ALL my NEWS...that's new and improved, or at least mostly fit to print.
Headline: ROAD TRIP TO AUSTIN, TEXAS
WHAT: See headline, duh. Further details include that the vehicle we tortured was a 1989 Isuzu Trooper that paid for it's involvement with a ruptured heating system. More on that later.
WHO: me and my friend Kurt -- once sailed on the Victory Chimes, but most recently doing the Grad School thing
WHERE: From Corvallis, Oregon (where the Grad school is located) to Austin, Texas (yep, I'm repeating myself here) via San Francisco, London Bridge (it's in Nevada now), Grand Canyon, and Albuquerque.
HOW: By driving (hence the Road Trip title and reference to the Isuzu).
WHEN: We left on Sunday the 26th of November to stay the first night in Newport(Oregon) on his sailboat, and got here last night.
WHY: For him it's moving house back here, for me I suppose it was just the thrill of sniffing vaporized antifreeze blowing thru the kaput heating system for the last few hours of the last day that enticed me. No, it would be for the adventure, and seeing the miles and miles of nothing that is west Texas (if I'd done this years ago, I'd have skipped travelling the Outback in Australia.)
DETAILS:
Newport - Small coastal town, with a great seafood place called Local Ocean and a good pub that brews up Rogue Beer as it's claims to fame. It was slushing snow and hail when we left. Hydro-planing and cold toilet seats, yuck. Driving the Oregon coast is always amazing for stunning views of trees and rocks and shoreline in jagged cliffs.
San Francisco - It hasn't shaken into the sea yet. Great City, and fun to catch up with friends. You know who you are! Plus the mandatory walk on Fishermans Wharf to the Maritime Museum to oogle the tall ships there. Looking out from Sunset hill to the Farralone Islands where the schooner pilot boats used to wait. Riding the L-line train in town, and having Chinese food.
London Bridge - The town of Lake Havasu is a Snow Bird retreat, and seems like the lake is dropped into the middle of rock pinnacles in dry desert. (I'm sure Snow Birds also leave droppings but not sure how to work that into a pun here.) And as the tacky tourist draw, the town bought London Bridge (that was falling down) and shipped it here brick by brick (numbered for easy reassembly) and put it all back together in a way that it hopefully won't fall down and then dug a channel from the lake so that it could go over some water. Pretty silly, but found a cute cafe under the bridge that had good coffee. (location location location)
Grand Canyon - It's BIG! It's awe inspiring! It's enormous! And really that doesn't even come close, I'd show you a photo but it wouldn't be worth it. (Take it back, I'll show you one anyway) You really have to stand at the edge and look into the abyss! Next time there hopefully I'll be drifting down the river in the sunny warmth of summer, though the cold of winter (snow in the tree shadow) certainly keeps the tourists at bay, mostly just the international crowd while we were there. Stayed at the rustic Bright Angel Lodge (www.kaibab.org/tr972/gc972109.htm) for only $56/night, less than you'd think but I'd bet the suite on the Rim edge costs more than you'd think. Sage brush and scrub Juniper trees, hawks and amazing rock buildings designed by architect Mary Jane Colter in the 1930's. Plus talking to a Hopi Nat'l Parks Interpreter, very interesting.
Abuquerque - The flatlands where the major Hot Air Balloon festivals are held. Went up the Tram to the top (10, 378ft) of Sandia Mt, so called (it means watermelon in Spanish) because indeed at sunset the mountain side turns pink!... Went with Kurt's friends to a wonderful Mexican food place the original (in-town) Gardunia's. Even the leftovers in the car next day were good.
Austin - A city of music and the black sheep of Texas (also home of Dixie Chicks-- and look where that got them!), but we seem to be stuck out in the countryside (40 miles out of town) at his folks house until we can get the Trooper fixed.
What a trip!
Weather:
It may be sunny and dry here in Austin Texas, but damn it's cold! (especially when the heater in the Trooper is broke!) Broke records today. Possibly the constant swirl of Willie Nelson songs is assisting in the flow of the Jet Stream keeping the weather clear and bright eyed?
Environmental news:
Save the Whales. I know it's just a charismatic mega-fauna, but still doing something can seem like a better day, than watching it all dissappear. Hard to bring people together over a slogan like "save the shipworms."
http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=474&aid=7741&msource=DR061103001&tr=y&auid=2173841
Checking out the Planet:
There are even riots in Tonga! What is the world coming to? It would seem that Corporate Hegemony is being passed off as "democracy" and people are getting angry? If I'm not angry, I'm not paying attention? At least its motivating, so I'll donate to Oxfam again for my Ho Ho Gift and know that somehow the money is put to good use.
Found out that a Oceanography group is heading out to do core sampling off Indonesia in hopes of better understanding the tsunami pattern/process. Now if we could just re-vamp the human process that assists people in need, instead of cutting off budget funding to these distant places (like New Orleans.)
Sports:
Does shifting gears in the car count? Still waiting on my ankle, it makes me nervous that isn't healed up yet but I'm trying to be patient and just care for myself... So here I am still not working on a boat... and feeling some dissconected from that scene, that is so far away... Right must do my exercises.
Book reviews:
Reading "Probable Future" by Alice Hoffman to do an adaptation to screen for a Grad School application, but just found out she already sold the rights and the film is in pre-production. damn.
My own book -- need to keep going on the writing so I can get it to the publisher on time... the publisher himself is 80yo and at our initial meeting was making jokes about being dead before I got the book done... doesn't actually instill confidence, huh?!
Another publisher has also asked me for a proposal, and I was told that never happens (that more than one publisher might ask for a book)... "show me the money?" ha, none of the green stuff so far on a long shot first book that isn't written yet!
Movie Reviews/News:
Saw Tenecious D: the Pick of Destiny. Not for the Movie Connaisseur/Gourmet, fun trash for Jack Black and his band fans. Wishing I was in Key West for the Sound of Music Sing-A-Long Event with the drag queen dressed as Julie Andrews assisting the crowd. Probably a too much Rum and Eggnog kind of night!
Quote of the Week:
“Those who love it call it the canyon. THE canyon. As if there were no other topographic feature on the face of the Earth.” -- Edward Abbey
Coming Events:
Possible travel to Key West to search out my long lost friends, who obviously spend much less time than I do online.
