Well, here I go again.Not that I stopped going during this time; I’ve been busy with things I didn’t plan for when I left California at the end of February. I drove back to Kay’s house and stayed over the weekend to get to see some of Tucson.We went to a gun show with a friend of her’s who is a quadriplegic from a swimming accident.He’s the poster child for not just lying down and staying drunk and sorry for himself.Instead, he went back to college and became a vocational rehab counselor for disabled people. We went to the gun show together in his special van.He likes to target practice and managed to rig up some way to shoot guns recreationally.This was my first gun show and I expected to see more camo than tie-dye.There seemed to be a lot of frightened white guys who couldn’t get enough fire power to ever feel safe.Arizona is an open carry state like New Mexico, so I had seen plenty of side arms on hips here, but hardly anyone there could have gone through airport security. Some were clearly over the top and appeared ready to be dropped behind enemy lines and kill their way back home.I checked my usual smartass attitude at the door.These guys looked serious.I couldn’t buy a gun myself since I was out of state and would have to wait for a week.Oh darn.Maybe when I get back to New Mexico I’ll get four or five.I can just show my driver’s license and walk out with as many as I want.I’m thinking a fifteen round 12 gauge shotgun would look good slung over my back.He he…
On to TorC with a stop to look over Dragoon near the AZ/NM border.Not much to it since the Butterfield stage coach came through about a hundred years ago.The rock formations look cool, though and in my typical fashion, I didn’t stay overnight and ride the motorcycle around.I was still in the same pace as when I was working and running around with a busy schedule.I hope I can slow down enough to sniff the rocks.
Last January I bought a motorcycle in Arkansas from a guy on the TW200 forum, but had not really counted that into my route for Le Grande Trip up the coast and back down through the Rockies.So here I am in Truth or Consequences about to start again.When I came back here at the beginning of April, the New Mexico Professional Photographers convention was about to start, so I arranged with a couchsurfer in Albuquerque to stay there and attend it. I had fun connecting with photographers I had not met.They are all so nice, but that goes with the professional persona.A convention of car repossessers might not have been the same; different people skills I suppose.The event was at the Route 66 Hotel and Casino.Although the lure of easy winnings never did get to me, I had some change in my pocket which I threw away in the parking lot. I got more pleasure doing that than losing it in a slot and imagining someone thinking they had some lucky quarters that day.I just don’t gamble; I’m such a poor loser that it’s no fun.The couchsurfer I stayed with in Albuquerque is a retired Army General and his wife.Yes, I was surprised that such a person would be hosting like that, but they turned out to be avid about it and have hosted hundreds of travelers.He suggested that I contact the New Mexico Veterans Service rep in Las Cruces to see if I could get some benefits from the VA.I was thinking Disability compensation for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and went through the process which entailed getting a diagnosis from a counselor at the VetsCenter.As it turned out, I didn’t have enough of a case for that, in fact, no case at all.Everything I experienced in Viet Nam was merely stress and not trauma.Besides, with the Army having no record of anything that happened other than that I repaired radios, as far as the VA is concerned that’s all there was to it.I felt so much better knowing at last that my military experience was merely Fun, Travel and Adventure.It did turn out, however, that I qualify for some VA Pension money to supplement my Social Security and that was welcome news.Paperwork is done and I’ll wait and see.Every bit helps.I can also get treatment for depression at the Vets Centers wherever I go, so I’ll start with that in a couple weeks.(turns out I didn’t)I’ve been taking meds for that for years and never had much talk therapy.Sure, I know one should be self-validating and go forth with assurance.Even though that looks good on paper it just could be helpful to talk things over with a skilled counselor.So, back to the motorcycle in Arkansas…I’ll be selling the TW200 I already have to pay for the one from AR and I should be only around $500 short on the deal, but the new one (2003) will have all the modifications I wanted to make on the old one (2007).Win, win.I was intending to take the train to Little Rock to pick up the bike and ride it back to New Mexico, but I decided to drive the pickup there and haul it back.I have it now and went on my first trip with it from Caballo, NM to Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument for an 80 mile ride through twisty mountain roads, camped overnight next to the Gila River in a Forest Service campground and came back the following day.What fun!I can imagine traveling like that for, hmm… weeks, or months.
