Our Journey Into The Wilderness –

The Journey Begins

PART 2

CAMPING AT DEL VALLE REGIONAL PARK

April 1, 2009 – Day 1 – Wednesday

In the morning I had to go back to the apartment to finish packing up my things. I thought it would only take a couple of hours, but it ended up taking a good part of the day. Once I got everything packed from the apartment, we headed for my friends house and our new home to unload the rest of my things at the house.

This day was also to be the first day Shiloh and I would begin our first month camping at Del Valle Reservoir Campgrounds. I was very anxious to get out of the apartment and enter a new chapter in my life living, experiencing, and studying nature, and sharing that experience with my best friend, Shiloh by my side. As for our future, it was uncertain.

In the late afternoon I packed up our camping gear, stopped by the store for some food supplies and grabbed a chicken burger to-go in Livermore. We finally arrived at our second new home, Del Valle Regional Park at 7:00 pm. I was emotionally exhausted and sore from packing and moving for the most of two weeks and I just wanted to get camp set-up and try and relax a little before it was time for bed. My hopes were to get all my packing done early and to the campsite early to set-up and relax, but that was not the case. We are now here, and that’s what counts. This whole experience did not feel like something we were forced to do or something that was degrading to me, but was a time I was looking forward to, a time for a new adventure and a special time to share with Shiloh.

Checking in at the park entrance gate on our arrival to Del Valle, we proceeded to our campsite. It was Wednesday evening and our first day on our seventy-four day camping adventure and discovery for 2009. I got Shiloh out of the truck so he could sniff around some while I unloaded the truck. It was getting late so the first thing was to get the tent set-up before dark came. The tent went up fast and easy with no hitches to cause more frustration in an already frustrating day. Shiloh was exploring his new surroundings with all its new sights, sounds, and smells. We were the only ones in that campground area, so we had it all to ourselves and had a quiet evening to think about our new beginnings together. Shiloh seemed to enjoy his new home.

Dogs are required to be on leash in the camping areas, but since we were alone, I kept him off lease and he was great staying in camp. This was our first camping experience alone together and I was not sure how he would behave. Shiloh has an extremely calm manner to him, and I don’t think anything really bothers him to much.

Our campsite was small, but comfortable and somewhat private as far as these campsites go. A perfect spot for us. I picked this site for its exposure to the trees and plants, and with a good separation from the other campsites. Since it was our first time camping here I had no idea what to expect. All I knew for now was, we had the whole area all to ourselves. I was not sure how the weather would be treaty us in the spring time, but we will see soon enough. I have been camping on weekend excursions, and did some backpacking, but for this moment it is different. For this moment this is our home for the next month. And instead of doing it with a human companion, I had a canine companion.

After getting all settled in camp, we went for a short walk and checked things out around the camping area we were staying at. It gave us some time to relax, breath the fresh air, enjoy the sights and sounds of nature and become familiar with what will be our new home for a month. Shiloh had a lot of sniff’n to do with all the smells that nature provides. After a stressful day, it was really nice to be at this beautiful place and have some time to really experience it. I have been to Del Valle other times, to fish, canoe and to bring the dogs along for a nice hike, and even did a day horseback ride in an event they called the “Poker Ride,” but this is the first for camping.

Del Valle has four camping areas within the main campground area at the entrance of the second Kiosk, taking you to two on the left side and two on the right of the entrance. To get to our camping area we turn to the right of the main campground entrance just past the Kiosk, and general store, crossing two small streams through the middle campground. We were at the upper camping area on a knoll and this area is set back adjacent to private property at the southern most end of the park. It overlooks the lower middle camping area to the northerly direction in which we have to pass through to get to our campsite and on the southerly side (the private property side), it overlooks two large horse pasture and beyond a ranch house and barn that is still used for cattle ranching. The ranch is tucked into a small beautiful valley that eventually converges into a canyon with foothills on both sides, and where the Arroyo Seco Creek (meaning “dry stream”), continues flowing to the south. The west side of the lake along the foothills are thick with Oak trees, and the east side is covered in grasslands and scattered Oak. A beautiful place to experience flora and fauna. We campgrounds are very close to the Del Valle Reservoir. They also have an off leash trail for dogs on the east side of the lake, but must beware, this whole area is a perfect habitat for rattlesnakes. And they do start coming out in April.

