有时我会一个人走上牧场边的山岗，踏过沙地上盛开的满地黄花来到山脊，向北眺望着空旷的谷地和旁边的山脉。这时奥兰恰酋长的脸庞就在我头顶之上，很久远以前，最早的印第安人从寒冷的西伯利亚越过冰封的白令海峡来到皑皑白雪的阿拉斯加，再走过湖泊森林纵横密集的北美大陆西北部，这些古老的印第安人就是沿着碧波万顷，满目葱郁的欧文斯谷向南进入沙漠，穿过墨西哥，一直走到了南美洲最顶端。千万年来，奥兰恰酋长就在这里，在高高的山脉之上，见证了这片峡谷所有的沧海桑田，守望着这片土地上的哀乐悲欢。
在牧场的日子里，我算是终于有时间和心思坐下来写封信，向那些关心我的朋友们报告我到目前为止的经历和感受。原信摘录如下：
Hi,
Greetings from Olancha. How's everything going over there?
It has been two and half months since I set out on my journey, and you guys may rightly assume I am already more on the east side, even somewhere near New York. No way. I haven't gone far on my journey.
I was stuck in north California for several weeks, first by the endless rain, and then I got sick, running a high fever, and coughing.
I was back on the road in March. Yuqi drove me to Half-moon Bay, where I
spent the night in a cypress woods near the seashore. The following morning, a fisherman gave me a lift and drove me to Pigeon Point light house in Santa Cruz. I got stuck there for a couple of days, again by the rain, too much rain this year. Once I was stuck in my tent from 5am to 10 Am., because of the heavy rain.
…
As soon as the rain stopped, I stuck out my thumb and took to the road again. Several drivers offered me ride s to Carmel, the starting point I planned to hike along the Big Sur.
In Carmel, I met a wonderful couple, Joe and Honey. It's a sunny afternoon, after 30 minutes walking on Carmel Highlands, I sort of run into "Point Joe", where Joe and Honey's house is, and I asked them if I could set up my tent in their courtyard, as most part of that area belong to the State Park, camping is not allowed.
I got more than what I had asked for. The couple kindly invited me to stay at their guest room, a neat cabin on the cliff, surrounded by big pine trees, white calla lilies, and with a splendid ocean view. What a luxury, especially for a hitch-hike traveler.
I stayed at "Point Joe" for 3 days, everyday, Joe, who used to be a fisherman, took me out and showed me around Carmel. Both Joe and his wife Honey are Carmel locals, born and grown up there. They told me a lot about Carmel, their families, and themselves. Nowadays, you don't often come across people as generous, friendly, and well-natured as they are. If you ever go to Carmel Highlands, please do stop by "Point Joe" , and say hello to Joe and Honey, they are the kind of really nice people you must meet.
……
At Paso Robles, a Navajo Indian man picked me up and drove me to Mojave. From Mojave, I walked 7 days in the desert to Lone Pine, covered 120 miles with a 50-pound backpack, getting 4 sizable blisters on feet, and they really hurt. With all the fatigue and all the blisters, I was happy and content, no complaints, no regrets. I enjoyed it immensely.
It happens to be the best season of the desert for hiking, the temperature is mild, grass and bushes are tenderly green dotted with tiny yellow wild flowers, it's so beautiful. Every night I looked at the vast starry sky, my heart filled with wonder and content.
I came to Lone Pine to climb the Mt. Whitney, which is 14,497 feet above sea level, the highest mountain in the lower 48 states of the U.S. But there is too much snow, the locals tried to stop me. But since I came so far already, I would at least give it a try before I give up. So I did try, and then gave up when I realized it is a mission impossible. What a pity. It's been my long time dream to climb Mt. Whitney. I feel a little bit sorry that I couldn't make it, but at least I tried.
…
As I set out on this journey, many of my friends expressed their well-grounded concerns and worries, and tried to persuade me to choose an easier way.
Hitchhiking mode of travel would inevitably be full of uncertainties and hardships; most time I slept out, in the woods, on the beaches, under the bush in the desert, and in the Snow Mountains. I walked hours and hours in the rain, against strong wind, under the scorching sun, and in darkness . Pain on feet, sore in back, hungry, thirsty, cold, sick with anxiety.
Yet I have no regrets, not for a single moment, in fact, I am enjoying it very much, I enjoyed everything on my road. I had never got so close to n ature in my life so far; every morning I wake up to bird's chirping , and walk ed along the remote mountain trail, smelling the fresh breeze from the forest. Lying in my tent at the seaside, I enjoyed the soothing sound of sea waves lapping onto the shore; walking i n the desert, I was marveled at the endless land merging into the sky over the horizon; climbing the mountain, I looked up at the full moon rising quietly from the peaks of mountains at twilight...
……There are always stories coming with each new ride and random stop-offs. I met so many cool and beautiful people on the road.
At "Point Joe", as I tried to express my gratitude, Joe said that I didn't have to thank him, for, while he was young, he had been traveling in many countries, received many helps from people, he's just returning these kindness by helping me.
