Diamond In The Rough
Day Thirty-Nine – March 27, 2010
On the morning of the sixth day of my time in San Antonio, and after a brief conversation with Taylor, I decided it was time to leave. A part of me was getting too comfortable at Taylor’s place. I had to remind myself that I was on a journey. I had to keep moving.
I packed up my things and told Taylor I would keep in touch and see him later. He reminded me I always had a place to return if things didn’t work elsewhere. I appreciated that offer from the very bottom of my heart.
For the last two mornings, while retrieving things from my truck, I noticed a Jaybird in front of Taylor’s house. As soon as I opened the front door, the bird would fly down to the ground, flap its wings, and scream at the top of its lungs. Before I left Taylor’s house, I looked up the wisdom for “Jay” and discovered the following message:
- Understanding how to use power wisely
- Warning
- Courage
- Ability to check on future trouble spots.
- Copyright Animalspirits.com
Since this message appeared to be a warning, I decided to pull a few cards to see if I could clarify Jay’s message.
I had had my tires checked and rotated the day before, so I was good as far as my tires were concerned. During my drive to Austin, I stopped in Buda, Texas, directly off Interstate 35, and had my oil changed. I also had them check everything under the hood. Everything checked out okay.
I arrived in Austin safely and went to the Pecan Grove RV Park, which was very close to downtown. I had discovered this park online and liked its proximity to downtown.
The RV park was full, but the very nice gentleman behind the counter found me a small spot next to an abandoned RV. For only $10.00 a night, I figured it would be cheaper to stay here a few nights than continue down the highway and spend money on gas. I had always wanted to visit Austin, so this was my chance. The temperature was around 80 degrees, and the forecasted nighttime temperature was supposed to be in the mid-50s. Finally, it was warm enough for me to comfortably camp in the back of my truck.
After I parked my van in my RV space, I took a long bike ride around downtown Austin. It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to make the best of it. I took a few photographs during my bike ride.
I had heard that Austin was much like Portland, Oregon, and after biking around downtown for about an hour or so, I had to agree. My first impression was that both cities felt very similar, aside from the weather.
I began returning to the RV park and saw a young girl sitting in the middle of the street asking for money. For some reason, a feather in her hair caught my attention. Surrounded by her backpacks and traveling gear, the young girl appeared to be on her own journey.
\To pay forward some of the donations I had received, I walked over to where she sat and made a small contribution of my own. Her face lit up instantly, and she became filled with joy. I think I surprised her. She told me to have a great day, and I returned the gesture. As I rode away on my bike,
I wondered where she had been and where she was going.
I returned to my RV space, and one of my neighbors stopped by to introduce himself. He was a permanent resident and had lived in the park since April. He invited me to his RV, and we spent the next couple of hours getting to know one another. He then took me on a park tour and introduced me to another permanent resident. The three of us sat on her deck and talked for a long time. It was pretty lovely.
That evening, I found my way to a local grocery store and replenished some of my traveling supplies. I drove downtown that evening and stopped in at one of the local bars. As I was driving around, I couldn’t help but notice the live music everywhere. It was most definitely the city of live music.
I returned to my RV spot around 1:30 AM and was asleep by 2:00 AM. The nighttime temperature was very comfortable.