Weeks fly by, you forget to do things, you’re totally exhausted, can’t find enough time in the day, and everyone around you has a smile on.

When this happens to you, you know that whatever you’re doing is just right, and I’m currently in this place. I wish I could write more often on Ecoki, I wish I could practice the play a bit more, I wish I could ride my bike more, but I know all the things I am doing are important and making a huge difference in my life.

To bring you up to speed, the Prairies are a very surprising and mysterious part of Canada, you never really know what’s next.

While in Red Deer, Otesha had planned a performance in Blackfalds which is about 20 km away; meaning 40 including return.

Waking up that morning I discovered about 4 inches of snow on the ground, and it was still falling! This frozen treat continued all day as we discussed whether to ride our bikes or not. Finally after much deliberation we chose to bear the blizzard, and bear it we did as you can see by the photograph.

This brutally unexpected, unpleasant experience turned out to be one of the most memorable and my personal favourite ride to date. We filmed a small movie, found some useful things on the ground, and just laughed and played in the snow.

I think the meaning behind the snowfall was really a test and lesson for us, to be ready for anything. I took a lot from that day and have been applying it to my life since.

A lot of us in our lives become stressed out over simple situations with very simple solutions, or things we cannot control, when you think about it does it really make sense? Basically the idea I’m trying to get across is simplicity. No longer having my cell phone, or having my computer, or even having an apartment, just living on my bike with a tent.

Of course this doesn’t mean everyone should quit their jobs and go ride their bikes around the world (that would be cool however), but what I am saying is taking some parts of your life and limiting them or stopping them altogether.

[Editor's note: If you do follow Josh's great suggestion, we want to hear about it! Tell us below in the comments, or write us here with your story!]

Try this for a couple weeks see how it works for you, it might be just what you need. Before I get too carried away on this concept I would really like to share some other great experiences I’ve been having with you guys.

On top of the amazingly wild and sporadic weather, I have encountered some of the most amazing people. Before our arrival in Red Deer the Otesha crew and I stopped off in Olds and in Bowden, 2 smaller towns with some great stuff hidden away. In Olds we stayed with a family of 4 who are in the beginning stages of a massive garden in their backyard, a monstrous composting pile, and permaculture on their brains. What I learned from staying with these folks was that if you want to make a difference you must do it in your own lives, with your own food, and share those ideas, if they are welcome great, if not, that’s okay, too.

They also taught me that it is totally possible to be in charge of your food no matter where you live, whether it’s in your backyard or in a community garden plot. We spent a couple more days then we had originally planned to because we loved it so much, but when we had to say goodbye there was lots of love floating around and I knew we would see each other again someday.

Following Olds we had planned to stop in Bowden, this super tiny town with no grocery store, nothing! We did not have any contacts except that we were staying at a rest stop, but through our connection in Olds we got in touch with this really cool, really big, really blue house!

The inhabitants were all seasoned in the school of life, and were ready to have a little spot to call their own, and, in fact, as we rode our bikes up that evening they were beginning their own permaculture paradise, digging ditches, moving dirt, and planting the proper plants that could flourish together.

We spent most of the evening there then went back to the rest stop to sleep planning to arrive early the next morning to cook beakfast at the blue house. But to my surprise (as the first one to arrive) they had already made us breakfast and had giant smiles on. We chatted for a couple hours, took some photographs, swapped emails, then hugged and said goodbye.

My journey has continued much farther than Bowden but to squeeze everything and everyone in is just not possible. The idea I really wanted to get across here is there is so much to explore and experience if you just let it happen and not worry about things. So I strongly encourage you to do so. Maybe I’ll see you on the highway.

Image courtesy of Katrina Siks

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