Big
Bear
We
were really looking forward to seeing Big Bear (once again for
Pascal). Very deceiving in fact. As we walked across Big Bear City,
several persons were delighted to see our outfit, asked to make
pictures … but not a single person offered us even as little as
just a drink even though it was really hot. We feel no generosity
from those we encounter.
In
Big Bear Lake we met a man on a shopping mall parking lot who
spontaneously gave us 2 one gallon water bottles. He was smiling and
obviously inspired by our journey.
Having
found a Starbucks inside a shopping mall, where we could use the
internet, we camped behind a bank on the edge of a trickling stream
running at the back of the shopping mall. Obviously it was an area
where bums had slept and trash was everywhere. But there was grass,
we were out of sight of the mall and Pascal could easily check on us.
The stream water seemed clear but we waited for Pascal to collect it
in our pan before drinking.
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Question:
what does it take to pay attention to someone who outside of our
universe is living another way? What does it take for us to get out
of our bubble and enter into contact? What does it take to offer a
young person on the street who obviously has not eaten all day to
invite him or her to your house and offer them a shower, a meal, a
place to sleep safely for one night?
This
is probably one of the reasons for this trip. I tried several times
to propose this to my family, but always got a refusal from my
companion. Just like my grandmother had the tradition of setting the
table with an extra plate … in case a stranger would knock at the
door; I would like to live with an open door to a person in need. On
this trip I keep meeting hikers that have little or nothing (question
of weight) and offering them a cup of hot chocolate, a coffee, …
sometimes a meal, makes life and the exchanges we have much more
rewarding for both of us.
I
love to invite my friends to stay at our country house for more than
a day because in this way we get to spend “living time” together,
and real exchanges come from taking a walk, sharing a meal, spending
time listening to music, chatting around a fire … much more than
the social thing of “having someone over for diner”. Too short,
just time to exchange news, but the real stuff of life only comes
when we let silences speak between us, when we have the time to let
emotions, trust, … and “find the time” to say what matters.
If
everyone would decide to invite a stranger home just 4 times a year,
there would be a lot less of “lost” persons in our society. And
what a lesson for our children ...
On
the parking lot we met Quervo, a man that has lived these 20 last
years with his 2 mules on the road. Interesting fellow of the age of
Pascal who to evade the draft of the 60s went to live in south
america and has since lived much of the time off the grid. Having
lived “outside” the system he obviously becomes the target of the
“authorities” who treat or should I say mistreat him as much as
possible. He camped for example where we are and got 10 cop cars to
harass him, charge him with concealed weapons for having a knife in a
sheath and dealt with roughly with handcuffs and intimidations even
though he had in appearance done “nothing”. Probably some “honest
citizen” had seen him in the shopping mall lot talking to people
with his mules, he often asks for donations as people take pictures
of his picturesque life style, and denounced him to the local police.
First of all Pascal & us “look” more integrated, but most of
all if the local police had questioned Pascal or tried to search in
our things as they did for Quervo, Pascal would have had the tone,
the words, the attitude, the legal speech reflexes which would have
immediately made the maverick policemen weary of legal retaliation.
Police abuse is easy on non integrated persons, but becomes a real
problem when the person knows the social codes to get back at them.
Unfair? This is the price we pay for those who want to live outside
the “grid” as would say Fabrice, Pascal's brother.
 |
| First drink in a stream! |
By
paying the price of social integration, you also get the “freedom”
to live according to your own standards as long as you either respect
or know how to manage infringement of the social codes. The cost is
high, but it's the price of our society as determined by the
“conservative” components of our social group. Here in America,
there is a lot of freedom but just as much control by the watch dogs
the society puts in place to “protect” the group. In Europe we
have more stringent codes but with more consistency and the ability
for the “rich”, the ones who know the rules, to get around most
of them. Regulating a social group is a complex issue. I am convinced
that in our electronic world, where change is immediate, permanent
and pervasive, we need to review the fundamentals and re-think the
whole systemic organization. Primarily to simplify things so people
can understand and have the ability to “know” what the “right”
behaviour and liberties are, but mostly to be able to enforce equally
for all the needed rules & regulations. At the same time the
balance of power needs to be re-thought, we are too often in a
bipolar situation where when one fails the other takes liberties that
are uncontrollable. A stool cannot stand on 2 legs, our systems need
to have 3 legs to stand on so that should one fail, the other 2 are
obliged to collaborate to restore equilibrium by helping the third …
leg. This applies to all levels of activity, including our
institutional organizations. Autocracy, our present governing
systems, only can exist in bi-polar situations. Democracy is founded
on the principles of an equality which can only be achieved by
creating a level playing field, in other words a plane … geometric
analogy which requires 3 resting points.