This whole valley was big in cattle ranching at one time and still has some in operation today. Originally, this area was home to the Ohlone (or Costanoan) Indians before the arrival of the Spanish in the 18^th century. The Livermore Amador Valley was primarily grazing land for the Mission San Jose’s thousands of cattle and sheep. This area was also mined in the early days for magnesite and coal. The reservoir itself was built in 1968 and the Hetch Hetchy pipeline lies underneath the lake, but does not connect to it. The reservoir storage is 77,100 acre feet, the area is 1,066 acres with a shoreline of 16 miles. Largely around the lake is the Del Valle Regional Park consisting of 4,316 acres. The park is a popular recreational area that offers hiking, equestrian trails, camping, bicycle trails, fishing, boating, picnicking and has a swimming area. It has opened up a large area along the east side lake trails that allows dogs to be off leash which is great for the dogs, and people as long as they don’t run into rattlesnakes. This is one reason this area attracted me, but it was also for its beauty and abundant wildlife. It is only about 11 miles from the City of Livermore, but once you get a mile or so outside the town, you immediately feel you are miles away from civilization. It is like you are transported from the city to a magical country side in minutes, driving it is a beautiful drive on a two lane road, through rolling hills, rows of sycamore trees lining the road side and oaks scattering the hillsides.

I have lived in the area off and on for many years and Del Valle Reservoir is just a short distance from where I have lived in what is known as the Tri-Valley area, but I have never spent a lot of time at this beautiful place in Nature, and never camped here.

The camping sites are small in most cases and close together. A typical camping area nowadays, unless you head up to the mountains, and even then, most campsites that are managed and have a use-charge are small and close together like being packed in like a can of sardines. It is great if you like being around people, but if you want peace and quiet and a true outdoor experience in nature I would personally avoid these types of camping areas.

The day was warm – it felt like it was in the mid-seventies. It began cooling down around 9:00 pm. I gathered a little wood for a small fire from around the other campsites and we went to bed around 10:00 pm. Shiloh slept in the tent with me, and he seemed very comfortable with his new sleeping arrangements. The tent was a five person tent, so we had plenty of room to move around.

My back was still stiff and sore from ten days of moving and it made it difficult for me to sleep. With all the stress of moving, the day ended very relaxed with a disbelief we were actually here and without a real home – basically homeless. But with the incredible beauty of Del Valle, it made things much easier to feel comfortable in our new surroundings – our new home.

April 2, 2009 – Day 2 – Thursday

We got up at 6:30 am and Shiloh and I took a walk to explore the area once again – seeing if we may have missed something from our walk last evening. We walked down a dirt road to where the horses were on the private ranch. There were a good number of horses in the pasture enjoying grazing on the lush green grasses that covered the whole pasture. Once they became aware of us they went running in the opposite direction like a bolt of lighting hit their behinds. We stood next to the fence watching them and once they realized we weren’t chasing them and were not a threat to them, they stopped and turned to look at us. I don’t think they have ever seen a dog as big as Shiloh. Shiloh weighs about 120 lbs, but because of his furry coat, it makes him look much larger and much more threatening. He kind of looks like a big bear with a white body coat and large patches of black here and there. I began doing kissing sound to the horses hoping they would come. The first brave horse to approach us was a Red Roan gelding. Then three others followed behind. Once they realized we were no threat to them, the Red Roan came close enough to the fence to let me give him a gentle rub on his head. It was nice to be around the horses. I really missed not having my horses around any longer except for one that I still have that I must sell as well. As with Shiloh, and my other dog Shawnee, my horses were my whole life. Everything I did pretty much revolved around my four legged critter.

