One Day Sitting on Greyhound

9.24 / 10:30
Julie Chen deposits Abijah at Jamesburg

Returning monks are coming off of vacation, probably a few new ones in the mix, gathering for their last trip up the road for 3 months. A fall shelter in place ritual. Perhaps some tears are shed. There's probably a lot of excitement. It's a beautiful day. Many will have missed the departing monks ceremony for Graham and Mako, and will ask those who were there how it went down. Some may inquire of Leslie's absence, or ask when she will return. Others will report their sightings of the Crowe brothers--or secondhand accounts of our whereabouts will be filed.

9.24 / 8:30

Julie Chen deposits us at S.F. Greyhound
With no craigslist rideshares coming through, we opt for going easy and simple. Santa Cruz is in the rearview window. We said a final Tassajara goodbye with Bridget, Marta, Eli and Cat over borscht and more. I get a final rendition of The Day The Town Trip Fried out of the composer. And we're off!

9.24 / 21:15
Tassajara -- Firewatch

9.24 / 21:15

Greyhound Bus Station, Oakland, CA

A woman stumbles and with a hushed exclamation says "Oh my God!" as she steps aboard the bus, hustling to her seat with a male friend in tow. My seat partner is quiet beside me--window seat, headphones. My foot tingles, stretched from the weight of the 37 lbs I'm packing. Must get that down. The bus is spacious and clean--I rejoice at a working overhead lamp. I read a couple of lines aloud to my traveling companion: "Oregon's mild, damp climate is fabulous for fungus..."
Pinole Ridge is a shopping center indistinct from any in the U.S.A: Orchard Supply Hardware. Michael's. Chuck E. Cheese. It passes quickly on our right.
1.5 hours until Sacramento.
3 hour wait for bus to Medford, OR.
Zen students will rise at 4:20, approx. 2 hours and 20 min after we depart for the Oregon border.
Don't know where we'll be by then.
Slumberland, I hope.

9.25 / 04:35

Tassajara -- Four Han hits in the wilderness, smell of incense

Reading, CA --
Smells of cigarette smoke at Reading Bus Terminal, where we aptly wait 15 minutes. I'll entertain some "Zazen" when we get back on the road--what may be a short-lived act of solidarity. I look forward to sitting on a cushion by the time we land in Eugene--would like to do so, daily.

9.25 / 06:00

Weed, CA -- A portal of portent on this road.