So
we were left in our “ditch” and Pascal went out with Quervo to
eat a huge salad and a huge pizza , which they shared with a bottle
of wine, at the local italian style joint. They really are the pair
the two of them, the outsider and the insider with fundamentally
similar values. Quervo's mules are attached in front of the
restaurant on the parking lot and Quervo regularly goes to speak to
the persons who take pictures and want to pet the mules … that's
how he made $15 during lunch which allowed him to buy groceries later
that night. As Quervo would put it, if Walt Disney can charge for
being “picturesque” why shouldn't I?
Well
Pascal that afternoon did a lot of calling, organizing and
communication stuff like the blog posting, but it does not look like
we have a ride to Kennedy Meadows … as yet. The good news is that
Stevie Love, friends of Nat's, are looking forward to having us pass
by and they have 10 acres to feed us … It's a 100 miles away but we
could be there in 10 days or less. It would be a good place to be
picked up to be transferred to the Sierras. Really the grass here is
scarce and bitter. I cannot wait to know the luscious grasses of the
high country. We are getting thinner even if much stronger. Pascal
did not put my Renegade Hoof Boots on today and I did 10+ miles on
pavement for more than half without any problem. Unhappily the hours
did not allow calls to France … next time since we are all eager to
go and get out of this filthy gully.
So
up at dawn, on the pavement by 6:30 with the sun barely coming over
the hills and around the lake shore on pavements where the morning
joggers with cups of coffee in their hands come across us. I am
getting really good on wooden bridges even if I still do not like
those iron plates in the sidewalks. 14 miles later, mile 285 on the
PCT, we finally stop at a small creek at noon where we will camp
tonight.
Well
after lunch Pascal & Quervo in his hammock had a nap while we
munched on nice grass growing on the hillside. The mules are there
but they are not really a bother even if I do keep an eye on them.
One of them even stole all the oats Quervo was carrying, after all it
was for the mules but his smart young one did not even share. Cannot
expect much out of hybrid animals like mules.
Watercress
growing in the stream for salad tonight for the humans, us we'll just
have to do with the standard fare, and I believe Pascal is preparing
tomorrow's schedule so I'll have to get a good night's sleep.
Off
we went, and that at a good pace, so fast that Quervo wanted to know
what was driving us. Well of course having his mules in our back
helped a bit, but as we distanced him, it was more feeling rested,
well fed and wanting to get our day's walk done so we could once
again enjoy the day. The difference between Pascal & Quervo is
that Pascal is “driven” by a number of things. One is that he
wants to get to Oregon before winter, but more important he is
seeking through this journey, this routine of living another
dimension of himself. So there is a drive, a want, a seeking … that
Quervo has abandoned along the route and for reasons known to himself
chosen to let life lead him wherever it does. So making 10 miles or 5
or none is of no consequence to him.
Meanwhile
at half day Quervo took the direction of lake Arrowhead on a dirt
road while we kept to the PCT. In the end we did some 14 miles and
arrived at the Deep creek where a bridge, a very modern looking thing
crosses the stream while we went below and spent the rest of the day.
A beautiful place with a large bathing pool and grass. We were tired
and slept but after accepted to cross the stream to the sand bank
where we found grass a plenty. I wonder what the weekenders will
think to see their nice sandy beach with our poop … and the grass
shorn to nothing. Apparently on the weekend there can be nearly a
hundred persons here said the ranger we talked to who was picking up
the trash. REALLY we ought to EDUCATE humans:
1/
pack OUT everything you bring unless you drink or eat it
2/
mainly women, remember that that toilet paper you wipe you tooshy
with is going to stay here in this dry climate (and even in wet
climates) for more than several years. So PACK IT OUT.
Pascal
spent an hour picking up trash around and before leaving brought it
out to the parking lot above where the rangers pick up the trash. By
the way, I noticed that Pascal each morning when he wakes and must
have his bowl movement always buries it deep, never uses paper, in
fact he uses whatever is around, vegetation or dirt, then just like
the north africans he washes his ass so he avoids irritations …
ecologically sane.
