Evster Takes a Trip 1990

[Evster2012]

In 1990, my father died suddenly and totally unexpectedly. My family owned a restaurant (I was the manager) and when this happened, my mom completely lost it. She sold the restaurant and devoted her time to bereavement groups. Meanwhile, her 24 year old son was out of a job. Unemployment had peaked in Southern California at that time and I was well fucked. I lost my home, my brand new Z28 Camaro, everything fell in one huge crash. I was sleeping in the park, living out of my backpack. It was November and thankfully I was an experienced long distance backpacker, so I had top shelf gear. Things went from bad to worse and I came to the point where I was looking for a suitable piece of cardboard to make a “Will work for food” sign. I decided the only shot I had was to get out of the area and start over entirely. In the words of Jules from Pulp Fiction, I was going to “walk the Earth”. I decided to make a spiritual pilgrimage out to the Mojave Desert where I’d spent so many nights camping with my friends in the past. I was checking over my maps making links between known water sources and came across an icon of a church. Under it was, in tiny type, the word “monastery”. I resolved to make for the monastery and ask for sanctuary. I hitchhiked the 100 miles to the desert and walked for several days to the remote location, 25 miles from the highway. I was taken in by the abbot. The monks were Coptic Orthodox Egyptians who barely spoke English. I guess they considered me some kind of “find” as I was spiritually pretty much a blank slate. . I stayed there for several weeks, living, eating, working and praying with the monks.

One day, this guy showed up. He said he was thinking of becoming an ascetic and was investigating different monasteries looking for the one for him. I told him my story. It turns out the guy was a rock and roll guitar player, so we had some common interests (aside from a common language, lol). He said his church would help me and I could come and stay with him. The next day, much to the abbot’s disappointment, we left together. It turns out this guy lived in Boulder Creek, an absolutely idyllic little town in the Redwoods above Santa Cruz, south of San Francisco. The next day, a few weeks later (December 26th), in torrential rain, I walked to town in search of a job. I saw a sign in the window of an A&W Drive-In. Expecting to start flipping burgers for 5 bucks an hour, it turned out the guy needed a manager. Seems his current manager was getting along in her pregnancy and it was time to stop the grind. So I was offered a full-time job and a salary. The next day I met the manager, Mary Beth. She was my age and a fellow Led/Deadhead. We became instant friends. As it turned out, with her being off work, she and her husband needed to rent out a room in their house. They gave me the master bedroom which had a giant picture window right next to the bed looking right onto the river! Deer would cruise right by my feet from where I lay. When they had the baby, they decided they needed their own place and they let me take over the lease. I invited my best bud from back home to move up. So there I was, barely six months after my father’s passing and the collapse of my world, running another restaurant and living in a riverside cottage in the redwoods, something I’d always dreamed of after seeing Robert and his family in TSRTS.

It just goes to show how things can turn around in the strangest and most amazing ways.

[bigstickbonzo]

Amen, bro.

[MrZoSo]

Very touching. Thank you for sharing.

[DoubleNecker]

Wow, Ev. That's quite a story. I think that's what I need with my life. I'd love to "hitchhike" but....knowing the way people are today, it's not exactly the best idea. I want to get away from it all for a while. I really do, but it's hard to do.

[Jarlaxle 56]

Life has a way of living itself and I've always wanted to "walk the earth" like Jules (Pulp Fiction is one of my favourite movies). IMO, there is absolutely no point in living your life if you know how it's going to turn out, one of the great things about life is that it can go in any direction and you have no idea which. I look forward to many fantastic life experiences, good or bad.

So, thank you for sharing!

Swirling round with this familiar parable

Spinning, weaving round each new experience

Recognize this as a holy gift and

Celebrate this chance to be

Alive and breathing, the chance to be

Alive and breathing

This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality

Embrace this moment, remember: we are eternal, all this pain is an illusion

[manderlyh]

I've heard that story before, and every time I hear it, it makes me feel good.

Awww...Ev!

[TypeO]

Sweet.

That's fuggin' awesome.

I know I'm new here, wasn't a part of the old site/crew, etc.

But in the short time I've been here I've found Ev to be one of the most genuine folks I've encountered.

I said it before and I'll say it again - I wanna be like Ev when I grow up!

No matter that I'm older than Ev to begin with :lolo:

[Babs]

Sweet.

That's fuggin' awesome.

I know I'm new here, wasn't a part of the old site/crew, etc.

But in the short time I've been here I've found Ev to be one of the most genuine folks I've encountered.

I said it before and I'll say it again - I wanna be like Ev when I grow up!

No matter that I'm older than Ev to begin with :lolo:

Me too!!!!

[Jarlaxle 56]

If I live half as much as him I will consider my life a success

[valleygirl]

THANKS EV for sharing that story one of my favourite quotes

When the world says, "Give up,"

Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

~Author Unknown

[Virginia]

Ev, thanks for sharing your story

[marolyn]

ev, so i guess that means free root beer for all zep fans passing through boulder creek???

[redrum]

Biography's are cool.

Boulder Creek is beautiful. I knew a guy there that restored Harley Sprints.

I miss Santa Cruz.

[TRB]

Fascinating.

[wanna be drummer]

I've heard that story before, and every time I hear it, it makes me feel good.

