When John Muir retired from a successful business managing his father-in-law’s California orchards, he said, “I made the choice to become a tramp.” I like the word vagabond much better. It carries Muir’s idea of wandering and exploring without a fixed purpose but avoids the uncomfortable idea of traveling in an open rail car and sleeping hard on the long nights.
Embarking on a vagabondian journey with an intention but also open to the adventures that come with wandering … and you’re invited.
I’ve talked here (“The Roosters Crowed”) about my admiration for the town of Cherán, Mexico … a town that fought back against violence and corruption by kicking out the logging criminals and politicians, declaring themselves autonomous, and setting up a communal democracy where everyone has rights and responsibilities … and, in the process, saving their sacred forest and beginning the process of restoring it.
When I visited there several years ago, I was enchanted by their murals and made a intention to return. It’s time, especially since a tiny publisher expressed a tiny interest in publishing a book about the murals of Mexico, immediately clicking my gears into place.
One-way ticket: 60+ days … 10 mural hotspots … 5 states … who knows how many murals … and incredible stories of democracy and the future of the planet.
For me, one of the aspects that takes this out of an ordinary trip or vacation is that it is open-ended. There’s something about a one-way ticket that says I’m going to vagabond until I’ve found what I didn’t know I was looking for. I’m being pulled by several stories … the story of democracy and bravery of Cherán, the story of the chinampas, an ancient form of agriculture, known as the ‘floating gardens of Xochimilco,” and the story of the street-art murals of Mexico.
Synchronicity & Generosity
Synchronicity has long fascinated me and the more I pay attention it, the more it befuddles and delights me. Now i’m noticing how intertwined synchronicity is with generosity. This adventure was born in that mystic stew.
Back to Santa Barbara. I didn’t think I could move back to Santa Barbara (housing prices and all) until a friend told me about an affordable, non-profit retirement center. Seven months later, I was back “home.”
Travel in Mexico had been ruled out because of finances until my friend (who told me about #1) insisted that I go to her hair dresser. The hair dresser and I hit it off and, out of the blue, she offered me her home in Morelia as a place to stay if I decided to travel to Mexico again. Her offer changed everything.
A tour in Chiapas popped up online and called to me. However, the dates conflicted with an already scheduled Thanksgiving celebration. I sent a note to the tour director saying how wonderful it looked except for the dates, thinking that if she did it again, I’d like to know about it. She came back immediately saying the dates had been changed because others had issues with the dates also. I signed up immediately and that trip left me wanting more time in Mexico and reminded me of my intention to return to Cherán.
Book possibility. Back in the US, I was working on a book on murals in Mexico (to be self-published) when I met a man in a vegan and honey-products store because the same friend as in #1 took me there to run an errand. She also told him it was my birthday (it was) and he bought me a birthday pastry and while we chatted he told me he was a publisher. That led to a meeting where he encouraged expanding the murals book and expressed an interest in publishing it.
Budget. I have responsibly rationed my miniscule nest egg over the years from now to 95. However one day recently, the thought occurred to me that I’m alive today and I don’t know if I will be then. So, I’ve taken the allocations for years 94 & 95 and put them into this year’s adventure fund. It’s still a bit short so I’m staying open to more synchronicity and generosity … or plan on tightening my belt in my 90s.
If you are interested in Mexico, murals, indigenous cultures, new forms of democracy, including eco-democracy, and travel stories, I’d love to have you join me in any of the following levels that would interest you. Because this is a vagabond adventure, which means we’ll be creating the path as we go along, who knows what we’ll find along the way, but here’s the general idea for how you can join in …
amigo … (free) weekly reports (posts) and photos. Open to comments and questions.
compadre/comadre … (paid subscription) In Spanish, a compadre is the equivalent of a god-father/mother (comadre), hence, a co-creator of this adventure. All the benefits of the friend level plus weekly chats (private), more photos and curated information. Compadres/comadres will be included in a thank you webpost … one line for name and Substack link, to be posted on
as well as Notes .vagabundo … (sponsor) The spirit, el alma, of the vagabundo is someone who explores, perhaps with a direction in mind, but always open to the unexpected gifts and wonders along the way.
A prime intention for me is to gift Cherán with a donation that would help support a mural artist or their program of reforesting their mountains. Vagabundos would receive compadre benefits plus zoom calls on the second and fourth Thursdays so we can get to know each other, ask and answer questions and share behind-the-scenes information. Vagabundos will also be listed as sponsors in the footer area of all related posts, on the presentation of the support gift to Cherán, and on the project slide show/flip book final product.
I would love to hear your comments, questions, suggestions for this adventure.
Fantastic and overly exciting. I want to with you in spirit but not body (sigh to old)
I love how this is taking shape, and the different levels of contribution. Those places on the map are places I'd want to go. Will look forward to reading along and cheering along. I especially love your ultimate goal of reciprocity- to give back to Cheran. <3