Day 8, 9, and 10: Woke up late, then all along the 10

Hey bro, coming at you from Cali town!

We spent all of day 8 traveling from Phoenix to Santa “Babylon” Barbara. Fairly straight-forward drive but we got to stop and hike around Coachella Valley Preserve. It was a unique palm oasis residing on top of the San Andreas Fault. It was a most beautiful scene and we highly recommend it if you’re ever cruising the 10 (it was just outside of Indio).

We crashed for the night in the hills of Santa Barbara and visited with Hannah, a most wonderful and cheerful human being who is an old friend of Casey’s from his Santa Barbara days. We finally got a chance to use the tent we brought along, gotta love warm weather!

On Day 9 we arose and set forth to the hidden permaculture gem of Quail Springs Permaculture. Tucked away in the mountains beyond Ojai, this site is a shining example of Earth stewardship and community where they have goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, spectacular adobe structures, village life, a wealth of knowledge, and lots of sand.  We were able to shadow Brenton, a tree of a man with a voracious appetite to teach and the brain power to back it up. We sat back and enjoyed a five-hour lesson on stream management, watershed dynamics, and geomorphology that blended cutting-edge geological science with a genuine love for the land he lives on. It was an experience reminiscent of drinking from a fire hydrant, but we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn from such a wise and knowledgeable man.

One thing we thought was very interesting was that the frequency at which a stream/river meanders can actually be predicted with relative accuracy. By taking into account a whole slew of factors, the physical length and quality of the sinusoidal path can be calculated. This is a valuable tool in stream restoration, because structures can be placed along the stream bed In order to increase the amount that the stream moves back and forth, thereby reducing the steepness and promoting a healthier ecosystem.

That night we dwelled in the guest home which was made up of sand, straw, and clay. This is called Cob (which is the same thing as adobe). The material looks beautiful, requires none of the nasty chemicals that are in our normal building structures, is resistant to earthquakes and fires, and is generally a great example of how elegant natural homes can be. This same building material can also be used to make other sweet structures including rocket-mass heaters, earthen ovens, banos secos (composting toilets), and basically any structure you want.

On day 10 we set out as intrepid explorers to the top of the watershed. It was a mildly sloped canyon adventure that led us to the beautiful views of Mount Pinos and the surrounding desert valley. A truly sacred and dry land. It was about 8 miles round trip though (and much of it barefoot) so it took up much of the day and we were pretty darn tired by the end.

The generous caretakers of Quail Springs shared with us some seeds to bring back to our Colorado homeland, and then we said our farewells and drove off into the sunset of the Los Padres.

COandCA

P.S. (Casey was super clever and came up with the above signature. CO and CA are the first letters of our names, but are also the abbreviations for Colorado and California. Mind blown...)

Day 6 and 7: Welcome to Phoenix and a Healing Heaven

Welcome back, well I mean forward, actually you are right there. Anyway you say it; you now know Casey is typing.

I do want to take a step back real quick.  Day 5 saw us finishing out in Phoenix.  Our host for the next few days would be none other than Wayah (or Alexis), a young heart who was excited to have us in her backyard for a little bonfire.  There were instruments, singing, good conversation, and back massages. (I even met someone who was born on my birthday… and the same year!) It was a bit of a shock coming from the near pristine wilderness into the fast-paced city life, but going into a warm community of healers and artists was refreshing.

The next morning Wayah invited us to her work.  This young healer has landed a job at a float spa.  The idea of floating comes from the 60’s, but essentially it is a bath with lots of Epsom salt that allows you to float and drift into a healthy state of relaxation and self-awareness.  It was truly a gift that we had this opportunity. 

Colton’s experience was one of well, just like going to sleep; although when I saw him after, it looked as if he had just woken up from hibernation where he was dreaming of a permaculture-fairy land.  It looked good. My machine didn’t work quite right (due to WIFI that I had dissed on the way in… oh the power of manifestation).  The experience was still genuine, although, it was a bit more of a bumpy ride.

In the evening, Wayah invited us to her second healing treat.  To be honest we didn’t know what to expect (and we liked it that way).  She said when we asked what we were going to do, “you get to listen to me play for an hour.”  With this we were satisfied as she is an amazing musician who has recorded on trip-hop and earth music, plays guitar, sings incredibly, and is developing an artist collective. 

So we arrived in middle of Scottsdale to a seemingly typical office building to find an oasis in the desert.  One of the rooms has been completely converted to host yoga, sound healing, and other healing modalities.  There was calming music, art, and in the center of the room sat sound bowls.  If you have never seen or heard these, I highly recommend.   The frequency that resonates when played matches up with certain chakras; opening, cleansing, and calming these energy centers in a truly pleasant way.  Wayah led us in a voice exercise, then we all laid down on yoga mats and blankets (almost a cuddle puddle, but not quite) while she played these enigmatic bowls, softly tapped the drum, sang to us a song from heaven, and generally used sound to heal us in ways that cannot be seen, but felt.

