Changing Roads Podcast
Changing Roads Podcast unveils the profound essence of travel, exploring not just the destinations, but the personal transformations within. We unravel the various themes, aspects and narratives of travel that define us, shape us, and lead us to the heart of our own stories.
Changing Roads Podcast
Revolutionary Retreats: Unique Stays Amidst the Vacation Rental Crisis
Have you ever stumbled upon a place so unique that it felt like stepping into another world? That's exactly what happened to your host, Brad, when he first encountered Shanti Community. Nestled off-grid in New Mexico, this artistic travel retreat, founded by Shelly Johnson, is more than just a place to stay – it's a canvas for self-discovery. In our latest episode, Brad talks with Shelly about her globe-trotting adventures that led to the creation of this rustic haven, and how her commitment to crafting immersive experiences fosters deep, unexpected connections among travelers.
The Shanti Community is a testament to the power of embracing the unconventional and the profound impact it can have on us all. From tales of guests unprepared for the absence of mainstream comforts to the joy of forming an extended global family, this conversation reveals how the act of travel can truly shape a more interconnected and empathetic world.
But the road is not always smooth. Shelly opens up about the challenges her retreat has faced, finding herself and Shanti caught in the middle of the "vacation rental crisis" as the local government took sweeping action against privately owned, alternative travel accommodations. Through anecdotes of community support and overcoming false allegations, they uncover the resilience required to keep such a unique space alive. The spirit of Shanti Community stands undeterred, a beacon for those who understand and value these visionary places. When chapters close, another begins, so join us as we celebrate the ongoing journey of Shanti and perhaps, along the way, you'll be inspired to discover your own special places.
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Welcome wanderers, dreamers and fellow seekers of the open road. This is Changing Roads, a sanctuary for explorers of the world and the self. In the realm of travel accommodations, there is a growing trend towards unique stays crafted by hosts who are more than just proprietors they're artists. Retreats from the everyday grind of life serve as creative spaces and, through blood, sweat and tears, they are meticulously designed and constructed by these visionaries. Their aim isn't just to offer shelter. It's to create immersive experiences, inspiring travelers to connect with others, connect with themselves and to paint their own experiences as masterpieces that pay tribute to life as a journey. Whether watercolors in a thoughtful brush, a pencil for rough sketches or raw acrylic paint to throw at canvas with bare hands, it is the host that hands their visitors these mediums and it is these mediums that their visitors seek. They build these sacred places as open studios that offer travelers the opportunity to explore insights into the self and insights concerning the world in which we live.
Speaker 1:However, the surge in artistic expression faces the challenge. The heightened attention from regulatory bodies has led to closures and restrictions, posing a threat to the very essence of these special havens. This clash between artistic vision and regulatory oversight isn't just bureaucratic. It's a conflict between creativity and governance. These hosts' dedication isn't solely about business. It's about preserving and sharing their visions. Each closure isn't just an economic loss. It's a dimming of their creative sparks, leaving paintbrushes broken and canvases unfinished.
Speaker 1:It seems there is a confusion in the minds of our policy makers. They may misunderstand which lines should and should not be drawn. Perhaps their intentions are well-meaning, but the consequences of their actions are real. And so the question do we lay down our paint or do we, as hosts and travelers, change roads and through love, not war, start a revolution? Hi, welcome to Changing Roads. I am your host, brad. I am sitting here with my co-host, ranger, my loyal travel companion and service animal, and super excited for this episode and for our guest today, shelly Johnson, and the topic that we are going to be talking about. She has some very unique insights into travel, based on her experiences and also on the experiences of others as she travels. Hi, shelly, how are you doing?
Speaker 2:Hi Brad, I'm doing great Good to see you, it's good to see you too.
Speaker 1:Why don't you introduce yourself and give us some background on your experiences with travel?
Speaker 2:I'd love to Great. I'm 59 and have been traveling most of my life, started kind of right out of college traveling abroad, traveling around Europe. Living in London, I traveled around in VW buses with 11 New Zealanders and I got it in my blood. Basically, I'm a painter and a musician too. More than even those, travel feeds me. I feel like it's the best education, really, truly, that anyone can have on the planet, and what a great way to connect with people, experience different cultures and yeah, so from there I've just continued my travels. I think I've traveled to 30 plus countries and all but three of the states, done a lot of hitching in other countries and our country.
Speaker 2:Then, 16 years ago, I decided to buy a piece of property.
