I would really like to tell you all about the journey west and describe in detail the variety of characters I incountered along the way... so I will.
I stopped in Wichita, KS for a lunch break and gas-up. After snarfing two unsatisfying hotdogs from a quicktrip, I waiting in line for the restroom and began talking to the man in front of me to get direction back to the highway. His name is Kendall Carpenter and after a few verbal volleys about the route I should take we began to share more about ourselves. At the end of our time together he gave me a card and told me to call him if I ever want to get into the electric supply business. He's a Branch Manager for City Electric Supply Co. "Suppliers of America's Leading Electrical Products."
I spent the night in Oklahoma City where I had planned to stay with a 37 year old missionary and web-designer who makes hemp jewelry, but that fell through. I was taken in (via couchsurfing.com) by a girl name Jessica. It was a very powerful experience for me. We went to a house show where she played and sang some of her rootsy toons and a few other bands performed as well. There I met a large number of people who seemed to flow in the subculture of the music and art scene in OKC. Everything was fine, except that my hostess fell asleep on her friends bed, slightly intoxicated and very difficult to wake up. After waking her with help from a friend of hers I took her to Sonic for a little 2am dinner. We walked back to her place where I quickly crashed on the extra futon. The morning brought excellent conversation over coffee and breakfast at the Red Bean Cafe down the street. I was given an opportunity to share my faith and hear from her about her desires and spiritual questions. When I left, I asked if I could pray with her and was excited by her willingness and desire to participate. It was a beautiful prayer from a seeking individual hurt by past experiences of "christian living." I felt honored to be included.
The second night was in Amarillo, Texas. There I stayed with a few great fellas who were preparing for leading worship at their mega church the next morning. We had some delicious Mexican food and then grabbed Blue Moon's summer ale. For an evening conversation of religion, politics and art. A very uplifting time.
I stayed with the Browns in Albuequerque NM. Thanks to Clint for the last minute hookup with his parents phone number when another couch surfing host fell through. There I had an excellent dinner with green salsa and enjoyed a fudge sunday while watching a Ninja Warrior tv marathon with Mr. Brown. I also slept in a big comfy bed for instead of a couch or futon... thanks Whitley.
There were some bikers who sounded like the guy from Snatch somewhere in the first big empty section of Arizona. I stopped to get gas and grab an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen, and in they swaggered, two tough guys with those cheap glasses and bandanas with flames imprinted on them. I tried to have a conversation with them about where they were riding and figured out they lived only about 30 miles away. They were just out cruisin'... to DQ... middle of nowhere. I could barely understand what they were saying.
On the fourth evening I stayed in Flagstaff, AZ. Quaint. I received a very thorough tour from my couch surfing host... who bailed me from yet another host who fell through at the last minute. Michal-Lisa. We made some gooood lasagna and ate some random fruit that looked like a blow fish.
I wish you all could have met the Chevron Gila Monster man. He was a spindly old man, insistent that there were these giant lizards nearby that stood up like a little T-rex with little front claws, strong back legs, a stubby tail and razor sharp teeth. "They're four feet tall and strong enough to knock over a car." "If they grawl or roar once you better get movin', cuz after the second roar... they're gonna eat ya!" "Once those little front claws get aholda yer leg, they ain't lettin' go." "A man came in just yesterday... says he didn't believe me, then came back by later in the day, says his dog was eaten by one a them Gila Monsters."
On the last night I stayed with Phillip Green in Visalia, CA. I was only a couple hours from my Destination, but ready to fall over after a hellish ride through souther Cali, where the temp is 105 and the humidity is 105% and the wind 105 mph from the south. For a few hours I held on with a fear grip they gave me an illusion that I was somehow escaping death by squeezing my handlebars harder to remain on the road. The side wind was outrageously scary. I was lean to the left, into the wind, even while going around right curves. Phillip and I caught up a bit in his fiance's parents guest house while he studied for some finals. It was great seeing him and riding back roads with too. Still hoping to go for a ride through Yosemite Valley with my motobro.
Welp... that's the gist of my trip west. Better late than never, eh?
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