Chapter 10 Summary and Analysis

Now Robyn must travel down the Gunbarrel Highway, and she will not see another human for a month. This is the longest portion of her trek, as she now must cross 800 miles of harsh, uninhabited desert. As she travels, Robyn manages to let go of the mindset that is appropriate for civilization and really let herself become a part of the desert. Now Robyn can see at a glance the myriad connections between all parts of an environment and she feels that her boundaries have collapsed, so that her sense of self reaches all the way to the horizon. Some days, traveling is miserable, but often Robyn is overcome by exuberance at the infinite free space around her. She leaves behind her alarm clock and walks naked, having forgotten to care about social conventions. She is strong, and hardly feels pain...