eric's little black star » The Things I’ll Carry

eric on Apr 7th 2008 at 9:18 am Planning,Scoot 66

The Things I’ll Carry

I leave for Scoot 66 in 23 days. I’ve compiled a list of things that I’ll carry. It seemed shorter than the list of things I’m leaving behind.

I am carrying five bags full of things that I think I’ll need or want for the next 66 days. One bag contains several bags. Toothbrush, razor, soap. Eight day’s worth of clothing. And a towel. Another bag contains winter clothes – sometimes it drops below freezing in June through Montana.

I’ll also be carrying the support of friends and strangers. There will be times when I get lonely and will be unable to contact anyone. At times such as these, this will be the most valuable item to hold onto.

I’m carrying a medicine chest full of drugs. Aspirin, Pepto, sun block, saline nasal cleaner, gold bond. I don’t anticipate getting very sick. I’m generally a healthy person.

I’ll be carrying a few spiritual books. Nectar of Devotion – the double edge sword of near countless rules and limitless unconditional love. Nectar of Instruction – eleven instructions on how to love each other and God. Raja-Vidya – study of Bhagavad-gita and knowledge. These books are the most important things I’ll carry.

On the front of my bike, I have a bag for my tent, mattress and sleeping bag. It’s yellow and waterproof. There are some things that really shouldn’t get wet. A sleeping bag is on the top of my list. There is also a yellow, waterproof bag on the back of my scooter. My laptop and electrical things will be in that.

I’ll be carrying a laptop, like I just said. Each day, I’ll be updating the friends and strangers who read my blog. I’ll tell them, you, of what I did, what I saw, who I met. I’ll upload photos and you can see for yourself the changing landscapes, the towns and villages, how blue the sky is in New Mexico. This will be my reciprocation.

There are other cross-country trips this year. One is riding for peace and fund raising, completing a peace symbol across the United States. The other is promoting volunteerism, traveling 30,000 miles while helping out where he can. And here I am, with no other purpose than carrying what I am 10,000 miles across the country and back.

Right now is a time of true uncertainty for me. The only thing I know for sure is that this shaky, uncertain trip is happening whether I’m ready for it or not. It’s happening no matter what I’m carrying. After I return in July, I don’t know where I’ll be living or what I’ll be doing. And even now, I’m shifting from place to place, never feeling quite at home anywhere.

But from April 30 to July 4, I’ll carry my house on my back and my home will be the road.

3 responses so far

3 Responses to “The Things I’ll Carry”

Sita-pati das says:

April 8, 2008 at 8:01 pm

Haribol – hey, can you syndicate these posts to Planet ISKCON? That would be cool.

eric Reply:
April 8th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Oh I don’t know. There won’t be anything really KC about the trip at all. I’ll definitely post about when I go to a temple. But the other stuff, I just don’t want to bore the assembled devotees.

I’d REALLY like to visit every US temple next summer. Maybe the end of this summer. That would be fun.
hello says:

April 9, 2008 at 3:25 pm

we know we’ll hear from you again before you go but ALL THE BEST WISHES to you on this trip!!!! space permitting, i’ll add a true story here:

a young man was bicycling through italy for a year. he was loaded with gear (tent, cooking supplies, etc.). he couldn’t get too far each day because of the weight of his load. an older gentleman he met up with, also bicycling, had only a spare tire, extra inner tube, and his wallet with him! the youth asked him how it could be that he had only these essentials during his (albeit shorter) journey. the man replied that he bought food daily and washed his one set of clothes each night and hung them to dry in whatever lodgings he found each night. the young man asked him how he managed if he had an emergency or needed warmer clothes? the older man replied that he learned to trust in others and looked forward to meeting people and asking for help if he needed it. by carrying so little, he met more people and had a richer experience because of it. and, with the little supply he carried, was able to travel far further than the young man could each day. the younger man realized that the older gentleman was riding IN italy whereas he himself was only riding THROUGH it.

be at peace knowing you have the inevitable kindness of others out there while on your journey and that you will be watched over by Sri Krishna at every moment!