Dirtbag Magic

Pulling off the road and onto the empty camping area, she was grateful to have the public land almost to herself. Minutes later, her small, A-frame tent was staked into the ground, marking her territory. A tiny lawn chair sat in between the open trunk of her car and the plot she would call home. Milo, her protector and friend leapt  from the passenger seat and took his own steps to mark the territory. Arlie filled his water bowl as he barked in anticipation. Arlie thought about how this was by far her favorite destination yet. The weathered rock formations appeared carefully painted and were a perfect contrast against clear blue skies. She felt she had truly made it out and into the world she ached so long to explore. After a quick lunch made in the trunk of her car, Arlie and Milo set out exploring the area surrounding the free campground. As they walked side-by-side, both took in different things- for Milo it was the scents. His nose was stationed approximately one inch from the ground at all times. For Arlie, it was the quiet. Thus far, she had never been somewhere so devoid of other humans. To her surprise, the quiet was almost unsettling, which made a slight relief wash over when she heard the sound of bike wheels ravaging rocks about 50 yards back. 

The free campground had been quiet for the past two weeks, something Dolen, in his naiveté, appreciated at first, but grew anxious over as feelings of solitude festered. When you start solo traveling, you quickly realize it isn’t all that Instagram makes it seem, making friends on trails and caravanning together from one beautiful location to the next. Instead, there’s a lot of down time, something Dolen had not anticipated nor desired. He had determined with certainty tonight would be his last night in the Badlands; he would set out for new adventure elsewhere tomorrow. However, when the Subaru forester teetered through the mountainous terrain, he decided he would give it one last shot in South Dakota. One last night among vibrant rock beds might facilitate the type of encounter he left home to find. To give the camper some space, he mounted his bike and pedaled toward nowhere in particular, providing himself one final ride through the pigmented fossil beds. An hour into the ride, he headed back, feeling an endorphin-fueled confidence to start conversation. On his way toward camp, she came into view ahead of him. She looked  entirely serene, like she belonged there between the buttery ridges. When she turned back to look in his direction, he was struck by her beauty. He gave a friendly wave as he neared her, hopping off the bike and matching her pace. 

“Hey! Welcome to the Badlands. I’m Dolen,” he stuck out an anxious hand for her to shake. “I think I saw you pull onto the BLM campground, I’ve been here like three and a half weeks now. It’s beautiful.”

“That’s sick! It feels like I’ve teleported to a different planet,” she noticed his eyes twinkling in the sunlight and couldn’t help but smile at him. After a beat too long, she remembered to introduce herself; “Oh, and thanks for the welcome, I’m Arlie!”

The two welcomed each other’s company and walked back toward camp together, conversing about the natural beauty around them and their previous travels. Neither mentioned where they would head next. 

Back at her car, Arlie began to make dinner for the both of them, a trade for a few of Dolen’s warm beers. The two clicked instantly. Whether that was a result of neither of them talking to another person for days or their undeniable chemistry didn’t matter. They stayed up long after the sun had taken respite and admired a sky littered with more stars than either had ever seen. Dolen pointed out a few constellations, one of which Arlie couldn’t help but correct him on, though both were amateur astronomers at best. They laughed about how poorly s’mores mixed with their IPAs. Arlie reflected on the surprising views she experienced in a few flyover states as Dolen hung onto her every word. When the cool winds became too much for him to bear at such a late hour, Milo sequestered himself to the tent, serving as a disappointing signal that Dolen should depart toward his own camp. 

“Borrow my headlamp. I can get it back from you tomorrow, I have a flashlight I can use for the time being.”

At that moment Dolen remembered his plan to leave, to continue his journey of exploration. He considered staying momentarily, but prioritized his adventure instead. “Thanks, I’ll drop it to you on my way out.”

“You’re leaving?” It came out sounding more melancholy than she had intended.

“Yeah, I love it here but I told myself I’d get out to see more. 

She sighed and responded, “I get that. If I’m not here when you go just drop it in my tent. And just in case, safe travels! Hope wherever you go next is wonderful.” She wondered why he couldn’t stay one extra day, and wondered why she wanted him to so badly.

“Thanks Arlie. It was really great meeting you. Like, really great. Maybe we’ll cross paths again out there.” His smile told her he hoped they would. Just as her eager nod did for him.

***

Arlie’s beachfront campground outside the Hoh rainforest was perfect, and Milo loved the damp landscape as much as she did. But, she was out of firewood and had an itch for some social interaction. Something told her to pack her things, leave the idyllic, enchanted forest and  drive four hours to Portland, Oregon, to scope out a new, intriguing city. Midway through her drive, Milo became antsy, so the two stopped at an overlook near a state forest on the way out of  Washington. Arlie stretched her legs and snapped a few photos before grabbing a granola bar and leaning against her back bumper. She was pulled upward by a sudden tug on Milo’s leash from the side of the car. She worked her way around to him muttering as she walked, her eyes on the pavement. She reached for his harness handle ready to apologize to the stranger Milo was greeting until she heard his familiar voice.

