Find the balance that is there--that's a message I wrote to myself, something for me to remember as the holidays shine on.
Yes, balance and time. Planning and inspiration. Decide the work, choose the task, and get it done. And sometimes the task is no task. And sometimes the work is fun. Balance--it's there, somewhere, a zebra in the mist, a changing mechanism. For the weights and levers of balance are constantly changing with respect to the changing gravity of Priority.
I am now reminded of a holiday season several years ago. I was staying up late one night, even though I had to get up early the next morning, and I was writing emails and holiday cards and getting some packages together--and it was at that exact moment when I had this idea: Man, I thought, a person could really be a full-time friend. It really takes time to do all these things. Phone calls and emails and letters and personal visits, yes, these things do take time.
And now, years later, I understand this more than ever. I put quite a bit of time into my full-time friend mission, and it's something that I'm proud of. I got to spend time with a lot of family and friends. And the interesting part is that I feel like it's still going on.
When will it end? I don't know. I don't want to know. No reason to pin it down with words. Commit to nothing. Open to everything. My mission has transitioned a bit, but I'm still spending time with family and friends locally, and so I feel like the mission is going on. I'll tell this story better and explore my thoughts more deeply in the book version. But for now, I have this blog post, a little, free, all-you-can read word buffet.
Although I like my late nights, sometimes I get up early. I get my writing done early so I can go out in the evenings. We have a lot of time each week, more than enough time for two full-time jobs. So why not work it?
There's a spirit in the air. It's the joy of the season and the magic of life. Time with family, time with friends, and some work that I enjoy--I am lucky and thankful. I am happy and excited. The snow is still lingering, all that snow! But the roads are mostly clear again. Our Christmas tree is up and I've caught Marley chewing on it. I tell him "No," and he understands. We have to put the ornaments up high, in the top half of the tree, so he won't get them.
Happy Holidays to everyone, and safe travels.
Fondly,
Jeff
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Late Night / Blizzard of '09
Well it's Friday night and the snow is coming down. It's a little after midnight, and so I had to hit play on "Midnight Moonlight," a song that just happened to be there in one of my playlists.
"If you ever feel lonesome . . . "
Sing on, Jerry. I know it's not really a snow song, but it feels like the right song for the moment, which is all that matters. "Midnight Moonlight" also reminds me of California, and that's a place I'll be visiting soon in my mind.
Yes, the snow's been falling for a few hours now, and there's a couple inches on the ground. And actually, I just got home. I was at two parties. First, I was at Mary's, to see her and her family and Jenny and Ivan. And then I went over to Hilary's, where a Christmas party was happening. I would have liked to stay at both parties longer, but a serious storm was coming, and I wanted to get home early to minimize my time on the snowy roads.
So that's what I did. I left Travis and Hilary's home, and followed all the usual roads, driving slow in the old Honda Civic. And now I'm home and everyone is sleeping. But no sleep for me, at least not for a while. Janice is still on the road, and so I'm going to stay awake till she gets here--late night solidarity with my sister, and some phone calls every so often to check in with her.
They were calling for about eight inches, but now they're saying much more. Easily over a foot, and some places close to twenty inches. It certainly feels like it's going to be a big one.
So the snow is falling. I am writing. And Janice is driving. She's on her way back to Maryland for her friend Grace's wedding. The wedding will be tomorrow, Saturday. My goal is to keep writing until Janice gets here. When I say writing, I mean working on my book, book 1, the story of the first big bike tour. Of course right now I'm taking a break from the book so I can update the blog.
Breaks are good. I went downstairs and took Marley out. He loves the snow. And boy, it's really coming down. A good steady snowfall. They're predicting blizzard weather, so we'll see. And now, back to the book . . . .
. . . . We'll it's a few hours later, getting deep into those crazy hours now: 3 o'clock and 4 o'clock. Soon I'll be over the hump and into 5 a.m. territory, which is no longer night but morning in my mind, and that'll somehow make it feel better. But I have a secret weapon: I've been staying up late the last couple weeks, so 4 a.m. doesn't seem so bad. Staying up late seems normal now. I've been working two writing shifts each day: a morning shift from about noon till 5 or 6. Then a dinner/evening break. And then the night shift which can go from 7 till maybe 2 or 3 a.m.
Right now, in book 1, I'm working on the chapters along the California coast, getting close to San Francisco. I'm looking back at some photos from my recent travels which yielded some good research. I'm writing about the sunny realm of California and the Pacific Coast and the Coastal Variations from day to day--and outside my window the snow is coming down--it's a nice contrast. I like the contrast and the two different worlds. There's two world everyday: the world in my mind, and the world outside. I just felt a chill when I typed that last sentence, a strange-loop-kind-of-a-chill that sometimes happens when you're writing about something that's happening at the same time. Also maybe a stuck-in-a-moment-kind-of-thing, as U2 said in their song. And so with that, I might as well pause this blog post here, and get back to the book and my late-night solidarity with Janice. It's time to call her again. . . . .
. . . . We'll it's getting close to six a.m. Janice should be here any minute. I just went outside with Marley again, to run and play in the snow. The canvas is fresh and clean, so much possibility. A big snowfall is an interesting experience. Rain falls and then soaks into the ground. Ice/freezing rain comes down and makes the world hard and dangerous. But snow just sits there like fine stuffing that has tumbled down from the inside of the clouds. Sure it's cold, but it's soft too. At least in my mind. Soft and quiet, like somehow the snow is absorbing the sounds, which is probably is. Dampening vibrations and eating sound waves. There's a lot about snow that I don't know.
The wind was also blowing hard. I had to gear up with a down coat and my rain gear jacket and pants. I wore my yellow-tinted safety glasses to keep the blowing snow from stinging my eyes. I was walking with Marley, just walking down the center of the street, through the ever-thickening canvas, when I saw a car approaching. I thought it was Janice even though I knew she wasn't due to arrive for about half an hour. But it had to be her. No one else driving at that hour. So I was waving and jumping up and down as the car crept toward me, headlights looking very yellow through my glasses. Marley and I moved to the side as the car came closer, and it was then that I saw the driver. Not Janice, but some lady with a cigarette in her mouth. It was the paper delivery person. I said that I sorry, and that I thought she was someone else. And she just smiled and then tossed a paper out her open window, and then almost got stuck when she tried to back out. I thought I was going to have to help push. Her car just barely made it.
. . . . It's later now, and Janice is home safe. Time to get some sleep. I just finished saving my word document, after writing myself some notes for next time. I wrote my notes, as I usually do, at the place where I intend to pick up and keep working. I also wrote "Start here" so I can find my spot. When I start my writing day tomorrow, I'll just do a "control+F" and search for "start here." Then I can pick up where I left off--although I usually go back to the beginning of the chapter just so I can get back into the groove.
And so I've reached the end of another work day. Thanks for reading, safe travels, and goodnight.
"If you ever feel lonesome . . . "
Sing on, Jerry. I know it's not really a snow song, but it feels like the right song for the moment, which is all that matters. "Midnight Moonlight" also reminds me of California, and that's a place I'll be visiting soon in my mind.
Yes, the snow's been falling for a few hours now, and there's a couple inches on the ground. And actually, I just got home. I was at two parties. First, I was at Mary's, to see her and her family and Jenny and Ivan. And then I went over to Hilary's, where a Christmas party was happening. I would have liked to stay at both parties longer, but a serious storm was coming, and I wanted to get home early to minimize my time on the snowy roads.
So that's what I did. I left Travis and Hilary's home, and followed all the usual roads, driving slow in the old Honda Civic. And now I'm home and everyone is sleeping. But no sleep for me, at least not for a while. Janice is still on the road, and so I'm going to stay awake till she gets here--late night solidarity with my sister, and some phone calls every so often to check in with her.
They were calling for about eight inches, but now they're saying much more. Easily over a foot, and some places close to twenty inches. It certainly feels like it's going to be a big one.
So the snow is falling. I am writing. And Janice is driving. She's on her way back to Maryland for her friend Grace's wedding. The wedding will be tomorrow, Saturday. My goal is to keep writing until Janice gets here. When I say writing, I mean working on my book, book 1, the story of the first big bike tour. Of course right now I'm taking a break from the book so I can update the blog.
Breaks are good. I went downstairs and took Marley out. He loves the snow. And boy, it's really coming down. A good steady snowfall. They're predicting blizzard weather, so we'll see. And now, back to the book . . . .
. . . . We'll it's a few hours later, getting deep into those crazy hours now: 3 o'clock and 4 o'clock. Soon I'll be over the hump and into 5 a.m. territory, which is no longer night but morning in my mind, and that'll somehow make it feel better. But I have a secret weapon: I've been staying up late the last couple weeks, so 4 a.m. doesn't seem so bad. Staying up late seems normal now. I've been working two writing shifts each day: a morning shift from about noon till 5 or 6. Then a dinner/evening break. And then the night shift which can go from 7 till maybe 2 or 3 a.m.
