DAY FIVE - Tuesday, October 28, 2008
I left Peoria and the GPA heading west, the opposite direction of my destination. Why, you ask? I had decided to make a slight detour and go thru Prescott (preskit), to buy Chaya a meal, and then thru Sedona to see that area again. It had been many years since my last visit and I just love physical geography, especially when it's unusual and/ or spectacular. Yosemite is one of my favorite places in the world. I never get tired of going there. I've been on top of Half Dome 4 times, and hiked all thru the Park, thanks mostly to my father, who took us there for at least two weeks every summer when we were growing up.
That reminds me… I should write a story about one of the hikes we did… a 50 miler we did the summer after my twin brother and I graduated from high school. I haven't thought about Jean Roston for years. We met on the trail, and she was nice enough to let me sleep in her sleeping bag with her, when mine was stolen. She came to visit me in La Selva later that summer, but we only stayed in touch for a short time after she moved back to the east coast to finish college at Dartmouth. She was a neat lady.
My ride through Prescott and Sedona was as beautiful as I had hoped. Chaya relaxed after I was able to convince her that I was not a pervert trying to get up her skirt, and we had a very nice lunch. W shared things with each other that strangers normally wouldn't. For some reason, I felt I should tell her about my attempted suicide. That led her into her story about her rock climbing accident, where she fell 50 feet and 'bumped her head on a rock'.
She told me she spent two months in a coma and when she woke up, the doctors didn't think she'd ever walk or talk. She sure proved them wrong. After a few months of recovery, during which time she also thought about suicide, she seemed to have recovered to (almost) 100%. I had noticed there was something about the way she spoke, when I had met her the Friday before, at the rest stop. It was a little bit slow and a little bit mushy. Not anything major or dramatic, just a little hint of something not quite right. I think that's one of the reasons I was attracted to her. She seemed special to me for some reason, and like they say… birds of a feather…
I hope she doesn't mind me putting that part of her life into my story. She didn't want me to take her picture, and seemed to be a fairly private type of person. I'm gonna send her this story so…
Chaya, please don't be upset with me. I only wanted to put you in my story because I really do think you are special. I feel you have something wonderful to offer, and hope that you will find happiness and fulfillment, and stay that way for a long, long time. A quick shout out to her friend Kim, who owns the store below Chaya's apartment." Hi Kim !!" Chaya told me I had to meet her, before we went to lunch, because she trusted her judgment and wanted to get her 'approval' before trusting me enough to get on the back of my bike. Fortunately Kim gave me a thumb's up.
One last thing about Chaya… when we met, she said her name was 'Hi-ya'… and then spelled it for me, and said, "The C is for decoration." Her halo is her decoration for me.
After leaving Prescott (say it with me… p r e s k i t) it was a short ride thru some beautiful country to Sedona. The rock formations and their coloring were much more beautiful than I had remembered as a youngster. I didn't find out until later that one of my La Selva Beach friends was living in town, so I missed Larry, but I was able to make three new friends. Tammy & Shondra worked at the Olde Sedona Bar & Grill, where I stopped to push my luck just a little, and they were nice enough to pose for me, next to Rachel, an unsuspecting patron, while I documented their beauty. I called them, 'the girls in black' (see picture below).
I just love it when people aren't shy, and light up when you ask them if you can take their picture. It shows me they have a good, self-confident image of themselves. It makes me happy when I'm around happy, confident people.
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Oops, I've gotta backtrack a little. I forgot about a few things between Prescott and Sedona. Just before going thru a town called Peoples Valley, I saw a big field with horses and cows living together. I don't recall seeing that before. I do remember something about cattle and sheep not getting along (or is that the owners that don't get along?). Anyway… I was surprised to see horses and cows together, so I started thinking and that's always dangerous. I started thinking about what you would call the offspring if they mated. First… I thought of 'horcow', but that sounded too rude, so then I came up with the answer to my question. Of cowhorse it would be called a 'cowhorse'. It still makes me laugh, but then again, I'm very easily amused.
People's Valley was pretty much dead. I’m not sure if it's a seasonal town, but my guess is that's it's being affected by the economy, like a lot of areas in the Country. Most of the roadside businesses were boarded up, but I stopped anyway and took a photo of Honey in front of one of the biker friendly (closed) saloons. Honey is just like me… she's not shy, and she loves to pose for the camera.
My next stop (still going towards Sedona) was an old mining town named Jerome. Perched on the side of a mountain, this town has a spectacular view of the Sedona Valley I was heading towards. The landscape was changing from mountains and pine trees, to almost barren red rock sculptures, beautifully carved by the wind and water. Yes, another gift from God.
