Fontana to Redlands

And I also believe that you get what you ask for, all the time, if you are positive in your ways. Perfect example, another day defying the forecast to bring me the sunshine I've asked for. Andrew, a friend of Kyle from Azusa, opened his home in Redlands to us, so we stayed there last night. They were a fun crowd, as I expected they would be. We took a stroll downtown in the evening to the farmer's market and then lounged around the house. As usual, I woke up way before George and started my day at a coffee shop. I continued to read "The Art of Pilgrimage" and feel inspired. After I'd lingered almost to the point of laziness, I took a walk. I discovered the charm of this place pretty quickly as I roamed down tree lined streets, gaping at old victorians set back in prolific gardens. I felt much the way I did when I first outstepped the boundaries of my upbringing, how each sight was an epiphany and each sound, music. Only in these moments are you truly alive. I stepped into the library, a beautiful old red building in perfect harmony with the surrounding palms. A nearby park lured me with its redwoods and magnolias. What a perfect day to be a live and soon to be on my way to the city. I headed back to the house and shortly thereafter was on my way back to Claremont with Andrew. Cutting it more than close on time, we darted through traffic at speeds terrifying for a Portlander who is rarely in cars. i was soon on my way to the city, a 6 hour drive away, but really not that far at all for a promising weekend. We sang to songs coming from an iPhone, the sounds of which were amplified in a mug on the armrest. We got into Oakland at about 10, after an accidental detour over the Bay Bridge and around Treasure Island. Allison and I bonded over insults and beer, and the evening carried me into a mild exhaustion. Which is how I think the gang felt after I took them for a walk. Allison and I woke up with hangovers. We had breakfast and headed into the city. They gave me license to lead them around, so i shared with them a portion of my usual walk. We ended up at Rickhouse, a bar. A couple hours passed as each drink brought us closer together. We were lucky enough to have a view of the Chinese New Year parade that we had no idea was going on. We scarcely noticed the crowd as we made our way to the next place. We took a long series of photos trying to capture a mid-air heel click. After much debate about walking vs. taking Bart, two of us took off running at a green light, leaving the others to decide for themselves. We ran most of the way up Mission, from 6th to 24th, which is actually a lot longer than 18 blocks. We ended up being "those people" at El Farolito, then "those people" again at The Attic. The Ramones came on, the volume went up, and Taylor and I proceeded to mosh near the back wall. Though, to be honest, it probably looked nothing like moshing and I somehow have a gash in my rib area. One more bar, somebody throwing up, and a bart ride later, we all passed out. Perfect day if you ask me. George Throop and Shay Emmons are seen walking through the Coachella Valley on Thursday as they make their way toward Washington, D.C. (Michael Snyder The Desert Sun) It took George Throop all day to travel from Banning to Palm Springs, and two more to get from there to Indio. But he wasn't caught in some nightmarish traffic scenario. Throop was walking, at a steady clip, on a 5,000-mile-long journey of inspiration from Washington state to Washington, D.C. The “bumper sticker friendly” goal, Throop says, is to inspire people to walk 20 minutes a day as he walks 20 kilometers a day across the country. “I'm inspiring people to take steps as I take steps across America,” he says. “I'm hoping the 20 minutes a day is an easy enough message to grab and expand that forward.” Inspiring others Throop's 50-pound backpack, filled with water, camping supplies, food and clothing, hugs his sides as he walks. He's used to the weight. After five months and 1,000 miles, the pack is like a second skin. It's all part of the journey, which Throop says is 80 to 90 percent mental and 10 to 20 percent physical. “On faith, I walk in the hopes that even if one person can be inspired — actually to tell you the truth, even if nobody is inspired — just having made the effort to try will for me have been worth it,” he says. As he walks, Throop catches the attention of curious passers-by. Many ask him questions about the neon yellow, block-letter “walking across America” signs he wears attached to his reflective safety vest. Occasionally, he's offered money and shelter — though he's never asked for financial donations — and some people, like 24-year-old Shay Emmons, of Monterey, come along for the walk. Emmons joined Throop in Santa Monica, and has walked with him for more than 100 miles. The blisters are beginning to catch up with her, and the five-day-long, desolate desert walk from Indio to Blythe will be the first to end camped out under the stars. But Emmons remains focused on the journey ahead. “I want to learn, through the uncertainty and challenges of this trip, to handle anything with grace,” she says. “It's meditative and character-building, and I want to take advantage of that. I think everyone should embark on a grand adventure at least once in their life. We should all attempt to do things we aren't certain we can do.” http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20103050346 There are more photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/FakePlasticShay The blog, which is just a running accumulation of these emails and journalings, is here: http://fakeplasticshay.blogspot.com/ _____________________________________________________________________________________ I am not traveling for profit. I seek to live as minimally as possible while traveling, and in life in general. However, any help along the way is appreciated, as food and shelter are of the utmost uncertainty on this trip. if you would like to make a donation you may do so by clicking here: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=Vx0SVybbZvV1pTjJxO5k047NszUYpN-ANIbW2eaSxZl8OU6VFfYVRz9AYQK&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1fb6947b0aeae66fdb090c3508df63c7a03e1eed7a1c7f15dd click the "personal" tab, send it to Fakeplasticshay@gmail.com, specify your own amount as a gift, and help me get one day and one city further! As always, anything helps and is so very much appreciated! ___________________________________________________________________________ So! Onward! I am an adventure traveler. I am not a tourist seeking a distraction from my discomforts and worries. I am a lover of life seeking to submerge myself in the world outside myself. The nature and quality of my experience are based on some questions: -What do I want from the road? -Why will I travel? I want to see amazing things I want to meet amazing people I want to do a lot of walking I want freedom I want stories I want to see and try new things And I want all of these things at the expense of taking risks and encountering uncertainty.