Right now, in book 1, I'm working on the chapters along the California coast, getting close to San Francisco. I'm looking back at some photos from my recent travels which yielded some good research. I'm writing about the sunny realm of California and the Pacific Coast and the Coastal Variations from day to day--and outside my window the snow is coming down--it's a nice contrast. I like the contrast and the two different worlds. There's two world everyday: the world in my mind, and the world outside. I just felt a chill when I typed that last sentence, a strange-loop-kind-of-a-chill that sometimes happens when you're writing about something that's happening at the same time. Also maybe a stuck-in-a-moment-kind-of-thing, as U2 said in their song. And so with that, I might as well pause this blog post here, and get back to the book and my late-night solidarity with Janice. It's time to call her again. . . . .
. . . . We'll it's getting close to six a.m. Janice should be here any minute. I just went outside with Marley again, to run and play in the snow. The canvas is fresh and clean, so much possibility. A big snowfall is an interesting experience. Rain falls and then soaks into the ground. Ice/freezing rain comes down and makes the world hard and dangerous. But snow just sits there like fine stuffing that has tumbled down from the inside of the clouds. Sure it's cold, but it's soft too. At least in my mind. Soft and quiet, like somehow the snow is absorbing the sounds, which is probably is. Dampening vibrations and eating sound waves. There's a lot about snow that I don't know.
The wind was also blowing hard. I had to gear up with a down coat and my rain gear jacket and pants. I wore my yellow-tinted safety glasses to keep the blowing snow from stinging my eyes. I was walking with Marley, just walking down the center of the street, through the ever-thickening canvas, when I saw a car approaching. I thought it was Janice even though I knew she wasn't due to arrive for about half an hour. But it had to be her. No one else driving at that hour. So I was waving and jumping up and down as the car crept toward me, headlights looking very yellow through my glasses. Marley and I moved to the side as the car came closer, and it was then that I saw the driver. Not Janice, but some lady with a cigarette in her mouth. It was the paper delivery person. I said that I sorry, and that I thought she was someone else. And she just smiled and then tossed a paper out her open window, and then almost got stuck when she tried to back out. I thought I was going to have to help push. Her car just barely made it.
. . . . It's later now, and Janice is home safe. Time to get some sleep. I just finished saving my word document, after writing myself some notes for next time. I wrote my notes, as I usually do, at the place where I intend to pick up and keep working. I also wrote "Start here" so I can find my spot. When I start my writing day tomorrow, I'll just do a "control+F" and search for "start here." Then I can pick up where I left off--although I usually go back to the beginning of the chapter just so I can get back into the groove.
And so I've reached the end of another work day. Thanks for reading, safe travels, and goodnight.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Feeling Thankful
Well it's Thanksgiving 2009, and I'm feeling thankful. I started thinking about this post earlier in the day while I was out on a bike ride. I went out in the morning before the feast. I needed to get some exercise. I rode around a nearby neighborhood where the air smells okay--better than the busy roads. Just a quick ride, about ten or fifteen minutes, because I wanted to get home and help with the preparations.
As I was nearing the end of my ride, I saw a one-dollar bill on the ground, on top of some leaves, by the right side of the road, in front of a house. For a quick second I thought about stopping to get it. But I never stopped pedaling. Forget that soggy dollar, I told myself, you don't need that now. Besides, I liked the idea of riding past cash on a cool and misty thanksgiving morning. If it was a twenty or more, would I have stopped? Good question. I like to think I would have taken a larger bill up to the door of the closest house. Or maybe used it to make a donation.
But it was only a one-dollar bill and I left it there for some other creature to find. I went home, with feasting and celebrating on my mind. Janice and Chris were also home, and we all helped as our mother prepared the meal. Then we ate. Everything was wonderful. I had my first tofu turkey, which I enjoyed very much.
As I sit in my room late on this Thanksgiving night, I am feeling good and thankful--thankful for my health and my family and friends and some work that I enjoy doing. I'm looking forward to being with my father and my grandparents and the rest of my family this coming weekend. The celebration must continue!
Mahalo.
As I was nearing the end of my ride, I saw a one-dollar bill on the ground, on top of some leaves, by the right side of the road, in front of a house. For a quick second I thought about stopping to get it. But I never stopped pedaling. Forget that soggy dollar, I told myself, you don't need that now. Besides, I liked the idea of riding past cash on a cool and misty thanksgiving morning. If it was a twenty or more, would I have stopped? Good question. I like to think I would have taken a larger bill up to the door of the closest house. Or maybe used it to make a donation.
But it was only a one-dollar bill and I left it there for some other creature to find. I went home, with feasting and celebrating on my mind. Janice and Chris were also home, and we all helped as our mother prepared the meal. Then we ate. Everything was wonderful. I had my first tofu turkey, which I enjoyed very much.
As I sit in my room late on this Thanksgiving night, I am feeling good and thankful--thankful for my health and my family and friends and some work that I enjoy doing. I'm looking forward to being with my father and my grandparents and the rest of my family this coming weekend. The celebration must continue!
Mahalo.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Update and Recapitulation
It's November now. The trees are bright with color and I'm totally amazed, like I am every year. My eyes feel as though they are two young kids looking up at their first sideshow. It's hard to imagine a fall without trees. I'm lucky because there's a good-sized chunk of forest behind our home and Marley and I walk by it everyday.
As I walked Marley today, I thought about a walk back in September when I found one of my favorite trees dead on the ground. It had been knocked down by a storm. It was a big tooth aspen, a tall, mature specimen. It had been there for years, but I first payed attention to it after my 2007 Megatransect bike tour which really helped me focus my looking and learning. I never knew that species existed. Walking with Marley, I saw some big tooth aspen leaves on the ground and remembered what I already knew: death is part of life.
And when my thoughts walk down the road of death, they always come back to one thing: life is something to enjoy and something to work at. I'm not afraid of getting older. I see it as a good thing. As time goes by, I can become a better person and do the things that I want to do. My enjoyment of the seasons has certainly heightened over the years. The seasons are beautiful and fun and a reminder to me to keep falling in love with the Natural World. In my part of the world, the seasons come on nice and slow--about three months between each season. It takes about three hundred and sixty five days for the earth to go around the sun. And it's that yearly circle, combined with the tilt of the earth's axis, that gives us our seasons.
With the coloring of the leaves, I felt that fall was official. I was back at home, with my mother and brother, and a fresh batch of time on my hands. I was thinking about my family and friends, and the recent wedding, and my travels. I was listening to Phish's 2009-10-31 show where they played Exile On Main Street, the Rolling Stone's album, as their musical costume. I made my daily round of phone calls and emails and made an effort for some local friending. I checked out Kobus's blog that he had started in Alaska. I went to my local library. Money was getting low. Expenses needed to me minimized. Then another trip took shape.
I packed four Aloha shirts, my bicycle, and my computer. My brother packed his clothes and computer and bicycle too, and we headed north in his 1988 Honda Civic. We drove to central Pennsylvania again to see our grandparents. As always, we had a great time. Thanks again Grandma and Pap! On a previous trip, Grandma had taught us how to make pizzelles. So Chris and I got out the pizzelle maker and we made another 12 dozen or so--which meant there would be some for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Chris and I rode bikes around our old home town, exploring roads and trails from our past, old neighborhood streets where we both learned to ride.
And then back to Maryland. I settled back into my writing, and started a string of writing days. I could feel myself transitioning from my full-time friending days into my full-time writing days. But there's a lot of hours in a given week, and I tried to keep the balance between my time spent building relationships and my time spent working.
And that pretty much gets us up to date. Which brings us to the recapitulation, a restating of the theme: my goal with my full-time friend mission was to strengthen the bonds of friendship. I used (and am still using!) everything in my quiver: personal visits, road trips, bike tours, other missions, late nights, early mornings, phone calls, music, conversation, birthdays, emails, packages, and postcards. But I am still learning. The goat of laziness sometimes gets in the way, but I keep trying. Every friendship is a little different. And there are no rules. There is only love.
Thanks again friends! I'll write a little something next month. Right now, I'm going to step away from the computer, eat some pizzelles, and go for a bike ride with my brother.
Enjoy the upcoming holiday and travel safe.
Jeff
As I walked Marley today, I thought about a walk back in September when I found one of my favorite trees dead on the ground. It had been knocked down by a storm. It was a big tooth aspen, a tall, mature specimen. It had been there for years, but I first payed attention to it after my 2007 Megatransect bike tour which really helped me focus my looking and learning. I never knew that species existed. Walking with Marley, I saw some big tooth aspen leaves on the ground and remembered what I already knew: death is part of life.
