Winter weather in most of the United States is fairly uncomfortable for vanlife unless you want to stay deep in the south or the desert and then still, at night it can be a bit much. We heard a recommendation from other vanlife folks that it’s ideal to take a little break each year, you won’t burn out this way. So last year when we were offered a fairly long stay in Eugene, OR, we were grateful to accept the offer. It was a win/win for everyone, they wanted to get away from rainy, gray, cool Eugene, Oregon but wanted someone to occupy their house while they were gone. We see the wisdom as it gave us time to be out of the van and buckle down to work on some rather complicated projects.
Walking Our Path
Nicki Scully totally invested in us when she had all the confidence in our ability as a team to create a soundtrack for her Egyptian themed course, a guided meditation. Bright Hawk has done an entire series for Nikki, in the past, but with Sounds True. Hollis Taylor had just finished their online education in sound engineering and accepted the challenge on their first big project with Nicki Scully! Although Hollis has a huge history with tech they didn’t actually have a whole lot of music history. Hollis had just started allowing themself to be part of creating music but for the most part, kept to tap dancing and enjoying music. An old story told to them by their parents, “You are tone-deaf and you lack rhythm” which was later reiterated by friends and lovers. It was a hard message to hear sometimes because Hollis held such a passion for music and sound, but we can all relate to believing those older or bigger than you. Eventually, most of us wake up to question those old stories. Somehow, Nicki just believed in us and our first creation was more than she had ever imagined. Hollis was grateful for Nicki’s firm belief in them because in most cases that is all one needs to exceed expectations.
After Nicki’s recording we moved on to Bright Hawk’s album and we both learned so much in our experience. Hollis struggled with a learning curve not just in music but the tech, as well, Ableton is a complicated software. Bright Hawk struggled with being perfect. We all know that no performer is perfect but Bright Hawk had to somehow have a perfect telling of her story, perfect rhythm, and tons of perfectly tuned instruments. We aren’t even including the challenge of having average hardware. One of the most interesting things about watching a musician or storyteller live is that it is never the same, it’s not monotonous, and if it is, we aren’t usually having a very good time.
Bright Hawk is great with the Live Audience because she knows if she has a great time, so will her audience! Today, with digital editing and so forth we had to decide…. did we want to make her beats PERFECT like a computer? Many people love to dance to this and there is tons of music with this vibration and in fact, most people listen to music like this, today. Even though we know, a live musician is never perfect, as humans were not created that way – this is why we love DJs so deeply. The beat can help us trance out and dance out whatever we might be holding inside. Although world beat is not like this, much world music can’t be perfect because a human is playing the rhythm. In our struggle, we instead decided to record, edit and produce natural experimental music with stories but it still meant that Bright Hawk had to be as close to perfect as she could be. Not just in the rhythm but don’t miss say a word in your storytelling, let your voice go too high or low and a cold could really slow you down! As an experimental album, we just weren’t sure how others would like or not like it.
We intended it to be something you can keep in your CD player and listen from beginning to end. Our intention is that by the end you feel connected, loved, and positive – ready to continue with your day. The music and stories remind us of our humanity, human connection, how to help each other feel included, and our connection to nature. Inspiring and heart-filling, we want you to feel positive by the time your done listening. Instant positivity, perfect for the human race right now!
This year we extended our “out of van” time, again as house sitters! Deep in Eugene again we found ourselves now in service to Indigo – for her Egyptian online courses. Although this time, Indigo wants an entire set of 13 tracks for all the parts of her course. We are grateful for the work and grateful we gained so much experience last year with Nikki’s meditation and then Bright Hawk’s Music & Stories album. This year we notice we are more efficient, faster, and we both have better ears. Also, the naysayers’ voices are muted, including the ones on repeat! We, in fact, have fallen in love with making these guided meditations and want to keep creating them, regardless of the theme. Look for this in 2020 and beyond!
As Bright Hawk is playing with her kalimba to find the right melody for our newest audio project. Hollis is taking care of business and finds something, “Bright Hawk, WOW! We are sold out of our album at CD Baby, they want us to send our stock!” Bright Hawk freezes and stares at Hollis perplexed. Bright Hawk wasn’t sure if anyone would want this album as it’s different and experimental, it is not what everyone is USED to listening to. She took in what Hollis said and then reacted with, “No way!” Hollis smiles and shows Bright Hawk the screen where it says “Sold Out” and then clicks over to the email that sends “Please send us restock, you are sold out!” Apparently CDBaby’s favorite email to send! A fantastic email to receive when your not sure if it was worth the production time, energy and money.