A middle aged Latino woman offered me a ride from Carmel. As she drove along, she told me she was from Honduras, and told me how she came to America 30 years ago the hard way, and the touching love story between her and her 22 years younger husband. When she dropped me off on the roadside, she gave m e her family's address in Honduras, told me I can stay at her family's house if I go to Honduras someday.
A young lady, Dionne, went out of her way to drive me to my destination. She told me that I was the first hitchhiker she has ever picked up, as I hopped out her car, she told me her cell phone number and let me call her if I got any emergency.
Jerry Price, whom I met in North California, is 72 years old this year but still dreaming to climb Mt. Everest, to be the oldest person who has ever climbed to top of that mountain. He can speak a little bit Chinese, and call ed himself "Lao Feng Zi (old nut)", and called me"Xiao Feng Zi (young nut)".
Kevin, a cheerful electrician from San Bernardino, stopped for me as he saw I am walking alone in the desert. Kevin has a deep love for his Harley; he made his across America trip driving his Harley. Actually, h e is fatally sic k with an incurable disease. "I'm dying," he said, "but death doesn't stop me, it just inspires me to enjoy life harder."
Now I would like to talk more about the Wild Burro Rescue Sanctuary. I am working as a temporary volunteer. This is an isolated range located at the base of Eastern Sierra Nevada. It has four staff members taking care of 200 burros, mules, horses, and many other animals. None of them gets paid or any benefits….
This sanctuary is short of almost everything that it needs to save about 187 wild burros. There is no electricity, no tap water, no telephone line here. Every night we eat poor food by the candle lights……
The conditions here is beyond your wild imagination , but all of the people here are wonderful, they still keep a positive attitude towards life, and they are dedicated to the work of rescuing wild Burros.
Every day after supper, we all stand silently in yard watching the moon rising from Coso Mountain in the east, this scene is so enchanting that I will never forget for my whole life.
……
When I started my journey, I wished in mind that let me gain some
unusual experiences, meet some cool people. Two and half months passed, I am happy to say I got much more than I had wished. Everything turned out to be far better than I had expected. With all the sufferings and pains a hitch-hiker is expected to endure, I feel learnt, inspired, enlightened, encouraged, and tested by experiences and people I encountered along the way. My faith in the essential goodness of human nature has been reinforced. I'm no longer in doubt of myself; I have never been so sure of myself. I can see my own essence more and more clearly, it had been hidden somewhere inside me.
Every morning as I wake up, I am never sure where I'll be at night, what kind of people I will meet and what will happen on the road, but I know my journey will be full of joy coming from my encounters with their unusual stories.
I would like to conclude my letter with an ancient Sanskrit poem I found on the guest room's wall at "Point Joe," Look to this day
