Changed up my camping route Sunday and drove towards Canton, NC. I hand picked some coordinates after AI gave me some dispersed camping spots for that area. My AI suggestions and I didn’t see eye to eye on the locations and facilities. My gps sent me to a “campground” that hugged a sports center off of 215 outside of Canton. I was seeking a little more solitude and shade for the night so I kept driving up 215. My navigation was of no use up there, I had no internet so I was driving somewhat blind. NC 215 isn’t in the middle of nowhere but it drives right through it. I did find a few pull offs with fire rings but I didn’t care for the location. Even if I were pulling off just to rest for a few hours I’m not a fan of these spots. I don’t care to be seen by passerby’s and I don’t like backing into a spot I can get blocked in by another vehicle. If I don’t feel at ease immediately when I stop I find another location. I finally pulled onto a gravel road that I had been on before. Most of these roads in Pisgah you have to pull off 1000 feet to camp unless a spot is deeded as a site. Found a couple but couldn’t report my position to my family without net and I had zero. My WiFi works when it wants to in these areas and she took the day off yesterday. I continued down the gravel trail until I began to see familiar landmarks. Half an hour later I’m driving by Looking Glass Rock and let out a whispering “fuck off” because I’d spent 2.5 hours in my truck to arrive at a point that’s 1.5 hours away from my home. I’m very familiar with bottom of Pisgah I knew I had driven around my elbow to get to my ass just to pull up in Brevard. I had a few words with myself while I contemplated driving back home. Davidson Campground is closed until September and there are only a handful of spots I prefer in Brevard. I took a chance on the small road by the stables and found an easy pull in by the creek. Hung my hammock to stake my plot and drove into town to update my coordinates with my fam. Wife was a little frazzled from my few hours of disappearance but it all worked out.

Spent my early afternoon with my feet in the creek, no phone, no book, no phone and no internet. My tv screen was short horizon of the weaving creek bed. I kept my camping set up small. I had my awning open to cover my set up table but that was it. It rained for about two hours. Just a calm drizzle that forced me inside my camper where I sat up, legs crossed, staring out my windows.

Avett Brothers are on my headphones. Untitled #4-

“and I finally learn what I need to know

I am happier with nothing

And I’m always home”

Simple synchronicities for the soul.

I spent my day doing absolutely nothing. My mind wasn’t in the meditative mood probably due to the nitro coffee I had late in the morning. I only sat in stillness for most of the early afternoon. 5:30 I left camp in search of a burger. I had two large bundles of fire wood I left unscathed. No cooking today I rode the wave of zero stimulation until I left my camp for food. Picked up a food truck burger and drove straight back to my camp. Ate my fries one by one on my tailgate while listening to the creek. When was the last time you ate a meal in complete silence? No conversations, no tv or phone? I have found some immense pleasure in these moments. I probably said three sentences aloud all day. Coffee order and burger order. “Side of fries” would’ve been my third. On long trips I can go days without outwardly speaking. All evening I sat on my tailgate staring into my own little window of life.

You go your own way after a while. Your mind wanders where it should when you turn off the noise. Not immediately and not all the time. It’s not any different than training a dog to sit. It takes patience and practice. You wouldn’t think that sitting still and doing nothing would take practice.

But

It does for most of us. I don’t mean lounging with good book or show.

Sitting still

That’s it.

Once the distractions are slowly dissolving, the news announcements every two inches on your scrolling, the scores, the beefs, the jerking of the chains.. your mind goes into auto mode.

It goes back inside of you.

That’s where everything is.

It’s where you find yourself

Your overthinking settles down. Your thoughts are still there but they don’t knock as loud. Eventually you’re only zoned in on the water babbling over the rocks. There’s nothing new age or mystical here stillness brings awareness. Awareness breeds content.

Some inner questions get their answers when you’re still.

Your peace can rise.

I sat on my tailgate until it was time to close the gate and go to bed.

My day didn’t go the way I had intended and yet it did. I just went with the flow. That’s a big step for me. A little over a year ago I most likely would have driven home frustrated.

Rode the flow. On my inner inner tube.

See what I did there?

Cheers