There are people in the world who live off the grid. Some are born there. Some are driven there. And then there are those who choose to live off the grid. Lucy Ormond is one of those people and the subject of our discourse.

Lucy began life as a regular person. She went to school, loved her parents, married and had children, joined the PTA and the Book Club and all that jazz. But then came the epiphany. Her granddaughter let her ride her new bike.

Lucy was blown away. The feeling of movement and freedom were feelings that she had not experienced before, and she liked it very much. There was, of course, a span of time while the idea formed in her mind: "Maybe I can be set free. Maybe the life that I have is not the life I want. Maybe I can do it differently."

That was the beginning. She got herself a bike and rode it all over the place, gaining skills and strength. She rode 100 miles with her son in tandem for a workout. Then she rode 50 miles a day for five days. "Damn near killed me," she said.

On her first journey, she experienced what it was to be homeless for three months. Her bicycle carries all she needs – and it is a wonder! It has a stove, sleeping bag and mattress, food, a lot of water, a first aid kit and, for luxury items, binoculars ("I love to watch birds") and a camera. Maps and a change of clothing finish out her home on wheels.

Lucy said she had a lot of fun getting rid of things. "I had too many things that were just things and mostly good for nothing." Deseret Industries, Care and Share and Catholic Charities all received items from her old lifestyle.

Freedom came not only from getting rid of possessions, but from discovering that she was at a time in life where she could let others support her dream. Lucy had been divorced for a while. Her children were grown and raising children of their own. She realized she was a free agent. This feeling of freedom made her giddy at first. Then she began to plan and to execute the plan.

Off she went, a woman of a certain age on a very curious looking bicycle, all alone. Cooking meals on the tiny stove, sleeping rough along the roadside and having the time of her life. This nomad life continued for 18 years. While on the road, she met many like-minded travelers. There is a network of these riders of the wind. Everybody swaps tales of adventure and excitement. They all have the same underlying reason for their adventuring: freedom and peace.

When at home, she entertains many of her fellow travelers. Lucy spent a month on the bike in Europe, and later, she had a family of five whom she met in France come to stay. They had seen Europe and were now taking a look at the U.S.A.

It appears that a majority of these adventurers discover that there needs to be peace on earth. And an amazing number of people that they encounter believe the same thing. Lucy has been fed, entertained and slept over with total strangers who see her bike and begin a conversation. Soon they are all best friends.

This happens again and again. The search for peace and freedom is not a new thing. Fifty years ago, a woman (not a young woman) was looking for the same peace and freedom as Lucy and her cohorts, only she walked. She became known as the Peace Pilgrim. Fifty thousand miles she walked, all over the globe.

Our Lucy will depart from Seattle on June 13, dip the front tire in the salty Atlantic Ocean and later, when the journey is completed, she will dip the back tire in the Pacific.

On this remarkable journey across the continent she will be carrying the World Peace Gardens message to all who will listen. With Lucy's charming personality and her curious conveyance, I'm sure she will have many opportunities to inspire others.

We want to get the message out, and who better than this brave, free woman. It is said that the best learning is by example. We at the World Peace Gardens try to set an example. Lucy is out there front and center.

This column is provided by World Peace Gardens, a non-profit organization promoting oneness, inner peace and world peace. The World Peace Gatherings take place every Sunday at Green Valley Spa in St. George, Utah. The gatherings begin at 11AM and are located at 1871 Canyon View Drive. For more information call: (702) 521-2635 or log on at: www.WorldPeaceGardens.org.