Nelson, Ohio

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

California, Nevada, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio.

Priscilla finally caught up with Julia yesterday as we turned right off of Rte. 282,

and pulled to the entrance of Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, site of the MidWest ReggaeFest, and Sustainble Living Roadshow’s 2^nd event on our tour.  I can’t help but notice the prominent, hand-written No Illegal Substances signs. Hmmm…A Ganja-Free Reggae Festival?  Isn’t that an oxymoron? What next? No Tie-Dyed Clothing? Apparent the DEA has a strong presence at this year’s festival. There are plain clothes agents wearing, what else, Tied-Dyed Clothing. Clever.

For me, of course, this has become a non-issue. When I threw in the towel October 12, 2010, I committed to a program of total abstinence from all mood-altering substances. Vodka and marijuana, once my daily bread, are no longer part of my repertoire. I never thought I’d say these words, but I’m high on life.

And what a life it is! This is one beautiful setting for a festival. 250 acres of woods, fishing lakes, meadows, streams, beach, rocks and Quarry. The site where the Quarry is located was, in the late 1940's and 50's, an operating quarry. It employed many people in the surrounding area, and mined quartz and sand. As the story goes, one day in the late 1950's, the machinery hit one of the many springs, and the approximate thirty acre area filled within days, leaving peninsulas, rock shelves, and an island in the middle. The water is claimed to be the cleanest in Ohio and I believe it. However, I’ve not taken a shower since last Friday night, so when I take the plunge I wonder if its pristine reputation has been compromised.

After drying off and getting into clean clothes, I waste no time setting up an outdoor kitchen between our two buses. Jonathon has done a bang-up job of parking parallel to Julia at a distance of ten feet, the exact dimension of the King Canopy pop-up tent. There are two of them and it creates a cozy café setting for al fresco dining.

The crew worked late into the evening setting up the Conscious Carnival, the Green Market, and the Tea House. I made a simple dinner of Green Lentils, Quinoa, Romaine with Early Girls, and served the last of the Hummus. We are now a troupe of 24 and it feels like family. An intentional family.