Pulling into the driveway, we were so glad to have finally arrived for a visit with Grandma and Grandpa Bridges! They greeted us with great big hugs, and we settled in for a week at their place. During our stay, they took such good care of us and shared lots of stories and tales that kept us entertained the entire time. It was great to get to know them better, to learn about such interesting and exciting experiences they’ve had, and to see their faces light up as they brought up old and memories. The two have a great passion for life, and they never cease to inspire and move people around them with their kind and generous ways, laughter and good senses of humor, and with the never ending love and respect they have for one another. (more…)
Whenever we visit Tucson, we always make it a point to have a meal at Govinda’s Natural Foods Buffett. This time, we decided to make it our first stop since we were quite hungry from our day of driving, and it was on the way to grandma and grandpa’s. We were hoping it would be “Indian Night,” when they dedicate their whole buffet to an array of delicious Indian dishes (otherwise there would be a mix of all different vegetarian dishes). Instead of calling ahead, we decided to go right there, and to our good fortune, the sign on the door read, “Indian Night.” Needless to say, we happily filled our plates and enjoyed the food. (more…)
MewithoutYou… our great friends and fellow grease travelers have released a new video from their fourth album, “it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright.” The video for “the Fox, the Crow and the Cookie” is playing exclusively now at Entertainment Weekly. (Our other wonderful friend) Amy Carrigan co-directed and co-produced the music video with puppets along with David Bell as co-director and Josh Bender and co-producer/DP. See you guys in San Francisco on the 23rd… (more…)
After a quick filter change in the morning, we set out towards Tucson with a plan to stop by a couple of hot springs along the way. We had looked up springs that were along the scenic route towards Tucson and called Essence of Tranquility first to see if we could also arrange a massage for both of us. It was too short notice for them to get somebody to come in. However, we still decided to stop by and check out their set up and see their tee-pee in case we decided to spend the night. We also called the neighboring Kachina Mineral Springs Spa to inquire about getting bodywork there. (more…)
We made it to Silver City from Las Cruces in no time. We were to meet up with Steph, who would be our couchsurfing host for that evening, but before our rendezvous we decided to grab a bite to eat. We had looked up a vegetarian café called Peace Meal before we arrived and made it a point to get to town before they closed at 3:00pm. (more…)
Our next drive took us from desert landscapes to steep climbs and forests to White Sands. As we descended from higher elevations, we came upon a vast open area. Mountains hugged the skyline ahead in both directions, and at the base of the range we were able to make out the sea of White Sands. We passed a sign advising us not to pick up hitchhikers (they may be escaped convicts) and then we passed another informing us that we were soon to be surrounded by missile ranges. Dodging hitchers and deadly flying objects, we made our way to White Sands National Monument. (more…)
After debating on whether to go to the much talked about northern New Mexico or to head straight through the south on the more direct route to Tucson, AZ, we chose the latter. We cruised into Carlsbad, NM, and began weeding out the motels with smelly, dark rooms, and ended up at the best of the bunch. (more…)
After our stay at the Southwest Vipassana Center, we headed into West Texas to rest for a night in a little town called Colorado City. There we stayed with Ava, our couchsurfing host. When we arrived, she whipped up some guacamole as well as cucumbers flavored with lime juice, and it took us no time to dig in. Then she sautéed some squash with her favorite sauces and seasonings. Before eating, she had to sneak out to make a shift change since she’s a paramedic and was on call. (more…)
One of our goals for this trip is to visit and serve (volunteer to help) at a few different Vipassana centers around the country. We had both been to the center in Massachusetts a few years back and just sat a 10 course at the new Southeast Center in Jesup, GA during our current venture. We made arrangements to come to Dhamma Siri in Kaufman, TX at the conclusion of a 10 day course to help out in-between courses. After our horseback ride with Paula, we only had about a half hour ride to Kaufman, and, when we arrived, Randy and his wife Luz who are the center managers warmly greeted us. (more…)
We arrived at Paula’s in the afternoon and were greeted by her, five or six children and two horses talking a leisurely walk. Smiles and hellos encouraged us to feel welcomed and right at home. We were given a cozy bedroom and lots and lots of hospitality. It was such a great place surrounded by gorgeous land and sky. (more…)
After a quick filter change in the morning, we set out towards Tucson with a plan to stop by a couple of hot springs along the way. We had looked up springs that were along the scenic route towards Tucson and called Essence of Tranquility first to see if we could also arrange a massage for both of us. It was too short notice for them to get somebody to come in. However, we still decided to stop by and check out their set up and see their tee-pee in case we decided to spend the night. We also called the neighboring Kachina Mineral Springs Spa to inquire about getting bodywork there. 
One of our goals for this trip is to visit and serve (volunteer to help) at a few different 
