The Fog

I printed my ticket to the San Francisco Giants game at the hotel and then got on the 101 around 11 am so I could get to the ball park and find a reasonable place to park.  I figured I'd explore the park so I wanted to get there with plenty of time before the first pitch at 1:05.  It was about 60 degrees when I got moving, a bit cooler than I was hoping.

When I got out of my car in the parking lot an older Mexican gentleman from the pickup truck next to me asked if my car was an electric or hybrid.  I informed him that it wasn't and he was surprised how quiet the engine was.  His surprise surprised me.  Then he saw my Red Sox hat and mentioned that he thought it was very special that the Sox were coming to play San Francisco next week.  He felt they have a good team this year and I agreed.  I told him to enjoy the game and joined the herd heading for the gate.  

The Giants were hosting Baltimore today so any fans wearing gear were all dressed in black and orange since the teams have the same colors.  The marvel of thousands of home fans decked out in their team's gear looks awesome and creates a community.  At the Dodgers the other night and today at the Giants I wanted to be a part of that, it was tempting to go buy a jersey and a hat and look awesome too.  The colors and the huge amount of people wearing them overwhelm me as a solitary traveler.  I did buy a cheap Dodger blue sweatshirt the other night because I was cold.

I walked around the lower and upper concourses at the park.  I took this photo of the Bay Bridge from the opposite end of where I would be sitting and as I was walking over there a guy stared at me and gave me a big thumbs down since I was wearing a Sox hat and Bruins sweatshirt.     

Bay Bridge

Then I walked right by a Gilroy Garlic Fries stand and I had to try them.

Garlic fries come with two mints

The fries were tasty but you have to dig deep to get the ones loaded with garlicky goodness.  I sat next to an attractive french-speaking girl, I'm sure the smell of beer and garlic dazzled her senses.  She farted after inhaling a churro in the 7th inning, so it all evened out.    

Fog covered downtown San Francisco

After eating about half the garlic fries I went to my section, 305.  I picked this specific area because I wanted to be in the shade, day games can be brutal just sitting in the sun even if the temperature is cool, and I thought it might provide the best views of the San Francisco Bay, which it did.  Once the sun came out the view was stunning.  Before the game started I chatted with a guy sitting behind me who asked if I was from Boston.  I said I lived in Lowell and he told me he was in Andover for business recently.  He worked for some electrical company doing...I don't know, I zoned out because it was so boring.  He was from Baltimore and lived in Nashville, which I did find interesting.  He claimed to have landed a plane in Lowell once that he was flying himself.  If there's an airport in Lowell I don't know about it, but I suppose you can land a plane anywhere, maybe he landed it on the boulevard by the bowling alley.
 

Click to enlarge

Even though I was in the "nose-bleeds" I liked my seat better than the other night when I was 10 rows from the field on the side.  A woman poked me in the back and then told me how she got caught up in Red Sox Nation when she lived in Brookline.  For the whole game I play along on the Preplay app.  I finished 3rd globally (out of a few hundred I reckon) and beat all the Giants fans playing along at home.

Baltimore smashed some home runs and the game was a blowout 10-2.  After the game some Boston people saw my gear and hollered at me.  I gave them a thumbs up.  There was a lot of traffic, obviously, but somehow I managed to take a few turns and find wide open streets within a couple of blocks of the park.  I was amazed because I was a complete stranger to this city.  I gnawed on beef jerky as I darted though the secret passages of San Francisco.  I hit traffic on the 101 approaching the Golden Gate Bridge.  I had decided to cross the bridge and have a late lunch in Sausalito.  It seemed like that was everyone's plan.  

Since I arrived in San Francisco I have been astonished by the perpetual fog blanketing the city.  I've never seen anything like it.  The fog greeted me last night, I woke up in it this morning, and the sun only came out for an hour or two during the game.  I couldn't even see the top of Golden Gate Bridge when I finally crossed it.

