writing

Road Trip - 10 days of displacement

In keeping with my Mexican philosophy...por que no... I decided to up and move to Arizona. Actually moving to AZ has been something I've wanted to do ever since 2003. Feels good to finally do it. Memories that I am the least fond of tend to start out with "what if I would have" and I have no desire to create more memories of that nature.

I was back in WI for about 20 days. There is something about being home for the holidays and around family...especially Christmas. I stayed a little longer to be around for my mom's birthday. The itch to go became overwhelming, because I knew going meant starting over, and I was ready to return to work and re-establish myself and challenge myself.

Coming back was a good time to see everyone again and it helped with the adjustment process of me not being around as before. Some pressure is created as everyone involved needs to adjust. It can sometimes be painful, but I believe that the more intense the experience the more is learned and the more it forces you to grow and to look inside and discover what else you're made of.

Unlike flying by the seat of my pants in Mexico, I had no desire to fly by the seat of my pants on this road trip and I planned out every detail. Where I was staying, what cities I was stopping in, what I was going to see...and then it all got thrown out the window!

I bought a fantastic atlas that included maps of Mexico and Canada and kept it on my passenger seat so I could track my progress, so even when my plans were changed, I was prepared.

Milwaukee to Pardeeville to MN

From Milwaukee, WI I drove to Pardeeville, WI to visit a friend. I met this friend on the Internet back in 1998 and we have been in touch ever since. The relationship is fascinating from a psychological point of view because online you reveal details of yourself that you wouldn't in person. It is great to be able to share on that level and to have someone know you deeply on that level.

More interesting was that they hooked me up with a family member to stay with while I traveled through Minnesota. When I met this family, it was like we were old friends. We talked into the night and for several hours in the morning. I felt so welcome.

I took the strange route through Minnesota to see a trainer who does Z-health. It is a way of rewiring the nervous system to improve movement. I went specifically to correct my flat feet and I can happily report that it is working. The body wants to recover, it wants to perform at a high level...you just need to unlock it, and let it know that your intent is to be whole again. I have come back from several injuries and it is the intent that I will regain my performance that heals.

The family in MN convinced me to go to Mount Rushmore. Actually Lorri had all sorts of ideas about where I could travel. It was one of the reason we all connected so quickly, a passion for travel and learning and experiencing new things. The family had two cute daughters who in this case "prevented" more traveling.

Though I am not married with kids, I know that I will find ways to continue to travel when I am. The world does not need to revolve around kids and we do not need to continue to develop a sense of entitlement in our children.

SD, Mt. Rushmore, I-90 and the Backroads

To get to Mt. Rushmore I took I-90 into Rapid City. It was a long drive...cold and windy too. My favorite part about traveling is meeting people and asking questions about an area. What is there to do is a favorite. Most people don't really have an answer. I was told there was "nothing to do in Rapid City" by the waitress where I ate. I had no interest anyway, I was just curious. The last thing I felt like doing was driving more and I was content to walk and only explore the area around the hotel.

In the morning I inquired about Mt. Rushmore and got directions and made sure I figured out how to get to Cheyenne, WY from Mt. Rushmore. What a lonely drive that was.

As I was driving to Mt. Rushmore I happened to look up and realize that I was about to pass it. It is not big like the pictures make it out to be. When it gets framed in a picture, then it looks big, but scale-wise, compared to the surroundings, it is small. Parking cost eight dollars. The second I left the warmth of my car my hands froze. It was maybe 0 degrees. No matter, I don't like winter, but occasional bitter cold is refreshing in a strange way. It is peaceful.

There was a nice cafe that rescued me from the cold after I took pictures and video of the carvings. Coffee is probably the greatest thing on earth in a situation like that. I wrapped my cold hands around the mug and felt a deep sense of peace looking off into the snow capped pine trees and the four figures majestically framed among them.

Then it was back on the road...the backroads this time, a contrast to the freeways from the day before. I had to pay more attention and the mist of snow, draped over the road, was quite unpleasant when thrown into my car as cars and trucks passed by.

