Dear Paul,
Traveling like you did for three weeks sounded exhausting and stressful although wonderful, too. And people want more of what you gave them on tour for next year. How to travel "on tour" win-win? Where it's possible to feel joy and contentment whilst moving from place to place; how to craft a less stressful experience? Preparation, visualization (" what does an 'ideal' day "on tour" feel like?? What's happening throughout the day? How are our human needs for food, sleep, companionship, space, privacy, relaxation being met while "on tour"? When I was growing up we car camped, tent camped and backpacked all summer, all over the west -- a three month summer 'tour' traveling from place to place. Here were the rules of the road that helped that time be really enjoyable (as I remember):
--We started as early in the a.m. as we needed to, but we always stopped by 2 or 3 p.m. in the afternoon at a nice campsite. My mom and dad planned ahead where we would stay. We had a basic itinerary for the summer three-month period -- with time scheduled in for serendipity. So visualizing the tour time period and PACE might help alleviate stress for next year.
--My mom was a wonderful, healthy cook and we had a really nice camp dinner almost every night. I absolutely agree the tour food should be local. permaculture as much as possible. We ate out once or twice a summer. People in the permaculture community sound like they would be willing to host dinners for you, on your tour. I remember eating with friends during the summer as some of the most memorable times. My mom meal planned in detail before we left for summer vacation. Breakfasts were usually light (yogurt, hot cereal, orange juice, coffee), and we took a lunch stop and made sandwiches (mom bought local, fruitstands). Backpacking we made lunch in the morning and ate it when we wanted to.
So, dinner was the important meal when we ate together and wherever we were staying that night was all set up by late afternoon. We tried to find places where we could swim. I could imagine next year's tour 'grounding' into as many natural hot springs and swimming spots as possible. Where do you want to go? What landscapes do you want to experience? Make the lectures near to cool places to camp and recreate near natural, pure water. Check out jackson wellspring in ashland, oregon, for example. Lassen Park area is filled with wonderful swimming areas and hotsprings. AND people can campout to come and see YOU. A three month tour on just sepp holzer's work and hugelkulture construction could work for next year. There's a group here in the sierra foothills "FOCUS' that would love to host you and you could set up a primo base camp around bear valley (highway 4). It's john muir kick ass fairyland park in that part of the sierras from mid june to now. Headwaters of the Molukomne River. People would come from all over that area to hear you. Then up and over the sierras to tahoe and the eastern sierra communities. The Yerington, Nevada, Pauite tribe would love to hear more about sepp holzer's hugelkultures. There's a permie group forming in Reno, Nevada with a nice mix of burners (burning man). They would love you. Squaw Valley has a nice thing emerging with highcamp. (How about presenting at 8500' with a view of Lake Tahoe)? Kirkwood might be interested. There are so many wonderful places around where I live, Paul.
So, moving from beautiful, wonderful place to the next beautiful, wonderful place throughout the west next summer and having enough time to connect with that place and it's people (preferably for a few days at a time) might be an idea to help de-stress the tour.
We managed to visit alot of places each summer but it didn't feel hectic. We rarely drove through the night. We frequently started early in the morning. We all had a tent or a hammock to sleep in. My mom and dad often slept in our ford truck with small camper. A large biodiesel bus is a great idea, but people might like to ground into dinner and their own digs for sleeping each night. And then there was the campfire. We had a campfire almost everywhere we stayed even if it was enroute and just for one night. A simple excuse to gather together and talk and relax and stargaze. Everyone should pack their campfire chair and campfire clothes and lemonade and hot chocolate and coffee and good stories for the daily campfire on next year's tour.
So we would drive (or hike) from early morning to mid- afternoon and then swim (or nap) bathe; set up tent; help prep and eat dinner; help clean up and fire prep; relax around the fire (or hotsprings); head to bed around 8-9-10 p.m. depending on what was happening the next day. We had unscheduled days (time) about every 5-6 days. I used to read for one or two hours after I went to bed. Or a good time to do computer stuff. (There has got to be a way to do mobile wifi that works throughout the west!!!)
I would love to join your tour next year. I could afford 1500-2000 if I started saving now. I also have a 1950 spartenette tandem 27' travel trailer and 1978 454 chevy silverado to throw into the mix. I think the work you are doing is sacred and really important. I am a complete sepp holzer fan. I can cook and mealplan along with other talents. Thank you for the work you are doing, Paul. Sincerely, Jennie Miles
P.S. There's a way to make money on tour with wild, indigeneous foods from different areas. wild food dinners. I already have a source for pinenut soup cooked in the traditional manner, with buckberry sauce. Marlin (and his mom the "source") from the Paiute tribe are interested in sepp holzer's work and hugelkulture's reclaiming some of their native, tribal land and producing food, fiber, medicine with perennials, etc. Please write back if you can. Thanks.
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