Listen now | I’m about to cross the bridge over Coos Bay on bicycle. After that, another 130 miles. All the time, I'm eyeing the lure of a red van, just out ahead of me.
Sitting with so much of this Holly. Thank you for guiding us through thoughts and intuitive reactions on the train ride, it is such a tender story and I felt that with you. I appreciate the video too, love the van tour!! It's so sweet to have a glimpse of what van life looks like for you, I'm a lover of the kitchen door idea and the orange light <3
Thank you, Amara. It means a lot to have a fellow traveler take a glimpse into the way I journey—or the way I’m journeying in this moment, in this iteration of my nomadism.
Yeah that kitchen door is sooo good. I have to pat myself on the back for the design, not to mention my cabinetmaker friend who implemented it. Plus a shoutout to my former landlord, whose old bathroom cabinets supplied the wood.
And that orange light is a sweet touch from a dear friend and former partner from Ecuador.
Thank you! I meant to mention your awesome curtains, but the video I was narrating over was so quick, I forgot have of what I wanted to point out. I’ll do another longer Ruby walkthrough. ;)
A beautifully written, albeit somber story. It’s so fascinating to me how one experience bleeds into the next. How the train incident, bike ride across the bridge, and the meeting and acquisition of Ruby all run together in some way. It actually makes me thankful for writing in that it helps us connect things in a more coherent way than they often unfold.
Thank you, Michael. I think that’s one of the things that has always drawn me to reading and writing— the way it makes sense of seemingly disparate parts, sheds light on connections, highlights through lines we might other otherwise miss.
This feels like a coincidence, or timely, because I've been thinking about that part of train riding a lot lately. A horrifying and too-regular and somewhat surreal part of train travel.
Goodness, look at you! Look at Ruby! So nice to see you both. I'm often moved by how you weave stories together, Holly, in this case the risk of riding on that slim shoulder across the Coos Bay Bridge juxtaposed with -- well, everything. And it might sound strange to say so, but thank you for your tears and for imagining on behalf of others. ❤️🩹
Lovely to actually see you in the video. Ruby! and your adventures, The writing about hope and grief, also so good, Holly. Sending hopes for your doctor appointments, too.
Thank you, thank you. I don’t love videos of me, but I do love trying new things. And I often love videos of others. So I thought I’d give it a try. I’ll probably do a few more in future.
Thank you, as always for reading and commenting and sharing . 🥰
Hello beautiful, thank you for continuing to share your self and your emotionally rich writing with us. My non-negotiables tend to be about as negotiable as yours. 😄
Enjoying and appreciating your stories, both the content and the style. Hearing Kenny Rodgers, "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" in my head. Why? Who knows? As a former RV'er, as you know, I am going along as a stowaway. Our theme song was Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" and my copilot sometimes played Michael Martin Murphy's "Land of Enchantment" because we were from New Mexico. And this, "Happy Trails to You!"
I so very much appreciate you following along, Gary. It’s lovely to know someone who knows so much of the road is relating to the stories.
Also, I will be adding “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” to my list of Ruby songs post-haste! And I often start a trip singing a little bit of “On the Road Again.” 🎶
Oh dear, that's a sad tale. Strangely, it's not uncommon for people to throw themselves in front of trains here in Catalunya, it's an acknowledged problem and usually happens during commute hours. On a happier note, LOVE the mask, delightful to see Ruby's innards. 💖
I love the mask too. It’s funny how different people react to it. Some find it disturbing and are surprised I travel with it.
Part of me is drawn to making videos. So I will definitely show some more of Ruby. But another part feels like I’m spreading myself too thin. And I don’t particularly enjoy watching myself on video. So many little quirks to notice. 😁
I have a horror of watching/hearing myself too, but then, I was also mortified to post my work for others to read and I got over that, so there's hope for all of us. 😘
The one thing I’ve realized with both writing and audio/video, the more me I am, the comfier I am with sharing. Or maybe it’s truer to say the more the persona I’ve created to share from I am (which is way more me than the face I sometimes unconsciously put on when on audio or video or even in writing), the comfier I am.