Back at my cousin’s in time to go the local dairy for a trailer load of manure.Always a festive event, just the first part of the process of spreading it in the garden, wrestling with the rototiller, laying drip lines and planting.I like being able to help her with the heavy lifting like that.Weeds are a constant battle here and I do what I can, but she still has to hire guys to muscle them out.An acre is just too much.My most hated weeds are the goat heads… grrr.
Last week my acupuncturist, Marie, suggested I visit her uncle who is a Navajo medicine man for a Cedar Ceremony in his home on the Reservation near Gallup.This is one of the practices of the Native American Church and wow, is it potent.You just have to try it.I was able to shed emotional crap I’ve been carrying around since birth and lots after that, too.I stayed and participated in a Vision Quest ceremony for four men.I was allowed to be in the sweat lodge, sharing prayers and then was the Fire Tender for the next four days.Not too much can be said about all this since that can interfere with the process.Sorry, you’ll have to do it yourself.I was able to hang out with these great people during this time and we got to know each other; camping out, talking and just relaxing.Not depressed now, just happy.
I drove back to Caballo to finish preparations at my cousin’s for my trip on the motorcycle.The plan is to ride to GlacierNational Park in Montana, camping and seeing parklands along the way.I have until fall to do the trip and figure out where else to go.I may change plans a dozen times along the way; I never know what will be happening next.I’ve stopped trying to predict anything. Here’s the link for my journey on Google Maps:
If the route shows me taking any interstates, go to “show options” and click “avoid highways”Give me a holler if you think of anything interesting along the way or if we might meet up somewhere.
In a week, I'll mosey back toward Truth of Consequences just for a few weeks to go to a medical appt mid April in Albuquerque and then to Arkansas to pick up another TW200 I bought to replace the one I have. Nothing wrong with mine, but the new one has all the modifications I want for traveling. I'll have proper racks and bags, upgraded everything. I'll be able to go fast enough to keep up with traffic and not worry about my stuff falling off. I've been here in Salton Sea for about a month and feel it's time to get out and see more.
I've packed the TW for bare bones camping. That means no internet connection and not much else either. I hope to do most of my traveling like this and back to the truck to resupply. I have a week's stuff with me and I'll see how that goes. I'll be in the Borrego Badlands and roam around as my whims take me. There won't be much to camping, only a tent, pad and sleeping bag. My time will be spent riding around. I feel like this is the trip I really came to be on and it's now starting. I'm not one to piss and moan about my physical issues, suffice it to say that I finally feel ready to take this on.
Rode the TW from Salton to Lakeside to be a tourist for a few days in San Diego with Kellie. That's her on the left and her friend D who's family has guest passes to all things museum. We got an assortment and headed to the harbor to see the Midway aircraft carrier.
D's whole family is artistic and their house is loaded with interesting stuff like this stained glass.
Welcomed aboard
Corsair
On over to the Prado in Balboa Park. I feel so at home here; we lived nearby when I was in grammar school and the park was my playground.
and back to Salton on Sunday. Great fun on curvy roads.
************************************************************************************* HANGING AROUND SALTON CITY
The powerline road was easy to follow, but I started getting thirsty.
Back at the center of town (an intersection) the Alamo Resturant had the solution.
The rest of the town civic area. This is only half of the municipal building and one of the rooms is the library open twice a week. This is where I've been blogging.
The marina never did sell out after the big fish die off. Someone must still be watching for the fish to come back.
The beaches are made up of bones and shells.
No sand, just bones.
Abandoned RV park with Therese and Suzanne. We rode there on quads.
