the vehicle but 1200 calories worth of exercise for me! And it truly seems that my ability to get that exercise without huge frustration at a lack of coordination in my body, I'm making real progress! Oh, and I'm stepping up to the job of managing the fact that I arrived back at the campsite as the sun disappears soaking wet. Tonight I actually managed to redress dry for the evening! LOL.
Well, back to Hunger Games. I did mention that it's 40 degrees with a significant Breeze coming off the mountain. Sitting here in that cold, no fire, for two and a half hours now. That's pretty much the routine these nights for me. But tonight, except for my toes, and unlike every prior night, I'm not on the verge of being really really really chilly.
The thrift shop in town is quite tiny. Several days ago I noticed a garment the one time I stopped in, a long quilted outer bodysuit that looked like it was made for someone 6 feet 4 inches tall. Last night I thought, well, okay, but maybe it will fit you anyway. And despite expensive socks, several layers, the shoes were either my cycling shoes or very lightweight hiking boots nylon mesh. A big problem every night. And although last winter in Joshua Tree some wonderful polyester fleece garments were purchased at a thrift shop they just weren't getting the job done here.
So the 1200 calorie Journey was undertaken today, with the purpose of just seeing what might be in that thrift shop a little more carefully. Insane. The one piece quilted outer garment would easily be 90 and probably twice that dollars on the internet. Boots start at $30 and are typically five six seven times that. A better fleece under jacket would be $70. All three items were at that Thrift Shop. How much for these ma'am? $4. Not $4 each, $4. Subsequently I got the idea that the purpose of the thrift shop is number one to help people, number two to raise money for the high school. I gave her a hard time said, $4 isn't enough, and I handed her $10 yes. Okay, she said, $5. No, $10 I said. Next week I'll at least double that and donate beyond the Garment that I gave her today.
So tell me that there are not really sponsors in Hunger Games that occasionally help people out?
Scale of 1 to 10 this Lone Pine Mount Whitney location is a 50 for the work that I'm doing. Free. Magnificent. Solitary. Spectacular exercise. Whatever support I need in this little town with nice hard-working folks. My friend Bill.
What happens when it's 10 degrees colder? 20 degrees? 25°? I don't know. I do know that is going to take a lot to tear me away from here.
