NJ to SF Travellog
I was planning on writing a chronicle of my 10 day drive west from New Jersey to San Francisco. I got tired. I got bored. Here’s the first 1/2. It’s boring. It’s not written with any inspiration. But it’s all you’re getting.
The night in Longmont, CO. I got to see Stevie, Kim and Benjamin in their beautiful new home. They look pretty happy there.
The night in Denver, CO. I met up with Zim, his wife and son. I hadn’t seen him since I left college over ten years ago. He’s joyously the same person and he’s met his equal in his wife. I’m so very happy for them! Zim gave me a ride on my first performance motorcycle and it was completely thrilling in a very similar way to my skydiving experiences… it’s like skydiving horizontally! Though I feel sure that I could get used to the sensation and be able to ride without my brain exploding. The three of them are seriously thinking of moving to New Zealand. If you’re looking for a house in Denver with a terrific garden, give them a call!
The night in a hotel in Idaho Springs, CO. The next day, I went to The Argo Gold Mine and Mill. My memory is hazy but I had been there some 20 years ago! It was a real trip and a half! I mailed some of my pannings home and told family and friends that there’s gold in them thar hills! Later in the day, I climbed to St. Mary’s Glacier. It was freaky; I was standing on snow on a sunny 80 degree day at the end of June at 12,500 feet! I said to myself, “It sure is hot, maybe I could use this snow that I’m standing on to cool off.” I bent over, grabbed some snow and yelped at how cold it was! Freaky!
The drive toward the Grand Canyon was pretty cool. I took some unreal pictures of the highway while the sun was going down. I pulled over and almost stayed the night at… I think it was “Lee’s Reservation” or somesuch. Although the sun was setting, I didn’t dig the vibe so I went on. The Jacob Lake Inn was full so I drove toward the north rim. I ended up drinving around aimlessly, looking for a good place to set my tent. The bugs were HUGE but once the tent was up and I was inside, things were cool and I got some nice rest.
Arches National Park was pretty cool. Hiking along and seeing myself drink what would normally be a tremendous amount of water reminded me how dry the air was and of the desert outside Reno… :-)
Loveland pass was the most emotional point in the trip. I got out and walked on the path for a few minutes. I took a water bottle from my car and cast water down the eastern side of the pass… toward the Atlantic Ocean, saying a prayer to what was behind me. I then cast water down the western side of the pass… this water would eventually reach the Pacific Ocean. I said a prayer outloud to my future.