Shasta

I arrived in Mt. Shasta via a ride in Eugene from a fellow named Uncle Dunkle. I awaited a train for several days in Portland before giving up and ditching my my road dog to buy a greyhound ticket. I got to Eugene around 4 in the morning where I was greeted by a man that turned out to be an escaped convict. I only learned this when he asked to borrow my phone and used it to threaten someone. Talking with the police is rarely fun for a traveler in the first place but I didn't have much choice at that point.  I slept at Occupy, or S.L.E.E.P.S (Safe, Legal, Entitled, Emergency Places to Sleep), permitted by Urchin, their watchmen for that night. The next morning, the other members of SLEEPS admonished Urchin for giving me permission to make use of a safe, emergency place to sleep.

Unaware of this, I continued hanging out with their group all morning, treating it like Portland's Occupy and helping myself to their food, listening intently to their conversations about who'd been beat up by the cops and whatnot. One friendly handicapped halfman (with nothing below the waist but a skateboard) even gave me a new pair of shoes since mine were worn to shit. A sixteen year old girl needed permission to go to the bathroom from her lesbian parents, as well as an escort. I volunteered to escort her, trying to make myself useful. They allowed it with leery hesitation.

I ran into Q the next day in downtown. Uncle Dunkle invited him and I to carpool to the Shasta Regional but after I informed him that our friends Maj, Zion and Gravity were headed down to Eugene to meet him, he decided to stay and wait for them. With one seat open, Uncle Dunkle decided to find someone who wanted to go at the morning's bumfeed. He ended up inviting the same sixteen year old I escorted to the bathroom earlier, and she invited Urchin.

I spent two nights with Uncle Dunkle and our carpool in Bunny Flat. On the second night, several members of the rainbow family arrived and we convened to sort out how to go about holding a rainbow gathering. We decided to scout out the rumors of other gatherings in the area before proceeding to set up at Bunny Flat. I asked to visit Buddha Hole because rumors of intoxication and drug use warded off the others while making me think it was probably more my style. My group urged me to leave my stuff behind for the scouting mission but I knew better. I warned everybody as much at the circle. When I met up with Thor (Now Nic@Nite) he invited me to stay at Buddha Hole. Uncle Dunkle told me he felt like I was ditching them. But I already sensed personality clashes with Uncle Dunkle. He wanted me to travel with him through South America and I didn't know how to tell him I predicted conflict that would ruin our adventure were we to travel together longer. His mania caused him to be controlling and he seemed very intent on a sober, spiritual rainbow experience while my intention differed.

At Buddha Hole the situation brought new problems. A cold front moved in hindering the fun potential and drunken assholes verbally assaulted Thor. The next morning we agreed to go to Weed and fly a sign, take a break from Shasta. We made it as far as the Space Bus and decided to stay with them. Space Bus headed toward Bunny Flat that night so I brought them to my old camp to prove to Uncle Dunkle I wasn't ditching him, just bringing reinforcements. The Space Bus had an even gender ratio, if anything it leaned toward the girls, he could not disapprove.

On the ride there we were squished into an RV pressing me exquisitely close to a pretty girl I'll call Space Girl. I was slightly conflicted about fucking any of the sweet girls on the bus because of a serious attachment I felt for Portland Girl. But she never fucked me... so I figured no reason existed to hold back. I'd just wrap it up. What truly conflicted me were the feelings I developed for Space Girl. Later in the evening, Uncle Dunkle began seriously hitting on her and I found myself with a preposterous feeling of concern. Not logical concern, but concern nonetheless. I found myself gravitating toward her, and more intrigued by her than the other girls. She was not more beautiful (nor less) but her personality struck me well. I found myself competing with Uncle Dunkle for her affection and seriously kicking his ass despite his guitar skills. She asked to use me as a pillow and Uncle Dunkle tried to use her as one. She snuggled closer to me and he attempted to cuddle with her on top of me. My ability to impress came from my total surrender. Love is drug but I have a high tolerance. I only found myself attached to her. Just like how I only find myself attached to Portland Girl. I have no control and I attach no significance. This part of life is the duty of the animal in me. I act only in accordance with its wishes in the aspect of sexual intrigue.

We grew closer over the next two days. In retrospect, I could have done more with her. She was obviously open to it. But I don't know... it didn't feel the same as Portland Girl. With her, the reminder stared me directly in the face through her pretty green eyes that no moment could ever repeat itself and the potential of terrible regret awaited the outcome of every action. She was like a comet that hurtled by only once every million years, every instant not spent appreciating her irrevocably wasted.