I awoke just West of Sacramento on a roadside turnout that was beside a little lake. I went for a little stroll, and watched a whole flock of birds (swallows I think) that were flying all around. The rhythm in which they flew and their multi-layered songs were mystical. I stood awestruck, watching as many birds flew into a culvert, while others were flying out. They never flew into each other, and there was an ebb and flow to it, like waves. All the while they were all chirping all around. IT WAS INTENSE.

I ate breakfast in Sacramento at a Wild Oats there. I had been given a book called the Tofu Tollbooth. It’s a guide that tells you all the healthy food spots all across America. It’s cool because the book gives you something to look forward to when heading to an unfamiliar destination. It’s written by Dar Williams a Folk singer, and Elizabeth Zipern, who wrote "Cooking with the Dead" and "Made with Love", documenting life on the road while touring with the Grateful Dead.

I spent most of the day traversing the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Hemphry’s new engine is a rebuilt 1600, and is a bit slow on the climbs, so 60 miles can take way longer than an hour does. I climbed into snow-covered peaks. The trees were so beautiful, laden with heavy Spring snow. My sandaled feet felt the icy slush a couple times, as I stopped in Truckee to refuel and promote the papers. With lots of papers and only a bit of coin, my trip East relies upon several well-timed stops at local shops who may be down for the Hemp paper cause. People from all walks of life can appreciate the fact that Pure Hemp paper is tree free! Living Trees are what everyone needs. Speaking of trees, I saw lots of clearcuts on the mountain sides along the way.

I drove through Nevada as the Sun Sank behind me. There were totally incredible scenic views all day long, culminating with the twilight shining upon the reddish hue of the Earth. I had all kinds of thoughts all day long about all kinds of stuff. I would sometimes imagine the First Nation Peoples (Native Americans) as they had lived on the land for thousands of years. Their communion with Nature, and surrender to the forces of the Earth are an example to us all. Humans don’t have to destroy every inch of land we occupy. That’s just a Western philosophy. The establishment has chosen Death Culture on our behalf, and every day, by participating, we endorse that decision. We can only be as healthy as the land around us.

Sometime during the second day, I started to get jaded on driving by all the beautiful spots all the time. The straw that broke the camel’s back was a really bright blue bird that flew in front of the van. I’ve never seen such a blue bird in my life. It was like a blue equivalent of a goldfinch. I only caught a glimpse of it, and I knew if I was on my bike, I’d have seen several, and I would know what their call sounds like, and I would have smelled the plants, and stopped and picked some sage. I would have slept on the gravely sandstone, and would know what the Land in Nevada and Utah feels like. Instead, I hurtled by, enclosed in my own portable environment, listening to tunes, and snapping photos at 55 M.P.H. They’re different trips, with different goals. Cycling is more present, acknowledging that every moment is a part of it. Driving is more destination oriented, with the space in between blurring into a murky mental image of what the land looks like. As you may be able to tell, I’m extolling the virtues of cycling in an effort to make Bike-travel more of a reality in our culture. I would encourage everyone to go for a bike-trip this summer. You’ll love it.

I’ve decided that Hemphry is in fact an SUV. A Slow, Useful, Volkswagen. We have several things in common. Hemphry’s gas consumption averages around 16 M.P.G. (I didn’t sit down to figure it out, but it’s close), making me, and all those who support me, big contributors to Bush’s campaign to drain the Earth of life, both past and present. Fossil Fuel combustion is senseless.

An other way that Hemphry is like an SUV is the perception that He’s a cool vehicle. SUV drivers are motivated by the notion that they will be cool if they drive such a vehicle. There’s other stuff, like perceived safety and Utility, but the image is by far the selling point for the Utes. Acceptance and Social Standing are needs which are consistently exploited by marketers to wrench us from our money. In my case, Hemphry is such a cool vehicle, that it serves as a constant reinforcement to our car culture. Furthermore, I’m driving all around America, reinforcing the American Dream of Drive. I have decided that this is the last summer I will be while burning gasoline as my primary mode. In the future, Biodiesel or Bicycle, my feet or a sailboat will be my way around.

As consumers, we have the power to determine the fate of the machine. We could never overthrow our oppressors, but we can underthrow them. I’ll make the challenge again: Buy Nothing New, unless it’s made of Hemp. Buy no food that required chemicals or Biotechnology. Buy less gas, and use less paper. The less money we exchange, the less money is made. And for every small guy who makes a buck, you can be sure the few rich guys make two.

I slept just West of Salt Lake city at a rest area on the Salt Flats. Hemphry and I set land speed records the next day (not!) on the way into Salt Lake City. The landscape there is so cool because it’s all flat, and you have these huge mountains popping out of the ground, left and right.

