We understand there are limited sets of facial features in the human genome but this story is ridiculously fascinating!
It comes as no surprise that we see doppelgangers of Americans throughout our travels in Europe.
Sometimes the remote twins look so similar William almost says Hello.
This post contains excerpts of a letter sent to his daughter in United States
Hold On To Your Socks
But hold on to your socks for this next one. I climbed up the hill in Ventimiglia to get away from the highway thru the inner city.
I knew in one block the crowd would be gone and one more block the streets were almost empty and they have more benches, trees, gardens and less fences. The smell of piss soaked Diesel cigarettes disappeared completely. (almost)
Hold On To Your Cobblestones
Overlooking the city is an ancient Church castle walled city still in use. Mostly as apartment buildings inside the old stone walls to house the people who work there.
I was beat when I reach the top and stopped for coffee at a local shop and sit a bit at the restaurant. (Hold on to your socks, sister and please pardon my pronouns)
Hold On To Your Hallucinations
I look up because I see the pink polyester fabric with the embroidered rose pattern my mom bought me to wear for the school year in first grade. (Yes that shirt got my smart ass kicked more than once!
Inside the shirt was you! (With a, yeah, I cut my hair shorter than short and bleached it myself bitch ,look)
You ordered an ice cream (cuz it was hotter than a mofo yesterday) and you blinked your whole face and my whole family tree looked back at me.
(My brother when he was young and my father and aunts and uncles from long ago and a lot of me)
Then you, you looked back to me and smiled before digging into the ice cream.
I’m still tripping on the pink polyester fabric and telling myself it’s probably not a good idea to start a conversation about how you look like my daughter and go from there.
I really wanted to take a picture but too weird, right?
Who said , Freedom isnt Free? When I tell people I began my walk last year in Marbella, Spain, sometimes their face lights up because they think I have a lot of money. While it is true I am rich, in spirit. My wallet is not fat. I say it costs the same amount to walk
A Tail in Two Cities
They say, (them) the Universe only gives you what you accept. This is sometimes difficult to grasp as a novice conjuror who was taught to be grateful for every crumb to land upon my plate. (and I am, thankful.)We are trained to believe, suffering is good for the soul, money is the root of all evil, deny ourselves earthly pleasures. This crap was all written by the kings in the form of religion to deliver that opium to the masses before they realize there is enough for all of us on god´s green earth!
More Horrible Porridge, Please Sir
It is so deeply engrained in me that when someone gives me a loaf of bread, I eat it because I do not want to seem ungrateful.The sick trick here is, I got a wheat allergy going on and that free bread makes me sick. I forget this as I take another bite and another bite. Maybe I am just greedy for eating foods that are bad for me?
I remember a colleague of mine saying, The Universe only gives us what we say Yes to. Now it makes sense to me. If I say yes to bread every time, the Universe gives me more because it thinks I love it!The same goes for being poor or hungry or bad habits or gravitating to places that look like they cost less money. I may be the first to tell you, it costs a lot more to live in the Ghetto of the Soul!
The Ghetto of Soul
But if I keep saying yes to all the crap, the Universe gets confused and keeps feeding me more crap nobody wants, no how! No way!If I keep putting on the same old pair of Stank Ass pants and shoes and foods and people, places and things, the Universe will keep giving me more of the same.This is a difficult habit to break because our brains want predictability and familiararity and are very uncomfortable trying on a new pair of temporal lobes. Come on Cerebellum! Cartegena and the Road to Riches has begun to appear.
If A Plea Falls On Deaf Ears, Will Anyone Hear It?
The only thing you need to change your life, is to change your life. Sometimes I fall into the same old trap because my societal training is so complete. If I keep doing the same old thing, the Universe will keep giving me the same old thing.I realize now it is my brain not feeling comfortable in a new situation. But Maybe I need to practice new situations until that feels comfortable. Acting as if you have been ther’e before helps you feel more comfortable in a new situation. Breathing into your fear and taking the plunge into a new environment is as refreshing as diving off that cliff and landing in the ice cold, sparkling blue waters of a new life!