“Long time no see Milo!” Her head shot up, a shocked smile plastered on her face. “Oh and look, you brought Arlie along too, huh.” Dolen laughed as they made eye contact, until he noted Arlie’s eyes shift to his left, to Chloe. 

“What are the freaking odds of this?” They both tumbled over the words at once, Dolen’s tone completely enamored. Arlie forced her voice to sound excited despite the fact that she was completely and unreasonably jealous of the woman standing at Dolen’s side, her arm draped across his shoulders. 

They ignored the second of unease, smiling as they took in the serendipity. Dolen shrugged Chloe off and stepped toward Arlie for a hug. Once in each other’s arms, any dwindling tension faded. The tender moment must’ve lasted a second too long, because from a few feet away they were interrupted.

“How do you two know each other?” A fake niceness glossed over the words. “I’m Chloe! So nice to meet you, your dog is adorable!”

“Thanks so much, one more compliment for this guy and I think it might go to his head. I’m Arlie, great to meet you! Dolen and I  actually met one day in South Dakota, completely random. This guy stole my headlamp,” Smirking as she said it, she gave his arm a light punch that set the two into a mock fight like infatuated middle schoolers. 

Again, Chloe snapped the two out of their giddiness. “That’s great!” Answering the question Arlie didn’t ask, she continued, “We met a few months ago in Montana, been together ever since!” Dolen’s eyes shot her with subtle daggers that Arlie noted, but Chloe  missed completely. 

“Yeah, uh after I left Badlands I headed for Wyoming and then made my way to Montana. I’m in Portland for now, but thinking about Crater Lake in the next few.” 

“You should absolutely check out more of Washington too if this is your first time. I’m finding it hard to leave honestly. I was just taking a day trip to Portland, so I think I’ll find some public land in Oregon for the time being.” He wanted to tell her Portland wasn’t worth the time for someone like her, someone who wanted pure exploration like him. But he couldn’t, because Chloe was from Portland. 

“There are some great food spots in the city, and you could check out the urban parks if you’re looking for nature! I’m from Portland and absolutely adore it.”

“Thanks! I’d love some recommendations if you’re offering. I started driving with no real plan, so anything you have would be great.”

“Multnomah Falls.” He blurted the words almost without realizing he said them aloud. “If you’re not committed to a spot, you have to see Multnomah falls, dude. It’s not that far outside Portland and it’s completely insane.” Dolen was all too excited to derail the city-talk.

“I’m not committed to anything.” When she said it he felt a pang of jealousy, missing his wondrous side. “This morning something just made me  pack up my site and go.” 

“You could camp right near Hood! I’d be happy to show you around, this place is like a playground of public land.” Arlie hadn’t realized how much she liked Dolen that first day until he left, and truthfully, hadn’t stopped thinking about him since.

But guilt made her decide to shut it down, she didn’t want to take part in whatever mess this had the potential to become. She could already feel the triangle’s lines forming. “Maybe! I’m gonna check out Portland today though, so I’d love those recs, Chloe.” 

20 minutes later, Arlie opened the passenger door for Milo and waved her goodbyes. This time, she left with Dolen’s phone number, and he had hers. Part of her hoped he would use it. She thought about staying in Oregon, letting Dolen be her guide. But logic said it may be smart to drive onward instead.

Dolen felt the awkwardness seep in the moment he watched Arlie’s car pull out of the lot. He and Chloe hardly spoke on the ride back to her apartment in Portland. He was lost in thought behind the wheel, imagining what might have been if he’d stayed one more night all those months ago. 

***

Dolen drove through the tan hills of southern California until they transformed  into the bright red plateaus of Arizona. He sped toward Sedona in hopes of making it to see the band he’d loved for years. It was a dream situation for him, the opportunity to see the natural landscape of Sedona and hear Ocean Alley live. They were an Australian band without much of a following in the US, which meant they could play small venues and sell cheap tickets. It had been months since he left Chloe’s Portland bubble and he finally felt like himself again. He had a strange feeling about Sedona, one that told him something magical might happen in the land of the vortexes, as the more spiritually inclined called it. He arrived in Sedona around four in the afternoon, waiting for a friend he’d met in Wyoming to meet him at a local bar. Nate arrived an hour later, both of them looking rough and rugged from their journeys. Nate’s scraggly beard was a welcome sight to Dolen’s equally untamed hair. When they were situated in line making small talk with other concert-goers, Dolen turned to tell Nate he needed another drink. As he shifted his gaze toward his friend, his eyes found someone else. His heart flipped. 

