Ferel Farm Agroforestry

Picking up Jordan's sister at the Seattle airport was a journey in itself. Seattle if no one knows is like a Mini New York City there is so much concrete, people, and buildings. Add super steep 10% incline hills to the equation in Teddy equals lots of  "Oh shit" moments. Being we had an addition to our crew for the next three weeks an wanted her to some what enjoy her stay we decided on exploring Seattle seeing all the great things people talk about an slowly preparing Mckenzie for what it is that we actually do. So after a long day in Seattle we hit up the food bank to prepare for our trip up towards the northern cascade mountains.  Not only did she get to see the magic in free food an amazing people but she knew now that we had food to eat on for a while an how big of a help it was to us being we have no permanent job to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on over priced gmo filled foods. We knew Thursday would be a long day on the road so we found a safe league place to park Teddy for the night  so we could prepare food an get some good sleep. Thursday back on the road head up towards our new farm we made it up to Arlington which was about an hour from our farm an decide to sleep there for the next couple of days  relaxing an redoing the seal on Teddy's roof for we were going in to a rainforest an wanted Teddy to stay dry. While we did manage to do the entire roof in a park there was also this awesome beach area off of it that we enjoyed for those couple of days. Saturday came so fast but we were ready for the new farm an the new people..

Tripod Transformation.

During our incredible West Coast/Best Coast experience we have grown and learned so much about ourselves, each other, and so much more. Together we have traveled over 5,000 miles through 7 states in 9 months for under $1800 a piece (that does magically include our gas expense for our very thirsty 1983 mountain climbing Coachmen). We've done it leisurely and pretty efficiently, I'd say. What we have experienced though cannot simply be given a price tag, that was just a fun fact to blow your mind. What we have done is something unique and beautiful just like us as individuals. We have lived life to the fullest, conquered our fears, and most importantly we never gave up. What we do every day is exactly what you daydream about while you sit in your not so comfortable computer chair Googling cute kitten photos. We live your dreams and ours. You're welcome for that. ;) 

We started this journey with hopes of interpersonal growth, understanding, education, and adventure. Let the record show that we have accomplished our goals! As someone who's never been terribly good at following through, this is undeniably monumental. When we first decided this was what we were doing I was probably the most skeptical (go figure, right?) about how we would really manage. I was like you. Thinking, man, that sounds fun, but completely unrealistic. I mean, how would we get money and food? Oh, god, what about the pets!? We figured out the food and pets situation when we found out WWOOFing feeds you and bought Teddy for the animals. (Yes, it is true we bought our RV to double as Animal Daycare. Call us crazy, it has definitely been said before! Haha!) As for the dollar dilemma we kind of just closed our eyes and hoped for the best, which worked out obviously.

Let's jump ahead to the more recent stuff, shall we?

In December we shared the hardest day of them all - the day we separated. Dun dun dunnnnnn. It was that dramatic, guys. We had literally spent every day, all day together for NINE months. Holy cow. You could say we are close. Lol. So that morning was quiet; I think Logan avoided eye contact and I'm sure B and I are guilty of the same. When it came time to leave once Teddy was ready for take off, B and I took our last walk up that hill too slowly -
to say bye to all of the people we had grown so close to. I went around and talked to everyone, stopping to cry to Emma, the most wonderful pit bull lady dog ever, about how sad it was to leave and how much I loved her. All that was left was to say farewell to my third leg, my fixie chick sister, my dreadheadboobuttpookiedoo, (please try not to choke on my dramatics, hehe). We totally had a tripod movie moment that involved a tearful group hug/singing circle and ended in a unanimous "this is stupid." We gathered the pups and headed toward our next adventure.

Leaving is always so bittersweet.
We love you, Lo.

