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,
　　Greetings from Olancha. How`s everything going over there?
　　It has been two and half months since I set out on my journey, and you guys may rightly assume I am already more on the east side, even somewhere near New York. No way. I haven`t gone far on my journey.
　　I was stuck in north California for several weeks, first by the endless rain, and then I got sick, running a high fever, and coughing.
　　I was back on the road in March. Yuqi drove me to Half-moon Bay, where I
　　spent the night in a cypress woods near the seashore. The following morning, a fisherman gave me a lift and drove me to Pigeon Point light house in Santa Cruz. I got stuck there for a couple of days, again by the rain, too much rain this year. Once I was stuck in my tent from 5am to 10 Am., because of the heavy rain.

　　…
　　As soon as the rain stopped, I stuck out my thumb and took to the road again. Several drivers offered me ride s to Carmel, the starting point I planned to hike along the Big Sur.
　　In Carmel, I met a wonderful couple, Joe and Honey. It`s a sunny afternoon, after 30 minutes walking on Carmel Highlands, I sort of run into "Point Joe", where Joe and Honey`s house is, and I asked them if I could set up my tent in their courtyard, as most part of that area belong to the State Park, camping is not allowed.

　　I got more than what I had asked for. The couple kindly invited me to stay at their guest room, a neat cabin on the cliff, surrounded by big pine trees, white calla lilies, and with a splendid ocean view. What a luxury, especially for a hitch-hike traveler.
　　I stayed at "Point Joe" for 3 days, everyday, Joe, who used to be a fisherman, took me out and showed me around Carmel. Both Joe and his wife Honey are Carmel locals, born and grown up there. They told me a lot about Carmel, their families, and themselves. Nowadays, you don`t often come across people as generous, friendly, and well-natured as they are. If you ever go to Carmel Highlands, please do stop by "Point Joe" , and say hello to Joe and Honey, they are the kind of really nice people you must meet.

　　……
　　At Paso Robles, a Navajo Indian man picked me up and drove me to Mojave. From Mojave, I walked 7 days in the desert to Lone Pine, covered 120 miles with a 50-pound backpack, getting 4 sizable blisters on feet, and they really hurt. With all the fatigue and all the blisters, I was happy and content, no complaints, no regrets. I enjoyed it immensely.

　　It happens to be the best season of the desert for hiking, the temperature is mild, grass and bushes are tenderly green dotted with tiny yellow wild flowers, it`s so beautiful. Every night I looked at the vast starry sky, my heart filled with wonder and content.
　　I came to Lone Pine to climb the Mt. Whitney, which is 14,497 feet above sea level, the highest mountain in the lower 48 states of the U.S. But there is too much snow, the locals tried to stop me. But since I came so far already, I would at least give it a try before I give up. So I did try, and then gave up when I realized it is a mission impossible. What a pity. It`s been my long time dream to climb Mt. Whitney. I feel a little bit sorry that I couldn`t make it, but at least I tried.

　　…
　　As I set out on this journey, many of my friends expressed their well-grounded concerns and worries, and tried to persuade me to choose an easier way.
　　Hitchhiking mode of travel would inevitably be full of uncertainties and hardships; most time I slept out, in the woods, on the beaches, under the bush in the desert, and in the Snow Mountains. I walked hours and hours in the rain, against strong wind, under the scorching sun, and in darkness . Pain on feet, sore in back, hungry, thirsty, cold, sick with anxiety.

　　Yet I have no regrets, not for a single moment, in fact, I am enjoying it very much, I enjoyed everything on my road. I had never got so close to nature in my life so far; every morning I wake up to bird`s chirping , and walked along the remote mountain trail, smelling the fresh breeze from the forest. Lying in my tent at the seaside, I enjoyed the soothing sound of sea waves lapping onto the shore; walking in the desert, I was marveled at the endless land merging into the sky over the horizon; climbing the mountain, I looked up at the full moon rising quietly from the peaks of mountains at twilight...

　　……There are always stories coming with each new ride and random stop-offs. I met so many cool and beautiful people on the road.