Speaker 2:I felt called to New Mexico and had thrown everything in storage, sold my house in Asheville, north Carolina, and manifested pretty much exactly what I've ended up with. I manifested 10 off-grid acres near an artist community and I headed across the country in my VW bus. And a friend was in Clown School in San Francisco, but she owned a bus in Madrid and said hey, since I'm in Clown School, feel free to go, stay in my bus as long as you want. Spent three days in her bus, found a realtor she had recommended. He took me to the 10 acres that I call Shanti Community, inner Peace, and within three days I had purchased the land. It was the first property he showed me and I've gradually been creating a community there with Yerts, school buses and sharing it with other travelers, and then caretakers have held down the fort for me when I've gone to travel and it's been a pretty win-win situation until occurrences that happened last February, which I'm sure we'll go into in a little while, oh yeah we're going into it.
Speaker 1:That's really cool, Shali. I aspire to the extent of your travel. I'll get there. I'm going to do 35 countries just to beat you.
Speaker 2:Right on. Well, don't think I'm stopping at $6.59. I'm going to keep going too.
Speaker 1:That's really cool, you know. I think that travel, in a lot of ways, is a form of art, and your community that you've built, shanti, it's an artist community, but you building it from the ground up. It's a piece of artwork yourself, right? It's an expression of you, and that's what I love about Shanti. It's how you and I met. I ended up landing there quite without realizing where I was going when I was on some of my own travels, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I've been back many times and it has turned into a friendship with Shali, which is why she's on here right now. And Shanti is exactly what I want to talk about, because it's a very special place. It's unique. I've never been anywhere like it and some of my best memories. So thank you for doing that, shali.
Speaker 2:Right on, brad. Wow, that hits home. Thank you for sharing all of that. And I remember vividly the day you arrived and you had already booked a week through either hip camp or Airbnb and within the first, probably 15 minutes of being there, you said, yeah, screw it, I'm staying a second week. And you went ahead and added another week and yeah, you've been a part of Shanti ever since, like the tortilla bus that you stayed in and the rock that you painted on. I think it was an into the wild quote, right.
Speaker 1:Yep, the tortilla bus is very similar to the magic bus that Chris McKinley stayed in, who is my hero. So, yeah, it meant a lot to me and it made me feel like I was sharing some of his experience. I think it was fall going into winter when I came, so it was cold out and I was, for the most part, the only person on property. I had the whole thing to myself and it was an experience that I will never forget. It allowed me to be with myself and learn to live in the cold, except you brought me firewood when I needed it. That was amazing.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. And fire starters too, to make it even easier. And that bus, of all the buses, warmed up like a sauna in about 15, 20 minutes.
Speaker 1:So I even brought my daughter's back and they stayed in the tortilla bus too. They loved it. It was a special experience for them. They will never forget it. I was talking to them about it last night and they were like, oh yeah, when we stayed in the bus I was one of the coolest things we ever did. I think that a lot of people probably have that same experience going to Shanti. Because it's special, you go there and it's unlike anything else and it's not just a place to stay on your travels. It envelops you in this really interestingly spiritual way. It's beautiful out there. Everything about it has your personality and your vision put into it. It's very intimate and I think a lot of people would probably agree with me there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, brad, it's been a place for the hip camp in Airbnb. I believe I did for that part of it for over eight years. It's in some shifts now and it was in different chapters prior to my beginning to do Airbnb and hip camp. But with the new shifts that began happening last February, the amount of letters and messages that I received from people from around the country was phenomenal. It really did feed my spirit when I went through a rough time with big challenges with the county and the bulk of what I heard from everyone consistently was it's such a healing space.
Speaker 2:I went here to heal because I lost my dog, or I was losing my dog, or I was going through a divorce, or I just needed to get out of the city.
Speaker 2:I heard that all the time. It's located between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, on the turquoise trail and just five miles away from the artist village Madrid. I had people come from Albuquerque and Santa Fe just on the weekends to get out of the city. Not that those are huge cities, but they needed a break from the hubbub, from the craziness of city life and they wanted quiet and there is a place where you really have to be comfortable with yourself in quiet and solitude. But it's also always been a place where other travelers connect and that has been a magic to me, the fact that you and I have stayed in touch all of these years because you were there for the early year, the early time when it was just kicking off, I believe and the amount of people I've stayed in touch with that have come back to be caretakers. It's a place for connect and it's also a place for healing, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a special thing, and that's a good thing to note too is you've had travelers from all over the world land in Shanti. But it's not just that. You've also built this place for your local community as well and they see that and they respect that and they have always been drawn to you and your property because they see the value in it. You've really created a special place for world travelers and the community. That really sets you apart from a lot of different places that people might end up on their travels.