Do not just stand there on the precipice wondering what if… Take a deep breath , count to three and jump! Ready? One… Jump!
It begins at the cellular level. If Darwin was correct and the one cell demonstrates the signs of a life form. It eats and drinks and excretes itself while responding to external stimuli.
Now imagine 31 trillion of those cells stitched together in better form than Frankenstein’s monster.
That conglomeration of life forms, form the form of you. The Human Being.
Mind Over Matter, Does It Matter?
This walking, talking, ever-evolving collection of living and dying cells living and dying together are all striving to survive.
When the sun burns your skin cells they send signals to the brain cells through nerve cells. All of these cells are differentiated but working together as one system.
It is a wonder we can even think at all! Do you ever wonder when the first collection of cells decided it would be a great idea to live and work together?
Who decided who is in charge? Did they hold a blind vote to stuff the smartest cells into the skull for protection?
Loosely Correlated Coalition
This ponzi scheme of the human body wakes up every day with only one thing on it’s mind.
To keep the organization of organisms alive for one more day.
Separate But Equal
These single cells demonstrating signs of life are amazingly similar to the cells that compose all other life as we know it.
The bee is the tree is the flower is my trick knee is the answer to the riddle of why?
Many forms of life form coalitions to mutually benefit and exhibit remarkably similar social structures on both a micro and macro scale.
The Will To Survive
Can you feel the power of thirty one trillion cells alive and striving for survival inside you?
Be sure you are in a safe space before you practice this mind melter. You will remain conscious but intensely focused enough to not notice other objects or people around you.
After enough practice and training yourself you will be aware of when and if you are in a good meditation space and the onset of the zone, so to speak, comes quickly as you have created and changed neural pathways in your brain..
(links open in new tabs)
Focused Breathing
This is our favorite method for releasing your relaxation and feel good neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA.
Another you may be familiar with is DMT or the Bliss chemical or God particle .The ever increased popularity of ayuhasca is again in the headlines.
The debate continues over the reality of it’s existence but we are living proof!
Target Those Neurons
Place the tongue against the roof of the mouth behind the teeth and pull in a slow breath you can feel behind and between the eyes to bath the prefrontal cortex in oxygen and love. This is your Third Eye.
Sense the air moving slowly over , under and around your prefontal cortex or Third Eye.
The Sensation You Seek In Meditation
Armchair scientists love to claim the brain feels no pain or anything at all for that matter.
We Sense our thoughts and sometimes they are painful. With practice you will be able to feel around inside your brain and sense the parts of the brain responsible for receiving sights, sounds, smells etc.
Deeper And Deeper
Notice how you can steer the breath around the inside of your brain.
Behind the prefrontal cortex, directly between your ears is the beginning of the limbic system. This is where meditation starts to become fun.
You communicate with your limbic system through the breath and here you can bath the hypothalamus and pituitary gland with oxygen and they will reward you with relaxation!
Going further behind the pituitary sits the amygdala and spend a few minutes massaging it with the softness of the breath.
The Moment That Lasts One Thousand Years
By this time you know your way around the inside of the brain and we will not leave you hanging here.
Finding the pineal gland for the first time is an intensely gratifying and rewardingly rich experience.
You will exclaim, where has this been my whole life? Then you will keep going back for another hit of the super natural , supernatural , DMT trip you created with your own brain! Isn’t that ecstatic?!?
Again, Make sure you are in a safe space before attempting This Experience. You will be focused in a state of relaxed concentration and will not wish to be disturbed.
If you are disturbed you will be able to switch your awareness and focus to anything needed your attention.
William turned his attention to his well worn paper maps for only minutes. That was more than enough time for the theif to snatch his bicycle from behind. Guess we do not need maps for Italy Tour of Bicycle anymore.
William wasted no time crying over spilt milk, as there was no time to spare and no water to be wasted as he was keeping his appointment with the Imperial forces of Italy.
Purgatory
William found his load much lighter, both mentally and physically as well.