Over the bridge I didn't know exactly where I was going so I just drove around the coast of Richardson Bay all the way to the San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere Cove.  I busted a u-turn at the Yacht Club as a woman walked her toy poodle inside.  I pulled over to take a photo, it amazed me that I was in heavy fog five minutes ago and now it was bright and sunny a couple of miles away.

View from SF Yacht Club

Heading back towards the bridge I pulled off the 101 at Donahue st and went into a Bait Shop and found the Davy Jones Deli.  The deli was closed but there was self-serve sandwiches to-go.  I grabbed one for now and one for later.  I ate in the car by a row of boathouses and watched the fog engulf San Francisco.  

After I crossed back over the Golden Gate I spotted Alcatraz through the fog.  It made me think of the classic Clint Eastwood movie Escape from Alcatraz.  My favorite line in the movie is when Eastwood needs an extra spoon to dig through the wall so he approaches an unsuspecting prison guard in the dining hall and sneakily takes and extra spoon after he cooly delivers the line "hey guard, this spoon looks like it's been sticking in someone's ass, any chance of me getting a new one?"

Alcatraz

The San Francisco streets have some incredibly steep hills.  I drove up Divisadero and thought - one bad bounce off the backboard and a roll down the end of the driveway and your basketball is gone forever, forget about it.  I wondered why people would build a city on steep hills covered in fog.  

I was impressed with the intensity of the fog but I don't like my mind or my city being foggy.  Listening to Creep in a T Shirt by Portugal. The Man has been making a lot of sense to me, I guess traveling alone in the summer will do that.  The hip hop song I've listened to the most is Only God Can Judge Me by 2Pac.  Every time Silver, Blue, and Gold by Bad Company comes on I like it more and more.  And as I was in the homestretch of my short drive back this evening I was banging on the steering wheel to Sometime Around Midnight by Airborne Toxic Event.  I love the lines "and when your friends say what is it/you look like you've seen a ghost".         

Here was my view of the famous hill on Lombard st.  The fact there is a Mini Cooper directly in view is so San Francisco.

I have a long drive tomorrow so I have to get a good rest in this ghostly fog.  The San Francisco fog has to be seen to be believed, but, also, believed to be seen.

LA to San Francisco

I woke up in a frigid motel room in Los Angeles that reeked of hot mustard and french fries.  I remembered that I went to a thrilling Dodgers game last night and that I was heading to San Francisco today.  I have a week's worth of mostly Mojave Desert scruff on my face and my left side is rosy from riding in the sun.

Just before 10 am I left the Hollywood Inn Express and headed for the 101 to San Fran.  There were so many tourists in Hollywood crowding the streets and when I finally got onto the 101 there was so much traffic and smog that I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare.  I just got used to it and stopped thinking about it because I still had over 400 miles to go.

I put on a playlist I found on Spotify called West Coast Rap (that's the link to it if you're on Spotify).  I listened to Eazy-E rap about the pleasure and ease with which he killed suckas if they were unlucky enough to encounter him on the street.  It cut out after a jam by Digital Underground because I've had very poor reception the whole trip and have been limited to the playlists I've downloaded to my phone.    

Near Thousand Oaks I got off the 101 and took 23 south because I wanted to see the Pacific Ocean and I wanted to see it now.  Route 23 turned out to be the most twisting and winding road I've ever been on.  Hairpin turns and steep unguarded cliffs for 10-12 miles.  A lot of professional-looking cyclists were on this road.  I pulled over near the end, and took a photo.  You can see my cage, the twisting, narrow roads, and the Pacific Oceam over the Malibu shore through the fog.  it was my first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean since I was in Hawaii about ten years ago.

Along the shore seemed to be a good place to stop for brunch.  I pulled into Neptune's Net and had a grilled cheese on sour dough with fries.

When I finished eating I ran across the street to see the beach and take a few pics of the surfer action.

I got back on route 1 and then rejoined the 101 around Oxnard as I ate two large pieces of whiskey flavored beef jerky.  Ventura and the Pismo beach area looked like nice areas to visit or vacation.  Near Templeton, the dusty brown mountains surrounded lively, lush green vineyards.