The Hitchhiker's Call To Paradise

Almost out of Oregon and Bee spots 3 guys looking for a ride. She hits the breaks busts a U and the next thing you know we have 3 hitchhikers in Teddy. Andrew and Joe from Colorado - I believe they were just hitching around to travel and see the West coast when they stumbled upon Brandon from either the Carolina's or Wisconsin. Brandon was hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, his time came to branch off from there and found Andrew and Joe. As we ride we keep seeing a billboard for a giant Paul Bunyan advertising the Trees of Mystery and eventually stumble upon the actual giant Paul Bunyan and Andrew falls climbing down from his foot and hurts himself, luckily we had a first aid kit. That night we make it to the beautiful Redwoods and find a decent campground. We drive a few circles - it is dark and the campground is kind of confusing without much light. The boys set up camp outside of Teddy and we call it a night pretty quick. The next morning we sleep in a bit have breakfast and pack up camp to go hiking through The Giants. The hardest part is deciding where you want to start. There are trail heads everywhere, but of course I choose one that does not have a map at the entrance, and later we find out that it was not even really a trail head. This small "trail" leads us  to a larger one. We find splits and take note of trails and such. We hike for miles enjoying the trees looking for the biggest ones - walking through hallowed out trunks and climbing anything we found. Eventually we come to a spot we think we have been to, but it is not. Then we find the highway; now we just have to find out where we are on the highway. We walk hoping we are headed toward Teddy and eventually reach a trail head with a map and they trust me to read it. I figure; after a while of going over the map and trying to decipher the path we took to lead us where we are, that we are indeed walking in the correct direction down the highway. I also find we hiked the most difficult trail in the forest!!! (Fun Fact) We finally reach the small entrance we used - we look up and there he is our trusty steed right where we left him. We load up and hit the road. It is around lunch time and we are starved - especially the boys! We find a little gypsy looking shack that acts as a deli for the boys to grab grub and while they do that we are cooking our goods we retrieved from the FOOD BANK!! Then it is back on the road and the boys would like if we could at least get them to Arcata and we don't see why not. We pull into Arcata it is a nice little college town in its' center sits a nice park. Like Lafayette but with more hills and larger buildings. We park on a corner adjacent to the park and unload to hug and tell the boys goodbye and good luck on their travels. Then we load up to find a place to sleep for the night. On The North end of Arcata there is a Casino we park in for the night. The next morning we find a Food Bank and we are running super low on money and gas, so low we are not sure if we can make it east to our next farm. I attempt at gas jugging, which is holding a gas can and asking people to fill it up, then the  casino security guard comes and fusses at us. We put in our last 40$ and take off to the food bank - if we run out of gas at least we will have food. After we finish at the food bank we get a call from the boys they would like to buy us a drink as a thank you- we have to pass back through there anyway. I know what you are thinking why not ask them for gas money, but some people you just do things for without wanting anything in return plus their friendships were enough. We park on our same corner; we are meeting them at the park, low and behold while we are standing on the corner waiting to cross the street, Bee just so happens to look down the street to see a familiar face. They are her friend Regina from the East coast all the way out here, she runs into the post office and meets us in the park. We sit with the boys in the grass and learn Andrew has fractured/sprained his elbow and will be flying back to Colorado leaving Joe and Brandon to finish the trip alone. Joe is going to Colorado and Brandon ultimately had to return to what I know was the Carolina's for school. Regina eventually joins us and we learn that she is working on a CSA farm very near to where we are now. We call the farm that is expecting us; to say the wind is calling and we are answering, so the tripod plus Regina load up in Teddy and head to the farm without getting drinks with the boys.

From Washington to California!!!!!

WASHINGTON !!!!! Zigzagging the coast from the top working down was the best decision ever.  Not only were we going opposite of all the "global warming" weather every one hates but contributes to, but also going the direction in which the culture was set on this beautiful pacific west coast. Our universe was putting things in place for us to enjoy the coastal ride only some dream of! We met amazing, loving, open hearted people. But after all of that we knew the road was calling us back and we had more people to see, meet , greet,  and simply coexist with.  Cruising again 101 bound places to go things to see wind in my hair  back on the roller coaster of mountains and ocean breeze  circulating thru teddy putting grins on all even the friendly furry friends who chose us not knowing they would some day be on the ride of their life. Back to the 101 making a few stops but zooming through not taking long.  Finally making it to Oregon we decide we need to find a place to sleep so we can see it in the blazing sun. Spent the night behind the church right on rock away beach best spot ever but funny thing is the sign we slept on the side of a sign that said "Jesus loves you but you can't sleep here". That's definitely a 20th century Jesus saying. But my universe gave me the thumbs up like the dude ya know. Waking up with a grin feeling fully accomplished, crashing waves on an empty shore roaring for us and our furry friends to come play. After Eleanor almost purring a lung out because they were in the largest box of sand to Bray and Copper drinking all the salt water they could to Babykitty adventuring in all nooks and crannies we were ready to explore more. Next thing you know we are hanging with caravan of glam and giving our buddy Harley a ride to as far as we could get him dropping him off and wishing him luck. Just before getting out of Oregon we see three guys hitching and I instantly pulled over to flip Teddy into a U. Now it's our tripod, their tripod, and the cast of homeward bound +1. The guys were all beautiful souls, two from Colorado and one from Wisconsin, all on the road for the same reason - to live, to FEEL what exactly that is. "Time is living" not what your going to do next at what time. So us, the new age Brady bunch, headed to the Redwoods in Cali to camp out for a night or few at the perfect campsite where we just soaked up this historical national park and to go on a few amazing hikes. Later Andrew sprained his elbow after a Paul Bunyan show down! All the while not knowing that the universe was about to put us right were we needed to be......Stay tuned for more!!!