And when my thoughts walk down the road of death, they always come back to one thing: life is something to enjoy and something to work at. I'm not afraid of getting older. I see it as a good thing. As time goes by, I can become a better person and do the things that I want to do. My enjoyment of the seasons has certainly heightened over the years. The seasons are beautiful and fun and a reminder to me to keep falling in love with the Natural World. In my part of the world, the seasons come on nice and slow--about three months between each season. It takes about three hundred and sixty five days for the earth to go around the sun. And it's that yearly circle, combined with the tilt of the earth's axis, that gives us our seasons.
With the coloring of the leaves, I felt that fall was official. I was back at home, with my mother and brother, and a fresh batch of time on my hands. I was thinking about my family and friends, and the recent wedding, and my travels. I was listening to Phish's 2009-10-31 show where they played Exile On Main Street, the Rolling Stone's album, as their musical costume. I made my daily round of phone calls and emails and made an effort for some local friending. I checked out Kobus's blog that he had started in Alaska. I went to my local library. Money was getting low. Expenses needed to me minimized. Then another trip took shape.
I packed four Aloha shirts, my bicycle, and my computer. My brother packed his clothes and computer and bicycle too, and we headed north in his 1988 Honda Civic. We drove to central Pennsylvania again to see our grandparents. As always, we had a great time. Thanks again Grandma and Pap! On a previous trip, Grandma had taught us how to make pizzelles. So Chris and I got out the pizzelle maker and we made another 12 dozen or so--which meant there would be some for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Chris and I rode bikes around our old home town, exploring roads and trails from our past, old neighborhood streets where we both learned to ride.
And then back to Maryland. I settled back into my writing, and started a string of writing days. I could feel myself transitioning from my full-time friending days into my full-time writing days. But there's a lot of hours in a given week, and I tried to keep the balance between my time spent building relationships and my time spent working.
And that pretty much gets us up to date. Which brings us to the recapitulation, a restating of the theme: my goal with my full-time friend mission was to strengthen the bonds of friendship. I used (and am still using!) everything in my quiver: personal visits, road trips, bike tours, other missions, late nights, early mornings, phone calls, music, conversation, birthdays, emails, packages, and postcards. But I am still learning. The goat of laziness sometimes gets in the way, but I keep trying. Every friendship is a little different. And there are no rules. There is only love.
Thanks again friends! I'll write a little something next month. Right now, I'm going to step away from the computer, eat some pizzelles, and go for a bike ride with my brother.
Enjoy the upcoming holiday and travel safe.
Jeff
Sunday, November 1, 2009
October Travels - MD to CO to CA and back to MD
Greetings blog reader, I hope you're doing well and having fun. Right now, while you're at this site, the fun will be partially up to me. I'll keep that in mind. You've come here for words and entertainment, so let's get down to business.
It's the very end of October. It's time to look back and document this past month. I'm back in Maryland after my last round of cross-country traveling. Most of this post will be about that cross-country journey. But this post will be bookended by two Posko events.
That's us. Men in the night. Annapolis was our home that night. We reveled as men on the town. There was laughter and loud voices, and we had a fine time talking and drinking and playing darts. There was honor too. We found a broken ATM and reported it. Annapolis was the right place for us; it was our hometown city. Jake chose Annapolis. He knew. We've all been going there for years, so it feels like our home city. We stuck to the Code of the Road and the Code of the City, and everything worked out just fine. Thanks guys! It was a good night.
I woke up the next day and caught a ride with Adam who was on his way back to Pittsburgh. Adam, being the gentleman that he is, dropped me off at Dave's on his way west. Dave was packing the car in the driveway beside his family's home. His family was there, helping and saying goodbye. Dave was moving to Denver. I was riding along for multiple reasons: to help with the driving, and because I needed to get to Denver, and because this way I could spend some time with Dave.
Dave packed what he needed in his black Volkswagen. Bikes and skis went on top. Everything else in the back. Just the front two seats were open. Dave's mother had some good vegetarian chili and some cornbread, so we feasted before we left. Here's us beside Dave's machine:
And then we were off! Up the ramp, on 32 West, over to Interstate 70. Good old 70, it was starting to feel like home. But Dave wanted to go through West Virginia, so that's what we did. We skipped the PA turnpike and drove through Wheeling, the place where Dave had gone to college. We shared the driving and shared the music (we both had our favorite songs and artists on our mp3 players).
And the miles flew by like they tend to do in modern cars. Early signs of fall were written on the foliage. Light browns and reds and golden colors. It was fine driving weather. We stopped outside of Wheeling for pizza. Dave knew the place: Di Carlo's famous pizza.
It was some good pizza. They do this thing where they cook the pizza and then, after it's done, they sprinkle cheese on top. So when you get it, there's this kind of soft/kind of firm cheese on top. Really an amazing idea. The sauce was good, and the crust was thick, and the flavor was enough to make me shout with joy as Dave and I ate three slices each while standing by the car. It's really a special little pizza shop.
We drove all day and into the night on 70 west. We made it well into Missouri. All driving is serious, but night driving is extra serious. During the day, Dave and I took turns sleeping. But at night, I made sure we were both awake. We considered going all night, but in the depths of Missouri, where the darkness was strong, there were also many deer. Some by the road. Not good for us or the deer. So we pulled over at a safe place and slept until it was light.
After sunrise we were back at it, truckin' west. And while we drove, we were talking about the past and the future. Dave had been working in West Virginia doing survey work. He loved being outside and walking in the forest all day. But he wasn't sure about finding work in Denver. I told him not to worry. He'd make it work. Plus there was skiing to do! Dave was excited for the mountains of the west, and I was excited for him. Dave and I remembered our time in Yosemite, back in July. We both loved Yosemite.
After Missouri came Kansas, a state I've always enjoyed traveling through. Despite what people say, it's not totally flat. When you bike across Kansas, you learn this. The roads may be straight, and some sections may be somewhat flat. But it's nothing like the desert, no huge flat plains like you'll find in the Great Salt Lake Desert of Utah.
On our second driving day, after nightfall, we came cruising into Denver. We went straight to Heather and Ilyse's home. I had the directions memorized. Heather welcomed us with food and tea and we celebrated under the great Colorado night sky. Ilyse came home later, and the four of us stayed up for a bit.
And thus began my time in Denver. No doldrums to speak of, at least not for me. Heather and Ilyse's home became base camp, and there was much work to be done there. Heather was working. Ilyse was packing, getting ready to move out and road trip with me. Dave was unpacking and moving into Ilyse's room. I was trying help out, and visit with everyone. I went for walks with Heather and her awesome dog Max. Peter and Kristin invited some people over, and I went to their home with Dave and met Jake Belvin and Mary who were there. It was a fine talking and tea party, with coffee instead of tea, good strong Dazbog coffee made with Peter and Kristin's french press. I put on my serious Jeff face and hair and made everyone laugh. Keeping a straight face can be hard. I was smiling underneath, just Ani DiFranco talks about in her song. Jake borrowed my camera and worked his magic (photos by Jake Belvin):
You can get a lot done with late nights and early mornings, but sleep is not really part of that plan. I was up early. Ilyse and I were packed and ready to go. We had plans to follow, a schedule to abide. It was road trip time.
With Ilyse driving her trusty Toyota, we left Denver and flew north, away from the city and the morning commuters and into Wyoming. There, Ilyse woke me up, and we headed west on 80. I was taking photos for my research archives. Photos are valuable things. I think we had some Beatles on the CD player. Good to start a trip strong. And we were both talking with excitement about the time ahead. We had about twenty days to drive a huge western loop that would take us all over and then back to Denver.
We drove all day, away from sunny Colorado and far into Wyoming with its snowy mountains:
First, there was snow on the mountains. Later, we saw some snow on the ground as we approached Jackson, enjoying roads which were new to both of us. Then we met Jennifer Wolf and had dinner with her and met her friends who were also staying at her home. Jennifer's place became our base camp for a bit. Ilyse and I went up to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.
I guess before I get too far along, I should state the goal of this Ilyse-and-Jeff road trip. So Ilyse and Heather moved out to Colorado in the fall of 2007. They had lived there two years. But Ilyse was ready to move back to Maryland, where most of her family and friends live. So, before she headed home, she wanted to do a road trip and see as much of the West as she could. The idea came back in spring of 2009, when my brother and I were in Denver, and my full-time friend mission was just getting started. We were talking, and the road trip idea came up. And I said I might just be able to do that, which excited Ilyse very much because on a long drive, with camping and lots of foreign places, she would like to have someone else go with her. Heather of course wanted to go too, but she had work commitments. So I stepped in and did what I had to do. Ilyse and I became a traveling team, and the rest is still to come. So anyway, that was our plan. And we dearly missed Heather on the mission. But we thought about her everyday and called her often.