Look to this day
for it is life
the very life of life
In its brief course lie all
the realities and truths of existence
the joy of growth
the splendor of action
the glory of power
For yesterday is but a memory
And tomorrow is only a vision
But today well lined
makes every yesterday a memory of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope
Look well, therefore, to this day.
Best wishes
Xiang on the road
译：
嗨，
从奥兰恰向大家问候。你们都还好吗？
自从我上路以来两个半月已经过去了，你们大概都还以为我已经走到很东边了，甚至快到纽约了。但实际上我根本还没走出多远去。
我被困在了加州好几个礼拜，首先是因为没完没了的雨水，其实是因为我得了病，高烧咳嗽不止。
三月份我重新上了路。玉琪开车送我到半月湾，我在那附近海边的杉树林中过了一夜。第二天早上一个渔民搭我到圣塔克鲁兹的鸽子岬灯塔。我又被大雨困在那里了两天，今年雨水可够多的。有次我被大雨困在帐篷里从早上五点一直到上午十点。
……
等到雨一停我就赶快回到公路边搭车。几个过路司机把我一直搭到了卡梅尔，我原定计划沿Big Sur徒步旅行的起点。
在卡梅尔我遇到了一对非常好的夫妻，乔依和哈妮。那是一个阳光明媚的下午，在走了三十分钟来到卡梅尔岗时，我无意中闯进了“乔依岬”－乔依和哈妮的家，因为那一带基本上都属于州立公园，禁止宿营，所以我询问他们是否可以让我把帐篷搭在他们院子里。
但我得到的远超出我的期望。这对夫妻竟然友好地邀请我住在他们的客房里，那是一间搭建在悬崖顶上的温馨的小木屋，四周被松树林和洁白的马蹄莲花丛环绕，窗外就是壮观的大海。对一个靠搭便车旅行的旅行者来说，这一切实在是太奢侈了。
我在乔依岬一共待了三天。每天，乔依－一个以前的渔夫，会带着我到卡梅尔一带转悠。乔依和哈妮都是卡梅尔土生土长的本地人。他们告诉了我许多有关卡梅尔，他们的家族，以及他们自己的故事。在这个时代，你并不是那么容易遇到象他们那样慷慨，友善，好心肠的人。如果你有机会路过卡梅尔岗，请一定在乔依岬停一下，向他们打声招呼，他们是那种你应该去结识的人。
……
在帕斯澳罗伯勒斯，一个纳瓦和印第安人搭上我，一直把我送到了莫哈维。从莫哈维，我在荒漠中走了七天到朗派。我背着二十多公斤重的背包走了两百多公里，脚上磨出四个疼痛的大水泡。
现在刚好是在沙漠中徒步旅行的最好时节，气候温暖，草木新绿，其间开满了黄色的小野花，一切都是如此的美丽。每天晚上，仰望着浩瀚星空，心中只有惊叹满足。
我来到朗派攀登惠特尼峰，它海拔4,418，是美国本土四十八州的最高点。但因为山上雪太厚，当地人试图劝阻过我。可是既然是远道而来，没有道理试都不试就放弃。但我的尝试最终只是让我认识到，我的目标确实难以实现。太遗憾了，我一直以来就盼望着能登上惠特尼峰。尽管我感到有些遗憾没能上去，但至少我尽力了。
……
当我开始这次旅行时，许多朋友们都向我表达了他们的担忧，并且试图劝说我选择更容易些的方式。
搭便车这种旅行方式当然不可避免地充满了无常和艰辛；许多时候露宿野外，树林中，沙滩上，沙漠中的灌木丛间。一刻不停地走在风雨中，烈日下，黑暗里。双脚疼痛，腰背酸软，饥渴寒冷，满心焦虑。
但我从没有哪怕一瞬间后悔过，只是感受着旅途中的一切。在我的生命中从来没有这样接近过大自然，每天清晨在鸟鸣中醒来，行进在人迹罕见的山道上，呼吸着夹杂着森林气息的清风。躺在海边的帐篷里，倾听着海浪阵阵涌上沙滩的涛声。跋涉在沙漠里，眺望着一望无垠的旷野在远方的地平线融入蓝天。登上高山，注视着满月在黄昏中静静地从山峰间升起…
……
在路上我总能听到不同的故事，遇到许多友好美丽的人们。
在乔依岬，当我试图向乔依表示谢意时，乔依说我并不需要要感谢他，因为他年轻时也曾在许多国家旅行过，得到过许多人的帮助，现在他只是把那些得到的善意转送给我。
一个中年拉丁裔妇女在卡梅尔让我上了车。在车上她告诉我她来自洪都拉斯。一路上她向我讲述了她三十年前来美国时的艰难日子，还有她和年轻她二十二岁丈夫间的感人故事。当她在路边放我下来时，给了我她在洪都拉斯家族的地址，让我如果有一天如果去洪都拉斯可以住在她的家。
一个年轻的女子，蒂昂妮，特意专门开车送我到我要去的地方。她说我是她搭载过的第一位搭车客。当我下了她的车时，她告诉了我她的手机号码，让我有紧急情况和她联系。
杰瑞普莱斯，我在北加州遇到的他，今年已经七十二岁但依然梦想着能够登上珠穆朗玛峰，成为世界上最年长的等顶成员。他会说一些中文，他称他自己为“老疯子”，而称我为“小疯子”。
凯文，一个从圣伯拉地诺来的开朗的电工，当他看到我独自在荒漠中步行时就主动停了下来。他深爱着他的哈雷摩托车，骑着他的哈雷跨越过美国大陆。但他其实得了不治之病。他告诉我“我就要死了，但是死亡并没有吓倒我，它只是激励更加努力的去享受生活。”
现在，我要多讲述一点关于我现在正作为临时志愿人员工作的野驴拯救牧场的故事。我现在就在这里做一名志愿义工。这是一处内华达山脉之麓的牧场。一共有四名工作人员，照料着两百多头毛驴，骡子，马，和许多其它动物。没有一个人领取工资和各种福利，牧场完全依靠捐款维持。
……这个牧场几乎缺少一切需要的东西。没有水电，电话线，每天晚上我们在烛光下吃着简单的食物……
这里的条件不是你们容易想象得到的，但是这里的人们依然对生活充满乐观，并为拯救野驴的事业勤奋工作。
每天晚餐之后，我们所有人都会静静地站在院子里，注视着月亮从东边的柯索山脉升起，这个感人的场面是我永远不会忘记的。
……
当我开始旅程时，我希望自己能够积累一些不一般的经验，遇到一些不一样的人。两个半月过去了，我很高兴地说我所得到要比我所希望的更多。除了作为任何一名搭车客都必须忍受的旅途艰辛，我更被路途上遇到的这些事和人所教育，鼓舞，启迪，激励，考验。我对人性善的信念更加坚定，也对自己本身不再怀疑。我从来没有这么清晰地感受到真实的自己，它本来或许是被掩藏在了我内心的某处。
每天早上当我醒来时，我总是无法确定晚上我会在什么地方，路上会见到哪些人，遇到哪些事。但我知道我的旅途一定会因为路上那些不期而遇的人们和他们的故事而充满喜悦。
最后，我想用一首我在乔依岬客房的墙上找到的一首古老的梵文诗来结束我这封信：
Look to this day
for it is life
the very life of life
In its brief course lie all
the realities and truths of existence
the joy of growth
the splendor of action
the glory of power
For yesterday is but a memory
And tomorrow is only a vision
But today well lined
makes every yesterday a memory of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope
Look well, therefore, to this day.
最好的祝福
翔在路上