In AZ Nearing Utah

Not too far from Four Corners, heading toward Utah.

None of these videos are long or very exciting. Just the way it worked out.

After weeks of it, I was in search of a day under 100 deg F with a "feels like" of 210.

A Favorite Spot In My Old Home Town

Old Guilford Mill, Greensboro, NC
I consider Greensboro my adult home town, and Miami my childhood home town. Both were radically different cultures to the point that I had to learn the language upon moving to NC in my very early twenties. They sure did have more than their fair share of good looking, rather friendly women. Holy smoke. I was doomed from the get go, I see that now. And they were wilder partiers than those Florida people would have believed at the time. I was doomed doomed doomed. It is a miracle I survived, and a damned shame I did not hold on to one of those dames for dear life, crank out kids and be useful and involved. Oh well.

More of Joel and John's spellbinding dialog. I'm beginning to see how I could anger a person who actually knows something or thinks. But, I'm sure I'm wrong about that. He was born in Walden Pond. Thoreau broke down and got the doctor out there. They weren't sure what it was at first. The doctor confirmed it was neither tumor nor goat nor Clint Eastwood, but similar in ways. And that was the beginning of Joel's tour of this planet. He was doomed to a tour clouded with philosophy and intellect. And a very rare talent for arm wrestling. He should have hustled more bets on that--he'd be rich today.

This is where the grits I gave to my dear cousin J came from. She fixed them for breakfast when I left. They were so good I forgot about everything else, like leaving the spare key instead of taking it with me. She is wealthy and has rooms full of gold, so I am auctioning the key on ebay. I'll also disclose the address to the winning bidder.

If that doesn't raise some cash then I will rely on the mesa boogie amp./ Blue angel with 4-10's. All in one cab. Nice cover, good tubes, spares, goo condition.
Then I will get the old bassman head and the mesa box from G1 if he doesn't change his mind. I doubt he will.

I have oat meal, pancake mix--two kinds--from the Old Mill. It is all better when it is made there. Old elves run the place. They have been doing it for hundreds of years. They are pretty much immortal although Spikie Guilford got ground into oblivion in 1821 when he fell under the grindstone when they were making wheat flour. Since then, it never happened again. They keep the story alive and even have an annual play reenacting the tragedy on the anniversary of his death.

They've made a lot of money on that place, enough to find ways to blend in with mainstream America. As a matter of fact, DNA testing recently proved that Danny DeVito is a descendant of Spikie Guilford. Many families tried to hide their elf heritage.

But, times are changing and soon you'll see parades and elf pride days, elf power political action groups, the whole bit. I wonder if I'll still like elves when that happens.

It isn't like I ever showed disrespect or laughed at them. If a thirsty elf can't reach a water fountain, I've always been the first to hold him up so he can drink. I always favored elf suffrage, and supported their right to drive--provided they could. Same as people. Elves are polite drivers, observe the common rules of the road and lots of times, they'll pick up hitchhikers, or stop and fix cars left on the side of the road, frequently painting them in happy designs as a finishing touch. .

Camped at MS Hill Country Harp fest

This was first camping event of the trip, in Mississippi at Foxfire Ranch outside of Oxford.
That tent ended up going by the wayside in OBX. The coastal skeeters were hip to the broken door zipper and the sun smelled seared flesh and cranked it up when it realized the rainfly had issues which limited ventilation, but without it you had no shade.n It worked OK in MS. I snagged the shadiest spot in the place.

Most of the video I took was just in case they found my car at the bottom of a cliff, or if aliens grabbed me or whatever, then people would know where I'd been to some degree and it might make for good conversation. I saw a couple of choices here; preserve as many moments as possible, which meant playing observer or kind of staging them, or live as many moments as possible by being a natural part of them. I chose the latter because that is what I needed to do. I still need to learn to do that more. It is called knowingly being alive and living. That is tough for me.
My default mode is one of wondering when I'll enter the stream of life rather than sitting isolated from it while the flow of it goes by. Hence the tour. hence less video.

But don't think that means I won't play for the camera enthusiastically, given the slightest encouragement. In my bubble of an imaginary world I'm an entertainer.

Boringest Video He's Ever Seen

But wait, HE's the videographer and has not yet seen it. Perhaps Greensboro's Clint Eastwood is gifted with precognition.

The intense world of conversation between Greensboro friend Joel and myself.

Who You Gonna Believe? me or your own eyes; tour ends

That is not me stealing a baby.

It is not me at all. What baby?

Oh, well it depends upon what baby means and what steal means and what being me means.

See, you give up. It was all a vicious conspiracy perpetrated by my enemies (hard as it is to believe I have any).