Quervo
for some reason ended up in the parking lot and had people giving him
their lunch. Pascal talked with a nice family with a 5 year old
daughter (I guess) named Lea and a baby. The woman seemed quite at
ease in nature while the man, her new mate with whom she had the last
one, was uneasy and quite uptight. Pascal learned he was without a
job, unable to land a sales job in the medical industry in which he
had serious references, so he is creating his own sales organization.
Pascal encouraged him and told him that being an entrepreneur, you
have to BELIEVE that it will happen, DO what is required EVERYDAY,
and that in the end things DO work out. Despite bankers and the
sharks around small businesses trying to skim the cream, YOU can make
it if you persevere. It's a hard road … but Pascal did it for more
than 10 years so he has the understanding of it.
By
the way, I just walked through Pascal's camp as I rejoined Jimmy who
went around the water's edge, and almost squished his rum bottle.
There he is typing away my thoughts drinking rum and smoking his pipe
… what a disaster! His pipe he had to re-glue with super glue as he
broke it in his pocket.
Pascal
lent Quervo his spare eye glasses, but before leaving he recuperated
them. Quervo was upset thinking they were a “long term loan” …
but Pascal knows that if he did not recuperate them then, he might
never see them again. This is a reality check. For those who have
nothing, a loan is a gift … which can be returned but with little
consequences if not. For Pascal, having a spare pair is essential and
must be preserved. It is linked to a notion of freedom to live your
own life. So they parted this morning and who knows if they shall
hook up again. Basically, Quervo is going to town to buy supplies
with his monthly welfare or whatever indemnity revenue while Pascal
is pursuing with us the PCT. Interesting how on many aspects they
have the same values but fundamentally have a different DRIVE which
makes their lives worthwhile.
We
crossed PCT trail maintenance crews, apparently they are paid a miser
but like the opportunity to be in the wilds and doing a useful job.
Young men and women who after graduating for the most part take a
summer to discover the backcountry of the PCT while working on the
trail in a secure environment. Seem like really nice people, it would
be nice to spend an evening with them. Unknowingly we settled half a
mile from the hot spring where they were camping as it was identified
by Pascal as a nice grassy place next to Deep Creek stream, but they
were leaving for their 10 days work 4 days off respite. Another time.
Of course we got hugs and pictures and admiration … as always.
By
the way, I'm walking without my hoof boots 2 days in a row and now
only one day every three days. I feel like my feet are hardening to
the trail and though I still do not like the broken up rocks that
hurt my 'frogs', they are hardening like Jimmy's and soon I hope to
be free from this assisted walking thing.
Today,
Pascal went to the hot springs leaving us attached on hobbles and
came back like a lobster. He couldn't even wear a T-shirt so he waked
back naked. He was scoured like I've not seen him for a long time,
but red was the predominant colour, especially his ass. I guess he
got caught up by the sun while laying in the hot springs. He found a
crowd of young folks that were drinking beer, smoking dope and
generally talking their mouths off in language that coming from young
women about dicks and such seemed really superficial, incoherent and
not conveying any real sense. Lost people that think they are living
because they are getting drunk and high … what will that make as a
society is anyone's guess.
Other
older men, mostly naked seemed to enjoy talking in the shade,
possibly their thing is more at the fall of night should young women
show up. A few tender couples were camping and making good smelling
food. Anyhow he left us for at least 4 hours, time to get truly
tangled up. So when he came back and let us free we ate up a storm.
I'm sure tomorrow he'll drive us hard again. Today, as an innovation,
and listening to Guerda about the notion of a breakaway line in case
of problem on the trail, he let Jimmy without a lead rope and my
brother just followed us like a champ. Even crossed a bridge, jumped
a log, and always just behind me. What a champ!
Well
the crickets are out, the day is dwindling and Pascal I can tell is
already tired (even if he does nothing!) so I'll just go quiet until
we get to our next stop, a lake with a trailer park in a village
called Cottonwood … hopefully we can post this on Monday.
In
fact I sent Pascal to McDonald's at Cajon Pass and he's posted it!
After a 20 mile day, not bad...
More
later, this Cajon pass area is on the San Adreas Fault, a chaotic
country landscape … and I have to sleep near the freeway!