Cheyenne, Snow, treacherous I-80

It began snowing as I got into Cheyenne and looked for lodging. I found a place just off I-80, the freeway I was going to take out to Reno where I was going to visit a friend. Snow is not welcome when roads are running through desolate areas. In populated areas, people just go through situations like this because plows will be coming and the roads will soon be clear.

Through this pass, there is no such luxury. If weather is bad, the road is closed and you are forced to return to the nearest city. It doesn't matter who you are or what you are driving. One lane of the road was cleared initially but that didn't prevent people from using the sloppy lane to pass, including myself. It was stupid, but stupid in numbers is somehow acceptable.

Keeping that in mind, it was no surprise when traffic, virtually bumper to bumper, was going 55 mph over an icy road. Wind was blowing my car, sliding across the road. But slow down? To maintain speed and direction was a balance of rapid counter-steering. I can honestly admit that I felt like quitting because to keep up the physical and mental energy was too draining. Finally an SUV spun out in front of the truck I was following. I saw it happening and gratefully slowed down. Reality had shown itself and the icy conditions were finally acknowledged and everyone on the road simultaneously adopted an intelligent speed. I was so grateful.

Descent into Salt Lake City

There were a few more rough spots but I made it to Salt Lake City before night fall. The road drops off thousands of feet heading into the city. At the peak I was at a little more than 7000 feet in elevation. In a matter of what seems like a few miles, you descend thousands of feet. My car easily maintained 70 while in gear without acceleration of any sort.

When you pass through a city, you like to say you have been there but you really don't see that much. It makes me question what makes a place. Is it the buildings, the people, the historically or "cool" or "trendy" sites? The natural beauty of Salt Lake City is certainly quite breathtaking. And Salt Lake is surreal, at least it was in the winter. The highway designers placed an observation point off the freeway so I stopped and took it all in. I thought that was a smart and cool move—smart because traffic doesn't have to slow down to take it in and cool because then you can stop and take it in.

Into Nevada

My trip at this point became more spontaneous. I used my cell phone to text in Google searches for places to stay. I ended up going to Winnemucca, Nevada. Meeting people in these circumstances you quickly begin to realize if you are attracted to someone or not. And I don't mean attracted just in the sexual sense. Some people you talk to and it is more than two people just talking to each other. There is also, of course, the sexual sense and good ol' Mary at the Pizza Hut sticks out in memory. With either form of attraction, there is something different that happens when the eyes meet. It hits you different.

In either case my hotel room was lonely that night, except for Jim, Jim Beam that is. I couldn't buy anything foo-foo in Nevada where the pioneer spirit of the West is still alive. I drank and watched TV, wrote, kicked back and wore off the road which was becoming a part of me.

The next day I took off fast and furious and didn't slow down when I saw a cop on the other side of the road. It was as if I wanted to see what he would do. Well, he drove right through the bushes in the middle of the freeway and pulled me over. I finally started slowing down and driving more sensibly. Open road and downhill, 90+ comes pretty easily.

Reno and Friends

In Reno I met my friend who I had only met once before in Chicago. But we worked out together and that instantly bonded us. It was great to see him and meet his family and I spent two days in Reno, working out, hanging out, and meeting cool people...the best part about traveling. I visited a cool gym called American Iron and another one called The Stadium. We had about 4 or 5 workouts in 2 days, so by the time I got back in my car again and drove to San Bernardino, CA I was sore, real sore, particularly from the batting cages.

Closer and Closer

California is a beautiful state and has a different energy all about it. I knew as soon as I crossed without any sign to tell me. It was just…different. It felt great to see palm trees and feel warmer weather and when I got to my destination I was happily walking to a truck stop in my sweatshirt.

The last leg of the journey, from San Bernardino to Phoenix was the most difficult. My mind was all over the place, I had a hard time dealing with the traffic as I was used to sparse roads, and I knew the journey was coming to an end, quickly. The main thought was of reinsertion...reestablishing myself in a new place. Thank God for friends.