Photo Gallery from Two Month West Coast Walk

Sleeping on Sunset Blvd.

Last night, I chose to sleep on the sidewalk on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, California.

There are homeless people sleeping on the streets literally about every 10 – 15 feet. Why? It would be easy for those who haven’t experienced it to say they are lazy or they should all get jobs at McDonalds, but many hold that viewpoint because they’ve never experienced homelessness and lack compassion in their hearts – and the lack of compassion in our society is the true source of homelessness.

When we see a problem, why is it for many of us our initial response is to find who to blame? Let’s put aside that as it adds nothing to the solution. Let’s put on compassion, open our heart, open our home, open our wallet, and start making a difference in someone who is worth just as much as anyone else. See beyond the appearance. Love, – D.R>

Photo taken from south of Manzanita, Oregon

Night One: LAX

Night One:
This past summer I spent two months on the west coast of the USA. I traveled those two months from Los Angeles to the northern Oregon border and back to LA, on a journey that would see many new relationships found, precious moments shared, and an adventure of a lifetime. Luckily for me, adventures of a lifetime are one thing of which I am a wealthy man. I flew to LA from my hometown of Oklahoma City with a one-way plane ticket I managed to land for only $85. The extent of my plan being to land in LA at around 11:15, find a bench in the airport to close my eyes through the dark of night, and begin my journey of the west coast at sunrise. That first night saw no sleep. I layed beneath some chairs in the corner of an airdock waiting room; nearby where some kids apparently in high school were conversing about the three songs which continuously repeated over the airport speakers. Where were they going? Why were these “kids” in an airport at 2 in the morning? These questions would go unanswered. I checked the sunrise time for LA that morning and decided I would go outside about 30 minutes before liftoff! My first steps outside of the airport brought me in front of a bench occupied by two security guards, lending their heroine protection to the airport guests. What painstaking work it must be to secure an airport at 4am with 4 guests who inhabit an airport at that time. I’m curious if cigarettes are provided to give security guards enough activity at that time? Anyways; I gave a moment to thought of my direction on which to embark… North.