来到牧场快有一个月了，离我重新上路的日子也越来越近。经常我会独自坐在门廊下的长椅上，默默地凝视着远处的谷地，山脉，和天空。整个山坳中阳光明媚却又如此寂静，微风中只有风铃偶尔传来简洁悠长的声音，屋旁两棵白桦树的树叶在阳光与风中摇晃出一片金色的鳞波。这时我什么也不做，什么也不想，定神无念间，忽然感觉到自己的身体似乎融化开来，融入了四周的山岗，蓝天，清风，阳光中，不再感觉到自己的存在，心中只是一片舒适无比的安静喜悦。这样的感受我以前从来没有过，但在牧场的门廊下却不止经历过一次。

有时我会一个人走上牧场边的山岗，踏过沙地上盛开的满地黄花来到山脊，向北眺望着空旷的谷地和旁边的山脉。这时奥兰恰酋长的脸庞就在我头顶之上，很久远以前，最早的印第安人从寒冷的西伯利亚越过冰封的白令海峡来到皑皑白雪的阿拉斯加，再走过湖泊森林纵横密集的北美大陆西北部，这些古老的印第安人就是沿着碧波万顷，满目葱郁的欧文斯谷向南进入沙漠，穿过墨西哥，一直走到了南美洲最顶端。千万年来，奥兰恰酋长就在这里，在高高的山脉之上，见证了这片峡谷所有的沧海桑田，守望着这片土地上的哀乐悲欢。

在牧场的日子里，我算是终于有时间和心思坐下来写封信，向那些关心我的朋友们报告我到目前为止的经历和感受。原信摘录如下：

Hi,

GreetingsfromOlancha.How`severythinggoingoverthere?

IthasbeentwoandhalfmonthssinceIsetoutonmyjourney,andyouguysmayrightlyassumeIamalreadymoreontheeastside,evensomewherenearNewYork.Noway.Ihaven`tgonefaronmyjourney.

IwasstuckinnorthCaliforniaforseveralweeks,firstbytheendlessrain,andthenIgotsick,runningahighfever,andcoughing.

IwasbackontheroadinMarch.YuqidrovemetoHalf-moonBay,whereI

spentthenightinacypresswoodsneartheseashore.Thefollowingmorning,afishermangavemealiftanddrovemetoPigeonPointlighthouseinSantaCruz.Igotstuckthereforacoupleofdays,againbytherain,toomuchrainthisyear.OnceIwasstuckinmytentfrom5amto10Am.,becauseoftheheavyrain.

…

Assoonastherainstopped,Istuckoutmythumbandtooktotheroadagain.SeveraldriversofferedmeridestoCarmel,thestartingpointIplannedtohikealongtheBigSur.

InCarmel,Imetawonderfulcouple,JoeandHoney.It`sasunnyafternoon,after30minuteswalkingonCarmelHighlands,Isortofruninto"PointJoe",whereJoeandHoney`shouseis,andIaskedthemifIcouldsetupmytentintheircourtyard,asmostpartofthatareabelongtotheStatePark,campingisnotallowed.

IgotmorethanwhatIhadaskedfor.Thecouplekindlyinvitedmetostayattheirguestroom,aneatcabinonthecliff,surroundedbybigpinetrees,whitecallalilies,andwithasplendidoceanview.Whataluxury,especiallyforahitch-hiketraveler.

Istayedat"PointJoe"for3days,everyday,Joe,whousedtobeafisherman,tookmeoutandshowedmearoundCarmel.BothJoeandhiswifeHoneyareCarmellocals,bornandgrownupthere.TheytoldmealotaboutCarmel,theirfamilies,andthemselves.Nowadays,youdon`toftencomeacrosspeopleasgenerous,friendly,andwell-naturedastheyare.IfyouevergotoCarmelHighlands,pleasedostopby"PointJoe",andsayhellotoJoeandHoney,theyarethekindofreallynicepeopleyoumustmeet.

……

AtPasoRobles,aNavajoIndianmanpickedmeupanddrovemetoMojave.FromMojave,Iwalked7daysinthedeserttoLonePine,covered120mileswitha50-poundbackpack,getting4sizableblistersonfeet,andtheyreallyhurt.Withallthefatigueandalltheblisters,Iwashappyandcontent,nocomplaints,noregrets.Ienjoyeditimmensely.

Ithappenstobethebestseasonofthedesertforhiking,thetemperatureismild,grassandbushesaretenderlygreendottedwithtinyyellowwildflowers,it`ssobeautiful.EverynightIlookedatthevaststarrysky,myheartfilledwithwonderandcontent.

IcametoLonePinetoclimbtheMt.Whitney,whichis14,497feetabovesealevel,thehighestmountaininthelower48statesoftheU.S.Butthereistoomuchsnow,thelocalstriedtostopme.ButsinceIcamesofaralready,IwouldatleastgiveitatrybeforeIgiveup.SoIdidtry,andthengaveupwhenIrealizeditisamissionimpossible.Whatapity.It`sbeenmylongtimedreamtoclimbMt.Whitney.IfeelalittlebitsorrythatIcouldn`tmakeit,butatleastItried.

…

AsIsetoutonthisjourney,manyofmyfriendsexpressedtheirwell-groundedconcernsandworries,andtriedtopersuademetochooseaneasierway.

Hitchhikingmodeoftravelwouldinevitablybefullofuncertaintiesandhardships;mosttimeIsleptout,inthewoods,onthebeaches,underthebushinthedesert,andintheSnowMountains.Iwalkedhoursandhoursintherain,againststrongwind,underthescorchingsun,andindarkness.Painonfeet,soreinback,hungry,thirsty,cold,sickwithanxiety.

YetIhavenoregrets,notforasinglemoment,infact,Iamenjoyingitverymuch,Ienjoyedeverythingonmyroad.Ihadnevergotsoclosetonatureinmylifesofar;everymorningIwakeuptobird`schirping,andwalkedalongtheremotemountaintrail,smellingthefreshbreezefromtheforest.Lyinginmytentattheseaside,Ienjoyedthesoothingsoundofseawaveslappingontotheshore;walkinginthedesert,Iwasmarveledattheendlesslandmergingintotheskyoverthehorizon;climbingthemountain,Ilookedupatthefullmoonrisingquietlyfromthepeaksofmountainsattwilight...

……Therearealwaysstoriescomingwitheachnewrideandrandomstop-offs.Imetsomanycoolandbeautifulpeopleontheroad.