After returning from our walk I showered, got dressed and then headed off to a meeting at 10:00 am for a possible new job. My original plan was to have the flexibility to camp and work at the same time and Del Valle allowed me to do that because of the close proximity to civilization and also where I have my office set-up made it convenient. The camping area provided showers, primitive showers, but showers none the less, and with warm water occasionally, and if you were lucky.

During this uncertain time for me, I was lucky to have work and some money coming in. I thought I would save a lot of money camping, but in reality it was not cheap to camp here. It cost me twenty dollars a day to camp and then the cost of food, firewood, and gas for driving back and forth. I figured I would have enough money to carry me over for about a month and a half. I prepaid for the campsite for the month, so I just needed money for food, firewood, gas and a few bills I had to pay.

I got to the meeting on time, considering I was not sure how long it would take me to get there from Del Valle. The meeting lasted for about forty-five minutes and I thought it went well. I had Shiloh with me and he stayed in the truck during the meeting and as always he was a good boy, patiently waiting for my return.

We headed back to my new unorganized office at my friends house and organize the office a bit and picked up a few more camping things. I put my drafting tables together and cleared the floor of some of my boxes. Shiloh found a spot on the floor to rest. I grabbed some books and camping gear and we were off to the store to pick up some food. I spent one hundred and eighteen dollars on food and miscellaneous items at the store and then spent another fourteen dollars for firewood at the Del Valle Marina store. We returned to the camp late in the afternoon and it was partly cloudy and windy. I was looking forward to a nice meal, a small camp fire and a relaxing evening with Shiloh.

Shiloh and I took our first walk along the lake after getting things unpacked at camp. The first chance he had, he headed for the water. Shiloh enjoys wading in the water. He was not a swimmer, but he loved to play and splash in the shallows. After our walk, we returned back to camp and just relaxed for a while and enjoyed the beauty and solitude of our surroundings in nature. It felt great to be here. I felt I was in a place that was home – in nature.

“But love of the wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need – if only we had eyes to see.”

~ Edward Abbey

My feelings towards being homeless really has not entered my mind. I suppose one can say you are really not homeless since you have a place to stay, and that is true, I do have a skeleton of a room temporarily, but then what? I don’t have my own home and my own things. I had lost almost everything I had owned, or gave it away. I did keep all my camping gear, most of my books, and my office equipment. But, I am in a place I want to be, and having Shiloh with me, always giving me great comfort. I suppose if I make enough money and a place to work and sleep, I could also look forward to spending as much time as possible camping in the wilderness, but would I? This economic challenge has forced me to walk another path.

A new camper drove into our camping area and set-up camp next to us. He brought his camper and had a full set-up. It looked like he was set-up to stay at least a week. I was hoping he would be quiet. Later, another small group arrived in our camping area. The weekend group of campers are beginning to show up for the weekend.

The wind was blowing pretty good through camp, so I decided not to cook and just have a couple of sandwiches and a few beers for dinner. You could hear the wind coming through the valley and through the trees like a mighty freight train roaring closer and closer. It was an incredible sound. We had a small fire, and the firewood only lasted this evening and the next morning. It was pine, so it burned fast. We bedded down around 10:00 pm.

At 1:00 am Shiloh woke me and I heard the sound of music playing and people talking. When you are out in the open landscape, sounds travel easily and with only the thin fabric of the tent to buffer all sounds, it can make a very disturbing night with little sleep and this was one of those nights. It was very annoying. It lasted until about 2:00 am – so much for “Quite Time” at 10:00 pm in the park’s campground rules.

I am finding that for only a few people, like myself, they use the parks for the enjoyment of being in nature and possibly some peaceful solitude. For many it is a place just to get away in a nature setting, but they really don’t care much for nature on a much deeper level – too truly experience nature in the beauty of their surroundings, in the plants, the trees, or the animals. Most people in our culture have lost this deep connection with nature. Then there are the ones that are mostly in their twenties that come here just to party, as do older adults as well.