The Journey Down the 101

First things first. Oregon coast, absolute best coast along the states. The giant boulders standing tall in the waves, the cliffs to walk along out into the ocean, the redwoods along the coast, uh just great. I wanted pictures of it all, but some or most did the scenery little justice. Our first night we found a church parking lot to park in and sleep over night. The church had a large sign that instructed us not to do so, but the cop that pulled in to check on the lot did not  seem to mind, so we stayed. We could hear the waves crash and feel the coastal winds, but could see nothing. Dinner was made, Theodore probably was cleaned then to bed to wake up to the most amazing sight we had seen so far. Rockaway Beach. Oregon coast is not the sunniest coast, but rather foggy instead; which makes for a gothic but romantic scene. As the sun rose the fog cleared and the tripod had to stay and play here for a few hours. The cats really enjoyed the sand, but if you started walking them toward the water they were climbing up your head. We have plans to walk through the Tillamook Cheese Factory and to see the seal caves or something, so it was back on the road around noon.

The Tillamook Cheese Factory was a blast! MMMMM! They had 6 different samples set up buffet style cut into little cubes with a ton of toothpicks by each one. This said to us; put 3 cubes per toothpick and come back again, so we did - right after we attended our self-guided tour around the factory. The assembly line process was fun to watch we listened to the owner talk on the TVs above our heads about his aged cheese that he has stashed all around his house and the factory. This guy really loved cheese. After our second round with the sample line and being somewhat judged by the girl who kept it filled we moved on to icecream!!!! Jor and Bee were most excited about this. We had the pleasure of indulging in some Tillamook mudslide? icecream at a few farms we visited, so we knew what a treat it was. I (Logan) forgot how to make choices when picking my flavors and ended up with vanilla bean; this is still very funny to us.We sat out in the sun eating our icecream with all of the other tourists and then hit the road by 2.

The next coastal city we pulled in to visit was Lincoln City; they had a casino with RV parking, but it was just coming to dinner time and we wanted to barbecue. This took us on a search for parks with pits and maybe even a lake with a pretty veiw. The weather was cold and windy and due to our wonderful polluting species the lake was unfit to swim in; we still had a great time with the cats and dogs in the park.The casino was gigantic and had a ton of RV's in the lot; the most we had seen yet I believe.

                   Side Story: Living on the road comes with its challenges like, where do you get water if                     Wal-Mart fails to supply the convenient well spicket? Bee told me to get water and I kept                          saying "we will find water it's everywhere!". Indeed it is not, water can be pretty hard to find.                         Living in the Northwest you grow accustomed to a certain quality of water, which is possibly                          a little harder to find.

This night we were out of water, so I had to find it. I took this on as a personal mission due to my failing to get in when we could. Yes, we are at a casino; they do have 24 hour bathroom service we used immediately, but our jugs would not fit under the faucet, so it is to the outer perimeter to look for spickets. I am running along the walls, jug in hand; we only need enough for the night, feeling as though I am breaking the law with each step; I am finding spickets but, they have them on lock down as if people run around the place attempting to steal water all of the time. I give up on the building and look to the west and see the hotel laundromat.  "They have water!" I scream inside my head and break into a full sprint across the parking lot ducking and rolling behind cars, just for the fun of it, and make it to the laundromat unseen - or seen and now people are watching me out of suspicion. I locate a water spicket, now this is where it gets sketchy. This spicket comes out of a laundromat, could it possibly be an emergency drain for  a washer or something, filled with chemicals maybe. I perform a test by tasting some of the possibly polluted fluid it smelled a little funny and tasted different than other water, but seemed safe. We struck gold with this spicket,  it will fill all of our jugs in the morning.

