A strange person could be a friend you haven't met.

 
Thursday, June 2nd
Redding, CA

Wednesday night I camped at the edge of a field on middle school grounds. Not the brightest of ideas, but sometimes you get lucky.

Security man came by in his car and searched the premises for me. I thought eventually he'd patrol the far field up to where I lay on my back and I'd have to leave, so I might as well enjoy my twenty minutes of rest it'd take him to cover that distance.

But he was more interested in the security of the building and didn't see me. The flashlight beams swept about for half an hour, then I saw the red lights of his car go in the other direction.

In the morning, a policeman did wake me up. He was nice and understanding. The neighbors called, so he had to come out and hurry along my packing up.

I thought I was up pretty early, what maybe 6 am, and could sneak away before the morning commuters caught on? But I turn around and there's most of the neighborhood jogging and doing laps on the track a few paces from my bed. I felt very embarrassed!

I was sleeping when everyone else was already awake. In such an obvious spot with my stuff spread about me. I was the one who didn't notice everybody else. LOL.

But some of the best decisions I've made have been mistakes. Camping in a numb-skull location? That too was a good mistake.

A friendly, enthusiastic neighbor saw my bike and at once knew I was touring. He and his wife offered me hospitality upon generosity. Sure, that would be great. Thank you very much. :D

Bicycling is one of his passions, so is running marathons, and traveling. We shared stories, laughed plenty, understood each other. Normal people don't choose to do the crazy things we do.

I slept literally a stone's throw away from his house. By chance he's staying home today, installing sprinklers with a landscaper buddy. So I lent a hand. Was planning to spend a day in Redding anyway.

A philosophical thought: "It's not about what you get. It's about what you're doing."

We worked from 8 am to 4 pm. I learned which side of the shovel to use for digging, and how to stand on the spade to cut the turf, and practiced pretending to work when the boss was looking. You know, basic life lessons in being a man.

The landscaper employed a young man who was working stints through college. We could relate. We were both confused what to do with our lives, pioneers in a sense because no one in our family had walked the path we were facing.

Wanting to be independent, run our own lives, and give back to our younger generation to guide them through the maze we worked out without having someone there to look up to.

In the evening my host fed me, bathed me, washed my clothes, and put a roof over my head and a bed beneath my back. I genuinely appreciated the quality of this man and enjoyed his company. Yet when I looked for the gratitude to return to my host, it felt oddly out of place.

I gotta convince him to not make a habit of taking in bums.

I accepted what was offered. But I was not really prepared, or looking for anyone to take me in during my travels. A safe, warm house wasn't something I envisioned like some people do when they are away from home. Part of the adventure was to figure out my own means.

I wouldn't turn down support if it were offered. Yet when it came, I didn't know how to respond to it.

It was just like, okay this is strange to suddenly not need to address basic needs, when every day it was a kind of purpose motivating me to seek the next location.

Anyhow, thanks for being a part of my adventure, T and G from Redding!
I'll invite you to the golf course in my backyard. Just depends where I sleep on which days.
- Your pal, "Shovel II".

Rt 273. South of Redding

Friday, June 3rd
Redding, CA to Red Bluffs, CA

In the morning, I realized something on the road. Wherever I am working, no matter who it's with or what I'm doing, I'm working for my father.

He is always doing work for the family. He's always gonna tell me if I didn't do something right. He's always working harder, longer, and more carefully than me.

I want him to see I'm doing a good job. I'm doing right. I want him to be proud of me.

Tears trailing down my cheeks cooled my face in the hot sun.

Railroad tracks. Gravel road. Nobody around for miles.

105 F in the valley today. Good thing I woke up at 5 am today and had a short trip into Red Bluffs.