on kindness . and gratitude

Before I continue with the next stop in my travels, I feel compelled to pause and to express my gratitude to God/G oddess (however you personally engender or otherwise define that most essential mystery) and to my Angels, Ancestors, Spirits and Guides, who have gifted me their unerring wisdom and protection along the way.

I have not only survived thus far, but thrived, because of them.

I also want to thank the friends and family who have tracked me and stayed in touch, whether through email, FaceBook, or phone . . . you know who you are . . . I want you to know how much this has meant to me. Your support has been crucial to my emotional wellbeing throughout my explorations, especially when times got tough.

Perhaps the best part of this odyssey has been meeting people from all over the world and almost every state in the US. Without exception, everyone I have met has been friendly, open and willing to help at every turn.

I want to acknowledge here some of these very special individuals, in no particular order, who went out of their way to make my travels so joyful and who restored my faith in the goodness of human nature:

* the farmer in Stephen's Restaurant in Sharon Springs, Gilbert Bussen, who gave me his map of Colorado and advice about the lonely stretch of highway I was about to travel

* the man who smiled and graciously and wordlessly offered me a hand climbing down from the waterfall in Ouray

* the family next to me at Cuivre River State Park who were so friendly and sweet

* the waitress at the Kentucky State Park at Kenlake, who let me sit for hours in her section and brought me a stream of fresh, hot coffee, unasked

* Marylou and Stephen Andrews at Wilson Lake in Kansas who greeted me so warmly, shared their stories and showed me the secret path down to the swimming cove

* Bill, the traveler in Canyon Reef campground, who showed me his GPS and how it worked, and listened to my story of getting lost in the canyons

* the "Birthday Club" women from Nebraska (Cathy, Sherill, Paula, Marnie, Pamela, Mary Kay and Jan), who I met in the public restroom in Kansas, who enthusiasm and encouragement was contagious

* "Marvin Wrangle" at the hot springs in Orvis who took the time to write out an extensive list of all the hot springs from Colorado to California and who told me all about his former adventures as a drug dealer throughout the southwest and Mexico

* the man at the liquor store in Wilson, Kansas, who gave me spot-on directions to my campsite

* the camp host in Missouri who straightened out my tent site dilemma in no time flat

* Emerson and Sheryl MacDonald and Hunter and Cecilie in Wilson, Kansas who invited me to their site and offered to make me S'mores

* the man at the roadside stand selling peaches in Missouri, whose sunshine smile made my day

* all the people from North Carolina, who stopped to say hello when they saw my license plate

* Greg and Frankie Bland from Beloit, Kansas, whose conversation with me at the K-18 Cafe was so fascinating. Frankie gave me a special pen with a handy pull-out calendar that is one of my treasures of this trip

* Rosemary and Kristian Strub, from Denver, who strolled with me on the street in Pagosa Springs and Lori and Jay Powell, who talked with me at Rosie's Cafe

* the artwork of Kansas native Mri-Pilar, whose found art inspired me 

* Cody Lujan, the very nice guy at the Toyota dealership who checked out my brakes and tires and didn't charge me a penny and whose warm hug gave a lonely traveler a burst of happy energy

* Natasha and Jason Heifner at Act Fast Glass in Pueblo, Colorado, who repaired my windshield with such precision and joy in their work

* the women at the Backstreet Bakery/Supper Club in Lucas, Kansas (Andrea, Stephanie, Sue Ellen) who made me laugh and almost fall off my bar stool

* Ron and Pat Whitlock, owners or Rons Bow Shop, who took the time to chat with me in Kentucky

* Jean Stramel, of Grassroots Art Center in Lucas, Kansas, who gave me a fantastic tour of their museum

* the folks at Twisted Sisters' Cafe in Moab, who graciously let me sit for a few quiet hours and write

* the truck driver I followed over the hazardous mountain pass from Durango to Silverton, who put up with me tailing him for miles through the rain

* the couple, Kathy and John, at the Ridgway campground, who pointed out the elk herd and told me about the waterfall in Ouray's Box Canyon

* John Armstrong, whose friendly face in Pagosa Springs, made my day

* Judy Piazza, the musician and healer, whose brief conversation with me on the River Trail in Utah was like a tonic

* the golden wasp, who stung me eight times, at the campground in Kenlake, who gave me a good, though painful lesson in awareness and a new respect for the sentient nature of all creatures

* Cheryl Castle and Karah Levely, whose delicious peaches from Colorado, from their roadside stand in Moab sustained me

* Rhonda and John McNally, at the campground in Fruita, Utah, who showed me their Sylvan Sport Geo setup and gave me insight into the Zion area

* Sandy, the driver, and Carter, the river guide, who made my kayak trip through the rapids on the Colorado River so much fun

* the couple from Pennsylvania at the Canyon Reef campground, who stopped to marvel with me at the beauty of the Fremont River

* my river rafting compadre, Cherie, whose friendship and own tales of the road complemented mine

* the woman who welcomed me at the Cozy Mountain Lodge in Nevada after my 8-hour drive on "The Loneliest Highway in America," gave me a quiet room and assured me of my safety

* the adorable couple in Pagosa Springs, who let me photograph their pretty cottage garden

* Matt Nylund, who bought me a 'Heart & Soul' breakfast at Kate's Place in Ridgway and whose sparkling blue eyes the color of the Colorado sky and whose enthusiasm for life inspired the rest of my trip

* Linda Clayton Faubel, my dear late childhood friend, who never got to complete her own travels, and whose voice encouraging me to have hope and to continue walking, saved my life

* the hiker who met me on the trail down from my canyon adventure in Utah who took the time to stop and take a photo of me with my rescuers . . . a special shout out to Micah Gulley, Kurt Taylor and Mike Zirwas, who talked me down off the mountain in Utah

and last, but certainly not least . . .

* my Dad, whose spirit watching over me was a source of immense comfort as I traveled

My journey is not yet over, and if there is anyone I've missed, that an unintended omission.

To all of you, and to whose whose names and faces are now becoming a sweet blur of memory, I thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my Zen Gypsy heart!