Salt Lake City was an interesting town. I figured there’d be some folks wanting some hemp papers, but it was a toughy. Gas is expensive these days so, working papers along the way is the only way I get there. I saw the Watachi Pizza Co. and recognized it from the suggestion in the Tofu Tollbooth, so I decided to stop for lunch. I went in an ordered an exquisite slice that came with a good size salad for like four bucks! While they were making it, I went back out to the van. While out there, I ran into a girl I’d met in Bolinas a couple of weeks earlier. I tell ya, it’s a small world. Here and her friend, came and joined me for pizza and some salad. We hung out for a bit out back, sitting on a slab of cement, reasoning about Now. We had a good little visit. They suggested some stores I go see, and I was on my way.

I ended up being in Salt Lake City until near midnight, waiting for a guy who wanted a ride to Colorado, but he never called and wasn’t where he said he’d be. It was ok, because I enjoyed my day in Salt Lake City. It’s a city with a beautiful view, and a good location. I met interesting people and it gave me a chance to do my last update. I even dumpstered some good Organic fruit from the Wild Oats dumpster. I love saving good food from the landfill!

I made it out of the city, drove for about an hour and slept just West of Wyoming. I stopped in Green River, where I looked for some old friends from Hawaii, who I knew were from there, but to no avail. I did, however meet Law, a brother who moved from the hood in Detroit out here to this dusty town. I was kind of surprised and happy to see this beautiful black man out here on the Western Frontier. He has an incense shop named Cleopatra’s, he fed me some fish and it was a cool little stop over. I drove through the day, trying to get to Boulder that night. Along the way, I passed a ridge that was harnessing the wind to make power. I get excited when I see such displays of good sense! Now if only all these trucks became trains again! At least they could get a clue from Rudolph Diesel, who showed his invention on running on peanut oil. Boulder Biodiesel has made a good start at changing the present power paradigm.

At around twilight, I saw a herd of Elk I think, grazing on the grassy slopes beside the highway. These are some beautiful beings that are really close to a deadly highway.

Anyway, I stopped in Laramie for a Mexican meal, and got back on the road within an hour. I headed South into Colorado, nearing my destination. Boulder has a reputation as being a hip town, and Soulive was going on soon. I had e-mailed their Manger and thought I’d be on the list, but alas, when I got to the gate, I was not. Spirit helped, though because as I arrived, the tickets were reduced to ten dollars, and I could swing that, especially since I’d be staying there for a little while.

I brought the camera in, so I could share some Photos with y’all, so here they are. If you haven’t seen Soulive, I’d suggest it. They really get the crowd moving and grooving!

On Friday I parked Hemphry downtown near a park with a river and a band shelter. My plan was to engage in the ongoing process of cleaning Hemphry. I didn’t get too far before I was meeting people, making friends, and discovering some of Boulders finest rocks, which were situated right along Boulder creek. Being a traveller, I rarely turn down a stranger’s Kindness.

Next, I met Andrew who’d shown up for the Food Not Bombs serving at three, which turned out to be non-existent. He was driving a diesel pickup truck that’s been converted. Who-eee! I tell ya, that’s where it’s at! He thought Hemphry was also a Bio-diesel, and was wondering about the paint-job and how it’s done. We called Michael from Splashworks design, the artist, both to randomly congratulate him for his artwork, and to find out how he did it. Andrew and Angela and I went out to Resource 2000 which is a recycler of all sorts of materials, that you can get for dirt cheap. I came along because I figured there’d be good photo-ops, and I figured it’d be neat. I almost didn’t go because I didn’t want any more stuff, which I didn’t get.

We went to Trilogy on Friday night and saw a part of the Sound Tribe. It was beats with an emcee who was freestyling and rhyming consciousness. He talked a lot about the Mayan Astro-reality, and it was an uplifting evening.

On Saturday, there was a drum circle down at the band shelter, which happens every Saturday Afternoon. It’s a good way for people to come together and to build community. I love finding the drum circle in a town. There’s usually a high concentration of good people playing music, and it’s a good way to connect with the local scene. Not to mention drumming! After we’d been there for a little while, two guys showed up with two tight djembe’s and even the three Dun Dun’s, accompanied with knowledge of West African rhythm. I haven’t drummed so much in a long time and it was exactly what I needed. I learned new beat and remembered others.

That night, Spirit led me to table at the Liberation Process featuring the Heavyweight Dub Champions. They pulled out all the stops to throw a great show. There were tables for all sorts of causes, and Food Not Bombs was serving upstairs. I spent most of the night near the table, because it was busy, but I got onto the floor toward the end of the night, and the beats were good. Being near the table was pretty good, because I was set up inside the show, and this is what I could see from the table. At the end of the night, I traded papers for a bunch of great bumper stickers that I’m taking East with me. The stickers are from Billboards not Bombs. Thanks a bunch, they’ll help with donations as well as with the movement.

I really like how all the genre’s and scenes seem to be converging at the same point, which is a heightened awareness. The same words and ideas are being uttered by lips, and thought by minds in people in many walks of life all around the world. A lot of us seem to be catching on all at the same time, and that’s really exciting! Something big is going to happen really soon.

One Love.

Johannes Chapman, Pure Hemp Caravaner

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