““You will never find justice in the world where criminals make the rules. ”
~Bob Marley
Well, on our first days of Skoolie, we had extreme winds. Matt put up his EZ Up tent (when I was a soap maker, selling at outdoor craft shows, we used to call them “EZ Up, up and away” tents.) He staked it down with industrial size stakes and it survived overnight. The weather channel keeps telling us there are only “light breezes” but the way our flags are flapping in the winds would indicate otherwise.
Still, the sun was shining, and the temperatures were warm if you got out of the wind. My solar system is ecstatic for the sunshine and clear skies. Matt and I sat outside by his propane fire pit on our first night there, the wind blocked by a tarp on the side of his tent. I had wandered up to The Magic Bus, and gotten two pot cookies from Jen. Last year I got one, and it was not only delicious, but it was quite potent. I ate it in tiny bites and it lasted me nearly a week. I took a very small bite of one of the cookies and within a half hour I was as high as I’ve ever been since I lived in a college dorm. That was just the start. Minutes later I was seeing the world the same way I saw it when I was in Peru, after having drunk “the juice” my shaman gave us. Matt sat in the golden light of the setting sun with his dog Sunny, and his face radiated from the dazzling light. Sunny’s fur turned bright orange and became flames, shooting out of her like Our Lady of Guadalupe. I wondered if I had accidentally taken a dose of acid or mushrooms, but I know Jen well enough to know she would never do that. So I sat by the fire, and let it wash over me. Matt had been to the dispensary earlier in the day and had some new weed. After several hits he said “I am so high I can’t walk.” I’m not sure what was in the air that day, but we both sat and laughed at everything the other said. I haven’t had so much fun since I was 20. It took hours for me to come down, and when I did, I was ready for bed. I went out like a light until the first rays of sunshine announced a new day.
Cosmo and I took a walk in the wind. Afterward, I went alone up to see Jen in the Magic Bus and inform her of her confection’s potency. She does not indulge, so she was happy for the feedback. I talked with Tie-Dye Bob for a bit and on the way back to my van, encountered two new friends who introduced themselves as Jesus Joe and Sty–Characters only found at Woodstock and SkooliePalooza. They are parked up the road and are hosting a Rainbow Family Gathering. In the olden days, that meant a gay party. I’m not sure what it has morphed into in 2026, but I guess I’ll find out in the days to come.
As the winds subsided early in the week, Matt and I continued to embellish our compound. On paper, Matt and I should never be friends. In real life, I love him like the brothers I used to have. We have very different beliefs, but I trust him with my life. He is good to me and seems to enjoy my company as much as I enjoy his. Since our days in The Magic Circle, we’ve enjoyed setting up camp together, usually with quite a big distance between our vans. This time, knowing it would get crowded here at Skoolie, Matt drew out a diagram and sent it to me, of his proposed compound. Our vans are connected by our awnings with a tent in between. It’s like we live in a duplex, with our own apartments at opposite ends, and a common room in the middle. It suits us well. We come out in the mornings and have coffee and always have a fire before bedtime. In between, we sometimes hang out together, sometimes do our own thing. Without discussion, we’ve fallen into a very congenial routine. And we continue to set up our compound, adding our solar lights strand by strand. Here are photos of the compound in the day and at night.
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Tuesday night was the official opening bonfire. Usually, Skoolie Palooza is the last week in January, but over the years, the people arriving early (me included) have realized that the week prior to the official event is even more fun. It’s the old school (no pun intended) crowd. Many of us know each other. Everyone is kind, warm and happy to be here. So DJ Matt decided to announce the “official opening” and gathered downed ocotillo cactus branches, a few giant logs and an array of pallets and constructed a fire that could be seen for a mile away.
Tie Dye Bob was there with his kids, and so was DJ Matt and Devon who owns a bus that looks like a pirate ship, complete with masts and sails. Others who I recognize but don’t know by name came and talked with us. Jen came with a basket of pot cookies and mushroom chocolates. Matt and I each ate half of a mushroom chocolate. The fire burned a little brighter. After a while, our friends were leaving one by one, and Matt wanted to go back to check on Sunny. We went back to our vans, walked the dogs and then took his side-by-side back to the fire, which was dwindling and another one was lit closer to DJ Matt’s bus where there was a cleared space and people were dancing and juggling fire. The mushroom chocolate kicked in and Matt and I both realized almost simultaneously, that the crowd had shifted from the old folks who we knew, to a much younger crowd. He said to me “Is it OK if we go home and have our own fire?” I replied, “You read my mind.” We went back to our compound, sat under the EZ up tent and Matt lit his propane fire pit. We took turns exchanging life stories and laughing. Lots of laughing. I felt a closeness to Matt that I’ve not felt with anyone for a long time.
We have a fire every day. Sometimes Matt lights up his propane fire pit. Sometimes we gather wood from the desert and build a real one. Whichever we choose to do, it’s always warm and bright and cozy.
Lessons From The Road: It’s never been more apparent before this week that I live in one world, and at times must enter the old world–“the Empire” –to restock supplies. In my world, everyone smiles as I pass. No one would even consider not making eye contact with me, and once eye contact is made, the probability of both parties flashing a peace sign is about 99.99%. A kind word or friendly greeting almost always follows. Wherever we came from, wherever we are headed, whatever we believe, we first and foremost seem to agree we are all in this together. At times the empire leaks in through the cracks. Whenever I turn to my computer, whether it is YouTube or social media, there is a story about the current regime murdering its citizens. Lies are made up, and I’m told not to believe what I see. It sickens me. I’m glad I’m no longer a part of that society. I’m grateful that I only have to brush elbows with it when I need to run into a town to buy food or get water. Even brief encounters are becoming more and more difficult for me. When I first started living in a van, I used to think of that as the REAL world. Now I am convinced that I live in the real world and visit what used to be America only when absolutely necessary.
I do sometimes see some nice things from the empire. Like the monks for peace walking with their mascot dog. Perhaps they will make a dent in the despotic wasteland that the U.S. is becoming…If they aren’t murdered by ICE first.
On the flip side, I am with my tribe. I walk through the makeshift town and everyone I pass has something nice to say to me. I hear “Nice beard,” or “I love your hat.” My friends hug me when I visit. I feel love coming at me from all directions. I know without a doubt that I chose the right world to live in, and I’m grateful every day.
That’s all I got
Love you like a dog
See you down the road