We look at each other and smile. We did our best and we were both 100% authentic, we didn’t try to be like anyone else. Instead, we embraced our imperfections and now it looks like people might actually appreciate that. In our world today everything tells you to be LIKE THIS or LIKE THAT but we were made from the stars in perfection. Our imperfections are perfectly beautiful and the world is waking up to that, now. Looks like we are perfectly on time! Follow your heart, be exactly who you need to be because someone needs you to be that!
We are also excited to be part of “Our Haven’s” Beltane in French Lick, Indiana! Bright Hawk is a featured artist and offering her storytime experience along with a workshop! Look for upcoming announcements about upcoming events for Summer of 2020.
Craving Bright Hawk drumming around the fire? If you have been craving a full Fire Circle with Bright Hawk – grab your gear because we are putting together a collaborative Fire Circle that includes DAYLIGHT dance hours!
YUP, that’s right we are adjusting the timing so that we can include children, families, elders, and individuals that might struggle for health or other reasons with the all-night model. So if you’re ready for something different watch for the upcoming website launch. Mark your calendar friends – June 4th -8th 2020 in McGrath, MN at a place called “The Shire in the Woods”. You can rent cabins and so forth, so if that’s your thing watch this email for more announcements! Our main intention is to be inclusive, we hope to dance with you in the LIGHT at Heartland Fire.
After a great time celebrating our friend’s birthday at Orvis Hot Springs, we had to fly out in between big snowstorms. As we defrosted Pegasus, our Ford Transit Van, and got on the road we were excited about where the weather was pointing us this holiday. We were excited to land just outside the Canyon of the Ancients, in Utah. It made sense because many storms wherein the 4 corners area and this spot would be spared. It might get a little cold but we really needed to avoid any kind of snow accumulation.
Intense skies validate the upcoming winter storm over the Holiday
After our experience on the “Forgiving” Holiday at Standing Rock a few years ago we were inspired to celebrate the holiday in a different way. We work at giving Gratitude all day and every day but on “Thanksgiving” aka “Forgiving” we learn about the history of the Indigenous peoples of North America. We honor their tribes, all they have been through. We where deeply honored this year to learn about the ancient culture that live at “Hovenweep” on the west side of the Canyon of the Ancients, teeny little place that is likely part of the ancient Pueblo People. It even has its own inexpensive boondocking campsite! Our biggest challenge in this space would be wind, considering what we were surrounded by, we were grateful on this holiday to be on such sacred land.
We took the 2-mile hike around the canyon, carefully visiting and learning about each ruin. We noticed everything was on the edge of the canyon or in the canyon. The sky was cloudy, a little threatening but the weather prediction just showed cloudiness. We embraced the moment to tune into this ancient civilization and appreciated all the anthropologists that had studied here. What they unfolded was the truth about the first people of this land, that in fact maybe they weren’t so ‘primitive’. As we walked the edge and stared at the ruins we imagined them not much different than us now, except they of course didn’t have the technology. At least they didn’t have cell phones and computers but we are sure they communicated, maybe through scouts or drumming from one mountain top to another? We wondered about the food they ate, farmed, and stored! Truly they were enlightened with the wisdom to live in harmony with nature – seemed many ancient civilizations understood this. We wondered how humanity had lost this connection, so many theories and opinions on that for sure. Most of us agree we must figure out how to live in harmony. After all, these ancient people lived here 800yrs ago and many other civilizations lived on earth for way longer. They didn’t deplete the land as we do in just a couple hundred years!
The day got windier and windier and we were grateful for the break from the winds as we descended into the canyon on the trail. We were grateful to understand even deeper just how smart these folks where, how they knew this desert would be very windy. We stood there in the center of the canyon, looking up at the threatening sky in wonderment at how these people learned to live in this canyon. As we deeply benefited in those moments to be completely protected from the 25mph winds up on the edge of the canyon, we smiled and KNEW deeply that these people where in harmony with nature. We began to grow hungry so we decided to finish the hike and go back to our van for lunch. We began to harvest the wisdom of these ancient people’s and honor their intelligence, connection, and mystery.