Speaker 2:Right on, brad. Thanks, yeah, locally yoga has been a big part. The amount of people when we're doing yoga out there, we do like Thursday night sunset yoga. We were doing Sunday yoga with brunch to follow and we served burritos at the Dharma Bum T-Bus, which is another VW bus and a community kitchen area, and I'd look around on the deck and see as many as 15 or more people drinking my watermelon mimosas and enjoying our vegetarian burritos after yoga and the connections people were making. Yeah, a lot of magic has happened up there, for sure, a lot of music too, but that's a whole nother story.
Speaker 1:And art, yeah, I've had your vegetarian burritos and watermelon mimosas Amazing.
Speaker 2:I remember you were there one of those days. Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1:That was a cool addition. I was really excited with the watermelon mimosas. Yeah, I love that. It's such an intimate place to connect and it's so much fun. I'm really interested because of what it's turned into the special place, this unique place. What motivated you to do this in the first place? Did it evolve over time?
Speaker 2:It definitely evolved over time. In the beginning, honestly, it may sound a little woo-woo, but I felt a calling to create community or I wouldn't have sold my dream house in Ashfield, north Carolina. So yeah, got in my bus and headed that way and I just felt I remember sharing with my mom. At one point I was like I don't know why I keep feeling the need to gather all these buses and yurts and continue creating new spaces when I only had a handful of people up there living. Back then I had a couple living in my teepee with their dog. I had a friend living in a bus, another friend living in his camper. I had a handful of people out there. I think one of the yurts was rented out by a friend, but a lot of times there weren't that many of us up there and I just kept creating.
Speaker 2:I was passionate about ooh, I found another 1946 school bus. I'm going to get it towed onto the property and I'm going to throw in some cool floors, install a wood stove. So I remember sharing with my mom. I'm not sure why I keep doing this, but I feel like it's going to be a safe haven for people someday. And that's what it became. I still didn't have a clear vision about Airbnb or hip camp, but it evolved into that after I'd been on the property for several years. It became that kind of space You're an artist at heart.
Speaker 2:It's my big canvas. It's definitely a big canvas for me, yeah.
Speaker 1:That is perfectly said. Yeah, you're an artist at heart, in a lot of different ways, but you're one of those people. You're like me. You have to create and that's a beautiful canvas that area of New Mexico, and I'm very envious of what you've done. Do you think that your travel throughout the world influenced your want to build a community?
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, I know it did Travels that I've stayed in in Europe and in the States years. I used to hitch up the Pacific Coast Highway, hanging out in San Francisco and other places and finding cool places to stay along the way where I could meet people. It absolutely influenced me and most recent to my doing the hip camp in Airbnb was I spent two months. Maybe it was just before I started my Airbnb and so eight or nine years ago maybe I was hitching around Hawaii where I'm going back this winter for a couple of months and I hitched around for two months with my backpack and my ukulele and visited communities and volunteered in communities and I kept relating what I had started to these situations and it inspired me to go back and take it another step.
Speaker 1:It's amazing how much stepping out of your comfort zone and finding these really interesting and unique places, how they can add to your experience overall as a traveler. A lot of people stay in their comfort zone, maybe, and do the norm of what people do when they travel and stay at hotels or even campgrounds, but if you step a little outside of your box, there's so many really interesting places, it makes your travel so colorful and you find these experiences that you will absolutely never forget. And you're not going to get those at a Marriott Hotel bar.
Speaker 2:No, you are not. Yes, I agree 100% and I use that all the time. I've used it in some of my lyrics and my songs of outside of the box. It's the way I've chosen to live my entire life. So, yeah, you don't find that at a Marriott.
Speaker 1:No, for the Marriott and the person at the desk is wearing a nice suit and tie. You're wearing a crushed up cowboy hat and purple hair and dreads.
Speaker 2:Yes, and they're like where did this outside of the box human come from?
Speaker 1:And then, when they get to know you, they realize that you're one of the coolest people they've ever met.
Speaker 2:Right on. Thanks, brad. I had a Jeep off to get a lot of work done on it before I drive back across the country. My parents came and picked me up and dad said initially my feelings were hurt by this, but then I later could laugh about it. And he said what do they think of you in there? You know you're in Virginia now. And I said well, looked at me a little oddly and he said and then you started to talk and they realized you were a real person. And it did hurt my feelings at first and then I thought about it. I'm like that's probably true. Some people aren't going to respect someone that's tattooed and dreadlocked and purple dreadlocks nonetheless, and wearing a yeah, how you said crinkled up cowboy hat. But then you start having a conversation and they're like oh, wow, okay, they can speak, they have things to share, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I've talked quite a bit about it on some episodes before. Actually, you know you have these preconceived notions about people and once you break that barrier, there's so much to know about a person that is really special. I can imagine at some point you might have felt that way about some of your guests, because I know they're not always the normal draw. I've actually seen it myself staying up there. It's actually one of the funniest experiences I've ever had.