The Tour is now over. Let me qualify that---this particular road trip is now over. It was a ballistic tour, however the large picture balisticTour continues.

The car held up dandy.

A few things learned, if I can recall them:
DO NOT WALK BARE-FOOTED ON SAND DUNES ON THE OUTER BAQNKS OF NC IN THE SUMMER AT MIDDAY WITH NO CLOUDS IN THE SKY AND THE TEMP 100 OR SO F IN THE SHADE

PEOPLE ON THAT NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY BETWEEN PROVO AND SALT LAKE CITY ARE BEYOND INSANE. in some places you chalk up behavior to ignorance, others just a jerk culture, and others, like Miami, to a joyful sort of zany madness(albeit deadly and often accompanied by gunfire).
That part of Utah, and much in the areas above and below those cities, defies any explanation. It is like jihad and the whole lack of reason and rationale that go with it. Those people may all be potential or actual terrorists. I suggest the feds pull out of everywhere else and focus on that highway.

POINTS NORTH OF TAOS ARE COOLER THAN TAOS. ARROYO SECO IS ONE EXAMPLE. hope I got the name right. Oh well, call my complaint department.

PONCA CITY OKLAHOMA IS ONE VERY NICE TOWN

LOYALTON(?), CA IS STRANGE BUT COOL. GREAT PEOPLE. NOT SURE IT WASN'T ALL JUST MY IMAGINATION--the place may not actually exist. one guy pointed out that the staircase I was descending had 13 steps-just like the number of steps to the gallows.
Later he asked if I had any last words I like to say before leaving. He looked like he could have been a ghost; one who wasn't quite sure whether to be sinister or just happily mischievous.

LAKE TAHOE ON THE CALIFORNIA SIDE IS A GREAT AREA. SEVERAL LITTLE TOURIST TOWNS BUT THEY ARE COOL EVEN WHEN CROWDED

IT IS EASIER TO GET CRYSTALS, PAST LIFE READINGS, SPIRITUAL HEALING, MASSAGE AND MEDICINAL CANNABIS IN MT SHASTA THAN IT IS TO GET A REGULAR COCA COLA.

THERE ARE MANY "SAFETY ZONES" AND THEY ANNOUNCE IT TO YOU WHEN YOU ENTER THEM, AND THEY TELL YOU TO DRIVE CAREFULLY OR SAFELY. I HAD NO IDEA HOW DEVIL-MAY-CARE MY DRIVING WAS UNTIL I ENTERED A SAFETY ZONE AND DID AS THE SIGN SAID AND DROVE CAREFULLY. ONCE I BEGAN PAYING ATTENTION I REALIZED I COULD GO MUCH FASTER THAN I WAS WITHOUT GETTING A TICKET. MY CARELESS, UNSAFE WAYS--MAKING COFFEE, BRUSHING MY TEETH, STRETCHING MY LEGS OUT THE WINDOW WHILE TEXTING OR TRIMMING NOSE HAIR, ALL WHILE DRIVING ---WERE COSTING ME TIME.

MY OLD MEMPHIS BAND ROCKS WHEN THEY WANT TO. I THOROUGHLY ENOY JAMMING WITH THEM. BUT WHAT I REALLY LEARNED IS THAT I AM BETTER AND MORE CONFIDENT AS A RESULT OF PLAYING WITH MY HOME GROUP UP HERE ON BALLISTIC MOUNTAIN. EACH GROUP MAKES ME BETTER. I NO LONGER HAVE SOME RESENTMENTS WHICH ONCE I DID. THE SNAKEDOCS OF MEMPHIS REALLY CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

I HAVE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WHO ARE INEXPLICABLY LOYAL AND KIND TO ME BEYOND THE USUAL WHATEVER IT IS I EXPECT.
THAT MAKES ME A VERY LUCKY GUY.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN AND DO CAMP NAKED.

That's about it for now. I'll add to what I learned as I remember. Oh yea---if you have a bum knee don't try to take a big step up with a canoe on your head. That, and I discovered I like southern Idaho better than northern, and better than most places.

In many ways I can see that my perspective on lots of things has changed over the last three years. And better than that, it has changed some over the past seven weeks.

BOTTOM LINE: Despite my regrets for not having a dozen children or for the many opportunities which fell in my lap only for me to either not see it or simply walk away or get drunk, etc. the truth is that then and now I am constantly getting second chances and good fortune in one way or another. I say second chances but that can include the fiftieth chance.

