First Stop...San Francisco

The twenty-two hour train ride to San Francisco went very fast. I had the luxury to have both seats to myself for the first 8 hours of the journey and I took full advantage. I put the ear plugs in, unwrapped the sleeping bag and dozed for several hours having not slept much the night before in anxious anticipation for the coming trip.

The bulk of my anxiety has been around packing. How do you pack for several seasons and carry a tent and a sleeping bag and your laptop? My Eagle Creek bag is top of the line and when Anne dropped me off in front of the King Street station in Seattle, I noticed how small my pack was in comparison to the seasoned travelers checking in for the train. That's how you bring all this crap...bigger backpack!

My bungee chorded system to stabilize the tent bag (which also holds two pairs of shoes, my Teva's and my dressy Birkenstock's both of which are quite necessary for the coming journey) fails miserably and by the time I disembark the train in Emmery CA I can see the holes widening on the bottom off the new tent bag. The bus driver at the train station loads my gear in the bottom of the bus and we speed away to San Francisco Ferry Terminal. As I gather all my belongings, the driver asks me if I am going to "The Tortoise". I say yes and he laughs and shakes his head. "You got a lot of stuff kid," he says to me. I laugh too and say, "Yeah, I didn't think so before I left but now I don't know."

"I'd drop you there but I got too many passengers today," he says.

"Oh that's okay." I reply. "I've been in training for this moment for three months. I"ll be fine. Uh, how far away is the Green Tortoise anyway?" I ask.

"It's down that a ways a bit and then up Broadway a bit. Good luck!" and he boards the bus and drives away. I am left in front of the ferry terminal with my bags and a prayer. I decided to use the prayer first before assembling my bags.

Dear Kindest God,

Hey! How are you? Wow. San Francisco! Who knew I'd be here? I guess you did. Thanks for the sweet train ride and the nice traveling companion. Who knew there were saved Christians in this world who were open to other philosophies? Thank you so much God for letting her know that I did not require being "saved". There was a moment when I was worried that I would turn into a project for her, but you were there. All I needed to do was to mention how much you and I spoke and that the greatest secret was for me to listen to you, god, and then move forward in right action. You know God, it was pretty cool at how she opened up sharing her experiences about being a mom and teacher and having a husband who was 'saved' first. Good stories. What I found most compelling god, was how they both could still be daily pot smokers and daily drug users in the name of Christ.

Really inspirational stuff! I guess your son has a lot of tolerance for weed and Oxycodone. When Anne was on those drugs following the operation, she was a different person and Mr. Sculley's roommate in rehab was hooked on those pills too. My new Christian friend's husband has been taking them daily for eight years. I guess it helps him speak in tongues. I'm not judging, God. I know we are all your favorite children and all so I pray that you keep an extra eye on her and those kids and her Christian ways. May they be safe. Kudos too for giving them the medical marijuana doctor's note. That is a slippery slope and I have been on it...no thank you! I am thrilled to be clean and free from the demons, so keep up the good work.

Anyway God, I'm praying today for some guidance and strength as I walk to the hostel. May these bungee chords work and thanks for the wheels on the backpack. I forgot about that feature. They may not allow me on the bus with that and I can't even think about how I'm gonna get from the George Washington Bridge (where the Green Tortoise drops me off in NYC) to Time Square, but I'll worry about that another day. Peace, love and thanks for all the tasty snacks. Ashey. Namaste.

It takes me about 10 minutes to readjust my pack and the bungees hold for about a block before having to readjust them. I sling the sleeping bag over my neck, hoist my other backpack with my laptop and daily beauty supplies on my back, grab the reusable Trader Joe's bag full of snacks and water and head towards Broadway. The walk along the smooth pavement on the waterfront is easy. A cool breeze comes across San Francisco Bay and freshly baked bread mixed with ocean water scents the air. Several long blocks later and I come to Broadway.

San Francisco is similar to Seattle where it is a city of hills. Big ones. The five block walk to my destination is all uphill. Good Times! I think to myself, "I am boarding the Green Tortoise so slow and steady is the path I am to take." At each corner I take a break, readjust and take a swig of water. I am sweating pretty heavily and laughing as I remember my fears about hiking the El Camino and having to carry all my gear. Here I am, a seasoned urban hiker with the luxury of having wheels on my backpack and just having to pull the weight in addition to the 20 pounds on my back! Hike the El Camino? Good luck sister! If I could break-up with my laptop (my old heavy companion) it might not be so hard, but she and I are bonded...and she's paid for!

When I arrive at the Green Tortoise Hostel, I am many hours early for check-in but I am welcomed as an old friend and can stash my bags here until its time to check in around 2 PM. As I write I am recovering from my hike in the ballroom sized community room. Pictures of 20-something kids plastered to the walls, graffiti art sketched on the mustard yellow walls, a few travelers looking mighty hung-over slumped over black coffee in the slashed red vinyl banquettes. Signs posted around the great hall read: Lung Appreciation Hours: 4 AM to 9 PM. Happy Smoking Hours 9 PM to 4 AM. Mike stands, a guitar, a piano sit with the recycled materials and construction tools as this room is under renovation. Now the pictures on the walls make sense. This is the place to be at night. 12 pack cartons fill the recycled cardboard bins and brown bottles overflow from the recycling. I wonder who I'll meet today? More Christians? Unlikely.

Maybe I'll play the piano tonight...get over that performance anxiety.

For now it is time to rest, look for more coffee and find a lovely lunch snack.

So much love,
All the way from over here...
Linda