While in Jerome, I met Frenchy and his pardner Chris. Frenchy told me I should visit The Grand Hotel. Frenchy was a well-spoken educated cowboy I had met in a saloon I wandered into, as I mozied down the boardwalk sidewalks on the downtown strip.
He said he'd just finished a long ride, or he'd take me up there himself, and show me around. He said he was the head chef at the 'Grand', and that if I mentioned his name, I'd either be treated with respect and kindness, or with sarcasm and grief. He was right and I got a little of both, when I walked in… sat down at the bar… and ordered a serving of pushing my luck just a little bit on the rocks.
Mike was the bartender and he reminded me of a friend of mine, Jack Digby. As far as I knew, Jack didn't have a twin, but if he did this guy Mike woulda been him. The place was pretty empty so I settled in and burned Mike's ear for a while, while he politely nodded and even offered back some one liners to my endless nonsensical babble I sometimes expel. He looked a lot like Jack and carried himself with the same sort of calm assertiveness, but fortunately he didn't have that know it all attitude that usually rubs me the wrong way.
I do not recall ever being in Jack's presence, when he did not tell me something he knew from first hand experience, no matter what the conversation was about. I met Jack about seven or eight years ago, when he was a: 24 year old ex navy seal, accomplished blues musician, journeyman ironworker/ welder, etc., etc., etc., who had lived in just about every single State of this Union.
One time he responded to my voiced doubt with, "Don’t feel bad for not believing me… all that means is that you think I'm amazing, and that I'm unbelievable". Don’t get me wrong, I love Jack… he would walk thru fire for me, and I would do the same for him. He is impossible not to like. I'm smiling, thinking about him, as I'm writing this.
I could tell that Mike was getting a little tired of my nonstop jibber-jabber, so when I asked him if he knew anything about the cute little devil of a hostess, he didn't hesitate a second before he walked over… brought her over to me… and introduced us. This was shaping up to be one of the best photo ops of my trip so far. I had already met several of the other employees: Jesse- a waiter; Brandon- another waiter; Kevin- the manager; Maryann- a waitress; and Ann- another waitress.
Yes, it's a good thing I had walked into the Grand Hotel that afternoon. Without me, their day would have been empty and without meaning. I just love it when I can bring joy, entertainment, and frivolity into people's lives. It makes me feel whole and complete. Or maybe it was that second glass of pushing my luck that had made me feel so entertaining. Anyway, I left with a picture of Heather and some of the staff to document the moment. She, in her tight little red dress and devil horns, and me in my tie-dye tee-shirt and silver halo I had borrowed from a (dummy) angel the establishment was using as part of their Halloween decorations. I had been wearing the halo the whole time I was in the bar, performing my act for the employees and any of the patrons who had the misfortune to wander by.
Jack's twin brother Mike, in the hard hat
As I was getting ready to mount Honey, I heard my cell phone ring. I answered it and found out that one of my best buddies and best client, had decided to award me the contract on a small doctors office remodel project in Watsonville that I'd submitted a bid on, before I left. YEA!!! That was great news.
One of the reasons I'd left on this trip was to separate myself from the horrible circumstances I was going thru in Aptos. My house had been up for sale for eight months, and although it did have an offer in on it, if the sale didn't go thru within about two weeks, I was facing the very grim reality of a foreclosure. I never dreamed in a million years I would be going thru such an incredibly horrible financial situation. And the worst part of it was (and still is) there is no indication of things turning around in the near future. If it wasn't for my girlfriend letting me stay in her spare bedroom… I would be out on the street.
Yes, the call from my buddy was going to make the rest of my trip much more relaxing and enjoyable. The project was nowhere near the answer to all my problems, but it was going to help me stay afloat for another three or four months and that, in and of itself, was a great relief.
Side note: As I now complete the final(?) editing on this story… that job is winding down, and should be finished in about two weeks from 'now'. The time I'm spending writing this story is allowing me to at least temporarily escape from what the unknown, potentially very bleak future may hold for me. Good thing I'm an 'eternal optimist', or I would be very worried and/ or depressed. I cannot stop feeling that the phone will ring, and then ring again, and my financial doldrums will finally end.
Ok, back to my self-proclaimed adventure story. Jerome was my last stop before reaching Sedona, so I'll pick up where I left off (saying adios to my girls in black)…
Just after getting back on the road, I once again had to stop to deal with the fading light of the day. This time though, I was excited because I had some new goggles I had purchased in the GPA. They're really cool. They've got amber lenses and they're designed for night riding. They actually increase the ambient light, making things look brighter. I call them my night vision goggles, and they really work. Now, not only did I have the eye protection I like, but also the added security and comfort of better vision while riding in the dark. Plus… I didn't have to switch helmets.