“Oh my god.” They said it in unison although they were too far to hear one another. Both Arlie and Dolen smiled massive, goofy grins at each other and left their places in line. Dolen swept her up into his arms, nearly shaking with the excitement and shock at their third, completely random run-in.

“What are the freaking odds of this?” They both said, again at the same time. They laughed and shook their heads, eyes glimmering at the sight of one another. 

“You first,” Arlie pressed, followed by a deep breath. 

“Okay, well I just got here a few hours ago from San Diego actually. I’ve been exploring California for the past two months, bouncing between Yosemite and Joshua Tree, climbing and surfing and just generally dirt-bagging it. But my friend Nate over there told me Ocean Alley was coming to Sedona and he was making the trip from Tahoe, so, here I am. Figures you would like Ocean Alley.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She was egging him on.

“We meet by chance in these insane and picturesque places three times now, both passionate about all the same things, so I’m not surprised you like my favorite band is all. Thanks for the text by the way.” Dolen knew very well he could’ve reached out too, but decided against it as his nerves got the best of him. 

“Hey, the phone goes both ways buddy!”

“Yeah, yeah. Tell me what you’ve been up to.”

Arlie told him about how she skipped Oregon and drove straight to the Redwoods after they had their last run-in. How she went to Tahoe shortly thereafter and how they had probably been at Yosemite around the same time. They bonded over Death Valley and she had to explain herself when she told him she never made it to Joshua Tree, one of his now-favorite places in the world. She went on and on about Sedona, telling him what he could not miss during his time there. That she was happy to be his tour guide if he would be staying. When he asked where Milo was, she updated him about a wonderful woman she met at a market who was watching him for the night, probably providing a more luxurious stay than any of them had in a year. He made her come to his place in line, without much rebuttal. Nate did not keep a very good poker face when Dolen said her name.

“This is Arlie? Wow, much obliged. An honor really.” He laughed as he braced for the imminent arm punch Dolen sent his way. 

“So, I’ve mentioned you a few times. I mean, c’mon it’s a crazy story that we crossed paths twice like this!” Arlie thought his stammering was adorable.

“I didn’t say anything! Plus, now we’ve got a really great story, right? Third time’s the charm.” He wanted to squeeze her hand and never let her go this time. To make sure she was real and that they were actually standing in front of one another again. 

Arlie, Dolen, and Nate danced and screamed and laughed through the whole concert. They left the venue entranced by the experience, music still ringing in their ears. The bar the boys had gone to earlier was closed, but one Arlie knew shone like a beacon in the distance. The three of them talked for hours, sharing stories that were only relatable to those who lived their lifestyles. Arlie told them about when Milo got lost at Yosemite and how she had to convince a toddler that he was, in fact, hers and not a result of trail magic. Nate swore he had a cult run-in outside Zion. Dolen warned them both to avoid Joshua Tree at all costs during  Coachella-weekends, but praised the psychedelics he got out of his interactions with festival-goers. Around 1 am, Nate tapped out and made way to the van he lived in. Neither Arlie nor Dolen felt even slightly tired, both charged from being in each other’s presence. 

“I don’t want to go back, I feel like if I leave now I’m never gonna see you again.” Dolen broke the tension, liquid courage flowing.

“Isn’t that kind of our thing, though?” Arlie smiled, making light of the truth in his statement.

“Come on, you can’t tell me after tonight that you want to keep running into each other every four to six months. I’d even take bi-monthly over this.” They both knew even once a month wouldn’t be what they really wanted. Arlie paused and thought about what she could say. On the one hand she wanted to spend every second with him despite being aware she hardly knew him. On the other hand, she worried if they learned more about each other it might ruin the mystery, or worse even, make them resent one another. 

In the moment of silence she took to contemplate, he leaned forward in his barstool and kissed her. Electricity surged through her, a spark she only heard about in books and movies. Her skepticism melted away with its warmth and she knew she was all in. 

Dolen felt whatever magic Sedona had to offer coursing through him in that moment. He could see the future. The two of them picking up Milo the next morning. Their cars driving, one after the other, through mountains and sand dunes and plains alike. He could see them around campfires laughing. Cuddling in one-person tents without a care. How Arlie would wake up before him in the mornings and make breakfast and how he would get water to filter for their active days. 

When they pulled apart, their faces stayed close. They couldn’t hide their smiles. Shaking their heads and gently touching foreheads to one another they spoke.

“What are the freaking odds of this?” Once more, in unison, they smiled.