Anyway, I am very fortunate to be here writing this bit of vanity. I was able to just say screw it and go, and I may be able to cover rent next month. Not only that but most people I visited seemed glad I stopped by. I'm never sure about some people but they may not be sure about me. Take 'em at their word, at face value I guess. I'm positive I am that little baby's favorite whether she knows it or not. The subliminal message was planted. It's a skill I picked up along the way.

Spy Photo On Seattle Lake--Washington?

That's a native woman in the front of the canoe. Hard to tell what's what from the pic. She was cute but I had to take her by boat back to her people. She'd been bad and I respect their customs so I turned her over to the medicine man for proper punishment.

That is the very canoe that was on my head at the time of the surprising failure of a trusted limb.

How to Attack California

Like everything else on this journey, I'll play it as it go. Except I decided I have no wish to do the coast. If I can only look at the sea, that won't get it, especially considering the crowded nature of CA's coast and resulting high prices. Nothing like being bilked and bunched up with people all at the same time.

My plan is to hit cool inland towns, hopefully in some kind of mountainous areas, and meander secret back roads all the way down, or for as much of the way as is possible. This knee thing may influence it. Sometimes it aches from head to eternity.

I'm downloading my Flip cam as we speak so I can again record some of this trip. Seattle may be relatively undocumented.

Been to Seattle

People in the greater Seattle area are two things: polite and in love with setting off fireworks on 4th of July. Maybe it was organized online, but where I was, slightly north of Seattle proper, those in the township which had no fireworks all set their own off at the same time the neighboring town let fly. By town I mean the kind that are sort of suburbs of the big city.

I've learned many things on this trip. The latest bit of wisdom is that if your knee seems to be acting up and you try to carry a canoe on your head then step up that thing that gets you up on the path to the car, it may give way completely and you may wind up sitting down with a canoe on your head. See, that is the sort of thing I was never told during my tortured childhood. It's just not fair. This definitely limited later facility to play effectively in the marketplace.

I had great views of Mt Lanier on the way out of town. The big shock was that it is not so cool only a little way south of Seattle. 90 deg F in southern Oregon. Talk about your Not Fair!

Seattle was mild and not hot while I was there. It was good.

I spent time with S and N2 and not-wife-but-may-as-well-be of N2, hereinafter referred to as NWN2.

It was touch and go there for awhile concerning whether S and I would die laughing when we caught an episode of Dual Survivor. It's on discovery or History channel. We missed the premise of this particular predicament as the hippy and the ex army guy cleverly got out of the latest pickle: stuck in the woods with a broken down pick up truck.

What to do? The hippy beat on the truck with a log in case someone could hear them while the army guy ripped out a headlight, the horn, cut up the seat belts to make a shoulder sling for carrying the battery, ripped wire out so he could make the light and horn work, and then he smashed the windows so he could leave a trail of glass for rescuers to find them.

But wait! They aren't going to a road for help.
They made their way to the seashore to flag down passing ships. I forgot to mention the army guy ripped out the rear view mirror so he could signal ships in morse code. I also left of the part about using burnt tire to write a note on birch bark. The hippy did that, and left the note in what was left of the truck.

I'm telling you right now, no way I'd rip up the tour mobile so I can flag down ships a mile away in a shipping lane if I break down in the woods.

Seattle grows on you. It is so easy to do things, like drive ten minutes and drop a canoe or kayak in the water---without paying some tax or license. They have their share of laws, like I think you have to wear a helmet in the bathtub, but half the time people don't seem to pay attention, and instances of courtesy per capita are undoubtedly at the top of the scale for large cities, both in situations on the highway, and when crossing paths on foot. I also had the advantage of good company which helps put a good spin on one's impressions.

N2 never ceases to amaze me. The kid can do almost anything. His house has a giant, cavernous basement area full of metal working and wood working machines and tools, as well as giant pieces of mahogany logs, and other wood and metal raw material. And his girlfriend is a looker and nice. It is good to see people of my blood break the chain of tears and frustration. I try not to be envious.

How could I complain? Whether it will mean I am a pauper forever or what, I have been able to take a huge trip without a blueprint and find some great surprises and much warmth all along the way. That is a rather fortunate circumstance. And I've still got one good leg. With luck the bad one will heal up soon. Mabe I can find a native shaman out in the hinterlands of California before I go home. It is already about time for another haircut too. Perhaps I'll have to go back to Misenheiner, NC since it is the only place I know of that gives a decent cut for a cheapo price.

Did I mention that Mt Rainier was in full view under a cool crisp blue sky as I drove south? S rode with me because her place of work is along the way. It wasn't hard to temporarily rearrange things since we'd re-organized the car during the down time over the weekend. I found the items I had mis-located. S cleaned the cokpit--of the tour mobile. It is all spiffy now.