I pulled over at the entrance to one of the many little campgrounds on the road going back up the other side of the Sedona 'valley'. I was about half way thru my cigarette, when a park ranger pulled up next to me and turned off his engine. I walked over, holding my smoke a respectful arms length away and down wind, and asked him, "What's up?" Not 'sup', like the kids say these days, although I do use that phrase, as well as many of the other words they continually come up with. I know it's corny and silly, but using the words helps me think of myself as a kid, and not the old man I am fighting… kicking and screaming not to become. 'Word up'… 'Snap'.
Steve told me not to rush, to relax and finish my cigarette, but that he was leaving, and had to lock the gate for the night. We chatted for a while, mostly about the beautiful surroundings of the area, as the sun sank lower. Fortunately I thought ahead this time, and put on some extra layers and heavier gloves before getting back on Honey, and heading towards my destination for that night, Flagstaff, about 30 miles up the road.
Marc checked me in at the Inn, and after I finished the meal that Mandy (the waitress at the next door restaurant) served me, I hunkered down for the first of my anticipated three nights on the road, on the way to Austin. The tentative route I had chosen was taking me on as many small highways and back roads as possible. I did not want to rush my adventure.
Part of the reason for being where I was and doing what I was doing, was to meet as many people and see as many sites as possible, and although cruising at 80mph on an open freeway was easier and faster, it did not meet the goals I had chosen for my selves.
When I was staying at Ann & Eron's house, I was able to hitch up Honey in their garage, but now she was gonna hafta spend her nights out in the open, and after I unpacked her 100% for the first time since I left, I was amazed at the amount of belongings I had been able to get on her. I love Honey, and she loves me… I think I already told you that, but it bears repeating. She was carrying so much stuff that in order to get it all spread out to take a picture of it, I had to place it in two locations in the room. Part of it… my toiletries and such, on the bathroom counter and the rest of it, mostly clothes, on the couch in the bedroom. Amazing… the quantity… truly amazing. Based on memory and the pictures I took, here is a list of items:
First the 'clothes on my back': boots, gloves, helmet, leather jacket and chaps, jeans, a tee shirt, socks, underwear, and sunglasses. Then the things on Honey: an extra helmet, a pair of long johns, a heavy sweater, a pair of wool socks, a lightweight jacket, a face wrap/ scarf, (3) long sleeved shirts, (5) tee shirts, (5) pairs of socks & under-wear, a pair tennis shoes, a camera, rain pants and jacket, (3) pairs gloves (yes, that's 4-pair total), a laptop computer, charger for laptop, charger for phone, (25) pre-stuffed envelopes with resumes, references, and business cards, (5) roadmaps, a journal, a notepad, cleaning spray (for Honey), (6) small rags, spare sunglasses, (2) pair reading glasses, night vision goggles, fanny bag, wallet, cell phone, palm pilot, (2) pens, $5 in quarters, a scrabble game, a deck of cards, a cribbage board, a flashlight, a road flare, a toiletry bag including but not limited to, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, electric razor, (2) disposable razors, a can of shaving cream, deodorant, first aid kit, my medications (blood pressure; anxiety-depression; and baby aspirin to lessen the chances of getting more blood clots in my legs), a fork, a spoon, (2) knives, a stretchy 'web' thingy (used to hold the extra helmet and other items on the rear seat), a handful of spare 'tie downs', and lastly but certainly not leastly… an ice chest capable of holding (8) 12 oz. cans of beverage.
I'm not gonna list the rest of the little stuff like (3) packs cigarettes, (2) lighters, breath mints, candy & health bars, (6) AA batteries, several good luck rocks/ nuts/ bolts/ etc. that I've picked up over the course of time, and a piece of plywood I use under Honey's kickstand when I park in soft terrain. Ok, I guess I will list them. There are more items, but I'm bored of this, and if I'm bored, I can only imagine how you're feeling.
One of the reasons I'm sad about loosing my journal is that I cannot tell you for sure, how many miles I traveled from the GPA to Flagstaff. Fortunately, when I noticed my silly mistake, I started keeping my notes in my notepad and I remembered the 'total to date' mileage from the previous stop, so I will be able to tell you the daily mileage from that point on, and the total overall mileage of this most excellent adventure. Yes, you could cheat and look at the end of the story, but let's play a game. See if you can fight the urge, and prove to yourself that you have control over your urges. I guess we'll be on the honor system on this little test won't we?
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