You know what, I love that. And here I was investigating ways to remove the gay twang in my voice, to sit up straight, and look people in the eye even though I find it excruciating, be more commanding, etc etc. Fuck it. All interviews shall be henceforth conducted whilst reclining on a cushion, screaming and laughing, looking at whatever I want, and commanding nothing but bonbons to jump in my mouth. 😘
So much here to sit with on a quiet Sunday morning! And so thrilled to meet Ruby!! I was in Wyoming recently and saw a red van home — I looked around wildly wondering— is that Ruby??!!! Holly??? Wishing you both good health and a rapid return to the road.
I love that you noticed a red van home and thought of us. I have, on occasion, rolled into a new place and had someone who I didn’t even know was following along either recognize the van first or, upon seeing me, ask, where is Ruby? I am always beyond charmed.
Ruby and I have spent a little bit of time in Wyoming, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. I will reach out if I head that way again. 😊
Thank you, Emily, for making me part of your quiet Sunday morning .
Awww, I see. Couldn’t remember exactly where I had placed you. But I was surprised when you said Wyoming. That makes sense now. Cuyahoga Valley is such a cool name. :)
Sitting with so much of this Holly. Thank you for guiding us through thoughts and intuitive reactions on the train ride, it is such a tender story and I felt that with you. I appreciate the video too, love the van tour!! It's so sweet to have a glimpse of what van life looks like for you, I'm a lover of the kitchen door idea and the orange light <3
Thank you, Amara. It means a lot to have a fellow traveler take a glimpse into the way I journey—or the way I’m journeying in this moment, in this iteration of my nomadism.
Yeah that kitchen door is sooo good. I have to pat myself on the back for the design, not to mention my cabinetmaker friend who implemented it. Plus a shoutout to my former landlord, whose old bathroom cabinets supplied the wood.
And that orange light is a sweet touch from a dear friend and former partner from Ecuador.
I loved the video.
Thank you! I meant to mention your awesome curtains, but the video I was narrating over was so quick, I forgot have of what I wanted to point out. I’ll do another longer Ruby walkthrough. ;)
Love that bad-ass pic of you in the mirror!
Awwww! Thanks. Me and my slightly crooked helmet. I was feeling quite the badass that day. 😁
Holly, So nice to “see” you again after sooo many years. The video is perfect. Love the depth of your writing.
Thank you, Brenda. I’ve said it before, and I’ll see it again. Your support means a lot. ♥️
I listened to this on the light rail. How funny to take for granted this movement from A to B, when, for some, it's the end of the line.
Mmmm. Beautiful comment, Katharine. ♥️
A beautifully written, albeit somber story. It’s so fascinating to me how one experience bleeds into the next. How the train incident, bike ride across the bridge, and the meeting and acquisition of Ruby all run together in some way. It actually makes me thankful for writing in that it helps us connect things in a more coherent way than they often unfold.
A lovely piece, Holly :)
Thank you, Michael. I think that’s one of the things that has always drawn me to reading and writing— the way it makes sense of seemingly disparate parts, sheds light on connections, highlights through lines we might other otherwise miss.
Yes, exactly! It’s a wonderful thing :)
This feels like a coincidence, or timely, because I've been thinking about that part of train riding a lot lately. A horrifying and too-regular and somewhat surreal part of train travel.
Also, I enjoyed to introduction to Ruby!
Thanks, Anna! I’ve been meaning to show Ruby off for a while now.
And yes, oof, it’s a difficult part of train travel. I thought a bit of your recent train story as I was composing this one, btw.
Goodness, look at you! Look at Ruby! So nice to see you both. I'm often moved by how you weave stories together, Holly, in this case the risk of riding on that slim shoulder across the Coos Bay Bridge juxtaposed with -- well, everything. And it might sound strange to say so, but thank you for your tears and for imagining on behalf of others. ❤️🩹
Thank you, Elizabeth! Isn’t Ruby gorgeous! Hehe.