Awww...Ev!

I second that notion

[euro]

Great and inspiring story thanks for sharing with us!

[Suz]

What an awesome story. Thank you so much for posting it.

[Charles_Obscure]

That's quite an amazing story, Evster!

Life is full of surprises.

"Walk the Earth..."

That's a very interresting idea.

[electricmage]

I never understood why people kill themselves because of troubled times... Shit is always going to get better. You just gotta follow through and follow yourself.

[BrownSugar62]

I love spiritual journey stories. Thanks, Ev, for sharing yours.

[dodge]

In 1990, my father died suddenly and totally unexpectedly. My family owned a restaurant (I was the manager) and when this happened, my mom completely lost it. She sold the restaurant and devoted her time to bereavement groups. Meanwhile, her 24 year old son was out of a job. Unemployment had peaked in Southern California at that time and I was well fucked. I lost my home, my brand new Z28 Camaro, everything fell in one huge crash. I was sleeping in the park, living out of my backpack. It was November and thankfully I was an experienced long distance backpacker, so I had top shelf gear. Things went from bad to worse and I came to the point where I was looking for a suitable piece of cardboard to make a “Will work for food” sign. I decided the only shot I had was to get out of the area and start over entirely. In the words of Jules from Pulp Fiction, I was going to “walk the Earth”. I decided to make a spiritual pilgrimage out to the Mojave Desert where I’d spent so many nights camping with my friends in the past. I was checking over my maps making links between known water sources and came across an icon of a church. Under it was, in tiny type, the word “monastery”. I resolved to make for the monastery and ask for sanctuary. I hitchhiked the 100 miles to the desert and walked for several days to the remote location, 25 miles from the highway. I was taken in by the abbot. The monks were Coptic Orthodox Egyptians who barely spoke English. I guess they considered me some kind of “find” as I was spiritually pretty much a blank slate. . I stayed there for several weeks, living, eating, working and praying with the monks.

One day, this guy showed up. He said he was thinking of becoming an ascetic and was investigating different monasteries looking for the one for him. I told him my story. It turns out the guy was a rock and roll guitar player, so we had some common interests (aside from a common language, lol). He said his church would help me and I could come and stay with him. The next day, much to the abbot’s disappointment, we left together. It turns out this guy lived in Boulder Creek, an absolutely idyllic little town in the Redwoods above Santa Cruz, south of San Francisco. The next day, a few weeks later (December 26th), in torrential rain, I walked to town in search of a job. I saw a sign in the window of an A&W Drive-In. Expecting to start flipping burgers for 5 bucks an hour, it turned out the guy needed a manager. Seems his current manager was getting along in her pregnancy and it was time to stop the grind. So I was offered a full-time job and a salary. The next day I met the manager, Mary Beth. She was my age and a fellow Led/Deadhead. We became instant friends. As it turned out, with her being off work, she and her husband needed to rent out a room in their house. They gave me the master bedroom which had a giant picture window right next to the bed looking right onto the river! Deer would cruise right by my feet from where I lay. When they had the baby, they decided they needed their own place and they let me take over the lease. I invited my best bud from back home to move up. So there I was, barely six months after my father’s passing and the collapse of my world, running another restaurant and living in a riverside cottage in the redwoods, something I’d always dreamed of after seeing Robert and his family in TSRTS.

It just goes to show how things can turn around in the strangest and most amazing ways.

[Bitchin Soul]

EVSTER:

That was a great story. Just what I needed to hear especially today. You are an interesting man with great faith. Thanks for sharing. It is so ironic that I read that today because I have been planning to just start fresh and "walk the earth" by airplane or car taking me to wherever. Unfortunately it is not the time in my life to do so although I am tempted. I have a hard time staying settled down. Maybe I am a dreamer - so what's wrong with that? Does anyone believe in the saying we all get what we deserve? I have a hard time with that one. Any Who Thanks for listening =

Still BITCHIN!

[freshmint]

Ev, you're a real survivor indeed!

[JethroTull]

I've heard that story a couple of times. Maybe one day I'll post my spiritual journey. My motto is make things happen today. Stop living 20, 30 years ago. Open some new chapters to the story of your life.

[MATTY PAGE]

Hello,

Yeah that is a fantastic story and it kinda makes you feel that you just gotta hang in there.

If it's o.k I would like to mention that the second half of last year and early this year hasn't been great for me. My uncle died at 59 last year of cancer (not old really), and his funeral was the first I had ever attended and it seemed to fuck me up, it scared me and I had a lot of flashbacks and had to see a someone. Then me grandad passed away not long ago, and since these things I haven't really been the same since, but I am a hell of a lot better than what I was and I hope in time I will start to be like I was. One thing that really made me feel miles better was crying uncontrollably after my uncles death, I was crying cause I was shit scared I would never get the thoughts of the funeral out of my head, it was pretty full on in the days that followed and crying about this was like a pressure cooker exploding.

Anyway, sorry you have to hear my problems but it seems like the correct topic to write them in, like I say I'm much better with myself these days.

But Ev's story is a great example for anyone down on there luck, your a cool dude Ev and maye one day if I'm near your hometown I'll buy ya a beer and we can rock out!!

See ya