Sunday, March 30, 2014

Maine Hooper Spotlight: Marian Dorr

Maine Hooper Marian Dorr is living my dream. No really. She is. Right now. She is on her second cross country road trip with a stack of hula hoops. I met Marian at a hoop workshop in Rockland last year. She's a beautiful hooper with some serious talent, a passion for travel and an obvious love for the west coast. I have been living vicariously through her facebook and instagram posts and the thought occurred to me that it has been 2 years since my cross country road trip was just beginning. So I decided, what better way to celebrate my trip by featuring someone that is no doubt- a hippy go lucky hooper. Folks, meet lady Marian & prepare to be amazed.
Photo Credit: a friend of Marian's: Heather Williams
Hippy Go Lucky Hoops~ So how did your road trip start out? Was it something you were planning for a while or was it kind of spur of the moment? Did you have your route mapped out or was a lot of it kind of up in the air?
Last winter I drove cross-country too, since then I have developed an insatiable appetite for travel. I want to see it all! Also, I could feel a brutal Maine winter coming, and I was not wrong. So I decided to trade my snow shovel for suntan lotion and head to California! I had the skeleton of a route mapped out, based on who I knew and what I wanted to see and do. Eventually my planning seemed irrelevant, my route changes constantly. My friend Robyn joined me for part of my journey. She is a savvy well-seasoned traveler. My schedule was much more organized when we were together. It was great, and so much fun! I still have lots to learn from her.
Hippy Go Lucky Hoops~ Aside from staying with friends, what have your other accommodations been like? When I’m not staying on friends’ couches or tons (futons) I stay at hostels. I’ve only splurged on one hotel, and if all else fails, the passenger seat of my Cam-Doggie (my 2004 Toyota Camry).
Hippy Go Lucks Hoops~ Any camping? Yes! I love camping. This was the first year I’ve ever been camping in the winter, I felt like a bad ass pitching a tent in February! The fist place I camped was in Marin, CA; it’s on the quiet side of the Golden Gate Bridge. There is a teeny tiny campground that’s just a short walk from the Point Bonita lighthouse. It was absolutely breathtaking watching the thick fog roll in from the lighthouse bridge. I camped in Morro Bay, CA fairly recently and met a wonderful hippy couple. They complimented my hooping when they were passing by on an evening walk. They mentioned they had seen Navajo people performing a hoop dance in Arizona, and we talked about how it’s such a beautiful style of hooping, making animal shapes and sacred geometry, both are things I’ve been working on recently. After their walk, Sherry came to give me a pair of beautiful silver earrings. They are a Navajo man with two hoops and he’s dancing. She said she had been carrying them around for 25 years, never wears them, and that she feels that I’m the person to wear them! I was so touched. We chatted for quite a while. Scotty told me about the glory days of free camping all up and down the PCH 1 in the 60’s and 70’s. They are truly inspiring, still blissfully in love and living their life however they see fit, spreading joy and sharing stories. I love traveling with my whole heart.

Navajo Hoop Dance Earrings
The Best campsite by far was in Big Sur. I was on top of a hill, view of the beach, and the Elephant Seals barking away at a nearby beach. In the morning I’d make my cowboy coffee and climb up the hill to watch the sunrise, it was a wonderful way to start the day. I had some awesome hoop sessions there. At night I’d climb the hill to watch the sunset over The Pacific Ocean, I planned it so I was there for the full moon. On the night of the full moon the fog pooled into Willow Creek like a mystic silver pond. I was sad to leave Big Sur, but very grateful for civilization and showers once I left.

Campsite in Big Sur

knowing you're on the right path <3
Hippy Go Lucky Hoops~ Tell me about some of your favorite stops? Nashville was my first stop that was just outrageously fun. I was staying at a very nice Hostel on Broadway. I was searching for some awesome live music one day, not liking new country that was slightly challenging, but I passed this one bar called The Wheel, where Rachael Johnson was singing “Oh, Darlin’” by the Beatles and I new that was the place for me! She has a bubbly personality and a beautiful, soulful voice. She hopped offstage, said she was taking requests, there were only three of us in the bar and she offered us pizza. The couple was from Chicago and the three of us had a grand ole time together. Rachael was playing later that night and I made plans to meet the couple to go to the show. It was awesome, awesome music, awesome people. Big laughs at Big Shots. Afterwards, they bought me a ticket to the Grand Ole Opry! We had the best seat in the house. It was an amazing evening that I’ll never forget.
Bodega Bay is a magical little town about an hour north of San Francisco. My best friend Katie lives and works here. She has been very good to me and lets me come bug her from time to time when I need to clear my head and re-charge. Bodega Bay has gorgeous green gulches (when it rains) with hidden hikes. It has the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen, gigantic cliffs and boulders stretch up the coast as far as you can see. The beach stones are every color of the rainbow, perfect for a rock hound such as myself; I go to the beach here and pack for the entire day. Live is simple here, it’s an active, outdoor oriented community, and the people seem very happy. I know I’m happy when I’m here.
Big Sur and Zion’s national park were the two most spectacular scenic drives. They both instilled the same type of humbling awe. The terrains were both BIG, much, much bigger than I. It’s intimidating, and also exhilarating.
Hula hooping in a TREE in Sequoia National Park

She was the passenger when she was snapping this shot!

Hippy Go Lucky Hoops~ How many hoops did you bring with you? When I left Maine I had 13 hoops with me, but I’m down to 8. I like to spread the hoop love wherever I go. My little cousins in Portland, Oregon are quite good! Also The Banana Bungalow Hostel in San Diego now has a hoop for their beachside deck.

Marian is making her way back to the easy coast just in time for a very muddy spring season. On behalf of all the hippy go lucky hoopers~ Safe travels, and may the Universe continue to guide you with wide open arms! Hope to hoop with you when you come home! "The generosity of strangers never ceases to amaze me." ~Marian Dorr

Hippy Go Lucky Hoops on FaceBook
More features from Maine Hoopers~
Lolli Hoops by Amanda Heath Walden
The Floor Tour Experience by Beth Heidemann
Knotty Kim
Spreading Hoop Love by Loretta Gallant
Hoop The World by Marlene Hubbard
Maine Hoop Enthusiast: Maria Randolph

& More to come! Do you want to contribute a feature? Be a feature? Let's network! Share your hoop story...

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