Floreeeda!

 I had been staying a few weeks in Denver at various friends places and hoping that one of them could drive and ride with me to Florida.  However, it was just not good timing for any of them so I was facing the drive by myself.  Todd suggested I put an ad on craigslist for a ride share.  This way I could recoup a little gas money and have a traveling companion.  I thought, “Heck, what do I have to lose.  If someone who contacts me seems a little crazy I can always tell them no.”  I was contacted first by a 36 year old guy from Denver that said he definitely wanted to go with me but was working on getting things ready to go and trying to come up with the money for the gas share.  I told him ok.  Then I was contacted by a 21 year old guy from Kansas City that said he would like to go, had the money and was all set.  He also told me he had arranged a ride with a different guy but he was getting weird vibes from that guy and really wanted to ride with me instead.  I was pretty torn because I had said yes to the first guy and I only had room for one other person in the car because I was bringing a lot of my stuff that still needed to be shipped too. 

 

I had a strong feeling that the first guy was going to bail out at the last minute so I told the Kansas City kid yes too and figured it would all work out.  My gut feeling was correct and the first guy did drop out the night before we were to leave.

 

A winter storm was heading our way so I checked the weather most of the way.  Yep!  It wasn’t looking real good but I thought if I could get started and keep ahead of the storm, I would be ok.  We had had a couple decent days and the main roads were clear. 

 

Next morning I get up to about 4 new inches of snow overnight.  Todd and I are out shoveling once again.  I also remembered I needed my original car title to give to the shipper to ship my car.  I distinctly remember it being in with the other car paperwork in the glove box so I go to look at it.  Nope, not there.  I search everywhere I can search which is not very much because I have already sent the rest of my stuff to Florida for shipping.  No title.  It must be in with my files that are already in Florida and in a container.  I call the shipper to confirm.  Yes, no title, no shipping! Ok well, I have way too much scheduled at this point to change timing plans.  A little research shows I can give someone my power of attorney to someone and they can apply for a lost title on my behalf.  Melissa!!  Help!!!  

 

To stay in Colorado and handle it myself would have meant letting me co-traveler down, missing my flight out of Tampa and Todd was actually flying out of Denver to Costa Rica the same day I was flying out of Tampa and we were meeting in San Jose.  So it would have totally messed all that up.  I had to go, I had no choice. 

 

I head out of Denver and it is overcast and gloomy.  I got a little bit out East and the sun was beaming on a beautiful day.  For a little while!   I stopped in Limon for fuel and bathroom break and by the time I was heading out, it was snowing again.  I got ahead of it again and stopped for the night in Topeka.  I let my travel partner know I would be picking him up early the next morning.  Crashed in the hotel for the night, too tired to even grab anything for dinner.

 

Left the next morning.  Very cold but clear and the roads were clear.  Thank you God.  Just west of Kansas City I pick up my travelling companion.  Kabes, as his family affectionately call him.  Original name is Jacob but he said there were too many Jacobs around so he changed his name to Kaobi Venado, Kabes for short.  I pulled off the freeway onto an on ramp and soon a black pickup pulls up.  I see some conversation going on and then hugs.  Kabes hops out and climbs in my car.  He is a nice, friendly looking young man with his hair pulled up in a knot in the back.  We drive by the pickup truck to turn around and I see his mom inside crying.  He told me she always worries about him when he takes these travelling trips.  I stop and roll down my window and tell here I will take good care of him and he will be safe while he is with me.  Then we head back onto the freeway. 

 

Over the next two days I find out quite abit about this young man and we form a pretty tight bond very quickly.  We have so much in common, even though we have a large age gap.  He tells me how much his family means to him.  He tells me some of their trials through the years.  I tell him what I have been through over the last year or so.  I even cry some and he is very sweet and understanding.  He is on his way to Ocala, Florida where there is a Rainbow gathering there in the national forest.  He is brave too.  He and two of his friends went against their parent’s wishes and took off for a trip to Mexico.  Their adventurous spirits wouldn’t let them listen to people telling them of the dangers there and trying to fill them with fear.  And guess what?  They had a great time.  Did everything go well and as planned?  No.  But they grew and learned and are better people from their experience.  He is concerned about the earth and what we are doing to it.  He helped build earth houses that they made in hillsides and made the front walls out of old tires filled with dirt.  He is a very old and wise spirit I think. 

 

For the most part we stayed ahead of the storm but just before we are to take our turn to the South, we hit snow.  Kabes is driving and he is doing a good job so I just let him go.  It is coming down pretty heavy for about an hour or so but then we turn and head South in Tennessee.  Not too long after that it turns to rain but it is also dark so we find a hotel.  We checked into the hotel and then grabbed some dinner.  It is Superbowl Sunday so I watch a little of the game at the restaurant and plan to finish watching it at the hotel but the game is pretty sad and Kabes and I just can’t quit talking.  We compare tattoos, which was a quick loss for me, I only have one, he has many.  Then we compare scars.  Oh, I soooo have this one in the bag.  I have so many scars.  It would be hard to find someone who has more scars than me that is still living to tell the tales of them.  J

 

Kabes takes  a shower and comes out with his hair down.  Oh my gosh!  I didn’t realize it was so long and that he looks so much like my son Joshua did when he was younger and had his very long hair.  If I was having impure thoughts up to that point, that killed it all right there.  Ha ha.  And for the record, we both had our own beds.

