It was at the Houston Public Library that I discovered the Directory of Intentional Communities. After a few months and a few postmarked letters, I sold my car, bought some camping gear, and planned the ultimate summer road trip with a couple of adventurous friends.

We rented the largest Oldsmobile we could find, threw our camping gear in the massive trunk, and set out for Colorado. For 2 weeks we hiked and camped at Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone and Teton National Parks, and the Grand Canyon. Those weeks passed quickly, and before they went back to Houston and their jobs, we drove to Arizona to drop me off at Reevis Mountain School of Self Reliance, my new home.

For the next several weeks I sweated nearly 24 hours a day, the only relief being afternoon dips in the spring fed stream that flowed thru the old homestead property, and both morning and evening visits to the shower house. Those months as a member of the work exchange program were spent watering fruit and nut trees in the orchard, weeding an acre of organic vegetables, picking fresh grapes from the vine, and cleaning up chicken poop. I also learned how to make very tasty carob brownies.

It was a great opportunity to learn what it was like to live before our modern society, with no phones, no distractions, and only minimal solar power in the community building. It took quite a while to adjust, but at the end it was hard leaving. On the long drive into the city, I debated what to do next. Either I could accept an invitation to participate in the work exchange program at Harbin Hot Springs, or I could return to Texas and work as an AV technician. By the time they dropped me off at the Greyhound Bus station in Apache Junction, I had made my decision.