20100212 fri Dry out, clean out and repack at Salton City. Nice to have a place to myself and get caught up on travel chores. Everything out of the truck and spread out to dry. I didn't think to take a picture of it. Hmm... some photographer. This weekend Rick and Therese will be here with a houseful of family and I'll camp out at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area which is only a mile away. I'll have a chance to ride T-Dub on more dirt roads than I could do in a week. Pulled up to Holly Road at sunset and found a good flat spot near the restroom. Everyone’s kids had to get out and ride even at night. They all have headlights and whips with lights to see them coming from a wash or behind a hill. Plenty of noise and enthusiasm; earplugs required.
20100213 sat First day at Ocotillo Wells SVRA and every rider seems to need to make a loop around this area as the start of their ride. Biked in to Salton City for hamburger and tortillas to make burritos. Having this truck and using it like this gives me a sense of connection to my parents, Al and Mary. It’s the only thing I have to remember them. I have all the mechanical stuff fixed on it, but I’ll leave it to look to way it does, all rusty and faded. On the dashboard I have a picture of my mom when she was 18 and adventurous, I like having her along with me. 20100214 sun Comfortable now, sleeping on my massage table, just two nights to break me in. I keep doing my physical therapy for my knees and back. Wriggling and crawling around in the back of the truck must be of some use, too. Stopped by at Rick and Therese’s, met Kevin who works with Rick and got him to buy the house here. Kevin has bought two houses for less than $50K and loves the area. He had a laundry list of places to go see and do here. I took the T-dub on Hwy 86 up to 65 mph for about five seconds and the wind buffeting me felt much different than at 55. I had two cameras with me, but I did not stop to take pictures of the dirt roads or where I ate. Surely I’ll slow down enough to do so eventually. I’m still in hurry mode. Much calmer in camp today; the frenzy has passed.
20100215 mon Presidents’ Day Just sitting at the picnic table when a departing visitor offered me his 4 six gallon water jugs before he threw them away – perfect! I can toss my one gallon containers. Back to Rick and Therese’s to enjoy the family busyness as the left to go back home. It is so heartwarming to see this loving and well adjusted family working together. Also, I was in time for a late breakfast with their daughter Jamie and her friend, Mike. I saw everyone off and had the house to myself for the rest of the week. Even though there are beds available here, I am more comfortable sleeping in the truck now.
20100216 tue Not much to do but relax and hang out. Satellite tv and reading to pass the days. Since I left my notebook with my PT workout in Tucson, I’ve recreated it here. I don't know if this is too much information, scroll as needed.
Seated ankle bends – elbows on knee – toes up Toe scrunches – passive and active Knees up – cross resisting Toe risers Squats TFL stretch Wider squats Pushup over chair back Left lunges – heels down Twisting pushback against wall Right lunges – heels down Chairback Cobra Squats left foot out Left triangle Squats right foot out Right triangle Prone – grasp ankles Forearm knee plank Alternating legs up Seated twists Supine hip risers – back arches Knees to chest – assisted and resisted Standing – bent over – hands clasped behind back and arch Balance on one leg – bent at hip – leg and arms out
20100218 thur Awoke thinking of making big family portraits on this trip and of bring my box of family photos with me when I return from NM. The first family that comes to mind is Stan and Ruby’s in San Bernardino. It’s huge.
2010-02-19 fri Cleaned up and move my stuff back into the truck in anticipation of Rick and Therese’s return. Not sure where I’ll spend the weekend.
2010-02 mon
Another fun weekend with Rick, Therese, Joe her brother and his wife, Suzzane. Riding the quads and my Tdub to the Sea and root around in the mud and debris.