On day 7, we were able to sleep in peacefully.  Well, let me take it back a step, Wayah’s dog ate Colton’s chocolate the evening before which led it to run around barking during the night waking us up a few times and causing general wonderment as to how a dog can stay excited for so long.  It was an experience.

We were able to engage in some really good conversations with the roommates.  I talked with Taran, who is a singer, massage therapist, traveler, painter, and incredible cook.  We talked a lot about the nature of traveling and staying put.  It seems she, like me, is ready to put a few more roots down into the Earth.  I believe this might be a trend.  I am so grateful to have found Fort Collins and feel very blessed to have this be a home base for me.  Shout out to GAPS!

After a lovely afternoon, we went on a hike that was not too far out of town.  We did not realize that a genuine desert hike could be found a mere 15 minutes away.  This city has surprised us many times.

For Wayah’s final gift to our journey, we were invited to an event that included ‘digital permaculture.’  Whatever that was, we did not know, but Wayah felt it was a perfect fit for our plans.  It ended up being a little oasis in a tougher, working-class neighborhood in the middle of the city.  Before we even entered the house, there was a unique, very organic looking structure in the front yard that reminded me of Buckminster Fuller’s work (he invented the Geodesic Dome).  Then, as we entered, I was distracted by a 3d printer.  Oh, and she was pretty.  The future is here. I believe within 10 years, there will be as many 3d printers as there are households.  Truly, humanity is in for a bright technological future if we can first gain awareness of our relationships to our neighbor, our selves, and to mother Earth.

After moving through the house into the backyard, we encountered graffiti art, a fire (while it’s raining), and more of these structures.  It turns out Digital Permaculture has designed a software that can make the blueprints for any structure you can imagine.  They want to design structures for meetings, festivals, and eventually build a whole city. This is a potential for an architectural revolution.  I mean, have you looked at buildings being built today, they’re kinda boring. The work they are doing is really pretty amazing, and a different flavor of permaculture than the food systems approaches we have focused on thus far, so check them out http://www.digitalpermaculture.com/.

After this event, we headed over to my Aunty Robin’s house that I haven’t seen in 8 years (and oh what has happened in those 8 years).  I got to hang with my cousin who shares the same birthday as me (yep, another one).  I am happy to see that they are a very conscious family who are very about eating healthy, stopping chemtrails, and not having Wifi.   Way to go aunty.

Well, off to the next. Cali bound we are.

C to the Sea

Day 4 and 5: Digging up More and Loving the Ride

Please enjoy the artful keystrokes of Colton on this post...

So, the morning started off on quite an exciting note. Jerome had said he would move his car to let us get out, as he was parked behind my trusty Hyundai Tucson. He did not. However, Casey and I are totally radical so we put her in 4 wheel drive and reversed over a massive pile of snow to circumvent the red truck blocking our escape route. Quite an epic start to the day.

From there we stopped back at Sustainable Settings to say goodbye to the good folks there, and to our good fortune arrived the very moment a calf was entering the world! What a once in a life time treat to see a newly born calf being licked to life by its loving mother. Truly a magical moment, but it made us late for our next appointment. Oops.

The mountainous drive around Mt. Sopris was full of beautiful views, elk, rams, and cold mountain water, and eventually brought us through the lovely town of Paonia. We didn’t have much time to stop there, but Paonia is a major organic producer, particularly for fruits. Due to the recent closure of the nearby coal mine, which brought in a large portion of the towns income, land is dirt cheap (pun intended). For those of you interested in growing organic food, Paonia could be a good option for organic farmland at top-notch prices.

The next stop was in Montrose to meet up with Russell Evans, the founder of Transition Lab. Transition Lab is a revolutionary approach to education where enrolled students are matched with host families in Montrose and earn their rent by providing their skilled services to the household, whatever those skills might be. Through the program they learn about the necessary skills for “transitioning” out of a global economy. They are taught how to grow their own food, construction skills such as welding, tiny house construction, and even personal development practices such as vision quests and meditation. The icing on top is that they address conflict resolution and communication skills. The reason for this is that, according to Russell’s philosophy, no amount of practical skill is going to be helpful if you don’t have the basic competencies of working with and relating to the other people in your life; particularly if you are sharing living space with other people. This also promotes responsibility for one’s own actions, a skill not so well-taught in colleges today (or anywhere for that matter).

