"This love has got no ceiling"

It's been almost a week since I've left Washington D.C. and bid my walker family adieu -- it doesn't seem like that much time has passed already, and yet...there it is. I've been in touch with a few of my folks, through email and text messages and phone calls...thought it might be fun for you all to see a little follow up of where everyone wound up, or is going to wind up since leaving camp.

We travelled with 60-100 people on and off, and obviously they aren't all going to be represented here. But I tried to pull up photos of people I've mentioned most frequently in these writings...if I left anyone out that you are curious about, please let me know and I'll try to get a bead on them.






Little Booger is travelling with Addie. I dearly hope we get follow-up pictures of this little guy, who provided lots of furry love for us. I know that when Addie returns to the farmlands of Wisconsin he will likely become a happy, frolicking farm dog. For a guy who started off his life under an abandoned trailer in Mississippi, this is one of those endings that I will cherish about the walk.







Carrie and P.J. are travelling in and around Michigan, participating in sacred ceremonies and catching up with friends and family. They head out to their home in the Bay Area in August. They're both happy and well and have absolutely no regrets about leaving the walk. We missed them both to no end, but are grateful they followed their hearts to do what was right for themselves. Dear, wise Carrie-foot who taught me so much, and P.J., who probably understood the most tender parts of me better than anyone...I so appreciate you coming into this family, and that I get to be a part of yours. I love you both so much.







Jen gets the 'tenacity' award for finishing this walk despite everything she went through early on. We almost lost her back in Alabama when she had "had it" but I am so glad she finished with the rest of us. She's tucked at home in Ohio, love you lots my friend, thanks so much for making me laugh as often as you did. I could listen to you say, "Come see the Natives in their Wild Habitat," - mocking that ridiculous announcer - for hours. And I'm sooo honored I got to see you sing up there with Kid, one of the highlights of my walk experience. Thank you. Oh..and this just in, from an email I just received, "When are we starting the Longest Walk refugee camp?" Lord have mercy.







And speaking of Mr. Kid Valance...I don't know what it is with this guy. If I didn't know better I'd say I had a wicked crush on him. I feel though, truly, that Kid and I just have our heartstrings pulled by the same chord in life. You're a beautiful man and I know you'll keep writing all those gripping, melancholy blues tunes. Kid was on his way to New Haven, Connecticut, headed towards points to be determined later. Rumor has it he may be settling in Ashland, Oregon...something I pray for on a daily basis. Favorite moment of the walk for me was having him wake us up that morning in Canton, Oklahoma...birth of the "gerber daisy" moment...precious.







And here's the little Gerber Daisy herself. When I talked to Kathleen this morning, she was home in upstate New York, happy now that she had set up her tent (Golden Bear!) in the backyard, "I can sleep now," she said. The entire Perillat and Carroll clan are preparing for their family reunion...an event I would be at in a flash if I wasn't locked in to other things. Sixteen kids and umpteen grandkids sounds like a recipe for...well, it'll be somethin I'm sure. The White Pearl made it home intact and is still ferrying her about. I'm sure the little squeeky circus horn is still right active. When I asked her the other day what she hopes to be doing in 6 months she said, "I want to be locked outside with the birds...in my canoe." You taught me so much about....well, you were a blessing, let's just say that, shall we? I love you, sister.







One of my favorite walking buddies, Patrick is at home in the Bay Area, getting back to business with his rafting company, Birch Circle Adventures. I asked him what one of his favorite moments of the walk was and he told me, "well, watching one of the monks jerk around to James Brown was pretty cool." Thank you for all your bus companionship Patrick...you're an amazingly cool guy and I'm very much looking forward to seeing you this November my friend. Oh, and you get the 'surprise mushball' award of the walk. Loved that.







Raymond Muckuk you glorious soul. Ray is home in Minnesota where he'll be resuming his work as a medic and counselor for chronically homeless men at a shelter facility. Ray told me that the moments he loved about the walk, "were those mornings when we would all just get up and work together to get back on the road. Without fighting we would just get the job done so we could get our message to Washington. That's when it was best for me." Some of my best moments, Ray, were getting to listen to you while we were walking and I will hold your words in my heart as I continue with my own journey. You helped me see the Spirit on more than one occasion and I will forever be grateful to you for that.








Roman and Amy have commandeered that ridiculous bus and are turning it into a environmentally friendly "commune on the road." I'm not kidding. Talked to Amy this morning and they were in North Carolina at a inter-tribal gathering, hoping to continue to take the message of the walk along the way. I wish them well. If you see them rumbling through your town, offer your support would you? Their gonna need it.







Shun had some time left on his visa and is travelling in Mexico with Chikaru, one of his fellow Japanese compatriots. Shun left his job as a Toyota factory mechanic when he came on this walk and doesn't really want to return there. "I want to open a coffee shop in Tokyo, sell c.d.'s and books, good food." He says it'll take him couple of years to realize that dream, but I have no doubt he can do anything he wants. I will always love him for his ready smile and his ability to make everyone laugh...and his love of noodles. It's so Shun.







Sunshine, my sweetheart, darling boy. I'm going to miss your hugs tremendously. From the Bay Area, Sunshine is going to spend some time travelling the south - first stop is on a friend's organic farm in Tennessee where he will work for awhile and decompress from his experience here. I hope he gets that "breatharian" thing going. Hope you stay in touch love, but even if you don't, I know you'll be well and spreading your sweetness and light for the rest of your life.











And as for me...I'm heading back home to Portland, Oregon via a stop in Northern California to lounge on the South Fork of the Smith River for about a week. I'll be in town for just 10 days though before I hit the road again - leaving August 12th for Spain where I'll spend three weeks or so volunteering at a farm in Lerida. From there I spend two months hiking the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain and Portugal. I'll be doing it alone this time...as far as I know anyway. You never know what can happen out there in this beautiful world.

I wanted to thank everyone out there who encouraged the writing of this blog, especially the family members of walkers; Peggy and Lisa and the many Perillats who kept track of Jen and Kathleen respectively through these pages. Also thanks to Michael Rumble for his many kind words (Wade and Mary are well and good and heading towards California, btw).

I also so much appreciate my own friends and family who helped keep me sane throughout the course of this whole thing. To my father Bob and his wife, Liz. And to my untiring phone companions, Gwen and Joan and Lisa, who never hesitated to listen to me rant and laugh and cry throughout these five months. Couldn't have done it without you my friends.

Hard to sign off on this one...but it's time I think. I'll continue to keep this blog going for all of you who want to keep up with my upcoming travels.

Much, much love to you all. Okay. Gotta go now.