The speed advantage of a bicycle can be lost in momentum as the Alps in Italy will not be outmatched by France!
Remember this in the 30 degree centigrade heat of early European summer.
Calling All Angels
The next day William found himself once again summoned to France having no bicycle, no communications and only the shoes on his feet!
He drew mightily on the power of silent prayer and meditation to increase his faith and intuition.
William also drew mightily on the water he sourced miraculously from anywhere it could be found during this 40 kilometer walk from Sanremo, Italy to Menton, France.
Paradise Found
William found his personal protector in Saint Michael and his ever loving provider of food and guidance in Saint Gabriel.
Remember to be forever grateful for every drop of water, breath of air and crust of bread that crosses your lips!
Thank you Angels!
Is This The End of William’s Journey?
William sits again on hallowed ground knowing he does not need the laws of man to tell him what he ought to do.
We will write more on this subject later as we respect the authority of the Italian government it may be necessary to return to America prematurely.
Every day can appear to be an uphill climb if you are not aligned with your Selfs true purpose.
Again William tells himself to return to Menton, France and the Universe responded with punch to his belly that left him flat on his back and gasping for air!
Hell Is For Children
God turned up the heat this weekend of June 19-21 in the south of France in what can only be a scorched earth policy decreed from above.
William pedaled desperately uphill towards Tende as his brain melted like margarine in a cerebral skillet.
There was no water or food to be found as the markets were closed and the Free.prepaye.com company did not honor the thirty day contract William purchased.
This leaves William unable to access his bank accounts as the Free.prepaye company Defaulted on the contract.
links open new tabs
Stay True To Your School
William found rest and respite despite the heat when reaching Tende and the higher elevations of the nearby mountains.
William is grateful for this as well as everyone can expect.
Ironically, William finds more of nature thriving in thick, full, green along with all the colors of the rainbow near the mountain tops..
The drought is fierce near the lower latitudes as well as altitudes
Thank You For Tuning Into This Broadcast
We would be nothing without your continued help ! Click here to visit our lostmymindfulness home page and purchase coffee for William.
As they say in the bicycling business; 5 hours in ascension and 5 minutes in descension! This side trip from Menton to Tende, France took us 5 days of climbing seemingly endless mountains but paid off in incredible view like the one pictured above in the memorial statue in Tende.
William took advantage of the staff of the Hotel-du-Centre in Tende, France and the reciprocation was well worth the effort! If you need great accomodations, be sure to check in before you check out the trails.
(links open in new tabs)
Spirited Invocations
We got another head check from our spirit guides as the ravens and green-eyed lady cats flocked together in an air-ground attack for the ages. We know it was a small sign from the universe to let us know it is paying attention. We say, thank you, and right back at ya!
Prepare For Your Train In Advance
Check out the rules for traveling by train with your bicycle in France. In some cases you can hop right on board without hesitation but on popular train routes at busy times of day you may wish to secure a reservation.
We were stymied on our way to Italy as some guardians informed us at the tunnel entrance leading to the border: No bicycles allowed.
This afforded us some extra time in the wonderful country of France and William wishes he could stay here forever and ever and ever!
Remember To Breathe
William finds the sport medicine gurus are correct. (links open in new tabs)When doing strenuous exercise: long slow deep breathing is best as it provides better oxygen exchange for the brain and body to function. Cramping is a result of lactose acid building up in your muscles and causing them to clench and becoming painful. Lactose qcid builds up in your muscles during anaerobic exercise caused by the muscle fibers themselves not getting oxygen.
hey kids! i would not believe this story was true if jack keroaucçs ghost had not picked my soul up off the side of the road in Taos… New Mexico?