Russell is particularly keen on the concept of skilled residency, where people with talents who are looking for housing can offer those talents to people with extra space in their homes in exchange for rent. For instance, Russell had a resident in his home who was an organic cook and gardener, so the resident established a garden in the backyard and cooked meals for 15 hours a week in exchange for his rent. This system of skilled residency is an effective means of addressing the debt slavery so many in our country face today. By having a skilled resident, the hosts can reduce the amount of “around the house” work they are required to do in order to focus their efforts on their jobs or other pursuits. Similarly, the skilled resident can earn their living expenses in significantly less hours per week and devote the remainder of their time to tasks that help them pay off debt, build savings, promote self-growth, or generally make the world a better place. Especially for those with low-income, rent can be a crippling expense, but this model allows people to cover their basic needs doing things they are already good at.

We set out once again on the road for arguably the most scenic portion of the trip thus far. We caught the mountains of Telluride as the sun set for some breathtaking views of Aspen groves, frozen waterfalls, and snow-capped peaks. We then passed through four corners, completing a dream of Casey’s, and pushed on through Arizona to the Grand Canyon. It was dark and we couldn’t see much so we pulled over to the side of the road and spent a mildly chilly night in sleeping bags in the car. We’re so cool...

We had nothing to guide us the previous night except the stars and a sliver of moon, so we woke to find, to our grand surprise, the Grand Canyon a mere football field away from our makeshift campsite. We scrambled over to the edge of the gorge for a breathtaking view of the sun peaking over the horizon of the Arizona desert. Healing, chanting, and echo-locating occupied us as the sun warmed the desert night out of the land. It was a magical time, and the best part was that we never actually even entered the park, thereby avoiding the steep entrance price of $25 and all the tourists. So thrifty!

A quick jaunt through the Coconino Mountains brought us into the beautiful land of Sedona, an energetic hotspot brimming with aquamarine rivers, manzanita trees, red rock cliffs, and darn good vibes. The town itself was not quite our style; more of a tourist trap, but the surrounding land offered us good hikes, healing, and inspirational views.

We are now back in the city, and what a different environment it is. It’s a bit of a culture shock coming from the beautiful, untamed wilds of the Rocky Mountains and the open road to the socio-economic disparity of Phoenix. It’s sad to see an environment where when you say hello to a Hispanic man simply sitting on the bench in a grocery store, he automatically assumes you are a security guard (true story).

We have a real house to stay in tonight, for those of you who might be worried about our relative state of homelessness, and we will keep you posted on the adventures to come.

CnC

Day 3: So I see, you’re here hanging with your favorite C’s. Casey and Colton.

So, day 3 continued at CRMPI, I (Casey) woke up with some serious neck pain.  I believe it is a culmination of years of well, I don’t know what to call it, dark energy.  Colton worked with me in healing and it helped a lot.  This guy is quite a healer-man. 

So we moved some fruit trees into the new green house. Well, I chipped at the ice while they carried them inside. Apples, plums, and Mulberry’s were the treat of the day. They are a part of a nursery that CRMPI uses to economically sustain itself by selling the trees.  This is good. Money is still an element in our society and any level of sustainability will require this. 



On a side note, it is very interesting watching other people work when you are fully capable minus one element. Take care of your being, your whole being.  This will lead to ultimate health I believe.

So, Colton got a lesson in grafting (this is basically where all our apples come from, google for more details) and I listened to the signs to slow down.  Some of the interns made us fruit smoothies; building community is as simple as making food.

So CRMPI has been awesome and we will have some video snippets up here shortly, but this afternoon we made a move towards Sustainable Settings.  This is a 19 year old project which focuses on dairy and large scale agriculture.  A non-profit that is able to provide raw milk to local consumers (Its legal, but it’s a bit complicated to explain.  Just know this is a rare thing.)  and practice some of the most cutting edge farming techniques available.  We got to hang with a few of the farmers.  It was a real treat as we asked away about the world of cows.  Since one of the cows was in heat, we helped herd a bull into her field.  It went smooth, but we were armed with cattle pokers just in case.  The bull (who hasn’t mated yet) had troubles his first time as the female engaged him with her horns; he took off unable to handle this feisty cow.  Apparently, the farmers had never seen that before.  As you may have picked up on, at SS most of the cows keep their horns. This is part of a holistic approach to cattle that includes the effects of the moon and planets on the animals themselves.  The science has been documented so this is not hocus-pocus.

Have you seen a tide come in-and-out?  It is well known that this is due to the moon’s placement in the sky. Well, you are made up of 70%+ of water. Have you ever wondered what effects the moon may have on you?

It was great to learn about cattle farming from people who really care about their animals and their health.  They spare no expense in providing top quality food for themselves and the surrounding community.  The unfortunate reality is that due to factory farming, growth hormones, and cheap un-nutritious feed dictating the price people are used to paying at their grocery store; it is nearly impossible for SS to make a profit providing the highest quality milk.  Our food system has been hijacked by profiteers.  Brooke, one of the founders, believes that re-localizing food production and distribution can solve much of the worlds’ problems.