On the day President Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize, Ilyse and I left Jennifer's Jackson home and went up and over Teton Pass. There was snow on the road, but Ilyse kept her cool. From there, we just kept driving. All day and all night, through the huge snowy lands of Montana. No camping for us--we decided to go the whole way to Seattle. I made my double brew, extra strong coffee, and loaded up some Bob Dylan CDs, and got some driving done. Slow, steady, and alert--my favorite way. Ilyse got in touch with her friend Keri, and we ended up at Keri's Seattle home late at night.
A deep sleep cleansed the double brew, extra strong coffee from my body and mind. I woke up ready to see Seattle. Keri drove us downtown. We did some walking in the city and the parks. I probably took about a hundred photos that day (like most of my traveling days). My camera was either in my right hand or my right pocket.
From Keri's (Thanks Keri!) we headed over to see my cousin Margaret, who was living just west of Seattle with her husband Jay. It was great to see Margaret and meet Jay. They were recently married, so they told us about the wedding. And we enjoyed some wine that Jay and his friend had made. And we watched some of the old videos of the old Tacoma Narrows Bridge, aka, Gallopin' Gertie.
After a night with Margaret and Jay (Thanks again friends!), Ilyse and I kept moving. We crossed the new and steady Tacoma Narrows bridge and headed south to Mt. Rainer National Park. The big mountain was out, no clouds, and Ilyse and I did a bit of hiking within sight of that mighty mountain:
Then we drove south toward Portland. We met our friend Chris Kobus, who lived just north of the city and across the river. Chris was getting packed to move to Alaska. Ilyse and I helped him. Chris showed us Portland. Then we had a party and celebrated Ilyse's birthday. Using Chris's Internet, we later caught up on some emails and The Office episodes.
And then we thanked Chris and headed south and west, over to the Oregon Coast. Being back on the coast, I felt the power of the ocean and the sheer hugeness of the continent. I remembered the magic of past bike tours and took many, many photos. I'm tempted to go wild and load a bunch of photos here, but we haven't time to spare.
We followed 101 south, driving during the day and camping along the coast at night. And from the shining coast of Oregon, 101 took us into California, still along the coast, and we were immediately in Redwood Country. We saw the sign and came into the forested kingdom of Redwood National and State Parks. We drove. We stopped. We followed the old scenic roads. We got out and walked in the forest. We saw the old growth areas, and felt the awesome beauty of the coastal redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens. They are the tallest trees and the tallest living things in the world. They grow very high, reaching heights above 360 feet, which, as you may remember, is the length of a football field. And they can live for thousands of years (upwards of 2,000 years) if conditions are good and humans keep their saw blades away. The redwoods are amazing and humbling and full of huge quiet beauty, but they also reminded us about our past foolishness because only five percent of the old growth redwoods remain.
And from the redwoods we continued south, enjoying the radiant coastal beauty, huge beaches, rocky cliffs, and vast coastal views where the white waves stretched on into the distance. The west side of the continent, with its coastal highways, is a great place for a road traveler. And we saw people on bicycles, touring the coast, a classic 2,000-mile route that I was fortunate to have done with my friends and family. And as I passed through towns and places that were familiar, I told Ilyse stories from my past travels. And she was a good listener, and navigator, and soon we found ourselves approaching the wonderful seaside city of San Francisco.
Hot damn! Good old San Fran. I was overjoyed to be back there, but I did have to say bye to Ilyse as we split up for a few days. She was there to see her brother. I was there to spend some time with one of my oldest friends, Matt Brezina. Matt and I had some excellent adventures: biking around the city, exploring Golden Gate Park, hiking along the coast, and sailing San Francisco Bay in Matt's boat.
I felt the traveling gods and goddesses smiling down upon me in San Fran. Glorious San Fran, a special city in a special state. I love California. I think about it often while writing: we went there in Book 1, and Book 2 is all about Cali. So I was thrilled to be back in California. My San Fran days went by, bright and fast. So much to do! And I was happy to meet Lauren, girlfriend to Matt. And I was happy to spend some time with Phil Brezina (brother to Matt), and Whitney, and Jamie, and Jamie's friend and co-worker Phil Lang. Everyone I knew out there was working hard and having fun and doing well.
I got to see Phil Brezina play violin in one of his grad school recitals. Phil is an excellent musician, very skilled but humble, a fun person to play music with. In San Fran, things have been going great for Phil. One morning, over coffee and banana pancakes, I got him to tell me the story of how he played a gig with David Grisman. Phil has been playing violin for many years. His love for music is obvious when he picks up his bow and violin. You can see Phil's website here.
Matt was working hard and having fun with Xobni, a company he founded several years ago with his friend Adam. You can see the Xobni website here. Matt's learned a lot over years, and it's been wonderful to watch the company progress. Well done Matt! Keep up the good work. Matt and I talked about Xobni (pronounced zob--[like bob]--knee). But there were also other things to discuss: music and books and hiking and biking and Yosemite. We went to Amoeba and bought CDs: Miles Davis, Ani, and the Tragically Hip for me, and some Clifford Brown and Herbie Hancock for Matt, who's a deep down jazz lover.
I was also happy to see Whitney. Although she was quite busy with her graduate school studies, she made time for some for our missions. Keep up the good work, Whitney! School is almost over.
And it was great to see Jamie. I was happy to hear that things were going well for the company he worked with: Bricks and Mortar Media. Jamie was living with his coworker Phil, and Matt and I stopped by their place on our bike mission and visited with Jamie and Phil for a while. It's California photo time:
Phil and Whitney.
Matt, Me, and Jamie in the depths of Golden Gate Park.
In Amoeba music (photo by Matt or Jamie).
Note Jim Morrison poster--photo for Kimberly!
Coastal Hike.
On the boat, Matt, Phil, and Whitney.
Ilyse, Jamie, Matt, and Matt's friends.
Matt, the skipper, making it look easy.
Brothers.
Photo by Ilyse.
With Jamie, also by Ilyse.
The Golden Gate Bridge,
stretching over the strait known as the Golden Gate.
Phil, outside his favorite little market in the Haight.
The poster to the right is for Phil's school.
My brother's bike, old Red, which he rode across the country.
Ilyse and I were bringing it back from Cali for him.
Lauren in the panhandle during our rainy day mural mission.
It's the very end of October. It's time to look back and document this past month. I'm back in Maryland after my last round of cross-country traveling. Most of this post will be about that cross-country journey. But this post will be bookended by two Posko events.
Part 1
First, the bachelor party. Jake Posko's bachelor party was on October 3, a Saturday. The bachelor mish started at the golf course. I didn't play, so I met the crew after their game was over. It was Jake (the groom), his father Henry, his brother Matt, Adam, Andy, Doug, Eric, and myself. I was the designated driver for the mission, a job which I easily accepted. I was happy to help the team. And I had no money for bar drinks. And I had to drive cross-country the next morning. I drove the guys down to Annapolis. Jake was the DJ for the car, and he did a fine job. I remember "Bertha don't you come around here, anymore" flowing out the windows of the car at top volume as we cruised down Ritchie Highway, and then up and over 50, on to 450 for the final ride across the bridge and into Annapolis. Here's the crew walking over to West Street:
That's us. Men in the night. Annapolis was our home that night. We reveled as men on the town. There was laughter and loud voices, and we had a fine time talking and drinking and playing darts. There was honor too. We found a broken ATM and reported it. Annapolis was the right place for us; it was our hometown city. Jake chose Annapolis. He knew. We've all been going there for years, so it feels like our home city. We stuck to the Code of the Road and the Code of the City, and everything worked out just fine. Thanks guys! It was a good night.
Part 2
I woke up the next day and caught a ride with Adam who was on his way back to Pittsburgh. Adam, being the gentleman that he is, dropped me off at Dave's on his way west. Dave was packing the car in the driveway beside his family's home. His family was there, helping and saying goodbye. Dave was moving to Denver. I was riding along for multiple reasons: to help with the driving, and because I needed to get to Denver, and because this way I could spend some time with Dave.
Dave packed what he needed in his black Volkswagen. Bikes and skis went on top. Everything else in the back. Just the front two seats were open. Dave's mother had some good vegetarian chili and some cornbread, so we feasted before we left. Here's us beside Dave's machine:
And then we were off! Up the ramp, on 32 West, over to Interstate 70. Good old 70, it was starting to feel like home. But Dave wanted to go through West Virginia, so that's what we did. We skipped the PA turnpike and drove through Wheeling, the place where Dave had gone to college. We shared the driving and shared the music (we both had our favorite songs and artists on our mp3 players).