I too remember those days, so I can’t blame them for doing what so many young people like to do. But now, for me, it is about nature’s quiet and solitude. I came here to study plants, observe nature and to strengthen my ability of observation and awareness. I figured and hoped I would only have to deal with the crowds and those consumed in being loud, getting drunk, being obnoxious, and simply being rude to other campers, as with a disrespect for nature, during the weekends, and having the weekdays just for me and Shiloh. I would soon realized this hope would not happen.

My way of thinking now, does not coincide with most people, and my way of thinking foolishly believes that people who visit our parks really come to experience the sights, the sounds and wonders of nature. I am quickly realizing that most have become so disconnected with nature they bring the city life with them into the country and they have no desire to reconnect with nature. It is just a place to go to have fun. And I am not saying people should not enjoy nature, just show some respect for nature.

When I told my friends what I was planning – to live camping out for a month, I don’t think they really understood. They were probably thinking how can one live like this? They saw me being homeless. But for me, I actually felt a sense of freedom being there and I always enjoyed coming back to camp to relax, to read, write in my journal, enjoy the wonders in nature, having Shiloh there, and going for nature walks with Shiloh. It was a place I felt as Home.

Ancient Indian Proverb

This we know… The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites one family. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself.

Author, Unknown

Coming Home To Nature

By Rick Theile

Introduction

PART 1

For me, it is not just about being able to survive in the wilderness, or in learning bushcraft skills, thus becoming proficient in them that I can apply while in the wilderness—although this Art of primitive living highly interests me and drives me to want to learn more—it is much more than that. Being in the wilderness is truly about living in and being totally immersed in the experience, with the magnificence Nature provides to us when we open up to her, and allowing her to teach us. And of course, sharing this grand journey with my dog and my best friend, Shiloh.

~ Rick Theile

This is my story, just one of many untold stories by millions of Americans—a story about the cause and effect of a failed system created and fed by the insatiable appetite for greed, and I am sure, some corruption mixed into the broth, that effected the lower and middle classes of men, women, and children, and creating very uncertain times for so many. In part, it is a story of struggle and hardship for many, and it is a story about a man and his dog finding peace during these turbulent times. These times were later referred to as the Great Recession of 2007. It is a time where a man and his canine companion were in search of a new life, a new purpose, and meaning that was found spending time in the wilderness and in Nature in the Sierra Nevada mountains. And creating a strong bond of companionship, a deep friendship, and love with his dog, Shiloh.

The devastating economic condition of our country was taking a huge toll on my very survival, as it had for so many Americans. I had friends who had lost their homes. With very little work to be had in the beginnings of the collapse of the building industry, I would find myself living one day at a time, wondering how I would survive, where I would live and how I would feed myself and my dog.

In March of 2009, I was being evicted from my apartment after living there for some six years. It was a difficult blow to deal with and I felt a lot of anger towards our government and for the greed, corruption, and irresponsibility of our financial institutions that were the root cause of this economic disaster that impacted the whole world as well as devastating the lower and middle classes of America.

During this period, I had very little money, and very little work in my Home Design business, no place to live, and wondering what will happen to Shiloh and I. I was looking at the real possibility of being homeless. I began going through my options and thought about the possibility of camping for two to three months and during that time maybe things would change, and work would start picking up for me once again.

The idea of camping was becoming more of a reality the more I thought about it. I looked at different areas where we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area where they had campgrounds that provided the necessities like showers and being somewhat close to where I do most of my work. This new direction we were about to embark on, actually began sounding like a great experience and adventure for Shiloh and I. We had no idea what it would bring, and I thought it would be a short term camping excursion. Little did I know, it would change my life in very profound, and unexpected ways. In the back of my mind I was always thinking, “things have to get better soon, work and the economy had to pick up soon.” I didn’t realize it would take six to eight years for the recovery of the Building Industry to take hold again and get back on track in the Residential Building sector in California.