I’m gonna have ta agree.

We came back to CRMPI and engaged in conversation once more with younger interns looking for that new way of life outside the “American Dream” and with our buds John and Dave enjoying the new lease on life they never knew they needed.  My neck is doing a little better, and I cannot wait for the healing days to come. We’re off por la manana, en la manana a Arizona.

Til the Next,
C++

Day 2 Fun for us, and soon you too!

Day 2:

 

It is I, Colton, grabbing the reins on the typing tonight while Casey rides shotgun.

 

Dang, CRMPI is a pretty spectacular place. Our labors for the day primarily revolved around shoveling rabbit poop, so it wasn’t the most glamorous job but the rabbits sure are happy (and rabbit poop is an incredibly rich source of nitrogen so the compost was happy too). They have a pen with rabbits and chickens because animals are a crucial part of a permaculture approach, since they can recycle food scraps, provide fertilizer, provide food, mix up the soil, and sometimes be your friend J. The chicken is one of the most used animals in permaculture and helps out with virtually every aspect of food production.

We also got to meet a couple of cool cats named Dave and John who are working and living at CRMPI. Both had typical, boring jobs/lives and up and quit them to be closer to the land and learn how to grow food. What an inspiration! They are bettering themselves and learning valuable skills while also building community and helping out Jerome (the manager of CRMPI). If these guys could do it, then you can certainly do it. We have had all kinds of great conversations with them from conspiracy theories, to the prison of our economic and educational systems, to catastrophic geology theories, to astrology, to simply waking up and loving life.

Got to experience something pretty cool today, courtesy of Casey’s knowledge, which was the magic of Spilanthes. The flower of the plant can be chewed on and ingested, providing a whirlwind of different flavors and sensations (including numbing) that is reminiscent of Shnozberries (hopefully you have seen Willy Wonka). In any case, it is a powerful dental remedy that promotes healthy bacteria, destroys pathogenic bacteria, and generally promotes dental and gum health. Don’t expect to find this in your garden though, as this is a tropical plant.

We are going to create videos and post them to youtube at our earliest convenience with more information, but the magical part about this place is that they are growing tropical and Mediterranean plants year round in climate controlled greenhouses. Bet you never expected someone to be growing avocados, bananas, oranges, and figs in the middle of the Rocky Mountains at 8000 feet. We’ll include the video links later, which will show you how this alchemy is performed.

Casey and Colton signing off, stay tuned for CRMPI part deux...

 
Here’s some inspiration from past adventurers.

 

 

 

All those buckets are full of stuff from the bottom of the rabbit cages. That’s a lot of rabbit poop.











This here is a guide to one of the many permaculture “guilds” on the CRMPI property. These are edible/medicinal food forests that combine plants that benefit one another in symbiotic relationship and provide very little upkeep or maintenance, all the while providing plums, grapes, apples, berries, onions, bone/skin/stomach medicine, and food for the animals.

Day 1 of Fun

So, Casey here and Colton under the covers, but present. 

We would like to welcome you to the first blog of the first entry to that first blog.  But ohh its been a lifetime of lessons and good times. 

Said goodbye to our family's; it was good to see their smiling faces before we set off. Where, you ask? Well to find people changing the world like ourselves.  We are on a road trip that started in Fort Collins, CO and will lead us to the golden coast of southern California.  We plan on meeting up with a local gardening group out in south central LA where they have a project that needs assistance.. We sincerely hope it's setting up gardens, but we are ready for whatever comes our way. 

Don't get us wrong, though, the journey is the destination.  Along the way we will be stopping at various permaculture sites and community building projects, while engaging in healing adventures and offering our young buck services to projects that are in need of some January love.  We will fill you in as time goes on, but tonight we have arrived at CRMPI (Colorado Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute) in Basalt, CO.. and its a little chilly.


We're sleeping in a cabin of about 35degs.  As Colton mentioned, the wood burning stove is sorely missed.  However, we are staying warm with the burning fire of passion to save the world.  We're double wrapped in sleeping bags.  The car is stocked up with enough food to feed ourselves and anyone else we encounter on our trail (courtesy of Esh's in Loveland.. that's a name drop btw.. I mean they have 25cent coconut waters). The cherry on top, this is one of the longest-running permaculture sites in the U.S.A.

I'll tell you about that later. 

Tonight was filled with good conversation regarding the trickle of life.  In case you were wondering, there is an ebb and flow to life as it moves at a gentle pace.  We will try to move at a gentle, thoughtful pace as well.  Surely to encounter wondrous settings and inspirational humans along the way.  We hope to be an inspiration to you!!

Mucho Amor,
C Squared