Yesterday I drove to the end of the world. OK, not really – but where I live, if you go out on certain roads, you reach a 700 foot deep gorge. I drove 16 miles to reach the spot I ended up at, where there are no other people, no traffic, and no sounds other than the wind and a few birds. I parked the car and went for a short hike down into the gorge, just to get some exercise. That didn’t last too long, as it was kind of chilly down there, so I headed back to the Jeep – but not to go home. To sit in the silence, in the sun, and read.
I brought another book I am reading right now called Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet, which documents a couples’ desire to eat local food made within 100 miles from their home. Quite an undertaking, really – and one I would like to mimic eventually. But this post is not about this book; it’s about the fact that I drove to my figurative end of the world and sat for hours, in my Jeep, reading a book. In those few hours, I only saw 2 other cars – one that turned around and another that had come for a picnic with their entire family. It was quite a nice couple of hours. Some days, there is nothing better than finding a spot with a beautiful view and quiet surroundings and checking out a great book. It helps to settle the soul, I think.
Where do you go to find your end of the world? Do you have a place you go to when you need settling? The gorge is mine…what’s yours?
Sounds perfect and peaceful!
My spot would be a stretch of river shore up in the foothills. I found it when I used to whitewater kayak, it’s the take out for a popular play spot. In the off season, it’s a really quiet stretch of sandy shore with a great view of the river and very little traffic since the water is to fast for fishing…
OH, and often you have to ford a small tributary to get to the main sandbar…making it even more private.
I know your post wasn’t about the book, but if I can comment on the book anyway? 🙂
For an interesting alternate take on organic/local diets and the problem of sustainability, see http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2009/02/spoiled-organic-and-local-so-2008
It mirrors a lot of the thoughts that I have around “local food” diets – as a sustainable option they’re perhaps not the ideal (unless we’re talking local as in ‘from your backyard’).
The article is long but good.
I go to a local county park, about 3 miles away, and find a picnic shelter to sit in. There are swings nearby for fun, a small lake to walk around, shaded paths. It’s lovely.
But I try to go when hardly anyone else is around (not Saturday or Sunday afternoons!)
Sounds like some nice spots!
Great idea! I’d like to find my own end of the Earth : ).
If you read the comments on that site, you can see why that article is completely wrong. Can a local farmer feed everyone on earth? Nope…but that’s not really the point. It’s to feed those around him naturally, without biotechnology, which is what the article is promoting. One has to wonder if that writer works for Monsanto…
Luckily I live in NW coastal Oregon – and there are hundreds of such wonderful spots to stop and rejuvenate, out of the public eye!
My favs are a couple of out of the way Pacific beaches, a stretch of the Wilson River accessible only thru private property and on foot, and some woodcutting areas far off the main highways which have already been cut and therefore people rarely showup there 🙂 Solitude is great for renewing one’s spirit!