In preparing to live in the woods, a friend of mine who I have not seen for a couple of years offered Shiloh and I a place to stay at his unfinished house. And it was unfinished. Five years before, I did the design, and Architectural Construction Documents (Working Drawings for Construction) for my friend on a major room addition and remodel of his house. Five years later, the house was framed out, the exterior siding enclosed the wall framing, windows in, and roofing material installed. But not much more then that had been done. At least it was weather tight. From the exterior, you could not tell any work was being done, but the interior was another matter. About ninety percent of the house in the interior living space was unfinished. It did have a one and a half bathroom that was finished, and a laundry room. It had no kitchen and much of the rest of the house did not have any insulation, or interior sheetrock, and no heat or AC in the house. In the interior, it was a skeleton of a house.

I couldn’t refuse my friends offer and he allowed me to have a space where I could set up a small office where I could work if and when I did get work. He charged me $600 per month vs. $2,500 per month that I was paying at my apartment.

But my mind was still set on camping, and we would still camp for at least a month and use his house as a backup if we did need a place to stay and work.

When I was telling some friends what I was planning on doing for a couple of months they were both concerned for me and Shiloh and thought I was a little crazy for wanting to camp out for a month or two in park campgrounds.

For most that would seem to be considered homeless, but for me, it was an exciting prospect being able to live in nature. I imagined doing something few would imagine doing and to follow in the foot steps of such people as Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, Henry Beston and others. Like them, I was being called to Nature. I saw myself as a born again Naturalist with my trusted friend and companion, Shiloh by my side.

In the original 4^th draft of this manuscript I wrote in this story, and talked in a little more detail about what occurred prior to the events in 2009, and 2010 in Nature. In this blog, I will briefly touch on those times before 2009 just to give you a perspective of what lead up to this time period.

In the early 90’s I had experienced financial hardship due to the economic recession during the Gulf War that impacted the Building Industry, as well as starting over after my brother and I went different way from the Architectural business we had for 7 years together.

With very little money during the slow down of the economy in the early 90’s, scraping for work for rent and one meal a day at a Smorgasbord Restaurant just up the street from where I was living with three other roommates, I decided I wanted to make an impact in the world. So I began working with the Anthony Robbins Basket Brigade, a part of the Anthony Robbins Foundation, that was a nonprofit organizations. I organized an adopt-a-family program in my community to help the less fortunate for Thanksgiving. I did this for nine years, and fed over one thousand families with the great help of the volunteers. It was hard work but I enjoyed every second doing it. Unexpectedly I began to experience the emotions of joy, love, compassion, empathy, non-judgment, no expectations, and the wonderful gift of giving. I was hooked on giving to others. I looked forward to every year for the nine years I had done it. On the 9^th years, I was done. I wanted to go into a different direction. I wasn’t sure what though.

During the mid 90’s I had experienced a number of unexpected awakenings that became a major spiritual transformations that completely changed my life 180 degrees. A reality I did not know existed, nor did I think I was even worthy of, nor was I even interested in. I was slowly and yet gently being pulled to this sacred place. I had an inner sense that something was saying, “Just look.” I pondered on why me? Why was I chosen for this gift? I did welcome this gift of awakening, and I was excited to learn more, much more of this sacred realm. It was a time of learning and experiencing what our outside reality could not teach, nor give.

One of those moments was around the latter part of the 90’s during a frustrating time playing golf. I wanted to excel in my game, but was stuck shooting a score average in the low 90’s for 18 holes. I knew I was much better then that. I just couldn’t get past that mental block.

I had an experience I was not proud of and I was ready to quit the game I loved. I decided to let go of what was holding me back and just enjoy this wonderful game with my friends. At that moment, I believe I experienced a small shift in consciousness. The next game I played, I was able to completely let go of any expectations, any thoughts, too experience the game in silence, and to play in the present moment. I also did not keep score. During the full 18 holes, I had become the observer or watcher of myself and myself playing the game. I was totally detached from the experience and yet one with the experience. After about three and a half month I drastically reduced my score and was shooting in the low 70’s. My best score was 73 for 18 holes.

