Days 81-82 - 12/12/16-12/13/16 - Palm Springs to Joshua Tree National Park

Vin, Nelson and I aren’t the type of doods that you see around Palm Springs.  There’s some classy guys and dolls out there and we’re just a few hairball dirtbags.  They picked me up in front of the fancy hotel and we caused quite the scene breaking down my bicycle and loading it and all my bags into Nelson’s already cramped Saturn Vue.  No one could ride shotgun cause that’s where their 2-burner propane stove sits.  

I avoided the 35 mile bike ride into town and the 10 mile ride to the campground, all uphill.  That’s okay, I don’t feel like I cheated.  I hit 7,000 miles yesterday, I can take a car ride.  We stopped at the climbing store before the park, I quickly got a harness and a pair of shoes and before I could let all the breathtaking scenery sink into my eyes Vinny was already scaling a wall and I was soon to follow.  I didn’t know anything about rock climbing at this point.  I still kind of don’t.  All I know is I trust Vinny and Nelson.  I trust science, and I guess I trust the people manufacturing the gear we’re trusting our lives with.  Between my first climb and second climb on Tuesday, there was a point on each wall where I didn’t think I could go on, I felt too tired and didn’t know where I could put my hands and my feet to advance myself upwards.  But, with the motivation from friends, both above and below, I made it up my first 2 climbs.  

The very first, The Flake, the 3 of us made it to the very top, about 110 feet, just in time to watch the sun set, streaking the sky with pink and gold.  We rested in a little alcove, protected from the wind as the shroud of night fell over all the piles of rock and over all the funky Joshua Trees and we rolled and smoked a spliff by the light of our headlamps.  Now stoned, we rappelled over the side into the shadow of intersection rock.  

Once back on solid ground, the adrenaline began to fade and I had the realization I’m sure all rock climbers have after make it off the ground, this real intense metaphor for life: trusting in the people holding the rope, trusting the gear and trusting your own movements; taking it slow one move at a time but, also knowing no system is perfect, failure and death always seem close by but that’s no excuse to avoid danger, avoid the journey, avoid the rewards.  What is the reward?  I’m not so sure yet, besides the adrenaline rush and the beautiful views.  

Day 2, the 3 of us set out with another climber, Heather.  After everyones’ warmup and my major workout, we scrambled across the wilderness, through the perfectly manicured gardens of trees and cacti, and boulders, up and down piles of rock, laid out like a prehistoric playground onto the next climb.  A perfectly straight crack, very thin at the bottom that opens up a bit more at the top.  The journey to this climb was enough for me but, it was pure beauty watching Heather lead this one, figuring out the puzzle one limb at a time, finding ways to place gear and move herself up.  

There’s an amazing difference in leading a climb vs. following someone else.  Leading, you are going up to the unknown, carrying what you can around your waist, climbing and little, setting a piece, going further and hoping you set your gear right.  It’s beautiful watching people push themselves mentally and physically, coming down breathing heavily, excitement exuding, thankful to be on the ground but already looking forward to the next ascent.

Day 77 - 12/8/16 - Day Off - Los Feliz, Los Angeles, CA

Hallie and Jack both make art full time to support themselves, whether it’s comics for some magazine or website, or collaborating on a book together.  I had no expectations of them going out of their way to make sure I had something fun to do, I can’t even imagine how much more work they do than the average joe.  It’s probably comparable to working on a pot farm but you actually need real skills and dedication and I don’t think being a freelance illustrator requires you to shit in a hole in the ground, I could be wrong though.  

So I sat and did what everyone else was doing and did some drawing.  It felt really good.  I was working on a couple images for a friend and it just felt incredible to produce something I was happy to look at on top of making something for a friend’s project.  Talking to these two artists, I explained where and when the momentum of my art production fizzled out after college, I felt guilty, like I could’ve done more but, it also made me think I could get back on track.  It’s been an inspiration time with these two.  

Tonight was movie night at Jack’s  Hallie had too much work to do so she stayed behind.  I got to meet so many of their friends, some of them didn’t even know each other so I wasn’t so far outside the circle of friends.  In fact, it was like the creation of an entirely new circle, like a new planet that would only last a brief time, just one night, where everybody chanted ‘John Malkovich’ and complimented each other to the point where ‘over the top’ was an understatement.  Everyone hugged upon meeting, strangers hugging before any real information was exchanged, all based on a shared relationship with an individual.  

At least in my memory, life isn’t usually like this back home, I don’t meet a ton of new people and it seems like that’s all I do now.  Might as well hug.  Maybe 8 of us watched “Some Like it Hot” an old flick where 2 doods dress like women to avoid being whacked by the mob.  Both of them looked great as girls and there was plenty of evidence that transgender and homosexuality was barely even a thought in show business at that time, maybe the 40’s?  Early 50’s?  It certainly wasn’t offensive, just sort of laughably ignorant.  Jack drove us to Sketchparty after the movie, just him and I, everyone else went home, it was close to 11:00pm.  