Right before I drove through a controlled brush fire on the side of the road in Soledad Evanescence - Haunted shuffled on and it was perfect timing because operatic goth pop is my favorite music to drive through smoke to, however it had already finished playing by the time traffic was next to the fire.  The cop waving us through looked just like my buddy George, who is also a cop.

After I was free and clear of the fire an old 90s gem, I Believe by Blessid Union of Souls, shuffled in.  When I was down the Cape with my brother Mike recently he told me one of his friends does such a smashing karaoke rendition of this song that another one of his friends asked him to sing it at their wedding.  The song has a very positive and uplifting message about equality and the power of love.  Most people probably won't pay attention to the lyrics, but there's a line or two that may get some people's attention.

For about fifty miles I did a little 3-man-weave with a silver sedan and a green jeep.  Not for any competitive reason, but we took turns passing each other enough times that I was like do these guys realize what's happening here.  Just the ebb and flow of highway travel, I guess.

I was planning to stop for a late lunch in Salinas because that's where John Steinbeck is from and it was right on my way to San Francisco.  As I approached Salinas, I thought about Travels with Charley, Steinbeck's travelogue about driving around the country with his dog, Charley.  His trip was going mostly well until near the end when he became disillusioned by racism in the South.  Last night at the Dodgers game, I was inspired by the American people because the diverse crowd seemed unconcerned with each other, and I mean in a way that was very tolerant and open-minded, not uncaring.  Everyone was there to enjoy a ball game, united by the Dodgers.  Furthermore, I have the confidence that I can go anywhere in this country and find food to eat, a place to rest, friendly people, and medical attention.  Sure, America isn't perfect, no place is or ever was, but it's the closest we've ever come.

 I pulled off one of the first exits for Salinas, but I wasn't feeling the area, so I got back on the 101 and got off at the John street exit.  I followed the signs for the Steinbeck Museum even though I had no intention of going there and they led me to the perfect spot in downtown - a Mexican restaurant and right next door - a coffee shop for a carmel macchiato for the road after I ate.

I had the shrimp tostada that I saw on the specials menu on the way in to Paloma's Mexican Restaurant.  The avocados were especially fresh and delicious.  I put on some hot sauce to impress my server, Maria.  After I paid my bill at the counter, Maria said "I hope you come back in here again".  Maria meant it sincerely on a personal level, not a server-customer business level.  And why shouldn't she, I was pleasant and nice, and I looked at her carefully enough to see the good within her.  I know she meant it that way because I could feel her heart reach for me.  I said I'm only passing through, but I hoped I did get to come to Salinas again.  She told me to have a great trip and I left to go next door to Cherry Bean.

I didn't get the same sweet vibes in this joint.  Most coffee shops have vibes of individuality and isolation, but feeling isolated together silently.  This one had a menacing vibe and it was like everyone knew a sinister secret except for me.  I asked for napkins after the barista spiked my coffee on the counter and stormed away for no apparent reason.  I left gladly.

For the remaining hour to San Francisco I thought I'd have good enough reception to stream Jason Isbell's Southwestern album, which was recommended to me by my buddy Adam.  I cranked the volume so loud that the mirrors and doors rattled.  I like to feel music, and I don't care about my ears, rock n roll can have them, go ahead and dehydrate them like beef jerky and hang them from the rearview mirror in Elvis' purple cadillac in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Adam said the album is bad ass and it is.  Flying Over Water is a masterpiece, it's about the struggle to be honest about the realities of relationships.  Then he sang "I've grown tired of traveling alone, won't you ride with me", and I knew exactly how he felt because I was wrapping up a 440 mile drive from LA to San Fran.  Then I saw some really tall trees.

