I’m currently staying on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land just outside Joshua Tree National Park. I’ve been here for about a week and while here, I met an amazing young man named Alex (and his dog Sky) Alex will be 25 later this month and he has a youthful exuberance and genuine warmth that touches everyone he comes in contact with. He lives in a converted school bus that he built out himself. We have been walking our dogs together, often twice a day. As we pass other people camping on the land, Alex waves at every one of them, and shouts out “Good mornin’. How are you this mornin’?” His broad, bright smile is contageous and everyone (well, ALMOST everyone) always smiles and waves. He is like the mayor of nomadland, welcoming everyone to his off-the-grid town.
The past two nights we have built a campfire together. We sit under the stars, marvel at the Milky Way above us, and Alex voices what I’ve been feeling for a couple years: “This is SO Beautiful.” I feel fortunate to have met him and spent time with him.
I have a huge campsite in this BLM land. There are gravel roads leading in and out of the land, and along the road there are many turn-offs into cleared spaces. When it isn’t crowded, people tend to set up camp, one vehicle to each cleared space. Last night was Friday, and a lot of people started coming in. Pulling in after dark, I think they couldn’t see how many empty cleared spots were still available just a little ways down the road, so one van pulled into the spot I had taken. And then another. When I woke up this morning I was sharing “my space” with three other campers. I’m a little bit ashamed to admit it, but I was somewhat annoyed. I thought “There are about fifty vacant spots down the road. Did you really have to pull in twenty feet from my van?”
I’m embarassed by my territoriality. I’m on government land. It’s free for all to use. I made judgements about those who pulled into “my” campground. One was a rented RV. I thought “You should learn the “rules” before renting an RV and encroaching on my space.” Really? What ARE the “rules?”
I thought back to walking with Alex and the dogs last night. The “rule” seemed to be: Say hello to everyone you see. Be nice. If people stop and talk, tell them we’re having a campfire later and they are invited.
So rather than staying irritated this morning that three RV’s had intruded, I decided that I need to remember that I LIVE HERE. I should be the gracious host, especially to the newbies who may be unfamiliar with boondocking. I should go out and with Alex’s enthusiasm, say “Good Mornin’. How is everyone this mornin’?” I have the ability to be “that nice hippie we met on our first boondocking experience” or “That old asshole who ruined our weekend getaway by being rude to us.” The choice seems pretty obvious to me.
So thank you Alex, for being my mentor, my spiritual guide. Your positive energy changes lives. Spread it far and wide, and know that those you share your positive vibe with, will pick it up, magnify it and pass it on. I’m so happy and grateful to have gotten the opportunity to meet you along the way. I hope our paths cross again.
See you down the road, buddy.