The low scoring was just an after thought. It was totally unexpected, nor did it really matter. What mattered to me was just being one with the game, in non-attachment to the game. I believe, I know, I could not have done this without help from a source outside of me who was guiding me on this path of awakening. It was all about awakening to a new reality, and not about playing good golf.

Back in 2006 I was planning on heading into the wilderness with my four horses (Missouri Foxtrotters) and my two dogs (Native American Indian Dogs) for a planned five year journey throughout the western United States and possibly Canada. This trip had been in the planning and preparing stages for five year. A few months prior to my planned departure, one of my horses got sick and that postpone my trip for a year and then in 2007 just a couple of months before departure, things began falling apart for the trip. One thing lead to another and once again I had to delay the trip. Work at that time was becoming difficult to come by because the Contractors I worked with thought I was leaving for this adventure. The money I had saved for the trip slowly began dwindling down with no money or very little coming in.

I had dreamed when I was a young child to have horses. I watched the many westerns on TV, and movies. When I was planning my trip to pack into the wilderness on horseback. I needed horses. My first horse was an 11 year old Missouri Foxtrotter, a sorrel mare. She was beautiful and had an attitude. She tested me and taught me how to ride her. She had a kind heart, and. she also intimidated me. But once we felt connected to each other, she began to showed me her beautiful gate. She was as smooth a glass and a joy riding her. Lacy was her name, (also known as Crazy Lacy). She had taught me so much, and especially for the love and respect of horses. She had changed my life and was truly a gift.

During this period of time I had also started a non-profit in July of 2007 called, Indigenous Peoples International, focused on human rights and land rights of indigenous peoples and it would also be involved in issues on the preservation of our natural environment. I thought both these issues of humans rights of the indigenous cultures and the natural environment worked hand in hand with each other and my interests were very high in both. Having the non-profit was a long time dream of mine and it seemed it was becoming a reality for me. I chose to focus on indigenous cultures once I learned of the atrocities and genocides that had occurred to many indigenous cultures around the world in the past and continues in current day. It allowed me to focus in a new direction in my hopes of making a difference in the world.

Then the worst happened, my savings were gone, work was almost non-existent, I began falling behind with my financial responsibilities and then, I was forced to begin the process of selling my horses in 2008 because I could no longer support having them any longer. It not only became a very difficult time financially, but also losing my horses that had become a big part of my life. Losing them was a very painful experience for me. It also meant the trip I was planning was delayed indefinitely. Soon after I sold most of the horses, my female dog, Shawnee got sick and I had to put her down. She was only four and that was extremely devastating for me losing her. Everything seemed to be falling apart in my life. As the stock market was crashing, so was my life. It was now just me and Shiloh and one horse named Joey.

Throughout this time and even in the late nineties I had been thinking and dreaming about being in and living in the wilderness. The whole idea of getting back into Nature and living in Nature was always with me, always a part of me on some deeper level. After my dream of my horse packing journey became only a shattered image in my mind, I began focusing on survival skills or for another name, bushcraft skills, which had interested me for many years. The whole idea of knowing these skills was to be able to survive and to have self-reliance in the wilderness with very few supplies and using the natural resources around me for shelter, food and tools had always excited me. I began studying this lost art and dove into books, on survival skills, bushcraft skills, wild edible, and medicinal plants as well as DVD’s on survival and I began to immerse myself in the subject matter. The more I read, the more excited I became of the prospect of living in the wilderness and being able to survive in it if needed. One of the movies I had was called, “Alone In The Wilderness,” it was about a fifty year old man who left his job to retire and to live in the wilderness in the rugged territory of Alaska. He built a log cabin in an area called Twin Lakes and lived there alone for thirty years. Due to the harsh winters, he had to leave his home in the wilderness at the age of eighty. A pretty incredible story for people who love the wilderness.

During the major part of the nineties and into the new millennium, I began looking at life in a totally different way. I spent a lot of time reading and searching for the meaning of life and I had experienced a transformation in my life—a way of seeing life and the world like I had never seen it before. Things that were important to me growing up were now meaningless ideas. I realized the direction I was living my life had no meaning, it had no purpose, only an illusion of what I had thought life should be, dictated by family, our society through television, movies, government, schools and of course in advertisements.