Sketchparty takes place at a bar one night a week, they cover all the surfaces and tables with paper and let all the drinkers doodle the night away.  If my environment at home was so geared toward art, would I be where I am right now?  Would I have found some alternative route to venture down?  It’s impossible to say but, being around so many creative folks in LA made me want to make more art.

 

Day 75 - 12/6/16 - San Elijoh SP to Dana Point, CA

I got donuts at VG’s Bakery this morning with Randy and Jenny.  They’re real fun, I”m glad I got to meet them even if it was for a short time.  They were headed South, Where I had been but, my adventure takes me back up North.  It was a nice ride today, just as nice as the first time I did it.  I was cruisin’ definitely in some kind of groove.  

When I stopped to take a leak in Oceanside, I met this kid who was sort of drifting from place to place, not much on his back, on some kind of spiritual quest.  He gave me some coffee he had in a big Hydroflask, it was the perfect drinking temperature, as hot as it can be without burning your mouth or lips.  I didn’t really know where I would sleep tonight, I still sort of don’t as I sit here and write this in some community park by these baseball fields.  

The state park doesn’t offer Hiker/Biker sites and the regular sites were going for $40...I lingered there a bit, wondered if I could camp there without being seen.  I moved on down a bike path, saw a flat patch behind the fence of the baseball field I’m sitting at now.  Hopefully no homeless folk have moved in on my turf...I miss doing this, I haven’t boonie-camped in a while, not since Oregon.  It changes up the routine.  

I really can’t wait to get away from these heavily populated areas, there’s just so much crammed between the ocean and the mountains, there aren’t many places to hide in that aren’t already taken by the people that are living on the streets out here.  There aint much room for us folk that are just passin’ through, except at campgrounds.

Day 74 - 12/5/16 - Chula Vista to San Elijoh State Park, CA

I woke up with a scratchy throat yesterday and thought I just slept with my mouth open or was snoring or something but, I definitely have a little cold, we’ll call it the sniffles because it’s really not that bad.  The last time I had the sniffles was after I left Chicago.  I’ve come to the conclusion big cities are gross and get you sick.  I could’ve stayed at Rafa’s another day but not riding when you’re sick is like not riding in the rain, you just gotta suck it up.  It was only a 40 mile ride anyway.  I did a lot of backtracking through the streets of San Diego, back up North along the coast.  I’m heading to LA to meet a couple more artists before going to Joshua Tree to  see Vinny and Nelson and a bunch more dirtbags, no doubt.  

I don’t know if these sniffles put a chip on my shoulder or what but, I was extra annoyed at all the red lights and inconsiderate drivers on the road today, I’m never usually annoyed at all, maybe 6 months of being on the road is getting to me or maybe it’s the city life that’s bugging me.  I can’t get out to J-Tree to see my homies fast enough.  I met a real groovy couple here at San Elijoh State Park.  Their sailboat is docked in New York, they flew out West and have been riding down the coast for a few months like me.  They even met Blue a few times on the way down!  Their plan is to ride back East through the South and then up to NY and then hop on their boat and sail away.  

They’ve already sailed around the world, stopped in many places to work and travel and explore which includes a brief stint operating a banana plantation somewhere in Australia before a monsoon flattened everything.  Randy said he found the biking community to be incredibly similar to the sailing community, other sailors are quick to lend a hand.  It’s gotta have something to do with finding peace in self-propelled travel.  Maybe sailing is my next venture.  Maybe I’ll at least hop on their boat when they sail across to Europe.

Day 72 - 12/3/16 - Day Off - Chula Vista, CA

I retraced my bike ride from yesterday, this time Rafaela accompanied me.  We even went to REI again like I did yesterday.  She was excited to ride her bike, Maria, and I was excited to see the beautiful lake again at the foot of the mountains.  We watched the ducks swim around for a while before heading back.  Today was her mother’s surprise birthday party, we had to be at Rafa’s aunt’s by 2:30 and she wanted to take me out for some good vegan food beforehand, we were fully booked for the day.  

Rafa asked if I was ready to be the outsider at the party, the only person who can’t speak and understand Espanol.  To be honest, I was excited.  I’ve been so inspired to learn the language since I’ve been on the road meeting all sorts of bilingual people.  It seems silly to me to only know English.  I know there’s situations out there where the true meaning of a statement gets lost through translation or doesn’t even translate at all.  To hear something in another language and to understand it only in that way is fascinating to me.  