Speaker 2:Oh, really Tell me.
Speaker 1:It was when I was up there the last time, the whole expedition that I just did, taking Ranger to all the national parks I was with Haley and we were staying in one of your very small teardrop campers out there and these college kids came in and they were just really uptight and clean and they were asking for ice and where's the water and where's the shower, and we were just like there's no ice out here. I think they ended up leaving like a day later early.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:For that they were like this is not what we thought it would be.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, well, they didn't read the details and that did, and I was going to say the same thing. The people that I connected with were the people who, yeah, live outside of the box. I sometimes would see someone that looked a little more traditional, tried not to judge, but I questioned how comfortable will they be here? And some of them were afraid of the spider on the ceiling and they had to leave. Sure, well, you're in nature. But I did also find that I at times did judge people, I guess without wanting to, and then I would sink into a conversation and we would realize how much we had in common and that was pretty magical, those connections.
Speaker 2:And I would say to Brad, probably truthfully, 98% of the people that showed up at Chanti and still continue to, in a different realm from hip camp and Airbnb, almost called there. It was very, very rare for someone to show up and be like what is this? I'm out of here. Most of those people couldn't find their way. Now, trust trusted that those who couldn't find their way, they weren't meant to be on that sacred land and that land is sacred long before Chanti was there. It's sacred land. I feel like it's part of what I'm supposed to be doing on this planet is protecting and sharing to some degrees.
Speaker 1:I think that a lot of time and correct me if I'm wrong. It's kind of what you just said, that people are going out to your property because they need to break free, they need to step outside of the box, and a lot of people maybe they've never experienced something like that before. And that's what they're seeking. And you, as a host, in your personality, you have this unique ability to kind of walk them through that process and help them break those barriers, help them feel relaxed and sit down at the community picnic table and really draw it all in and experience it as a host. That is a unique quality that you have that every host should have.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you. Well, it goes both ways. I have been fed by all of the connections many, many connections that I've made out there with so many magical people like you, and it definitely goes both ways. I was always excited to share. I mean, I have someone up there now I know we're going to get to that place too of the shifts of Shanti, but I have someone staying there right now.
Speaker 2:That was the nurse of a doctor's appointment I went to and we started talking about this was in Santa Fe and we is it OK that I'm talking about this? Oh yeah, it's just the kinds of people that show up. So this was a number of months ago and she said, wow, my, my father passed away in the mine shaft tavern in Madrid. I kind of knew I was going to meet someone someday soon that lived in Madrid and I said, well, I moved there after your father passed, but I know the story of your father's passing. And I said, hey, I have yurts People aren't, we're not hip camping and Airbnb now, but I have some people that I offer it up for love donations. And she said I'd love to come. She reached out right away. She was there the next weekend, brad, the person she showed up with was the guy that built my first two platforms, her boyfriend. Wow, that's crazy. It's crazy. And he's like I built some platforms for someone out here many years ago. I said, peter, that was me, I built everything since you, peter. But I said you built these platforms. I said you were out on the land for a solid month and he's like, exactly Well, anyway, sandra, I guess it's OK to say her name.
Speaker 2:She is back at Shanti right now. She reached out a few days ago and said I need three days retreat. Can I come stay? And I said, hey, I've been on the road for three months. I have friends checking on things, but I haven't been in the year. You stayed in in three months. You're more than welcome. And I told her how to get in where the firewood was and she's loving it.
Speaker 1:So that's serendipitous. It's actually another thing I love about you, shelley, is that it's not just about it being a business for you. You actually care about people and what they need, and if you see someone who's in need, you offer your place to somebody, regardless of the situation, and that is a really special thing. You understand your vision in such an intimate way that you're able to offer that to people so selflessly.
Speaker 2:Thank you, I love the way you said that. Yeah, I want people to get that. I feel like that's again part of my, I think. Want to think, choose to think. Part of my purpose on this planet, in this lifetime is to hopefully inspire those who want to be inspired to travel, to come to a healing place, to feel the magic, to live life outside of the box, even if it's just one weekend out of the year Then, to just taste that. And the amount of people that have said, after their time or during their time of staying there wow, I've been thinking about doing something like this, living off the grid or creating a community. Now I know I'm going to, I'm like, right on, it's working.
