Hot Mess

One of my retirement images that I replay in my mind is waking up, having a cup of coffee and watching the surf come in. I would lazily finish my coffee after carefully studying the tide and grab my surfboard under my arm and wade out to ride some waves. This morning was just like that, but instead of surfing I got to continue catching up in conversation with Mica. Everyone has a story, a perspective, and experiences that are worth listening to. An open mind is the best thing you can have when rambling. You are truly a citizen of Humanity when you are able to connect with everyone regardless if you agree on everything or not.

I would hit the road today to make it to Vegas. On the way out of town I got to give Mica a 30-minute ride to a get together she was a part of. I enjoy having people ride with me. I am excited to share with them a small piece of the experience that I have had while riding all these miles. We bid our farewells and I loaded up on sunscreen before hitting the road. By this time the sun had been beating down hard on the arid like environment of southern California.

On the way out of San Diego I hit a small spot of traffic and decided to take the next exit to grab a bite to eat. I stopped by West Side Café in Escondido and the food was amazing. I ordered enough food for 3 because everything looked so good and dessert. I happened to pay them a visit while they where filming and shooting for a kickstarter to raise funds for updating their building to be more energy efficient and green. The shoot was vintage themed and they asked to use Cindy as a prop. She got a bunch of attention and I got some really really good food.

Ended up spending far more time at the Café than expected and headed out towards Vegas around three. When I hit the road I was actually glad I had been side tracked. I skipped the hottest time of the day and avoided getting the most direct rays from the smoldering sun. I was especially thankful when I hit Death Valley. I ended up riding through it at 9 PM and it was still 102 degrees outside. I fell head over heals in love with the desert. She is so brutal and extreme; she would enjoy killing you slowly with no remorse. The usually pleasant breeze from riding burnt my skin and nostrils. It felt like I was going to have a nose bleed from the furnace like air blowing in my face. The colors that the desert makes are unmatchable. I could see where the more arid climate American Indians got their inspiration for art. As the sun went down it brought out pastel blues, purples, reds, and yellows. The colors hung above the horizon like the heat. They first appeared at the opposite side of the sun and then eventually wrapped the entire horizon just before it went completely dark. The only life I saw was at the gas station where people came to fill up their cars with gas and their bodies with water. The lack of life made the only living things present, humans, swarmed by some kind of pesky fly. I couldn’t imagine the excitement they feel when something finally wanders into this hostile environment.

As I started to pull up to Vegas I could see the straight column of light shooting into the sky from the Luxor. I could not yet see the direct lights from the city but the rays that shot out into the night sky foretold of the cities existence just beyond the horizon. The bright city in the middle of the desert eventually showed herself and I passed her by, going to a friends house just northeast of the strip. I pulled up to the house and sat on the bike like I usually do. It has become somewhat necessary. After a long ride to stop for a minute in silence and stillness to let all of that which you just experience soak in. For all of it to forever burn itself into you memory and reaffirm consciously the memories that have just been created. The feeling is amazing and my new found appreciation for the desert was one that will stay with me from that day on.