 

KABES

The next day is pretty uneventful with just driving until we reach Ocala.  Thankfully Kabes looked up and wrote the directions down of how to get to the gathering through the forest.  We were driving down bumpy dirt/sand roads.  I was teasing of how this would give Scarface some practice for driving down in Nosara on the bumpy gravel/muddy roads.  We go by a sign that says “Traylor for sale.”  I teased Kabes that he is going to be out here with the people from that show “Swamp People”.   We are making turns on unmarked weird, one lane sand roads with some huge ruts in areas.  Kabes said, “I am starting to doubt myself.”  Just as he said this, we turned a corner and there is a psychedelic tie dyed bus in front of us.  I point it out and say, “I think we found it.  Nothing says hippy gathering like a tie dyed bus.”  We both start laughing.  We pull up and start talking to a guy.  I asked how many people were here at the gathering because where we are at there are about 10 and 3 vehicles.  He paused and said, “Hmmmmm, about 500.”  I am shocked because I swear it looks like only a few.  Apparently they have camps all over back in the woods.  We are advised to not hang out with the camp right up front unless we are looking to drink heavily and party.  I thought one of the main reasons of these gatherings was to party but what do I know?  I have never been to one.

 

Kabes gathers his stuff and we have to say good bye.  We have befriended each other on Facebook so we can at least stay in touch some.  I tell him, “Have fun but stay safe and make good decisions.  You have another mom now whether you like it or not.”  He tells me that I have another son now too.  I opened the car door to leave and he yells out to me, “I love you Lori.”   I say “I love you too!”  We wave good bye.  I have to admit when I got back in the car I had an empty feeling where his spirit had been.  I missed him immediately.  I so totally get now why his mom misses him so much when he goes away.  It is not just worrying about him.  She misses the light that he brings.  Love you Kabes, always will.  I hope you and your mom come visit me some day.

 

I find my way back out of the national forest, thanks to Kabes letting me keep the directions and I pretty much back track all the way.  I drive to just North of Tampa to stay for the night before taking my car to the shippers the next day. 

 

The next day I take my time at the hotel because I have all day to drive just a little ways.  I find the industrial complex where the shippers warehouse is at but I can’t find the actual warehouse.  I went to the office and they told me it was right across the street.  I start to head that way and lo and behold, the man’s daughter and her husband spot me and are waving at me to come on.  I meet Ieneke and her husband, Alberto.  Ieneke’s dad Charles is the one who owns the business.  He handles the deliveries on the Costa Rica side.  Ieneke and her husband handle the US side.  Charles is Dutch but married a Costa Rican, so Ieneke is half dutch and half tico.  Her husband is from Costa Rica.  They are so absolutely sweet.  I pull my car into the warehouse, explain the issue again about the title and say I understand I will have to pay storage fees while they hold my car since they cannot ship it yet.  Ieneke says noooo, no storage fees.  Oh my gosh, that is great.  Then I say let me help pack up the stuff that is in the car because I found out you cannot ship stuff in the car.  I think it is because customs needs to be able to check it out good.  Again Ieneke says, nooooo, we will do that for you.  Ok.   I ask if they have a computer and printer so I can print up the forms to request the lost title and give my friend in Colorado the power of attorney to request it.  Ieneke lets me use their office equipment.  Almost done.  I ask Ienek should I call a taxi or what is the best way to get me to the hotel for the night.  She says, noooooo, no taxi.  My husband will take you back.  I’m telling you, these people are so wonderful.  Not only does her husband take me to the hotel, before we go there, he takes me to a UPS store which is waaay out of the way so I can express send the paperwork for the title.  Then he takes me waaay in the other direction to the hotel, even paying the tolls.  He would not even let me do that. 

 

We had a wonderful conversation about their life there, their son, the business and other stuff.  He showed me pictures of his son that were on his phone.  We have a great visit and I loved meeting both of them.  When we got to the hotel he brought my big heavy suitcase in and I hugged him goodbye.  The girl who checked me in is very sweet too.  Her family is originally from Hondouras.  She told me where my room was and said she picked that one for me because it will not be too far from the front reception for the next morning when the airport shuttle is to pick me up.  What she failed to say is that it is on the second floor with no elevator.  So I have to slowly lug my heavy suitcase up to my room and then come and get my carry on too.  Oh well, I see that compared to other hotel rooms, I am pretty close at least.

 

I’m pretty much too tired, hot and a little scared to go out looking for a place to eat that night so I called the front and asked if they knew of a good Chinese restaurant that delivers there.  I way over ordered, being hungry at the time of the call and also knowing it would be my last Chinese food in who knows how long.  Ahhh, but it was very good!!.

 

 

Next morning at 5:00 am, I am schlepping my luggage back down, catch the shuttle, fly to San Jose, Costa Rica and meet up with my friend Caitlan at the hotel. 

 

Still working on getting to that space where I can slow down enough to live in the moment.  I’m almost there.