We were sure that the weather would stay calm even though the sky looked a little confused. As we climbed up the other side of the cliff to walk along the edge of the canyon back to the campsite we found ourselves looking upwards. Half the sky, was very dark and threatening but thank goodness we were moving towards the more clear sky. The light fluffly clouds encouraged us to just keep walking and we thought. How could we possibly blog about our experience today, in a good way? Really it’s a simple hike, maybe we find a way to share the wisdom of these ancient people. We had began to contemplate this story as the wind picked up, more and more. Both of us looking up now it seemed the half of the sky that was dark had reached out for us and it was blowing harder, faster and more intensely. We walk a little faster and it seems that cloud reaches for us even more and now with hail and snow pouring down on us so fast we barely can comprehend where the sun ran off to. The hail and the snow blew so hard both of us where reminded of blizzard conditions. Putting our heads down and practically running for shelter we noticed that something so confusing was happening above us, that the snow appeared blue. We ducked into the public bathroom, panting from running, and both of us relieved to be out of the weather.
Minutes later we want to dart for our van, but now the weather has stopped. As if the ancients wanted us to share this with you, and they added just enough excitement to make it a story for YOU! We hope you are enjoying this Story Blog. All stories are developed by Bright Hawk – a professional long time storyteller that often plays music with her stories. AND Hollis Taylor, author and longtime blogger. We share these stories to inspire wanderers, open your heart and eyes, and to recommend some cool places to visit.
As a Queer couple we stand with the LGBTQ community in proving that, no matter who you love, we are all just human beings having a human experience on planet earth. With Diversity and harmony we know, just like in nature, we can all thrive as a human race together. Thank you for your support! If your interested in having us visit YOUR community, please be sure to contact us. We are happy and honored to visit you along our journeys. We are booking 2020, right now.
Bright Hawk’s CD offers her fun stories that inspire our best selves, we hope you take a moment to listen. She also has a few songs on the album that she drafted with the handpan, the instrument she often uses while storytelling. We hope you take a moment to order and download her CD, follow us on Facebook/Instagram/Youtube for future growth in 2020!
We visit all kinds of communities, sometimes in nursing homes as well as spiritual and conscious communities. Often, regardless of what kind of community, they are intrigued at our travel and tend to ask where we are headed to next. Originally, we had thought after our work was done in Las Vegas, we would continue onto the south rim Grand Canyon to get some video footage and pictures for our current projects. We knew the North Rim was closed and heard it repeated several times in the community upon our announcement of our upcoming visit. We hadn’t been to the North Rim because often, in our tour, we are not in the area when it is scheduled to be open. As our time came to an end in Las Vegas, NV after some transformational experiences with the Vegas Vortex we began to investigate the weather in the Grand Canyon. Although it was within our limits we didn’t like hearing that there was a planned burn, which means smoke. Sounds like its not a good time to visit the Grand Canyon, even the South Rim. So instead we decide to visit Zion National Park and possibly stay in the area for some much-needed office work. We often work on public lands with our boon-docking office and its great if daytime temperatures are comfortable, dry, and still. We simply open all our doors, set up our solar panel on our windshield, and decide to either sit inside or outside the van. We even have a 10×10 to put up overtop our fold-out table. Often times we choose to sit on our bed with the backdoor open to a gorgeous view!
After a very grateful and fulfilling trip to Zion National Park it was time to dip down into Phoenix, AZ for a few planned programs with Nursing Homes, with LetsDanceActivities.org From where we were, we had two choices of travel, with only a 10minute difference if we decided to drive through the Grand Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs, places we had visited in the past. As Hollis scouted the drive they realized that there was an opportunity to visit or see parts of the North Rim, if it was all clear. Since we deal with National Forests, Parks, and public lands frequently, Hollis has learned a great deal about how different areas handle things.
Hurricane Cliffs, near the JEM Trail, near Zion National Park
We stop in a local town for a water refill, gas, and any food staples we might need. After errands, we begin to travel southward towards the Grand Canyon. Stopping at a rest stop at an altitude of 8500 feet for lunch, views, and a little rest break. As we carry on Hollis notices a sign for Jacob Lake and advises Bright Hawk to stop there if we can, as we are not sure if anything is open up here. Hollis looks around and sees very little snow, just a dusting on the side of the road in some areas that see less sunshine than others.