And the miles flew by like they tend to do in modern cars. Early signs of fall were written on the foliage. Light browns and reds and golden colors. It was fine driving weather. We stopped outside of Wheeling for pizza. Dave knew the place: Di Carlo's famous pizza.
It was some good pizza. They do this thing where they cook the pizza and then, after it's done, they sprinkle cheese on top. So when you get it, there's this kind of soft/kind of firm cheese on top. Really an amazing idea. The sauce was good, and the crust was thick, and the flavor was enough to make me shout with joy as Dave and I ate three slices each while standing by the car. It's really a special little pizza shop.
We drove all day and into the night on 70 west. We made it well into Missouri. All driving is serious, but night driving is extra serious. During the day, Dave and I took turns sleeping. But at night, I made sure we were both awake. We considered going all night, but in the depths of Missouri, where the darkness was strong, there were also many deer. Some by the road. Not good for us or the deer. So we pulled over at a safe place and slept until it was light.
After sunrise we were back at it, truckin' west. And while we drove, we were talking about the past and the future. Dave had been working in West Virginia doing survey work. He loved being outside and walking in the forest all day. But he wasn't sure about finding work in Denver. I told him not to worry. He'd make it work. Plus there was skiing to do! Dave was excited for the mountains of the west, and I was excited for him. Dave and I remembered our time in Yosemite, back in July. We both loved Yosemite.
After Missouri came Kansas, a state I've always enjoyed traveling through. Despite what people say, it's not totally flat. When you bike across Kansas, you learn this. The roads may be straight, and some sections may be somewhat flat. But it's nothing like the desert, no huge flat plains like you'll find in the Great Salt Lake Desert of Utah.
On our second driving day, after nightfall, we came cruising into Denver. We went straight to Heather and Ilyse's home. I had the directions memorized. Heather welcomed us with food and tea and we celebrated under the great Colorado night sky. Ilyse came home later, and the four of us stayed up for a bit.
And thus began my time in Denver. No doldrums to speak of, at least not for me. Heather and Ilyse's home became base camp, and there was much work to be done there. Heather was working. Ilyse was packing, getting ready to move out and road trip with me. Dave was unpacking and moving into Ilyse's room. I was trying help out, and visit with everyone. I went for walks with Heather and her awesome dog Max. Peter and Kristin invited some people over, and I went to their home with Dave and met Jake Belvin and Mary who were there. It was a fine talking and tea party, with coffee instead of tea, good strong Dazbog coffee made with Peter and Kristin's french press. I put on my serious Jeff face and hair and made everyone laugh. Keeping a straight face can be hard. I was smiling underneath, just Ani DiFranco talks about in her song. Jake borrowed my camera and worked his magic (photos by Jake Belvin):
Dave.
Peter.
Kristin and me.
You can get a lot done with late nights and early mornings, but sleep is not really part of that plan. I was up early. Ilyse and I were packed and ready to go. We had plans to follow, a schedule to abide. It was road trip time.
Part 3
We drove all day, away from sunny Colorado and far into Wyoming with its snowy mountains:
First, there was snow on the mountains. Later, we saw some snow on the ground as we approached Jackson, enjoying roads which were new to both of us. Then we met Jennifer Wolf and had dinner with her and met her friends who were also staying at her home. Jennifer's place became our base camp for a bit. Ilyse and I went up to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.
I guess before I get too far along, I should state the goal of this Ilyse-and-Jeff road trip. So Ilyse and Heather moved out to Colorado in the fall of 2007. They had lived there two years. But Ilyse was ready to move back to Maryland, where most of her family and friends live. So, before she headed home, she wanted to do a road trip and see as much of the West as she could. The idea came back in spring of 2009, when my brother and I were in Denver, and my full-time friend mission was just getting started. We were talking, and the road trip idea came up. And I said I might just be able to do that, which excited Ilyse very much because on a long drive, with camping and lots of foreign places, she would like to have someone else go with her. Heather of course wanted to go too, but she had work commitments. So I stepped in and did what I had to do. Ilyse and I became a traveling team, and the rest is still to come. So anyway, that was our plan. And we dearly missed Heather on the mission. But we thought about her everyday and called her often.
On the day President Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize, Ilyse and I left Jennifer's Jackson home and went up and over Teton Pass. There was snow on the road, but Ilyse kept her cool. From there, we just kept driving. All day and all night, through the huge snowy lands of Montana. No camping for us--we decided to go the whole way to Seattle. I made my double brew, extra strong coffee, and loaded up some Bob Dylan CDs, and got some driving done. Slow, steady, and alert--my favorite way. Ilyse got in touch with her friend Keri, and we ended up at Keri's Seattle home late at night.
A deep sleep cleansed the double brew, extra strong coffee from my body and mind. I woke up ready to see Seattle. Keri drove us downtown. We did some walking in the city and the parks. I probably took about a hundred photos that day (like most of my traveling days). My camera was either in my right hand or my right pocket.
From Keri's (Thanks Keri!) we headed over to see my cousin Margaret, who was living just west of Seattle with her husband Jay. It was great to see Margaret and meet Jay. They were recently married, so they told us about the wedding. And we enjoyed some wine that Jay and his friend had made. And we watched some of the old videos of the old Tacoma Narrows Bridge, aka, Gallopin' Gertie.
After a night with Margaret and Jay (Thanks again friends!), Ilyse and I kept moving. We crossed the new and steady Tacoma Narrows bridge and headed south to Mt. Rainer National Park. The big mountain was out, no clouds, and Ilyse and I did a bit of hiking within sight of that mighty mountain:
Then we drove south toward Portland. We met our friend Chris Kobus, who lived just north of the city and across the river. Chris was getting packed to move to Alaska. Ilyse and I helped him. Chris showed us Portland. Then we had a party and celebrated Ilyse's birthday. Using Chris's Internet, we later caught up on some emails and The Office episodes.
Ilyse and Chris in Chris's home.
And then we thanked Chris and headed south and west, over to the Oregon Coast. Being back on the coast, I felt the power of the ocean and the sheer hugeness of the continent. I remembered the magic of past bike tours and took many, many photos. I'm tempted to go wild and load a bunch of photos here, but we haven't time to spare.
We followed 101 south, driving during the day and camping along the coast at night. And from the shining coast of Oregon, 101 took us into California, still along the coast, and we were immediately in Redwood Country. We saw the sign and came into the forested kingdom of Redwood National and State Parks. We drove. We stopped. We followed the old scenic roads. We got out and walked in the forest. We saw the old growth areas, and felt the awesome beauty of the coastal redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens. They are the tallest trees and the tallest living things in the world. They grow very high, reaching heights above 360 feet, which, as you may remember, is the length of a football field. And they can live for thousands of years (upwards of 2,000 years) if conditions are good and humans keep their saw blades away. The redwoods are amazing and humbling and full of huge quiet beauty, but they also reminded us about our past foolishness because only five percent of the old growth redwoods remain.
Ilyse in the redwood forest.
And from the redwoods we continued south, enjoying the radiant coastal beauty, huge beaches, rocky cliffs, and vast coastal views where the white waves stretched on into the distance. The west side of the continent, with its coastal highways, is a great place for a road traveler. And we saw people on bicycles, touring the coast, a classic 2,000-mile route that I was fortunate to have done with my friends and family. And as I passed through towns and places that were familiar, I told Ilyse stories from my past travels. And she was a good listener, and navigator, and soon we found ourselves approaching the wonderful seaside city of San Francisco.
Hot damn! Good old San Fran. I was overjoyed to be back there, but I did have to say bye to Ilyse as we split up for a few days. She was there to see her brother. I was there to spend some time with one of my oldest friends, Matt Brezina. Matt and I had some excellent adventures: biking around the city, exploring Golden Gate Park, hiking along the coast, and sailing San Francisco Bay in Matt's boat.
I felt the traveling gods and goddesses smiling down upon me in San Fran. Glorious San Fran, a special city in a special state. I love California. I think about it often while writing: we went there in Book 1, and Book 2 is all about Cali. So I was thrilled to be back in California. My San Fran days went by, bright and fast. So much to do! And I was happy to meet Lauren, girlfriend to Matt. And I was happy to spend some time with Phil Brezina (brother to Matt), and Whitney, and Jamie, and Jamie's friend and co-worker Phil Lang. Everyone I knew out there was working hard and having fun and doing well.
I got to see Phil Brezina play violin in one of his grad school recitals. Phil is an excellent musician, very skilled but humble, a fun person to play music with. In San Fran, things have been going great for Phil. One morning, over coffee and banana pancakes, I got him to tell me the story of how he played a gig with David Grisman. Phil has been playing violin for many years. His love for music is obvious when he picks up his bow and violin. You can see Phil's website here.