Sunday, January 31st was significant for me as it is the first ride I'll go on with people I've met on the TW 200 Forum. I was going to visit with Tom from the forum while I was in Tucson, but our schedules didn't mesh and he suggested I contact Brian who was leading a ride for Melissa who is a noobie. This was perfect for me since I'm still challenged to keep the bike up. Several forum posts and emails later, I'm set to meet up on the road to Ajo and park/unload our vehicles near their friend's house to start the ride. The drive on the dirt road was a good trial of my rack with the motorcycle with plenty of bouncing and twisting. I now feel comfortable with the setup and don't worry about it just falling off on the highway. Unloading was easy, a little warmup of the bikes and off we six went on a fun moderate ride for 17 miles round trip. Rocky road, sandy washes, and a tricky steep solid rock climb after which four of us turned around and went back to the starting point. Riding in the deep soft sand was a little unstable, as random steering seemed to take over. Speed up, sit further back and let the front tire surf. Hmm... looks good on paper. Two of the guys continued on through on the road, one of them had a gps that showed the dirt roads and wanted to follow that back to Tucson. The gps is so useful, he had the maps from Garmin and could download tracks from other people. The gps would create a track of wherever he went and with taps on the screen he could plot way points along the route he was taking. Every turn and dip can be seen ahead; it must take all the fun and excitement out of getting lost. Back at the truck, loading the bike would have been easier if I had thought it through a bit more and not end up playing Twister. I learning. We had a relaxing beer and snack with Brian's friends where we parked and I went back to Kay's feeling like I didn't need a bicycle to get exercise; riding the motorcycle on dirt was enough.
Monday, Feb. 1 Drove from Tucson to Lakeside, CA near San Diego. Drive, drive, desert, Border Patrol checkpoints, into Greater San Diego and wander around Lakeside finding where Kellie lives. Her friend Magnus had the same problem with his truck as I do with intermittent vibration from the back and has a mechanic who will fix it. Cool, I'll be returning for that.
Tuesday, Feb. 2 Stayed with Cindy and Casey in San Clemente for six days, loafing and getting to catch up with some friends.
Wednesday, Feb. 3 The BBQ Special at Fisherman's Wharf on the San Clemente pier is the best value in town with my friend Dave. The view is pretty good, too, if you block out Dave.
Thurs. Feb. 4 Rain, Fri. Rain, Sat. Rain
Sun Feb Blue skies, puffy clouds I can wipe down my bike and put a cover on it.
Monday Feb 8 Drove back to Lakeside, truck with mechanic, it's ok, really, just watch it. lube and oil.
Tues Feb 9 hangin' with Kellie. Finally got good orange chicken
Wed Feb 10 leave for Therese's vacation home in Salton City to ride around in the Ocotillo Wells rec area.
We went to a gun show with a friend of her’s who is a quadriplegic from a swimming accident. He’s the poster child for not just lying down and staying drunk and sorry for himself. Instead, he went back to college and became a vocational rehab counselor for disabled people. We went to the gun show together in his special van. He likes to target practice and managed to rig up some way to shoot guns recreationally. This was my first gun show and I expected to see more camo than tie-dye. 
There seemed to be a lot of frightened white guys who couldn’t get enough fire power to ever feel safe. 
On to TorC with a stop to look over Dragoon near the AZ/NM border. Not much to it since the Butterfield stage coach came through about a hundred years ago. 
The rock formations look cool, though and in my typical fashion, I didn’t stay overnight and ride the motorcycle around. I was still in the same pace as when I was working and running around with a busy schedule. I hope I can slow down enough to sniff the rocks.
I have it now and went on my first trip with it from Caballo, NM to Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument for an 80 mile ride through twisty mountain roads, camped overnight next to the Gila River in a Forest Service campground and came back the following day. What fun! I can imagine traveling like that for, hmm… weeks, or months.
Back at my cousin’s in time to go the local dairy for a trailer load of manure. Always a festive event, just the first part of the process of spreading it in the garden, wrestling with the rototiller, laying drip lines and planting. I like being able to help her with the heavy lifting like that. Weeds are a constant battle here and I do what I can, but she still has to hire guys to muscle them out. An acre is just too much. My most hated weeds are the goat heads… grrr.
