Going on a walkabout

[RichardH]

This morning I made breakfast for Jen and her mom, and our son, and when everyone looked ok with their day, I grabbed my bag with a laptop, sketchbook, and a handful of drawing pens, and took off. Every so often I need to go on a walkabout, with no destination, drifting all day, listening to music, stopping to sketch or write. Sometimes I'll bring a sandwich and a bottle of water, and sometimes a few dollar to get a sandwich at coffee shop. I'm stopped right now in midtown and will slowly drift toward the lake through an old industrial area. The idea is to be open to sights and sounds, sudden things to jump into, sudden turns. Here is the view heading down the hill from my neighborhood.

http://i.imgur.com/KUY09jhl.jpg

It is a kind of wilderness. The walkabout will end after sunset and the temperature drops. If the feet are sore I'll return by public transit from wherever the endpoint is.



So. I am curious if anyone else ever goes on walkabouts, just leaves the front door and wanders the city, woods, desert, coast, prairie,.... forgetting about time. If you do, can you please share your experience, and maybe some images, here?

Thank you and Gassho
Daizan

sat today

[Sekishi]

I used to do this.

When I lived near Washington DC, I would take a "rails to trails" route about 30 miles into DC, spend the day wandering the city looking for interesting old book stores, record stores, good eateries, etc.

When we lived in the mountains of southwest Virginia, there was so much public land (the Jefferson National Forest alone is over a million acres), dirt roads, the Appalachian Trail, etc. that I would do what you refer to either on bicycle, or just these two feet.

Where we are now, although rural, the roads have no shoulder, and there is almost no public land. I no longer wander on foot or bicycle. However (at least until things got busy with work and life the past few years) I love exploring the MANY rivers and little tributaries of the Chesapeake bay in this area -- particularly by sailboat or kayak. My favorite thing in the kayak was to mount a strobe and running lights, wait until dusk, and head out into the headwaters of the Corrotoman River. I'd leave the lights off unless I heard a boat coming (which sometimes wouldn't happen at all on a trip). As night descended, the only light was from the stars and from the bioluminescent plankton and Ctenophores, leaving a glowing "V" streaking out around the hull and setting off flashes of light under the paddle. When moving into shallow waters, it was possible to track the larger fish by the glow their disturbance would leave. As eyesight failed the other senses would intensify, making it possible to navigate by sound, the temperature of the water, and even the smells of land (marsh, field, forest, etc.).

Here are some photos of the Corrotoman I've taken over the years:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=33495446%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=corrotoman&view_all=1

Anyhow, have a great Walkabout Daizan. Enjoy the city!

Gassho,
Sekishi

#sattoday

[Kyonin]

Hi Daizan,

I am more of a yogi now, but when I go out for a run I usually go to a nearby park as a warm up and then I just run wherever my feet want to take me.

Sometimes I go about 5K, sometimes up to 20K. And it's a wonderful thing to do because time seems to just stop. Pretty close to zazen

I remember this time when I was running just following some big birds in the sky. I ended up in a park, under a tree. When I took a close look to the birds I realized they were parrots! Green and red. Beautiful birds. Oh and pretty noisy!

Since I no longer participate in races, I just wonder the streets in weekends, where traffic is low.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Taiyo]

Hi Daizan,

I agree with Kyonin and I also do pretty much what he does. Some time ago I went from "being a runner" to just running. I stopped training for races and I just go out and run to whatever my legs (and my schedule) let me. Sometimes far, sometimes not. Sometimes to the mountains, sometimes to the beach, sometimes to the center of the city.

Combining "just sitting" with "just running" turned out to be great, same with "just going on a walkabout"

Gassho,
Andoitz.

SatToday.

[Kyotai]

Thank you for this thread. I too enjoy going out into nature. We have a nature preserve near my house, so I like to go there and take pictures. I've met a few nice people along the way too.

Gassho, Kyotai
ST

[Kyotai]

Gassho, Kyotai

[Myosha]

This morning I made breakfast for Jen and her mom, and our son, and when everyone looked ok with their day, I grabbed my bag with a laptop, sketchbook, and a handful of drawing pens, and took off. Every so often I need to go on a walkabout, with no destination, drifting all day, listening to music, stopping to sketch or write. Sometimes I'll bring a sandwich and a bottle of water, and sometimes a few dollar to get a sandwich at coffee shop. I'm stopped right now in midtown and will slowly drift toward the lake through an old industrial area. The idea is to be open to sights and sounds, sudden things to jump into, sudden turns. Here is the view heading down the hill from my neighborhood.

http://i.imgur.com/KUY09jhl.jpg

It is a kind of wilderness. The walkabout will end after sunset and the temperature drops. If the feet are sore I'll return by public transit from wherever the endpoint is.