I cannot remember when we found out about Lincoln City Coastal Pride, but it started on a Friday night. We pulled in on a Thursday evening to have the dinner in the park. Friday was a beautiful sunny day, we played on the Lincoln City 'strip' awaiting the evening, when the festivities of Coastal Pride would begin. This sunny weather was unusual for Lincoln City; we like to think we brought the sunshine. Saturday was drab, a very cloudy day, more usual for this coastal town. This pride sounded wild with constant drag shows, raffles, dance parties and FLAMINGO BINGOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The bingo event was Sunday morning and there was a surprise, but that you get later. Coastal Pride was being held at the community center, it was a "T" shaped building with a long hallway and rooms branching off; at one end was an entrance the other the stage/auditorium. They filled the empty space in front of the stage with chairs leaving an isle down the middle and on each side for walking/strutting. Outside of the auditorium was a large fenced in yard. They had booths for marketing different local businesses and alcohol. The drag shows were performed by dancers from Portland, they were great! Certainly some of the best performances I have ever seen and would consider myself a "connoisseur" of drag. This show had quite the variety from biodrag (women dressed as women) to older very experienced and talented dancers. I wish I had written down a few names. Fabulanza became my new love she could really work the stage and the older performer whom blew my mind I gave her my compliments with a shake of her hand. The dance parties were fun; they were held on the stage. This made the dance party a little weird because the audience was watching you as they sat in chairs. Saturday night was an exquisite treat The Caravan of Glam; a Portland based traveling drag show that performs everywhere from Idaho to SoCal. Topaz and Johnny are the only names I remember, but the rest were just as great. Jor and I had "pink is my favorite color" stuck in our heads for weeks. this song was performed by one of the newer dancers she did a strip tease to it. We went back to the casino at night and luckily FLAMINGO BINGO was being held at the same casino. Sunday morning we just walked down to the casino we were so familiar with to play. This is when the people of Lincoln City learned just how wild we could be. Of course we donned our best coats and britches brushed our teeth and combed our hair to be the first players in the room. The organizers rented out a room in the up stairs of the casino opposite of the buffet. Speaking of buffet some of the prizes for bingo were free buffet tickets!!!!!! This is the prize we wanted. On this Sunday the casino was also prepared to host one or more GAY WEDDINGS!!!!! The casino through a reception the whole kit&cabootle. I made a strong attempt to get Jor and Bee to marry (they wanted to party just as much as I did), but it was a no go obvi because they are not married. Bee did win a round of bingo, but it was a tie, and if there was a tie - there was then a strut off!!! Bee totally won this just as I had won that pie eating contest back in Bellingham, Wa. She was wearing a goddamned (excuse my french) sequenced jacket and looked like a disco ball, but unfortunately they gave it to the flamboyant man (not that flamboyancy is a bad thing) but those were our buffet tickets!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a blast though spreading the traveling tripod name throughout town. The Caravan of Glam showed up at Flamingo Bingo Topaz and Johnny sat with us and we really connected - they wanted to know about our RV they were on the market for one also to assist with their production. I hope to see them again someday.

Sunday afternoon, once we made our own buffet in the RV, we hit the road again. moving on down the coast and still expecting those seal caves. Going down the 101 stopping at several pull offs to take in the scenery and we hit the jackpot. This pull off was special and most adventurous. It involved climbing down a great wall of sand like dirt (pretty sketchy) I had to stop half way and climb back  up (in my bathrobes) just to  make sure it was possible - and we left the lights on. pahaha. Once down the 50 yard wall  we were on the shore and off in the distance what do we see!? SEALS!!! on a rock in the ocean just chillin  together being  seals it was soooo coo! and we touched anemone! and starfish! and anything we could find really! We investigated just about every small pool left behind by the afternoon tide to find new exciting creatures we do not normally encounter. This was way better than any seal caves we could have paid for!!!! The seals were of in the distance, but they were free and not looked upon by tourist constantly it was such a natural experience and one more to add to our being in the right place at the right time list.