Matt was working hard and having fun with Xobni, a company he founded several years ago with his friend Adam. You can see the Xobni website here. Matt's learned a lot over years, and it's been wonderful to watch the company progress. Well done Matt! Keep up the good work. Matt and I talked about Xobni (pronounced zob--[like bob]--knee). But there were also other things to discuss: music and books and hiking and biking and Yosemite. We went to Amoeba and bought CDs: Miles Davis, Ani, and the Tragically Hip for me, and some Clifford Brown and Herbie Hancock for Matt, who's a deep down jazz lover.
I was also happy to see Whitney. Although she was quite busy with her graduate school studies, she made time for some for our missions. Keep up the good work, Whitney! School is almost over.
And it was great to see Jamie. I was happy to hear that things were going well for the company he worked with: Bricks and Mortar Media. Jamie was living with his coworker Phil, and Matt and I stopped by their place on our bike mission and visited with Jamie and Phil for a while. It's California photo time:
Matt and Lauren after Phil's recital.
Phil and Whitney.
Matt, Me, and Jamie in the depths of Golden Gate Park.
In Amoeba music (photo by Matt or Jamie).
Note Jim Morrison poster--photo for Kimberly!
Coastal Hike.
On the boat, Matt, Phil, and Whitney.
Ilyse, Jamie, Matt, and Matt's friends.
Matt, the skipper, making it look easy.
Brothers.
Photo by Ilyse.
With Jamie, also by Ilyse.
The Golden Gate Bridge,
stretching over the strait known as the Golden Gate.
Phil, outside his favorite little market in the Haight.
The poster to the right is for Phil's school.
My brother's bike, old Red, which he rode across the country.
Ilyse and I were bringing it back from Cali for him.
Lauren in the panhandle during our rainy day mural mission.
Ilyse and I both enjoyed our San Fran days and nights (Thank you everyone!)--and it was tempting to spend more days there--but we had to keep moving. We drove east to Yosemite, down into the Valley, and got a campsite at Camp 4. We spent a day in the Valley, enjoying the wonder that is Yosemite. A few more Yosemite photos:
Climbers on El Capitan
(you might have to click on the photo to see them).
Again, I was temped to stay in Yosemite for many days and nights, but the road was calling. With Tioga Pass being closed, we drove south, and then east, around the Sierra Nevada. Then up 395 to Lone Pine. We camped within sight of Mt. Whitney, that inspiring and lovely Sierra peak:
In the morning (after I took the above photo), we turned our backs to Whitney and headed east, into Death Valley. I hadn't been there for 9 years, so I was excited to be back. And because it was mid October, we could get out and walk on the sand dunes and the salt flats, under complete sun, without fear of burning. October was nice, in the 80s, nothing like those 150-degree summer sun days.
After Death Valley, we zoomed over to Las Vegas. We were in Las Vegas by early afternoon. Thanks to Janice and Ilyse, we found a cheap room at the Riviera. Ilyse and I walked the whole Strip and had a great time walking and looking and even gambling and winning a little money. But for me, the main attraction in Vegas is not the money. It's the crazy lights and human activity and desert magic. It feels good to walk the strip and soaking it all in.
At this point, Ilyse and I were on our way back to Colorado. On the way to Denver, we stopped in a bunch of National Parks in Utah: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Arches.
Bryce Canyon N.P.
Arches N.P.
Congratulations Christina and Jake!
As always, thanks for reading and safe travels.
Jeff
Yosemite Valley.
Climbers on El Capitan
(you might have to click on the photo to see them).
Again, I was temped to stay in Yosemite for many days and nights, but the road was calling. With Tioga Pass being closed, we drove south, and then east, around the Sierra Nevada. Then up 395 to Lone Pine. We camped within sight of Mt. Whitney, that inspiring and lovely Sierra peak:
In the morning (after I took the above photo), we turned our backs to Whitney and headed east, into Death Valley. I hadn't been there for 9 years, so I was excited to be back. And because it was mid October, we could get out and walk on the sand dunes and the salt flats, under complete sun, without fear of burning. October was nice, in the 80s, nothing like those 150-degree summer sun days.
After Death Valley, we zoomed over to Las Vegas. We were in Las Vegas by early afternoon. Thanks to Janice and Ilyse, we found a cheap room at the Riviera. Ilyse and I walked the whole Strip and had a great time walking and looking and even gambling and winning a little money. But for me, the main attraction in Vegas is not the money. It's the crazy lights and human activity and desert magic. It feels good to walk the strip and soaking it all in.
At this point, Ilyse and I were on our way back to Colorado. On the way to Denver, we stopped in a bunch of National Parks in Utah: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Arches.
Zion N.P.
Bryce Canyon N.P.
Petroglyphs in Capitol Reef N.P.
Arches N.P.
After spending some time in Arches National Park, we got in the car and drove back to Denver. There was snow in the mountains on 70, but we took our time and made it back safe.
Part 4
Ilyse and I were happy after driving our western loop. We were back where we started, Denver, but there was more driving to do because Ilyse was moving back to Maryland, and I would be riding with her. We spent a few days in Denver, packing and relaxing. Ilyse was saying goodbye to people. Jake Belvin came over and we had a little party. And then the next morning we left driving east on 70.
After two long days (with a night of camping in between), we were back in Maryland at Ilyse's home. Chris came over and picked me up, and then I was home, just in time too.
If you've made it this far, well done. It's hard to cram a month of living and traveling into one blog post. But I went for it. No regrets. I did this to honor the past and to thank the people that traveled with me. Thanks to Dave for the ride out, and Ilyse for the road trip and the ride back. By providing those rides, you both were a great help to my full-time friend mission.
A lot can happen in one month--a lot of moments and memories and photographs. It's amazing and interesting the way our lives build and grow. Anyway, we've come to the other bookend, the other Posko event that I alluded to at the beginning of this post.
Ilyse and I came home on Oct 29. Oct 30 was the rehearsal for the wedding. Oct 31 was the big day. I was honored to be a groomsman in the wedding. Thanks again Jake and Christina! I borrowed a black suit and stood behind Jake Posko with his other groomsmen as he said his vows outside, under a fine fall sky, and married his true love Christina. Then came the reception, with family and friends and good food and dancing. The music was excellent, thanks to Jake's good taste. I used my brother's SLR and helped out by taking photographs at the reception. It was quite a party. Family and friends came from all over. And we stayed up late celebrating the joys of the season and the wedding of our two friends, Christina and Jake.
After two long days (with a night of camping in between), we were back in Maryland at Ilyse's home. Chris came over and picked me up, and then I was home, just in time too.
Part 5
If you've made it this far, well done. It's hard to cram a month of living and traveling into one blog post. But I went for it. No regrets. I did this to honor the past and to thank the people that traveled with me. Thanks to Dave for the ride out, and Ilyse for the road trip and the ride back. By providing those rides, you both were a great help to my full-time friend mission.
A lot can happen in one month--a lot of moments and memories and photographs. It's amazing and interesting the way our lives build and grow. Anyway, we've come to the other bookend, the other Posko event that I alluded to at the beginning of this post.
Ilyse and I came home on Oct 29. Oct 30 was the rehearsal for the wedding. Oct 31 was the big day. I was honored to be a groomsman in the wedding. Thanks again Jake and Christina! I borrowed a black suit and stood behind Jake Posko with his other groomsmen as he said his vows outside, under a fine fall sky, and married his true love Christina. Then came the reception, with family and friends and good food and dancing. The music was excellent, thanks to Jake's good taste. I used my brother's SLR and helped out by taking photographs at the reception. It was quite a party. Family and friends came from all over. And we stayed up late celebrating the joys of the season and the wedding of our two friends, Christina and Jake.
Congratulations Christina and Jake!
As always, thanks for reading and safe travels.
Jeff
Saturday, October 3, 2009
September Travels - DC, MD, NY, PA, VA
It's October third again, late at night, another night in the Digital Age. I'm online. I'm looking at my photographs and my journals, looking back on the last couple months. There's been so many miles and so many moments, and most of them have been good. I'm thankful and lucky and happy to be home, back at my base camp, with time to rest and time to reflect and time to be with people I love.
The time dial is set: September 2009. My travels with Debbie (which are mentioned in previous posts) put me back in Maryland on the ninth day of September. Back in Maryland for the very end of summer. The crape myrtle in front of our house was still putting on a fine pink show. I arrived at home and continued planning. There were future missions to carry out.