Speaker 1:You're changing people's lives. You're sending them in directions in life that they may never have before. You're making a huge impact on some of these people. On the other side of that, you live on the property yourself and far enough away that you don't have to hear people doing weird things or partying, but you interact directly on a daily basis with these people as well. So how is that transformed your life? You've made such an impact on others. I'm guessing that they have made an impact on you as well in the same way.
Speaker 2:Oh, there's no question about that. Hearing people laugh, I'll be in my yard or in my studio you're painting, you know and in quiet, and then I'll hear laughter down on the lower part of the property and I just stop and smile. Yeah, it's contagious. And then to witness people being inspired like re-inspires me, reignites all of the passion, the initial passion I felt building it. It's kept the fire going, I guess. Yeah, the passion continues. And just the personal connections, brad, like I had one guest that came back and hosted a retreat, a yoga retreat. We're still friends and the retreat was incredible. She brought 12 people down from Telluride. We did sound healing, we did yoga, we hiked into the canyon. She asked me to lead a silent hike into the canyon.
Speaker 1:I call that canyon the Jedi Canyon.
Speaker 2:It's pretty incredible, isn't it?
Speaker 1:It reminds me of going on a journey on a different planet to find the force.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, I go down there and camp with the dog. Sometimes the stars it's pretty amazing. So yeah, in answer to your question, I think it's been very incredibly reciprocal.
Speaker 1:Your art studio is in your yurt as well, so I'm assuming that that has also influenced your art and your music as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the little yurt is my studio. At one point I was Arabian being that, but that went back to being my art studio and a lot of music has happened on that property. For sure I do band camps with my band and the whole band will come up or we'll invite several bands to come up and we'll spend a weekend jamming together. Yeah, it's definitely influenced the lyrics in my songs. My uncle is an artist in Virginia and I was just in Richmond visiting family there and he said wow, you live in this place that you talk about as this magical nature place, but you don't paint nature and I don't. I paint very warhol-ish, vibrant, vibrant colors. So on the outside of these yurts everything is earth, green and natural colors, but you step inside the yurts and they're vibrant. So it feeds me not to go out and paint the desert, but it feeds me because of I guess because of the peace I find up there in the solitude, in the quiet space that I can dive into these vibrant colors and lyrics.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Truth. How do you feel Shanti has evolved since you first came up with the concept and to what it is today? Did you ever see it evolving into what it is?
Speaker 2:Well, I think my initial visions were, as I was putting in paths and building new spaces and creating new spaces. I had this vision of it being a retreat space. I pictured people quietly, like in a silent retreat, walking up the paths wearing robes. I sort of had a pretty clear vision of that and it definitely evolved and now it has taken on a new form. And should I talk about that now?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we can totally get into that.
Speaker 2:It's not one of the shinier moments, but it's realistic, something that's happening not just to me but happening to others, and it's a lot of control out there trying to shut down people who have something, a vision that's successful. I still haven't quite gotten on the other side of the wise. I trust that Shanti will continue to evolve into whatever its next chapters are meant to be, whether it's an artist residency or whether it's just my home and a place that I paint and create and have friends visit and people like my friend, sandra, who said, hey, I need a retreat space for a few nights. It may be that we may continue having down the road yoga gatherings. I'm not sure, but what happened and I don't know how much detail I should go into about this, but it's been less than a year sort of did put it out to the universe. I'm ready for some shifts, but I'm not sure what those shifts are, and I'm heading across the country.
Speaker 2:Last it's the end of January I have a caretaker. A caretaker had quit on me two weeks prior, which was a pretty rare situation, a rare thing to happen. He and I had been very close. He was sharing my art studio with me and he had something going on with him that I'm unaware of. I don't know of what challenges he had, but whatever it was, he suddenly went from making this his home and I want to be here forever and come and go and share this with you and thanks for letting me put my boss here and to I got to go. I'm leaving. I'm going in two weeks with that challenge and frustration and disappointment and sadness and just not having any clarity around it. I think I started to go OK, maybe I'm ready to shift some visions here, maybe visions for Shanti, visions for new chapters for myself. So I did sort of put it out to the universe. I found a caretaker, a wonderful person. We're friends now. She's actually going to be up there some this winter when I'm in Hawaii. She came immediately all the way from Virginia as I was heading back across the country, held the fort down for me.
