DOES THIS MAN'S JOURNEY INSPIRE YOU?

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions---perhaps it's because he hears a different drummer!  Let everyone march to the music he hears---however measured or far away" (Thoreau)

Saw this sight near Quartzsite, Az  while I was going in the opposite direction.

By the time I turned around and caught up ---I see that the traveler has had to deal with a formidable problem:  How to get the donkey across this cattle guard.  He's done it but I don't see how.

I wondered if the donkey walked that plank over.  I'm letting the story unfold naturally because the driver is busy.......

Hooking the donkey back up.

I checked out this nearby fence to see if he cut the wire and walked his animal around the cattleguard.  If he did--he then wired it back together.

I didn't ask----it seemed too sensitive a question---after noting his big issue--locked gates. He seemed stressed so I bided my time .

Finally I engaged him---"Need a place to camp"  I asked.  "Yes, he said and I need it soon". I told him of a nice place only a quarter mile away.  He asked about the book signing place in town and I told him it was only five miles away.  He gave me one of the flyers in his pocket telling his story then hurried on to make  camp for the next two days at the place I indicated---waiting out a windstorm. I did not engage him again but googled him and got the essential story. You can too:  Howard West author of Locked Gates or go to twitter.com@lockedgates for his daily blog. He says he needs to sell books to save his ranch called Pilgrim--located 50 miles out from Tonopah, Nv.  Says he has a $4000 balloon note due March 2012. One line in his flyer led me to mentally categorize him: "Help me save the ranch AND A FEW MILLION LIVES AS HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF."

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES:  While it's unlikely he knows something we all ought to know---I admire his bold advance in the direction of his dreams.  Yes, I'm inspired---here's a living example of someone actually acting---instead of merely fantasizing.  I once met a sincere soul dragging a full-size crucification cross along the interstate to remind us of Christ's suffering---(I thought it funny that he had a wheel on the long beam for easier dragging) and I've met a host of people walking across the nation for a host of worthy causes.

Many are afflicted with GRANDIOSITY---ego on steroids---but nevermind that --they are up and doing---unwilling to lie down and die without having their say.  Now that I think about it--this blog is not a far cry from what this guy is doing. ----And by the way---very soon I will invite some of you to come do a daring thing with me---then neither of us will lie down and die without having our say to the world.