(links open in new tabs)
wait a minute, scratch that! it has been so long since writing i ended up beginning another story in another country?
jack kerouack´s ghost? driving a new vw van emblazoned with an ón the road ´ logo? in Zahara , Spain? This story has happened so quickly i have no time to get new phone i lost in madrid, yikes
our hero , ´billy the kid´ , didn´t make it home last month. what?!? yeah man, he took that midnight train to georgia all the way to spain. and we believe the god´s were in fact and deed, on his side
why do you say that?
impossible events, application for passport in a state other than his own, the passport agency must a been happy to get rid of us. a record turn around time of 10 days, including weekends. they mailed us the book to the general delivery address that was expressly discouraged by the postmaster in general and in theory.
just in time for us to get the plane tickets and drive to airport and boot on out of that dusty, used to be two horse town of Taos, New Mexico.
On The Trail To Santiago
Getting back to walking North towards Milaga today. Rested too long and muscles atrophied. Forgetting the journey is the destination and sitting still and sitting in Stillness are separate entities. Each step brings me closer to the goal of becoming, transforming, evolving, metamorphasis! Knowing each end never ends. Only another footstep on a journey I make my own each day. A pilgram on the path to understanding what is important cannot be carried in your pockets. Many walk much faster and never take the first step. (choose your own path of the saints)
Malaga, Key Largo, Torremolinos
Which of these is fictional? The trail to Santiago may be a metaphoracal state but the country of Spain takes up a lot of real, Real Estate! This Place is as beautiful as it is huge! I am in another library, Centro Cultural Pablo Ruiz Picasso. My intuition led me here with the thought of computer access but this building is a work of art. Forgive me for not writing. I need to explore!
Some times it is necessary to laugh at your own life because you cannot make this stuff up unless you are writing a Hollywood Blockbuster.
Trip on this, right. I was speaking with my friend Ani who possesses great wisdom behind her young eyes. We were comparing times we asked for something and the Universe answered by giving us exactly what we asked.
Her words stick with me until this day. Be careful not to ask for more than you need and you may be surprised by how little you actually need.
The weird part, (you know there is always a weird part; right?) is I did a spirit guide meditation on the beach right before she appeared! South of Valencia, Spain and the beach is empty. A figure appeared and I joke to myself; it is my guide: Closer and closer slowly I am becoming more and more sure it is Ani walking towards me! Da Faq!?!
I walked many days over the mountain ridges and peaks to reach my destination. I was again struck by the fact that I am able to use a phone in the city for a full day on one charge. Often using several apps at the same time. Google Maps , web browsers, email clients, text messaging and even telephone calls.
The Hand That Feeds
This speaks to the great advancements in cell phone battery technology over the years. I am speaking about _ hours of heavy use on one charge and my phone was the entry level device. But one thing vexes me and I will repeat the question here.
Why does the same battery and same phone quickly die when you leave the confines of the city and roam into nature. I have tested this many times to find even with all apps turned off and cell phone in airplane mode I can watch the battery drain quicker than corn through a goose.
I believe the cell phone and the system needs your eyeballs and if you are not staring at your phone for hours a day the phone will call for your attention by malfunctioning or inexplicably draining the battery. Causing you to be a good little consumer and racing back to the wifi and plugs and wires and using your phone to research how to extend battery life or whatever! I know the battery works for eight hours at full use on single charge until I stop looking at my phone.
Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
After complaining how the phone was messing with me in the mountains I once again found myself in Babylon (Valencia) and my phone, thankfully holding a charge no problem. I sat down in the park near the Rainbow benches (links open in new tabs)to relax with one hour before my consulate appointment to find the Universe had an answer for my complaints!
The thug was wearing an orange reflective vest which made me think he worked in the park. I would soon find out he indeed did not work in the park.
He slammed his hand onto the bench to grab my phone and yelled and pointed that I could not sit in this section. His friend also yelled for me to go and I stuffed my papers into my bag to leave and said, oh crap! My phone!
Choose Your Own Adventure
I saw the man in orange and yelled for him to come back while knowing if I chase him I may not get the phone but definitely will miss the passport appointment.
The man took a strange turn and start heading in my direction on the other side of the street. I know he does not see me but if I run he can run. I faded behind the dumpster and popped out behind him and he can not get away.