I asked the question, “Why would I want to move away from the materialistic, the synthetic world I have lived in all my life?” As one friend asked me, “why would you want to move backwards?” I suppose for many, they would see it as a major step back in time. Some would perceive it as moving back into the Stone Age. And for most it would be nearly impossible, unless forced too, to give up all the niceties, conveniences, comforts and materialism we have in America and that we have become accustom too. For me reconnecting with nature is far more important than living in a world of consumerism, in having a lot of stuff, and thus becoming part of the problem in the devastating impact we are having on our planet through the pollution of our air, water and land, the rapid depletion of our natural resources, and overpopulation. Having all the stuff, the new fancy car, the big house, all the stuff to fill the house with, no longer had any meaning to me. Living in Nature and with the natural world has far more appeal to me than having a lot of stuff with short term gratification, usually just sits in a closet or in storage, or in the garage. It is not really about stepping back in time, but connecting deeply with the natural world, and the amazing beauty and wondrous creation of all life. We live on a very special planet.

When I think of traveling to new places or new countries now, I don’t think about staying in four and five star hotels or doing all the touristy things most people usually do when traveling. It is not that I was once one of those people who enjoyed the good life. I just now see myself rather spending time with traditional indigenous people who still live in the their traditional ways, so I can learn those skills and be with people who really live, experience and survive from the land and who respect the land for all it provides them on a more spiritual level. This was another dream of mine that I would love to experience.

And now, I am ready to explore nature once again with Shiloh, a Native American Indian Dog who is 5 years old now. And I will find that it will be an experience by me on a much deeper level than I could have ever thought or imagined. I decided to redirect that energy on still being in the wilderness, but not on horseback.

On April 1^st I got everything moved in and got my office stuff put into the unfinished Living Room at my friend’s house. For the month of April I was going to be spending a month and a half camping at a regional park about a half hour away from my new temporary home at my friend’s house. I made reservations to camp at Del Valle Reservoir Regional Park from April 1^st to May 14th. This was to be our new home for forty-two days.

This is our story about rediscovering, and reconnecting with Nature, and the wilderness with Shiloh and I.

I once saw a sign at the beginning of a trailhead that read, May your search through Nature lead you to yourself.

This sign is a great idea to provoke thought and awareness while taking those first steps into Nature, but in reality, how many people grasp this possibility of reaching some awakening into finding who they truly are, in finding a deeper meaning in life, and connecting to Nature on a much deeper spiritual level. Many people in today’s world are looking for some spiritual connection that is outside themselves and they may go into Nature or travel to some exotic spiritual place thinking they will find the meaning of life, but very few ever do. Because they are always looking for it in the wrong direction. Instead of looking outward, they will only find this place within themselves by looking inward where the answers lies.

Most people that experience time in Nature are usually with other people or may be walking their dog or may actually be reflecting on life, but finding answers through nature I believe it can only be done alone without distractions by others. And it could take many weeks or months or even years in the wilderness to experience any real sense of connection with oneself and to all of creation, or it can be experienced in a moment, through deep awakening. Most of us bring mental garbage into nature with us and are hoping to leave oriesit behind somewhere else besides in our memories. As with anything it is a process that usually cannot be rushed. It is a process of being able to silence the mind and experiencing quiet observation and awareness. Being in Nature and appreciating nature is different from truly experiencing and connecting with Nature and experiencing a deep profound awakening experience with Nature in Nature.

“Wilderness is not only a haven for native plants and animals but it is also a refuge from society. Its a place to go to hear the wind and little else, see the stars and the galaxies, smell the pine trees, feel the cold water, touch the sky and the ground at the same time, listen to coyotes, eat the fresh snow, walk across the desert sands, and realize why its good to go outside of the city and the suburbs. Fortunately, there is wilderness just outside the limits of the cities and the suburbs in most of the United States, especially in the West.”

~ John Muir