Speaker 2:As I landed in Asheville, north Carolina, I got a phone call from her saying a code enforcement officer is on your property walking around taking photographs. What was horrified. And I'm like how could that have happened? Like who? I gave them no right, I gave no OK to do this. How is someone legally allowed to just enter my property and help themselves to going into my spaces, and it was clear from the report he wrote he had been in at least one of my spaces from his description.
Speaker 2:So I spent the next month. What am I going to do to get on the other side of this? The county wrote me up, required me to shutter my business and I still was unclear why. And I read the reports and researched it and I had so many people on my team helping me take different pieces of putting this puzzle together. Getting to the other side of it all with the county. It really couldn't have done it without friend and community support from around the country. So I spent the month where I had really truly wanted to spend time with my family and friends, instead trying to figure out, set up meetings with the county and let guests know you can't come now. Sorry, the county has shut me down and I don't even understand why.
Speaker 2:Well, what it was based on, brad, were two anonymous complaints, one that was phoned in and then I had assumed it was probably neighbors. Maybe they didn't like cars coming up there at night. It was never a loud place. It truly wasn't like a party place. Like after yoga. We had watermelon mimosas it's about as big as the party ever got. It was a quiet, peaceful place. There still is, but in its moments, when I had all the buses, campers and or yurts filled, it was still a very peaceful place.
Speaker 2:The complaints were making some comment as to she probably has bed bugs on the property. Well, that's never happened. Everything, as you know, was always handled professionally. The laundry was all done professionally, it was always dropped off. So that was an untruth that was written up in the report saying likely has bed bugs in these junked vehicles. And, brad, feel free to take any of this out of this that you want. But in sharing the story like it was pretty horrifying to know that a code enforcement officer shows up on the property, trespasses, all based on an entire lie, something that never happened.
Speaker 1:I was going to say complete speculation, but not even that. It's more of a. It almost feels like an attack.
Speaker 2:It was it felt like an attack, absolutely. It felt I was singled out. And many say that I feel I was singled out and I have heard that often that I was used as example. This little female up on top of the mountain, you know, doing this on her own, I was an easier target than some would have been. Maybe the other initial piece was one was a anonymous phone call Didn't even have the courage to say who they were by a supposed patron. Well, my patrons were my hip camp and Airbnb guests. There weren't complaints there and if, for any reason, something ever had come up, they would have contacted hip camp and Airbnb.
Speaker 2:So one anonymous phone call and then an anonymous in that showed up in public records, an anonymous written letter saying there was concern from people in the area of my water use. Well, whoever wrote that didn't know that I didn't even use my own. Well, I never had a pump put in it. I had a well drilled. We hauled all our water and had it delivered and I have tallied it up. I knew how much I used. Drinking water was hauled about 25 gallons a week. Typically 100,000 gallons was delivered to the tank and that usually lasted about four months. So on average probably used about 1240, 50 gallons every four months. Most people use that in about a week, from my understanding, from what I've researched.
Speaker 2:So the two things that basically put the county on me were both mistruths, but what ended up shutting it down was the fact that I have school buses and something I was unaware of and most, I think, are unaware of, considering you pass about five buses on the way out to my place. Was that anything on axels in Santa Fe County, be it a camper, a bus, a tiny house, is not legally allowed as a dwelling, part-time or full-time, and that's what gave them the control to say you have to get rid of these buses and permit your yurks, all of which I did within three months, but I no longer had a hip camper and Airbnb. So fundraisers happened for Shanti to help me get on the other side, pay the permitting, all of it. Now I'm just trusting that, whatever is on the other side, I want to be able to share the property and can't do it with hip camp and Airbnb at this point, but I still want to find ways, brad, to be able to share the magic there.
Speaker 1:You put that out to the universe and sometimes it doesn't respond in the ways that immediately make sense. Maybe this is the universe telling you that it's time for Shanti to grow and go a different direction A brand new chapter in Shanti's history? Absolutely, I also do think you were targeted. In Santa Fe and in the county there's been this big pushback and conversation about vacation rentals and restrictions on them, and there's arguments on both sides. But when that happened to you, they were right in the middle of that conversation and those litigations and I think that for them you were an easy target, a perfect example to use in going into litigations in this area with vacation rentals and Airbnb and hip camp. There are some arguments on both sides, but your situation was completely different than buying up all the houses in the neighborhood and turning them into vacation rentals.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. It was insanity. But what was explained to me was that they lumped to make it easier on lawyers Everyone into the same story. They lumped me into the person from California who bought six houses in Santa Fe to Airbnb, and I'm not that person. I live on the property. Many of these people who were doing this sort of thing never probably have even seen some of these properties. They bought them purely to make money and then that's caused challenges in the housing industry and it's hard for anyone to get a place to affordably rent, which is another thing I tried to do. But they said these buses, they have to be permitted and you can't permit them. So I wasn't even legally allowed to offer affordable housing to people.