And thank you for your kind words about my writing and … well, everything. ;) I soo appreciate you.
♥️🚗 ♥️
Lovely to actually see you in the video. Ruby! and your adventures, The writing about hope and grief, also so good, Holly. Sending hopes for your doctor appointments, too.
Thank you, thank you. I don’t love videos of me, but I do love trying new things. And I often love videos of others. So I thought I’d give it a try. I’ll probably do a few more in future.
Thank you, as always for reading and commenting and sharing . 🥰
Hello beautiful, thank you for continuing to share your self and your emotionally rich writing with us. My non-negotiables tend to be about as negotiable as yours. 😄
Gotta be flexible, right? Hehe.
How’s things going for you? Cooled down any? Settling in?
Thank you, thank you, my friend.
Enjoying and appreciating your stories, both the content and the style. Hearing Kenny Rodgers, "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" in my head. Why? Who knows? As a former RV'er, as you know, I am going along as a stowaway. Our theme song was Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" and my copilot sometimes played Michael Martin Murphy's "Land of Enchantment" because we were from New Mexico. And this, "Happy Trails to You!"
I so very much appreciate you following along, Gary. It’s lovely to know someone who knows so much of the road is relating to the stories.
Also, I will be adding “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” to my list of Ruby songs post-haste! And I often start a trip singing a little bit of “On the Road Again.” 🎶
Oh dear, that's a sad tale. Strangely, it's not uncommon for people to throw themselves in front of trains here in Catalunya, it's an acknowledged problem and usually happens during commute hours. On a happier note, LOVE the mask, delightful to see Ruby's innards. 💖
I love the mask too. It’s funny how different people react to it. Some find it disturbing and are surprised I travel with it.
Part of me is drawn to making videos. So I will definitely show some more of Ruby. But another part feels like I’m spreading myself too thin. And I don’t particularly enjoy watching myself on video. So many little quirks to notice. 😁
I have a horror of watching/hearing myself too, but then, I was also mortified to post my work for others to read and I got over that, so there's hope for all of us. 😘
That’s what I keep telling myself. 🤪
The one thing I’ve realized with both writing and audio/video, the more me I am, the comfier I am with sharing. Or maybe it’s truer to say the more the persona I’ve created to share from I am (which is way more me than the face I sometimes unconsciously put on when on audio or video or even in writing), the comfier I am.
You know what, I love that. And here I was investigating ways to remove the gay twang in my voice, to sit up straight, and look people in the eye even though I find it excruciating, be more commanding, etc etc. Fuck it. All interviews shall be henceforth conducted whilst reclining on a cushion, screaming and laughing, looking at whatever I want, and commanding nothing but bonbons to jump in my mouth. 😘
Yesssss! I am all the way here for that.
Quintessential Holly: “nourishing as a fresh-picked orange, and as thick as blood.” Thanks.
Thank you, Rona. 😍
So much here to sit with on a quiet Sunday morning! And so thrilled to meet Ruby!! I was in Wyoming recently and saw a red van home — I looked around wildly wondering— is that Ruby??!!! Holly??? Wishing you both good health and a rapid return to the road.
I love that you noticed a red van home and thought of us. I have, on occasion, rolled into a new place and had someone who I didn’t even know was following along either recognize the van first or, upon seeing me, ask, where is Ruby? I am always beyond charmed.
Ruby and I have spent a little bit of time in Wyoming, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. I will reach out if I head that way again. 😊
Thank you, Emily, for making me part of your quiet Sunday morning .
I am back in Ohio! So I will watch for you here should you decide to check out the Cuyahoga Valley ! 💜
Awww, I see. Couldn’t remember exactly where I had placed you. But I was surprised when you said Wyoming. That makes sense now. Cuyahoga Valley is such a cool name. :)
I can spell it now so that means I must live here now! But I don’t say it like Chrissy Hynde— she sings it right!
I had to look up who she was. :) Does she have a song about it?
My City Was Gone! Great song!!;)
Yes it is! Just listened. What a voice. Thanks!!
💜
Thanks
Thank you!