The Dark Nights At Nordhouse Dunes

Nowhere better can we connect with the Universe,

than that lost and lonely, lonesome dark.

I listened to the crickets, and the frogs,

I listened to the leaves, and waves.

And when the stars and the moon came out,

I'd walk in the sunlight touched the moon.

Never have I been more lonely,

and never closer to Thoreau, Melville, Whitman and Defoe.

There was only one rule of Adventure,

if you see an Antique Store, you must shop, period.

That's where I found my ancient copy of Robinson Crusoe,

and I'd read it from time to mime, I'd listen to it as an Audio Book as well.

I found Dan Millman's Peacefull Warrior,

on a bottom shelf in a Dusty Box,

I read it from cover to cover in a single afternoon.

"There are no ordinary moments."

Each year I went there,

strangers would look at me differently.

I was a Wizard of the Woods once - "Thou shall pass",

I'd holler stepping out of the way on that steep part of the Arrowhead trail.

Another year I was the Artsy Hobo, I built Driftwood Horses,

and adorn whatever I couldn't lift with colorful cats.

- I used up all my acrylics.

And early on I was the Raccoon Artist,

I'd trace and sketch huge drawings of raccoons,

they were but a step away from becoming photo-realistic.

On my first long expedition,

I was greeted by a tired Park Ranger that didn't say a word.

On my way back, he realized I stayed the whole month,

and that it just happened to be the month of perfect sunshine for that year.

Even if it does rain there,

it is always warm rain that never gets in the way.

There was a couple of big storms,

that's true.

I remember laying on the ground in my tent, with an angry storm outside,

listing to We Are All Connected, by Symphony of Science,

and wondering about the conductivity of my tent poles.