First, the zoo. My mother and I took a day and went to the Washington D.C. Zoo. It was my first time there. I was supposed to go for an assignment back in college, but I was busy with working and scheming and I never went. Maybe the assignment was for extra credit. Or maybe it was mandatory. I don't remember. I took college on my own terms, and did what I wanted, but I passed. Anyway, I didn't come here to rant about my college days so I must focus. Late night focus is key for early morning writing.
Zoos can sometimes be a little sad--animals far from home with sad eyes--but there are other things happening too. Education. Protection. And Beauty. Beauty in the raw power and agility that many of the species possess. And beauty in the diversity. Humans interact with humans so much, it's easy to forget about the millions of other species that live on this planet. My mother and I saw about a couple hundred different species at the D.C. Zoo, and we enjoyed our time there. Thanks Mom! (You can never say that enough.) Some zoo photos:
After weeks and months on the road, it was good to be at home. But I was only home for a few days. And then my mother dropped me off at the downtown Baltimore Greyhound station. I rode north.
A few hours later I stepped off the bus in New York City. Manhattan to be exact, near Times Square. I had been there before (on other hound trips), but they were brief stops and I hadn't really seen too much. I was back in the city to see the city, yes, but that was just a perk. I had come to New York City to spend some time with my friend Matt Wellschlager.
I ran up the stairs and out of the Port Authority Terminal. I called Matt with my semi-recently obtained cell phone. He was on his way over. I was standing out on the street, wearing my backpack and holding my NYC Lonely Planet guidebook in just the right way: against my side and with the cover facing in and the spine facing down so no one could easily tell it was a guide book. Stealth mode. Yes yes! Ho ho! I was in the Big City--Santa Claus's quagmire--the biggest city in the U.S. Over 8.3 million people living there. I felt my traveling powers coming back to me. The switch had been flipped. I was a pod of observation.
Matt found me outside the station and we started our first mission, a walk around the City, the first of many good missions. It was great to see Matt again. It was a fine day--warm solar rays, cool fall air, and lots of city energy on display for free. Still lots of leaves on the trees in the parks and along the streets. Matt had been in the city for years, and he knew his way around. We walked. We talked. I was got excited about the metal reinforcements--curb guards--which are on many of curbs. Tough streets. They sustain much punishment.
Matt and I both love much of the same music, so Matt showed me some of the famous music landmarks in the city: Bob Dylan's old apartment, Cafe Wha?, the Zeppelin album cover photo site, and the old site of CBGB. And while we walked to these music places, we were talking about music: setlists, Jerry Garcia, the Dead, and the great guitarist Les Paul who used to play every Monday night at the Iridium Jazz Club on Broadway (a show I was dreaming of going to). But Les would play no more; he had died a few weeks ago at the age of 81. I felt sad, but I did what I always do when someone dies: I mourned the loss and celebrated the life. Play it pretty, Les. Play it pretty. (Here's a youtube link with Les. Why not? (Les Paul went to the library. Later he learn to shred.)
I am filling with joy and wild excitement as I think about my time with Matt in New York City. I had great fun walking around and seeing the fountains and the parks and all the many streets and people. I dreamed about the big city days ahead. I ate pizza. I rode the subway. Central Park enveloped me. My pizza diet actually began the day I got there (I think I averaged about 4 slices a day). I was happy to meet Kate, girlfriend to Matt, who was wonderful with hospitality and knowledge about the city. Matt and Kate briefed me on the city. I learned quick. On the weekends and evenings, I spent time with Kate and Matt. And during the weekdays, while Matt and Kate were at work, I was off walking and doing my city research.
One week day I walked across all of Manhattan. As many of my friends already know, I am proud of my bipedal crossing of the Manhattan Island from the south to the north (plus some extra miles for fun). I started in the East Village, went down to Battery Park (the south side of the island), and then walked northeast to the very top of Manhattan Island, where the Harlem River slides by, and where the cross street numbers are somewhere up near 217. I was walking for about nine or ten hours--maybe 17 or 18 miles. It felt like 25 or 30. Walking north, I watched the street numbers rise, slowly, like page numbers in some giant volume--each street was its own page, and each page was its own book--worlds inside of worlds, very dense but with strong creative and comic overtones, like a Pynchon book. And while I was crawling through the pages, and sorting through the words, a million different stories were happening all around. I bought dollar slices of pizza on the street and ate while I was walking.
Ah yes, that was one big day of walking. I don't want to brag too much here. And it's not about the distance or the miles. That's not the point. I just got the crazy idea that I should walk across the whole Island. So I did it. And it was a joyous and footsore occasion. And I can't wait to write the whole story out someday soon.
At the top of the island my feet were sore. I had bruised them. I hopped on the train and rode back south to meet Matt and Kate. I drank some coffee and changed my socks, and limped around the apartment talking about my adventure.
After my goodbyes, I was back on the bus riding to Maryland with my sore feet sitting loose in my shoes. There had been many days of walking, with weight on my back and hard pavement--and I tried to walk softly--but my feet got plenty punished, all in the name of exploration, of course. But my mantras and my rest helped me though. The miles were good ones. And pain is part of the road. Thanks again Matt and Kate! Thanks for making my first New York City mission a great one. Now it's time for some more NYC photos:
Central Park.
I cried for John Lennon in Central Park.
I took this on my Island Walk. It was hard not to think
On Williamsburg Bridge, looking west.
Now I can't go through all the details off all the various adventures--I'll save that for the book version--but I will mention a few things. I have a lot of territory to cover, so I might as well get to work. It's nearing two in the morning. It's quiet. People are sleeping, including many of the manics and morons, a fact that gives me comfort in this Age of Modern Mayhem. I have one can of beer and one cup of coffee. I'm sipping slow, looking forward to that moment when both liquids will reach the same temperature.
The time dial is set: September 2009. My travels with Debbie (which are mentioned in previous posts) put me back in Maryland on the ninth day of September. Back in Maryland for the very end of summer. The crape myrtle in front of our house was still putting on a fine pink show. I arrived at home and continued planning. There were future missions to carry out.
First, the zoo. My mother and I took a day and went to the Washington D.C. Zoo. It was my first time there. I was supposed to go for an assignment back in college, but I was busy with working and scheming and I never went. Maybe the assignment was for extra credit. Or maybe it was mandatory. I don't remember. I took college on my own terms, and did what I wanted, but I passed. Anyway, I didn't come here to rant about my college days so I must focus. Late night focus is key for early morning writing.
Zoos can sometimes be a little sad--animals far from home with sad eyes--but there are other things happening too. Education. Protection. And Beauty. Beauty in the raw power and agility that many of the species possess. And beauty in the diversity. Humans interact with humans so much, it's easy to forget about the millions of other species that live on this planet. My mother and I saw about a couple hundred different species at the D.C. Zoo, and we enjoyed our time there. Thanks Mom! (You can never say that enough.) Some zoo photos:
After weeks and months on the road, it was good to be at home. But I was only home for a few days. And then my mother dropped me off at the downtown Baltimore Greyhound station. I rode north.
A few hours later I stepped off the bus in New York City. Manhattan to be exact, near Times Square. I had been there before (on other hound trips), but they were brief stops and I hadn't really seen too much. I was back in the city to see the city, yes, but that was just a perk. I had come to New York City to spend some time with my friend Matt Wellschlager.
I ran up the stairs and out of the Port Authority Terminal. I called Matt with my semi-recently obtained cell phone. He was on his way over. I was standing out on the street, wearing my backpack and holding my NYC Lonely Planet guidebook in just the right way: against my side and with the cover facing in and the spine facing down so no one could easily tell it was a guide book. Stealth mode. Yes yes! Ho ho! I was in the Big City--Santa Claus's quagmire--the biggest city in the U.S. Over 8.3 million people living there. I felt my traveling powers coming back to me. The switch had been flipped. I was a pod of observation.
Matt found me outside the station and we started our first mission, a walk around the City, the first of many good missions. It was great to see Matt again. It was a fine day--warm solar rays, cool fall air, and lots of city energy on display for free. Still lots of leaves on the trees in the parks and along the streets. Matt had been in the city for years, and he knew his way around. We walked. We talked. I was got excited about the metal reinforcements--curb guards--which are on many of curbs. Tough streets. They sustain much punishment.
Matt and I both love much of the same music, so Matt showed me some of the famous music landmarks in the city: Bob Dylan's old apartment, Cafe Wha?, the Zeppelin album cover photo site, and the old site of CBGB. And while we walked to these music places, we were talking about music: setlists, Jerry Garcia, the Dead, and the great guitarist Les Paul who used to play every Monday night at the Iridium Jazz Club on Broadway (a show I was dreaming of going to). But Les would play no more; he had died a few weeks ago at the age of 81. I felt sad, but I did what I always do when someone dies: I mourned the loss and celebrated the life. Play it pretty, Les. Play it pretty. (Here's a youtube link with Les. Why not? (Les Paul went to the library. Later he learn to shred.)