I see from his split lips he has taken many beatings over time and if I hit him as I really wish to do I may still not get phone but may get arrested on busy downtown street!
He swore he does not have my phone and my appointment with the consular is coming quickly . To boot, now I must find the consular with no GPS in Valencia (Babylon).
I let the pillaging villager go and made it to the consular on time that day. I am happy to say the passport replacement meeting was the best part of my day. The people who work there make losing your passport seem fun. Almost…
The only thing you need to change your life is to change your life
Be careful because this man was dressed in old Repsol uniform and in my face I think he is wearing orange of the park department.
This is common in cities visited by many tourists.
The day of my crash will live in infamy. If not in my memory. I do remember being very excited to be pedaling my butt over the loveliest mountain countryside road on the home stretch in the North coast of Spain!
Thems The Brakes Kid
The weather was cooperating with crisp clean air filling my lungs as I had the words of a trail hiker in the White Mountains of New Hampshire ringing in my ears.
Today seems like a great day to push yourself to see how far you can go. I remember dragging ass that day thinking I could not make the peak. He must have read my mind but that one sentence was all it took to put some pep back in my step.
The same was true that day in New Hampshire and this day in Spain! I felt unstoppable and unfortunately it turned out to be true! ALMOST.
The Harder They Come
My rear brake pad was non existant and I was controlling my rapid descent with only a wing and a prayer and a front brake pad that was heating up the front aluminum rim so much it was warped.
I saw the road signs for Palamos and knew I could ride wide on the banks of the curves and only needed ten more kilometers to sit and eat my lunch.
Things were going great until the last bend and I was skidding on the sand covered highway. I remembered my training to brake on the straight way heading into the turn and set your line but I was picking up too much speed!
The last thing I remember is tapping the brake and thinking, I got it, I got it, I got it! Then feeling the bicyle slip out from beneath me and the rock wall heading my way with terrific centrifugal force!
The Harder They Fall
I woke up in the Emergency Room with blood soaking my clothes and the hospital staff yelling at me and pointing.
What do you mean you do not have a phone?!? You need a phone!!! I felt like Donald Sutherland in Invasion of the Body Snatchers except it was Invasion of the Brain Snatchers. I have met too many people recently who tell me their phone got them through college. (ChatGPT did their homework) I realize they struggle with simple concepts and basic math skills.
I was in extreme pain and did some deep abdominal breathing exercises (links will open in new tabs) to allow my body to go into healing state and brain to release some acetylcholine, dopamine and endorphins while the nurses attempted to throw some sutures in my skull.
One nurse left the room and left the other nurse to do the job. Assisted by yours truly. She was shaking so hard she could not hold the line and had ask me to put my finger on the stitch while she tied the knot in seven sutures.
Does God Take American Express?
I wish to thank the police, ambulance and medical staff and the two dudes from France who first found me after the crash as I needed medical attention fast! Thank you
Contrary to popular belief, I was not hot dogging it down the mountain; I just could not get my brakes fixed due to TD Bank randomly silencing my debit card due to losing my phone. I was feeling safe and did not notice the front rim warping more and more as the day grew longer. Still I am happy to be alive and kicking it old school now on the coast of France!
Bicycling Europe was my dream 30 years ago and I thank tha lawd awmighty i kin still do it today! I am greedy for my next breath and I understand life is precious and if you catch me complaining about something that does not add up to a hill of beans in the Grand Scheme of things. Please remind me to close my mouth and open my eyes so I can see the beauty all around me!
Remind me I am really living the dream and I never want to wake up! in turn I will remind you to start living your dream today! If you are waking up to the same BS, different day; Ask yourSelf how long do you want to be in the BS business? Do you know what I am saying?
The Only Thing You Need To Change Your Life Is To Change Your Life
Continuing the journey into France I realize bicycle shops are a great place to rest your mind, body and soul as well as fix those little ghosts in the machine. La Petit Vitesse in Pays D APT Luberon</a> is where I met a true Spirit Guide in the flesh who also seems to be embarking on his second life on the trail. Stop and say hello to Greg.
