A Road of My Own Part 1

Freedom & Illusion

This is my bike “Ester” and me easin’ into town

My first tattoo was my initials on my right forearm soon followed by a marijuana leaf with “Freedom” on my left bicep.

I’ve searched for freedom and found it has many forms. True freedom can be a dangerous and fleeting thing to obtain and if found the most relaxing, satisfying and exuberant feeling known to man. On the other hand there is Illusion…

Western Freedom !

Something about seeing this range of mountains brings that feeling of peace only found in true freedom, I have gotten lost in these mountains more than once and was enlightened each time.

From standing in a pool of water at the top of Multnomah Falls in Oregon or camping at the bottom of Forest Falls in California, and seeing a scrap boiler from a train 3/4 of the way up Mt. Rainier to sipping champagne on the ice at St. Mary’s Glacier in Colorado, I have been at peace and have been taught patience and showed the amazing truth of nature.

Illusion

Freedom in the form of illusion came to me as a teenager in the form of Orange Sunshine stamps of LSD. This 8 hour journey into a virgin mind opened a flood of wonderful scenery and I quickly learnt to question everything I knew.

It was winter and walking down the street I was lost in the faces I seen in the snow and later on had a conversation with 4 people that were only visiting in my mind. So was I like Sybil in those hours or just unleashing the power inside this now altered mind?

Freedom Denied

The early-mid 90s found me living in Seattle and after work one summer evening I had a ticket to see the Allman Brothers at the fairgrounds so I take a bus {the Metro system there rocked!} and when I arrive at the gate am told the concert was cancelled.

This time the illusion came in the form of 10 hits of LSD on sugar cubes and what an illusion it was. I remember being in a bar and the next memory is me throwing a blanket over the camera at county lock-up. It was not pretty but from what I gather it was not violent either.

I only lost 1 night of freedom.

One Night of Freedom

While living in Seattle I found work on the dry docks in Tacoma and worked repairing and modifying fishing vessels. After the last one was passed and lay-off was that day, I was offered a job at sea on a 360′ ship with a factory in it if I wanted. “Hell to the yes Let’s go!”

After passing a 3 1/2 hour physical, {it was a bitch!} I had about an hour to grab the supplies I wanted to bring ie: candy, rags to read, more candy.

Once aboard everything except personal items was free, so I would pay for tax free cartons of smokes. We busted ass 16 1/2 hours a day 7 days a week, when we hit dock to re-fuel and unload we just had different jobs.

Being out there for a month was tough work but bank as you had nothing to blow money on. What’s this got to do with freedom?

This… I got off work one day just before dawn and went up to the deck to catch some fresh air. While standing alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a 360′ ship as the sun broke across the horizon I felt freedom again. Yes it was fleeting but serene just the same. I was at peace

This ends Part 1. Thanx for taking the time to visit and comment if you’d like. until next time – peace 2024 ©dawgydaddyresponds.org