Early Wanderings

IMPORTANCE

It is important to give up in life 

That, which you will be forced to give up

in death

It is important to find in your life 

That, which will help carry you on

in death

It is important to learn in this life

That, which you must know

in death

It is important to live in this life,

That, which you will not regret 

in death

And yes 

It is very important

To get in touch with the part of yourself

That, knows no death

That is the importance of life
Skiing just makes it fun

My daily commute outside Valdez, AK. circa 2001

For almost 20 years I've been traveling around, posing as a professional ski bum in a motion picture that I play continuously in my mind. This keep me sane, because as a good friend once said to me,

"if you think that there might be something wrong with you, then your probably alright, but if your walking around thinking that everything is all hunky dory, then your most likely screwed in the head and need to seek help."

Duality, divine paradox; whatever you want to call it. It's real. And it's the world we live in. Keep digging, never give an inch.

The Foundation

posted by Chris Bangs

Some where in New Mexico,

Lost in a forest

With nothing to do

I spit in the sand,

and chalk my hands.

Life took on a new meaning

the moment my feet left the ground.

The searching,

And the training,

Everything was paying off.

Zen is happening in my life!!!

No thoughts

No worries

No where else to be but in this moment.

Why be a dirtbag?
Because you want it! That's why. You want the freedom, the earth, and your feet on the ground,,,, how do I know this? Because I watch the news. I see the sadness in the rich persons eyes because there is no connection, to themselves, to the earth, to their mothers and their fathers, and especially to each other.

One cold rainy day in Alaska, Rio (Old Rad Dog Rio) and I were picked up hitchhiking by a nice guy in a new Porsche. Cool I thought. I'm in a new Porsche with my dirty dog getting mud on this guys seats. This is going to be interesting.... Let's see where this goes.

As usual with hitching a ride on a rainy day. The conversation started out, "boy I wouldn't want to be you right now, stuck out in the rain."

Then just as usual (as it has always been in my life on the road) the conversation shifted. The driver of the hot little red sports car started asking me questions about my life, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was not poor or destitute. I was living.

I had just hitched all the way from Montana to Alaska, spent a winter living the forest, climbing mountains with my dog Rio and then skiing back down to my tent, and my bag of dry beans, and my forest friends. The squirrels, moose, and little voles that I feed at night.

To make a long story short (my life has a bit of the infinity in it, as I go on forever),,,, by the time I got out of the $100,000 cherry red 911 Porsche Carrera t-top,,,,, the poor sap wanted to trade me lives. Too bad, I've got no use for a stupid little status symbol in my life. I'll take the rain and the wind in my face. I'll take the good times with the bad. The days of feasting and the days of famine. Because this is life, and we were meant to live it, raw, real, and without compromise.

It's not that I wanted to be the catalyst for somebodies mid-life crisis,,,, but a wake up call is a wake up call. As a matter of fact, the happiest people I know are dirtbags. They have learned to accept life, to accept the good and the bad without attachment.

Mountains

Rain forests

Grasslands

Wetlands

The Foundation is not something that you can buy, rent, or steal; but a metaphor for your life. The Earth is infinitely more beautiful more than anything man can create. Protect her with your life!