I met her cousins, aunts and uncles in the backyard around the patio.  The band was warming up, singing and playing songs en Espanol and any conversation I heard was foreign to my ears aside from a few words here and there.  After we successfully surprised her mother the party went on non-stop.  Everyone ingested the food and the music, the beer and tequila and danced into the dusk.  I did my best to talk to friends and cousins en Espanol.  Luckily, they all spoke English so I could fall back on my native tongue and they could tell me how to say certain things.  I feel so lucky for the experience.  

Language is an extensive puzzle, una rompecabeza, that we can allow to keep us separated or we can help each other understand as best we can.  I’m certainly no expert in Spanish, nowhere near fluent, it will be a work in progress.  It’s sad how much opportunity to learn I’ve wasted instead of embraced.  It’s never too late to learn something new, even if all you learn is that you want to learn.  That’s where I’m at, I want to learn, I wish I felt this way in high school.  Oh well.

Day 71 - 12/2/16 - Day Off - Chula Vista, CA

Rafa flew into San Diego at 10:00pm tonight but, hours and hours before that she texted me from Vermont with another big list of possible things to do to fill my day with places to ride to and places to eat –she’s a great long-distance tour guide.  I rode to the Olympic training center, sat by the lake, looked at the mountains, orange and rusty in color, did some writing (Rafa says she usually reads here) and then rode back.  I listened to some Christmas music while I ate lunch.  Connie came in the kitchen and was humming and singing under her breath while she did motherly things like put stuff away and wipe down counters and push chairs in.  Their home is decorated like the North Pole and I love it.  Later on, David and Dani and I drove into the city for some epic donuts at Donut Bar.  Large, colorful, sugary circles seemed to glow under the soft warm lights overhead.  

There’s a lot of love for donuts in this place.  The 3 of us went to the mall afterwards, David wanted to upgrade his wardrobe.  I normally avoid malls like the plague this time of year but, I never mind going along for the ride.  We all had fun; Dani and I made all the decisions for David in terms of color and pattern.  I haven’t bought any new clothes (except for what I’ve been wearing on this trip) in quite a while.  I like second-hand stores but, I admit, I was a bit enticed by all the nice sweaters and jackets.  I’m not going to know how to dress myself when I get home.  I’ve got about 4 shirts and a few pairs of pants/shorts that all have a specific purpose.  I’m going to need help remembering to wear something different every day, even underwear.  

We didn’t have much time to relax between getting home from the mall and going back out to pick up Rafaela, just enough time to eat another donut.  There she was, sitting out in the California cold, still bundled up from Vermont, looking like all the photos I’d seen of her but still somehow different.  Images of people and things make us think we’ve actually seen something or met someone but us humans are easily swindled by our own ideas of something.  So far, my mental image and the real Rafa are in sync; I always thought she was a kind and beautiful girl and the short time spent in the car on the way back to Chula Vista confirmed my vision of her.  It was close to 11:00pm when we got back, it felt like 2:00am to Rafa so we all went to bed to rest for tomorrow’s party.

Day 58 - 11/19/16 - Andrew Molera State SP to Kirk Creek SP, CA

I forgot how much I enjoy my alone time in the morning and in the evening.  I’ve been in my tent for the last couple hours even though it’s only 6:00pm.  It’s been drizzling on and off since the early afternoon so I actually made an early dinner right in here.  The idea off writing more consistently brightens me up; the activity has become my rock, my way of staying grounded.  Even though I can’t post everything I write everyday for folks to check in on me, I still feel like I’m talking to everyone when my pen hits the page.  

With less than a week til Thanksgiving, thoughts of family and friends are at the forefront of my mind.  I’ve never been away from home so long, almost 6 months, and I’ve never spent the holiday season away from home.  It will be good for me, changing things up is good for everyone, that’s how we learn things about ourselves.  What do I now know about myself that I did not know before?  I guess that I can survive without a shower for a couple weeks.  I’m strong, physically and mentally, I’ll take a small town or a city any day and a secluded campground over a small town.

I can control my life by the way I look at it.  I’m full of love for all things in the universe.  I think I’ll really see some personal growth once I go back home, a changed person in a familiar situation.  Big Sur has a presence like some sort of sleeping giant laying across 70 miles of sea, cars and bikes riding up and down its spiny back, another place in nature people go to feel small, to connect with something so powerful...I had a headache this morning, the worst one I’ve had in a while.  I woke up with it around 1:00am, I thought maybe the mushrooms dehydrated me so I slugged some water but, the damn pain was with me all day, I almost didn’t want to ride for fear I wouldn’t enjoy the scenery.  

But I made it the 35 miles, head pounding most of the day, and it did not interfere once.  I had to tell myself to get over it, to remind myself how many people on Earth are in worse pain than me.  And probably none of those people are here in one of the most beautiful stretches of road here on Earth.  Everything is perfect, me by myself, the rain, Beethoven playing softly from the speaker next to my knee, my luxury-coffin-sized tent, the waves less than 100 feet away.  I may feel lonely at times but, none of us are ever by ourselves.