Later down the road we found a hitchhiker whom asked us for a ride in Lincoln City, but we were not planning on leaving when he was and offered our best. We picked him up this time and dropped him in Coos Bay  where we stayed the night. Coos Bay was a wild experience or the 12 hours we were there.  By the end we were ready to get out. The day we left Coos Bay we never would have guessed anything that was about to unfold. We had a farm lined up in California and time to get there.

Pictures of August!!!

Porch Construction!!!

 Brittany received a watch for her birthday that tells you when to fish.

 So, we go out to fish and i find a sink hole of mud.

The North West Coast

 Bev's yard.

Lake Cushman!!

The Mima Mounds!!!

Somewhat Finished Porch!

 Eleanor is sooo cute!!!

Goodbye Olympia Missing Colorado Headed to Oregon

Hey guys it is Logan! Our last night at the Bird and Butterfly Garden of 18th St. SE Olympia is here. We have been here a month constructing a porch and having a fun time with Sarika and the wonderful friends we have made through/with her. Going to the lakes and the beach - seeing the beauty in Western Washington has been one of my favorite things to do here. Building the porch was okay, but who wants to learn construction all day everyday. Thankfully Sarika agreed we needed play days. Here we are now the majority of the porch is built and by our hands and minds - it is a complicated beauty. We have been volunteering in the Bird and Butterfly Garden at the Olympia Food Co-op also - this allowed us a great discount and a way to be a part of the community. Through this we have made many new friendships; Laura and sister Jane (much love to these ladies!). Alejandro, the volunteer trainer we just love him we unfortunately did not get any play time. :(  Eireann is a really great friend we have made - we could have met her sooner she is from Connecticut "mostly" and has been a WWOOFer before on the East coast. She helped us a few days with the porch and other projects that needed tending. It is interesting to share and compare traveling stories... Bev our dear friend who hired us to clear her yard of weeds and over growth. This is always fun, we each really enjoy landscaping and have our own individual strengths in different areas. Bev is from Georgia, her southern comfort makes us feel at home. We Love You!... Meilanie is a beautiful soul from SoCal who resides in Portland; she is Shodi's "sister" is a sense, and has spent a few weekends with us hanging out and playing around. She is a poet and book maker - beautiful work if anyone wants to publish something we know your girl. The Bird and Butterfly Garden has a large spectrum of residents in itself. Orion whom lives in the Love Loft with Lupe (a kitty :)) and Ened; they are a cute little family. Casey whom lives in The Hobbit Shire (the practical basement,  but it is not because it has more windows and doors and a kitchen and bathroom, so it is like a sunken story). Casey has and amazing wardrobe and attitude, she gave us the tip in the Twitter (@ourtrvlngtripod) she is a baker (yummy treats!) and loves Austin (the puppy). Cynthia the newest member coming from the east coast is just getting her bearings, but I feel she will fit in great.

Today we put our finishing touches on the porch and started our own project in Teddy. We picked up some cheap left over discount paint from Home Depot for the floors (we tore up the carpet) and the walls. Jordan and I were diligently painting and began to reminisce on our time in Colorado. We miss it. We love our family in Louisiana, nut boy The Rockies cannot be beat. We were never able to go snow boarding of skiing and this we find a problem. The overall decision is to go back stay a while and really live like a coloradoan.

Hitting the road again. I look forward to it every time. Staying one place for a long time reminds me why i am a traveler, i get bored after a while. Moving on down the coast - our goal is Cali by sometime. pahaha Who knows Oregon could be the one. ;) I am excited about the Tillamook Cheese factory tour. Southerners you have not had cheese until you have had Tillamook!!!! The ice cream is like Blue Bell so no biggy there, but the cheese! Maybe find a festival or something to hang at or work if we are lucky. Well guys a lot has happened i feel like it would be wild to give you all every detail, and that just isn't how we do this. So this is it i am out tired of writing. I miss you all and think of you daily. Live long and prosper.