So. I am curious if anyone else ever goes on walkabouts, just leaves the front door and wanders the city, woods, desert, coast, prairie,.... forgetting about time. If you do, can you please share your experience, and maybe some images, here?

Thank you and Gassho
Daizan

sat today

Hello,

Got to be kidding.

Good joke.


Gassho
Myosha
sat today

P.S. The hospice folks will "wait" for your canard. Sheesh.

And, as Dogen says, "get mind out of ass".

[Byrne]

When I was a kid home was not a place I enjoyed being. So I went outside. I walked 4 miles to the library and started to investigate what else was out there.

When I was a teenager I discovered that I was pretty good at playing the bass and it turns out that when you can play the bass really well you can find people who will help you play the bass in different places. (and pay you to do it)

When I was 22 I was hired by a Japanese fellow who ran around in his underpants onstage to play bass in his band. I spent 4 years touring Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Europe, and the US playing all manner. My eyes cracked wide open. When you play music and people dig what you're doing they invite you into their homes and you get little slivers of different experiences and perspectives.

Then I found myself driving a delivery truck in New York City for an instrument rental company. Everyday I was wandering around the NY ti-state area in a 20 foot box truck seeing what was going on. When you spend all day in a large vehicle (especially in NYC) you are never where you need to be, but you are always where you are.

Before NY completely crushed me my wife and I sold most of our stuff, recorded an album, printed up some shirts, and hit the road. We spent a year and a half transient playing music around America. We landed in Charleston SC for a spell. We kept on the road.

We're still on the road 10 years later.

I don't know anything but walkabout.

Gassho

Sat Today

[Mp]

Thank you Daizan,

Having no destination, I am never lost.
– Ikkyu

me.jpg

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[RichardH]

Thank folks. It was a nice wakabout today. Being self-employed means having to justify a day off. It can feel a bit selfish unless it contributes to production. So to just drift and accomplish nothing, is an accomplishment.

Gassho
Daizan

Sat today

Myosho.. marching ducks through the vestibule, has occasionally caused rain in Dusseldorf.

[Doshin]

My life has been on the road for work and for my passion of the wild. Mostly a destination other times just drifting. A preference for away from the human landscape, though my work took me to those human changes to judge and offer a different view. Much of that has been in solitude other times shared. I have wandered among mountains, deserts and prairies searching but not really knowing what for. Sometimes I find a feeling, a path or a hope. Other times I end as I started, just miles behind me. Now as the years have piled up and memories come and fade I just follow my dogs across landscapes with the only destination is where their senses take them. I follow admiring the beauty of it all. Looking, feeling and sensing I am a part of the land, not separate. A bird, a deer, an insect, a plant, a rock, or something draws my attention and sometimes my curiosity as to why. It is all being in the moment for me, it has been my practice for very long.

Gassho
Doshin
Sattoday

[Myosha]

Myosho.. marching ducks through the vestibule, has occasionally caused rain in Dusseldorf.

Hello,

The super-moon is done. Wake up, or not.


Gassho
Myosha
sat today

(the haiku game is seventeen syllables)

[Seishin]

May sound a bit repeatative but I pretty much do the same dog walking circuit once or twice a day on the country lanes near the house. Being rural France I'll often see no one or just the odd passing car or tractor. It may be the same route but I'll switch directions if going out a 2nd time. I have a wonderful view of Mont St Michel and the coastline of the lower part of the Cherbourg peninsula at various points along the way. Its not a walkabout as such but every day and every step is different, depending on weather, light, time of day etc. Then Tuesday Friday and Sunday morning its the bread run and after the boulangerie I walk the dog along side the river Cousenon with stunning views of Mont St Michel a couple of miles away. Again different every time. Did that this morning and it was so peaceful and quiet. Clear blue skies, weak winter sun, just a little frost. Perfect after getting off of the cushion. Still run these routes as well occasionally but been sticking to my den treadmill, which has a lovely picture of a pine tree ringed lake at sunrise with the word composure underneath. May only be a picture by I often loose myself on that "shoreline".

[Kyotai]

Hello,

The super-moon is done. Wake up, or not.


Gassho
Myosha
sat today

(the haiku game is seventeen syllables)

In case you missed it, I got your back.

https://youtu.be/9pkdqpks3Zc

Gassho, Kyotai
ST