I am filling with joy and wild excitement as I think about my time with Matt in New York City. I had great fun walking around and seeing the fountains and the parks and all the many streets and people. I dreamed about the big city days ahead. I ate pizza. I rode the subway. Central Park enveloped me. My pizza diet actually began the day I got there (I think I averaged about 4 slices a day). I was happy to meet Kate, girlfriend to Matt, who was wonderful with hospitality and knowledge about the city. Matt and Kate briefed me on the city. I learned quick. On the weekends and evenings, I spent time with Kate and Matt. And during the weekdays, while Matt and Kate were at work, I was off walking and doing my city research.
One week day I walked across all of Manhattan. As many of my friends already know, I am proud of my bipedal crossing of the Manhattan Island from the south to the north (plus some extra miles for fun). I started in the East Village, went down to Battery Park (the south side of the island), and then walked northeast to the very top of Manhattan Island, where the Harlem River slides by, and where the cross street numbers are somewhere up near 217. I was walking for about nine or ten hours--maybe 17 or 18 miles. It felt like 25 or 30. Walking north, I watched the street numbers rise, slowly, like page numbers in some giant volume--each street was its own page, and each page was its own book--worlds inside of worlds, very dense but with strong creative and comic overtones, like a Pynchon book. And while I was crawling through the pages, and sorting through the words, a million different stories were happening all around. I bought dollar slices of pizza on the street and ate while I was walking.
Ah yes, that was one big day of walking. I don't want to brag too much here. And it's not about the distance or the miles. That's not the point. I just got the crazy idea that I should walk across the whole Island. So I did it. And it was a joyous and footsore occasion. And I can't wait to write the whole story out someday soon.
At the top of the island my feet were sore. I had bruised them. I hopped on the train and rode back south to meet Matt and Kate. I drank some coffee and changed my socks, and limped around the apartment talking about my adventure.
Being in the city, I was also fortunate to spend some time with my friend Elliott who lives in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, Brad and Rosie were away. (I'll have to see ya'll next time.) Here's Me, Matt, and Elliot at a sports bar doing the necessary research.
After my goodbyes, I was back on the bus riding to Maryland with my sore feet sitting loose in my shoes. There had been many days of walking, with weight on my back and hard pavement--and I tried to walk softly--but my feet got plenty punished, all in the name of exploration, of course. But my mantras and my rest helped me though. The miles were good ones. And pain is part of the road. Thanks again Matt and Kate! Thanks for making my first New York City mission a great one. Now it's time for some more NYC photos:
Sun in the city.
Fuel for walking (or eating more pizza).
Central Park.
I cried for John Lennon in Central Park.
Respect, the Code of the City,
important all the time, but quite crucial when
you have 8.3 million human animals living close by.
you have 8.3 million human animals living close by.
I took this on my Island Walk. It was hard not to think
about the late John Hartford's song "In Tall Buildings."
Central Park.
On Williamsburg Bridge, looking west.
Also on Williamsburg Bridge.
American Museum of Natural History.
American Museum of Natural History.
Harlem River at the northern most end of Manhattan Island.
(Where I ended my big city walk.)
After four hours on the hound, I was back in MD. I was home, and there were things to do: unpacking, repacking, organizing, housekeeping, room cleaning, entropy fighting, foot resting. I also had some phone calls and emails to work on because a full-time friend needs to always try to stay in touch. I wanted to keep reaching out, and be a good friend, but I also knew I needed some time for myself.
The relationship you have with yourself is an important one. I've known for years that I am a friend to myself. We all do this. In fact, most people are their own best friends. We certainly spend quite a bit of time with ourselves. This is kind of a weird thought, a strange loop for the mind and body and spirit and persona--like holding up two mirrors so they face each other--the self friendship gets reflected to infinity. I shan't linger in this weirdness for too long, but I want to mention some self friending items.
What did I do for my friend Jeff? Well it all started with some good sleep, long and deep, no need for coffee after putting a good 12 hours in the sleep tank. Then some reading and music to start the day. Walk Marley. Sit in the sun. Eat and drink. Then I got down to some writing. Yes, when I'm not thinking about my family and friends, I'm usually thinking about my books. All my months of traveling and friending meant a hiatus from the work on my main manuscript, Book 1. But on that day, I decided to get back into it. So I fired up my old laptop and the most recent word document (every writing day I save a new draft with the date in the title), and I started at the beginning, page 1. Soon I was back in the word story groove, writing and rewriting and editing.
Jeff
The relationship you have with yourself is an important one. I've known for years that I am a friend to myself. We all do this. In fact, most people are their own best friends. We certainly spend quite a bit of time with ourselves. This is kind of a weird thought, a strange loop for the mind and body and spirit and persona--like holding up two mirrors so they face each other--the self friendship gets reflected to infinity. I shan't linger in this weirdness for too long, but I want to mention some self friending items.
What did I do for my friend Jeff? Well it all started with some good sleep, long and deep, no need for coffee after putting a good 12 hours in the sleep tank. Then some reading and music to start the day. Walk Marley. Sit in the sun. Eat and drink. Then I got down to some writing. Yes, when I'm not thinking about my family and friends, I'm usually thinking about my books. All my months of traveling and friending meant a hiatus from the work on my main manuscript, Book 1. But on that day, I decided to get back into it. So I fired up my old laptop and the most recent word document (every writing day I save a new draft with the date in the title), and I started at the beginning, page 1. Soon I was back in the word story groove, writing and rewriting and editing.
With only a couple writing days, I didn't make a ton of progress, but that was okay. The contact was what I needed, to be back in my writing chair, remembering the past and feeling the story.
And then one day I drove to the airport and picked up my brother. Chris had just flow in from San Fran, where he had been living for a couple weeks after his tour was over. I met him at the airport, and we headed home. Mom was very happy to see him. We celebrated his cross-country journey.
It was Chris and me at home, like the old days. Chris was still feeling the bike tour magic, and I was feeling good from months of traveling. And life was good for us in Maryland.
One day I did some recording with my friend Jake Posko. Jake and I have written a bunch of songs over the years. We worked on recording some of those songs. I dusted off the my strings and drove over to Linda's home (Jake's mother) where we had our studio set up in the basement. And then we played. Thank you Linda!
While at home, Chris and I spent time with our mother, trying to help out and do some cooking and take care of Marley. We also drove to our father's and spent some time there. Dad was very happy to see Chris, and we were happy to see him--two brothers, back with their father, in the midst of an endless summer. It was a good time.
My siblings and I really are lucky. Our parents are full of love and support and wisdom. They let us do our own things, go in our own directions. They've given us life and love and so many great oppoutunites. Thank you Mom and Dad! We love and appreciate everything you do. (You can never say these things enough.)
It was Chris and me at home, like the old days. Chris was still feeling the bike tour magic, and I was feeling good from months of traveling. And life was good for us in Maryland.
One day I did some recording with my friend Jake Posko. Jake and I have written a bunch of songs over the years. We worked on recording some of those songs. I dusted off the my strings and drove over to Linda's home (Jake's mother) where we had our studio set up in the basement. And then we played. Thank you Linda!
While at home, Chris and I spent time with our mother, trying to help out and do some cooking and take care of Marley. We also drove to our father's and spent some time there. Dad was very happy to see Chris, and we were happy to see him--two brothers, back with their father, in the midst of an endless summer. It was a good time.
My siblings and I really are lucky. Our parents are full of love and support and wisdom. They let us do our own things, go in our own directions. They've given us life and love and so many great oppoutunites. Thank you Mom and Dad! We love and appreciate everything you do. (You can never say these things enough.)
After saying goodbye to Dad and Sheila in Virginia, Chris and I drove to Pennsylvania. There, we visited our grandmother and grandfather. They were doing well and looking good, and we were so happy to be there with them. We helped out, and shared meals, and listened to stories. I knew how incredibly lucky Chris and I were, to be there with them. And to be totally free, able to travel and visit loved ones without work-related time commitments. We stayed in PA for a week or so, enjoying our time with our grandparents and our great aunt. We listened closely to their stories. They are older than us. They are wise. They have seen and felt so much, but their spirits are still young and full of joy. And we love them and they love us. And again, I knew that I was very lucky.
And then Chris and I came back to Maryland. I started getting packed. Another full-time friend mission was coming up. I was going west again . . .
That's all for now. The next post will continue with this story.
The coffee and the beer have reached the same temperature. I've combined the two, and I'm enjoying the last couple sips.
Good morning and namaste.
That's all for now. The next post will continue with this story.
The coffee and the beer have reached the same temperature. I've combined the two, and I'm enjoying the last couple sips.
Good morning and namaste.
Jeff
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