Speaker 1:It's a completely different situation and that was my initial impression when that happened was you were being lumped into the giant pile of litigation and topics surrounding vacation rentals. And you're right. I think that was easy for them and I've talked to a lot of people about this and what has happened to you and your property and, at the end of the day, in my opinion, it's not fair. There should be things in place to separate out the vacation rental crisis that's going on in these major cities and these housing crises, and separating that out from things that you are trying to do.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, brad, and yeah it just the two don't in any way align. They don't even relate. I mean my property. I haul my own, trash my own recycle, I haul in my own water. I have solar. I'm not on the grid, I don't use electricity, I use my own solar that I had installed. Our roads, we take care of our own roads, so the county gives us nothing out there yet had the power to take away.
Speaker 2:It just doesn't in any way align and maybe I could have fought it harder with thousands of dollars and years and years and lawyers and all of that. But to me, for me, I feel in a hope I made a strong enough case for people to see what was happening. Yeah, I was used as an example, but also I think it kind of maybe hopefully was an example on the other side of opening people's minds to what's possible. And I didn't have it in me or the money to spend thousands of dollars and invest what could have been years. Yeah, fighting this with the county to try to keep my buses and to try to keep the hip camp in the air being big, yep, that was my livelihood and once that was taken away, there weren't the finances to fight it for. Very long.
Speaker 1:Maybe they won that battle, maybe they bullied you, maybe they did use you as an example, but one of the things that comes out of that is you have now been given a platform including talking to me right now to talk about this and share this with other people that might be going through the same situation or hell. I hope someone on the city council in Santa Fe is listening to this. Yeah, the universe has handed you a platform where you have a voice in this, and maybe that's a blessing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would absolutely like to believe that, brad, and I think there's truth to that for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that you never took this from a victim standpoint. You stepped up and you tried to make changes and do things differently and speak out. You never just complained in mind about it. You took it and made it into something that can make things better with your property and the controversy surrounding it.
Speaker 2:Right on, brad, and in the end it brought people together, I mean the team I had surrounding me. In all of this I had one friend from Hawaii who I'm going to visit in Hawaii. She and her partner took me by the hand, went to all the meetings with me and helped me go through every step to get permitted. So we brought a lot of people together the fundraisers a fundraiser was done with yoga and sound healing by friends who donated what was raised to help me get to the other side of it all and pay the permitting. And another friend and I had spoken a year before about a festival that a couple of us put on in Madrid called Love as Revolution, and it was music, it was yoga, it was art, it was an entire weekend from Friday through Sunday, of the healing arts and connecting.
Speaker 2:It was a beautiful festival in Madrid and he and I bumped into each other at the MVD. He said we got to get that festival going again. He had been the MC. This was a year before all this happened, brad, and I said you know what you're right, let's do it. Let's just do it Well, be careful what we ask for. Because we did it. We did a Love as Revolution for Shanti, and he was the MC for that.
Speaker 1:The amount of support that you've had from your local community not the government people you live with your local community. That speaks loud. What was your festival called? Again? Love as Revolution you know what that might be the title of this episode. I like it Love as Revolution. That about wraps this whole topic up to one perfect title Love and Revolution.
Speaker 2:Yeah, love as Revolution. We initially called it Love and Revolution, but we changed it to Love as Perfect Revolution.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I might get that tattooed on me.
Speaker 2:Nice, I might too. That's a tattoo I haven't done yeah.
Speaker 1:Man, I know that's probably got to be a tough topic to talk about, but appreciative that you did because, as I said, I think that it's something that needs to be talked about and this podcast that I'm doing is a place to have those conversations. Right, we're trying to get down to the nitty gritty of travel. We got something we got to talk about here and it's affecting travelers, local businesses, you and special places, and I'm really grateful that you were willing to talk about that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Thanks for having me on, Brad.
Speaker 1:Trying to start a revolution.
Speaker 2:Yeah, love as Revolution, yes.
Speaker 1:Let me ask you something. Okay, let's change it up a little bit. Okay, what was one of your most memorable experiences at Shanti? Favorite experiences.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, there have been so many.
