Cold as hell today. A crappy way to start the meandering life. But I’ve got to start sometime and today makes sense to me. I’m allowing myself one backpack, although it’s a real hiking pack, so I won’t be short for room. I’ve got plenty of cold weather clothes, sweaters, socks, layers and layers. I’ve got nuts and trail mix and canned hot dogs in tins and apples and bananas, just like I’m stomping off into Yellowstone. And I’ve got my Kindle and my journal, and an atlas. I think I’m ready, at least for the next week or two.
Leaving Arkaic, Michigan today. I’m 32 years old, and I’ve lived in the same house on the East Side for 29 of those years. Here’s what it looks like, according to StreetView:
Of course, that’s during better weather, a stormy season, and I’m setting out in dead cold. I’ll cross the expressway and walk until I reach East Street, and from there I can just follow the signs. After I get out of Arkaic, it’s only about a 16 mile walk to Fowlerville, where Jasmine’s friend Chris is putting me up for the night. So today is going to be a fairly easy trek, weather notwithstanding. I’ll wrap my scarf tight, and wear my white coat so that all the cars can see me as I walk along the shoulder. Maybe this’ll be a long adventure, and maybe not, but either way: adventure, here I come.
What is this?
It’s an experiment!
Not too long ago I finished compiling a multiyear project: a list of the places I’d like to live before I die. Now I’m busy here in Flint raising a family, keeping a house, and launching a writing career; there’s no way I’m going to have the chance to visit most of these places. So instead, I’m sending one of my characters on the trek for me. Crystal Galitz was a character from my unfinished novel Urbantasm which I drafted in 1996-1997. I’m still working on Urbantasm sixteen years later, but that can’t stop me from drafting Crystal to explore the world and report her findings. Let it be known that Crystal set out from her childhood home of Arkaic, Michigan on January 2nd, 2012. She’ll share her discoveries and adventures through the power of technology and the magic of imagination. We’ll see what she has to say.