We had planned to just drive through the area and head on down to Phoenix for a much-needed soak in some hot springs. We called ahead in the morning to see if they had a campsite to go along with our visit and were waiting for a return call. Hollis realized there was no signal and hoped to get something at Jacob Lake, even just a connection to their wifi to check voicemail. Jacob Lake is just north of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon off highway 89 in Northern Arizona. We were delighted to discover that our hot spot had good, full signal and we are able to check in about our campsite. We wondered about what to do if his answer was NO, there is no room? Hollis played the voicemail, sounds like this place is super busy and they have no campsites till next week! Now we had to figure out what we were going to do, no matter what we decided we knew we had the rest of our Sunday and our full Monday before we needed to be in Phoenix for an afternoon program.
Hollis decided to step inside the lodge and see what they could find out about the North Rim, there were signs that it was simply 60 miles forward. Hollis asked a very gently spoken man behind the counter, “Hey there friend, Is the North Rim open? or do they have the gate closed.” He smiled and I already knew the answer because he was excited to say YES to me, he answered “Ohhh yeah, there is no snow or anything so they keep the gates open. There are no bathrooms and the stores and lodges are all closed, but you can see the viewpoints and all that!” Hollis smiled, bought the postcards, and Thanked the man for his direction. Hollis was excited to tell Bright Hawk! After sharing the exciting news with Bright Hawk we take off down the road that leads to the North Rim, Grand Canyon. We are very excited that it’s still early in the day, early afternoon and we had several more hours of light. With just a 55 minute scenic drive into the North Rim, Grand Canyon.
As we traveled on we drove through the Kaibab National Forest with beautiful open meadows, sprinkled with trees and bushes and covered with light brown and yellow grasses. A grassy carpet spread out before us almost expecting David Attendboro to narrate our journey forward. We would drive through noticing that every half mile or so, another sign would advise “No Driving in Meadow” and we would remember those old pictures of people visiting Grand Canyon in the early 1900’s in their old Model T style cars, out in the meadow as if their impact was nill. We laughed it off as it seemed obvious to us to simply stay on the road. We pushed on to see what was at the end. We can feel the deep wilderness and the vibration of an American National Park, signs about what not to do, and pull off notifications for slower vehicles, yet there is no one behind us. We are grateful for a quiet drive into the wilderness. As we approach the end and enter the parking lot we are delighted to be one of about ten cars in the parking lot! Everything is certainly closed for the season but the views are still accessible. We park and take off to see the view with eagerness. Hollis’ instinct as a scout sparks them to grab a picture of the map since we didn’t get one on our way in. We decide to start with Bright Angel Point and we walk all the way out, enjoying the view.
North Rim, Grand Canyon, November 2019, smoke from a controlled burn
As we stare at these beautiful massive rock formations deep in the Grand Canyon we find ourselves grateful for not listening to the nay-sayers and instead just staying in the flow. When we are guided, we are guided to where we need to be, to be guided means surrendering control, as holding onto control drowns your flow. So we enjoy a hike, mostly to ourselves, and head on out on a beautiful nature trail around the rim that ends up being a few mile hike. Neither of us had started our day thinking about hiking the North Rim, we thought we would be landing in Phoenix sometime that evening. Instead, now we walked along the North Rim staring at the glorious beings before us. When you contemplate how long they have been here and all the mysteries these ancient rock beings held within them, you can’t help but find yourself in wonderment. Both of us taking quiet time to wander alone with these massive structures and then walking together in wonderment at this spectacular place.
The Wildlife reminds us that humans have impacted the earth
We enjoy a vegetarian high protein gluten-free dinner in our van in a practically empty parking lot and a direct view of part of the canyon. Enjoying the wildlife that is visiting us and feeling blessed to have this space to ourselves. With fewer people around and everything closed up, the space felt a little like a ghost town and your imagination could easily lead you to see this place when it was first built. Both of us have watched the Ken Burn’s National Parks Documentary that outlines the history of these protected places, we can even sense the vibration through the stone walkways and lookout from the lodge area. Bright Hawk was even inspired to play some music and send some love out to all of you!
We Send LOVE & Serenity to all our readers and followers!