Speaker 1:Personal and insightful or funny. I know there's probably been hundreds and hundreds and hundreds.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can name quite a few right away. One the retreats that have happened up there, the sound healing laying under the stars on the yoga platform yeah, with the big gong and the crystal bowls, knowing the piece that everyone was collectively feeling, Awesome. Those have been moments, because there have been several. We've also done sound healing at least twice in my personal yurt with two fires going inside the yurt and in the wood stove and the propane fireplace and just so cozy and candles lit and yeah, I'm like, okay, this is what I wanted and perfect and it's happening. So that's definitely one of those moments. I would say another one, brad, would be those moments and you were there for one of them when everyone is at the Dharma Bum T-Bus after yoga and having mimosis together and connecting and people who've never met before. That wasn't a retreat, that was Airbnb and hip camp guests and friends and locals who've come up to do the yoga, and that would definitely be another one of those moments.
Speaker 2:And the funny ones my God, there have been so many of the funny ones too. What I mentioned earlier there's a spider in here. We can't stay here. I had a guest that had a bird come in. I had to get the bird out. I had to leave where I was. I was having dinner at Friends and there was no caretaker on the property that night, so I had to go back and get the bird out. There have been a lot of interesting, funny things that have happened.
Speaker 1:Well, shelley, I'm so happy that I had you on here. This has been an amazing conversation and we got to some things that are really important, and I think that they have the potential to be really impactful to the people that are listening to this. And I hope the right people are listening to this, because there are things here that need to be heard by the right ears. So that's what I'm here for. That's what this podcast is about is to tell our stories and our experiences and get them out into the world so that we can impact other people's experiences and travel and help them experience the world in ways that we have to share that with them, right, yeah, so having you on here is really special and I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Thanks, brad, I love it, one takeaway from what we've talked about, or anything that you would just want to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do, I think I do. I think travel is pure magic. What I said earlier, one of the best educations I think we can have Travel is expansive, whether on the side of being a host for travelers or being out there in the world with our thumb out there or in our van or in our bus, or however we're moving around in the world, it's an incredible thing to do, and as much as any of us can do it outside of the Marriots and the fancy hotels not to say that's not a way to also do things, but to get out there with other humans and find connection and step into other worlds. That's been a big one for me, living as many chapters as I can in this lifetime, and travel brings that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, beautifully said. Well, the universe shines on you and your community supports you, and we all have your back. I have your back, no matter what, and I think that this is a brand new chapter for Shanti and yourself, and I cannot wait to see what's next. And I cannot wait to go back to Shanti.
Speaker 2:You're always welcome. We don't have the buses anymore, but I have three fabulous shirts and lots of platforms for tents Perfect. And four community kitchens too many ones and too big ones, so you're always welcome. You know, you're always welcome.
Speaker 1:I had one more question for you before we end. I would like to know what your spirit animal is. Oh, an elephant. An elephant, explain.
Speaker 2:Hummingbirds, the other one, I say I have two but elephants I really resonate with. I have probably at least four elephant tattoos. Some are Ganesh. I love that. They're well for one. Their memories are incredible and that they're so connected to each other. I think I can leave it at that. I mean, family means so much to them, their connection together means so much to them and connection is very important to me. So I think that's why I resonate with them.
Speaker 1:I absolutely love that I could see that. Thank you for answering that. I think sometimes mine is a fox, sometimes it's a bear, depending on what day.
Speaker 2:And why?
Speaker 1:can I hear, on my foxy days I'm cunning and playful, and on my bear days I give big hugs and I'm mission oriented. I like that and I eat a lot. Oh yeah, shelly, thank you again. I really appreciate it and you have our full support once again. So look up Shanti, if you haven't Google it.
Speaker 2:If you're on Instagram, shanti community, perfect. Instagram S-H-A-N-T-I inner piece Shanti community. Follow the next chapters of Shanti, and all are welcome. Perfect, are you on Facebook too? Yeah, I am on Facebook. Shelly Johnson in New Mexico yeah, and there's a lot about Shanti on there as well.
Speaker 1:Sounds good Cool.
Speaker 2:And Brad. I have several people that would love to do this.
Speaker 1:Cool. Everybody's story is impactful in different ways, so please send them my way. I would love to talk with them.
Speaker 2:I'll do it Cool.
Speaker 1:Well, guys, thank you for being here with us on Changing Roads. I think that Shelly and I talked about a lot of things that I hope you can take away from this and bring back into your lives that impact you in a positive way. You can find us on Apple and Spotify podcasts, and we are looking forward to next time. Thank you, guys. So much. Say bye, shelly.
Speaker 2:Bye. Thanks again for having me on, brad, and thank you for doing what you're doing. Absolutely Gotcha.