So, I'm holed up in Meford, headed down to get some ice because I've been told it will be good for my canoe knee.

Are we at war or under a new regime? I don't know because I've been avoiding the news.

RE Hooked on West

Per Bobby's question, I guess I refer to parts of AZ, NM, most of Colorado, parts of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California. There is a kind of expanse and the mountains seem to have wider valley's and higher peaks and something about the land grabs me. I like other places too, but now that I'm out here, it is so hard to think of not always being here and being able to get here at will. Even where I live in east SD county has some of that flavor.

I like the miles and miles you can see and drive and never encounter a stop sign, and how it will seem that some section of terrain goes forever, then you crest a hill and there in the distance is a huge snow capped mountain where the sky lives.

The desert is not much to my liking so no matter how you drive to Las Vegas I can do without it.

Unsung and Underestimated

Strawberry mountains I think. I can't tell when taking pic on this phone what is in frame.
Just now saw it for first time. Darn, it did not come out, and that was a really good view. Sorry.


As luck would have it, I managed to take the perfect route through Idaho and Oregon. I cut over on 84 I think, then 20 and 26. Those are highways and interstate, not in that order.

The path took me through southern Idaho through Boise. Like Salt Lake and provo, the highway is undergoing some mysterious construction. Stimulus maybe. Unlike Utah, the people with exceptional courtesy and good sense. I was amazed. As a result, the mess was not unduly stressful or bothersome.

Another thing is that this part of Idaho is really pretty, and people I encountered were nice. Glenns Ferry is a neat little town and people there like it--always nice to see. I am so used to living places in which a huge portion of people do not think much of the town. Miami and Memphis, to name 2. With Miami it was kind of love-hate, but the latter began to outweigh the former even with die hard old school South Floridians.

But I have to tell you, Hwy 26 going into Oregon is really fantastic. Don't expect to see motels and gas stations that often after awhile, though. The people in that part of the state are cool, too. Ranch and farm oriented, I guess, and that often makes for stock which hasn't been as eroded as people like me, my peers and most urbanites.

There was this cool little reservoir by the side of the road, with a creek running out--probably running in, too. I stopped and saw some people at the far end fishing. It looked like a great place to camp, or a place, at any rate. So, I drove over and asked them about it. The od guy gave me a rundown on camping and some suggestions. He said there's be other fishermen there and I'd get no peace.

I ended up somewhere in the Malheur Nat'l forest at a federal forestry camp location. You just set up, put money in an envelope and have a stub to show on your car. If a forest ranger comes by you are OK. I never saw a forest ranger, or anyone except some people a half mile away when I drove all around in there to scope it out. It was OK. Tall trees, and I found some dry wood to make a fire. Earlier in the day it rained. I did not hit that place until about 7:30 pm, so by the time I set up and made some pasta thing from one of those dry mixes that cost 97 cents, it was getting dark.

The drive today was even better because the snow capped Strawberry Mountain range, other I don't know, and My Hood came into view. I was in the mountains I guess. Lots of signs referring to snow areas, skiing, snowmobiles, and where to put on tire chains and where to remove them.

I am developing an aversion to cities. Once I got within 50 miles of Portland, people started driving like jerks and the whole feel changed.

Just an aside, and maybe you own one and can prove me wrong--BUT, does everyone who drives a big Dodge 4x4 lack any sense of lane usage or much else? Are they all compensating for something? Really, it is uncanny how they speed up to get right on someone's bumper and have no idea which lane is for passing. Maybe they make you fill out a questionaire: Are you an unadulterated dickhead? If yes, you can buy this truck!!!

Like I said, prove me wrong. But for me to consider your case, you have to explain basic road rules, like which lane is for passing.

So, I then decided to take a side street that said Longview and Long Beach. It sounded coastal. I drove through I guess, Longview, then some other town. Hell with that. Maybe the 4th weekend brings em out. It was getting odd and I saw no coastal things, just a long inlet--I assume.

I turned around, hit the interstate and found an Inn. I'm too tired to camp and nowhere I saw appealed to me at this time. I know when I get too cranky and argue with the gps lady, it is time to give it a rest.

I ran out of time on the video. The last thing is a quick view of the campsite. Too bad. Mt Hood was spectacular. Just a few fluffy clouds around the peak.

The people I encountered in southeast--I keep saying southwest, and central Oregon really were cool. This state ha more easy access to rivers and lakes and mountains and woods than anywhere I've been, and it is surprisingly clean. You see some trash where people have been but much less than other places.

26 runs by various creeks and the John Day river. It looked inviting, the kind of day and river that makes you want to kayak naked.