Right before I got to South San Francisco I passed through San Mateo and I wasn't sure what to do because San Mateo is Tom Brady's hometown and I needed to celebrate this holy ground in some way. I decided I'd sing to the next generation's likeliest star athletes.  Here's a little message to some of my friends in Lowell:

City of Angels

Last night at the LVH pool the DJ turned on his mic to do some raffle giveaways and he also said "I love this cool weather."  It was 6:30 pm and it was 96 degrees.  I woke up before my alarm went off this morning because I was excited to get back on the road.  I checked out of the LVH and gave my ticket to the valet.  As I waited for my car I bought a carmel macchiato, a bottle of water, and a bag of Skittles for breakfast.  I had a couple of stops to make before hopping onto the I-15 to Los Angeles.  I had to print my ticket for the Dodgers game so I looked up a Staples to print it out.  I waved goodbye to the King and hit the road.

I spent the early part of the ride listening to metal covers of pop songs.  There were a few standouts worth mentioning.  At Vance does a good cover of ABBA's classic break-up song The Winner Takes It All, check out the video here of the song playing over clips from When In Rome with Kristen Bell.  I dedicated Mudvayne's cover of King of Pain to Christian Grey.  I also like Life of Agony's cover of Don't You Forget About Me.    

All of a sudden, I was barely out of Vegas, I had a disgusting sour taste in my mouth.  I looked at the bag of Skittles and there was the answer.  I want to know who the idiot is that decided green apple should be added to the original Skittles mix.  GTFO.

After a relatively short drive I entered the state of California for the first time.  It was 11 am and a sunny 94 degrees so I shuffled the California playlist and the first song that came on was Social Distortion - I Was Wrong, but everything was so right.  After I passed through Primm Valley the elevation climbed to 4800 feet.  No worries though because at about 2000 feet I had wrangled an oxygen tank from the back seat and pumped that shit.  I was in California and I was all right.

One of the songs I listened to was La Bamba, but I sing a slightly different remixed version, here take the wheel for a second:

I had to go to the bathroom, I wanted to stretch my legs, and I needed water to make sure I stayed hydrated with the constant changes in elevation.  It gives me a little headache rising and falling thousands of feet constantly.  I pulled of the I-15 in Baker, CA.  When multiple gas stations are presented to me I find myself drawn to the blue of the Chevrons, but before I pulled in there I saw Alien Beef Jerky and had to stop.

I loaded up on jerky then I went to get gas and water.  Back on the road I was hungry so I opened the buffalo jerky because I was the most curious about that one.  It was sweet and delicious and it tasted legendary.  Buffalo, or by the proper name American Bison, are an American icon.  The buffalo have inhabited this continent for millions of years.  They almost faced extinction when Americans came west.  As tore bite-sized pieces off a large hunk of buffalo meat, my head jerking with each tear, I felt like savage.  I knew I'd be picking buffalo meat fibers from my teeth for the next hundred miles all the way to LA, but I didn't care because you can't worry about such minor annoyances in the wild, you just have to worry about your next meal, and not becoming somebody else's next meal.  Needless to say, the Alien Fresh Jerky was out of this world.

Outside Yermo, CA I saw a sexy billboard for Hollywood Men - #1 Ladies Night Out.  I have no interest in male strippers, I did like Magic Mike because, ultimately, it was a movie about the economy and it was relevant, but the Hollywood Men show could be a good idea because where else are you going to come across an establishment full of horny women with few other available men around?  Maybe I'll swoop in after the Dodger game for last call and see if any ladies want to make their dreams come true.

Somewhere around Victorville, CA a metal trash can came flying out of a truck in front of me and luckily it blew over the roof by a couple of feet because I did not need to be decapitated by a flying garbage can smashing through the windshield.  Shortly after that I saw some type of fire burning on the hills.  There's danger in every city.

When I checked in I was slightly unnerved that the check-in desk was surrounded by 2 inch, bulletproof glass.  I asked for a room on the top floor so I could dominate the stairs since I had been training at altitude.  I got my keycard and raced to the 2nd floor.

My motel was close to Dodger Stadium so I was pretty glad about that.  I made my way up Chavez Ravine and was in the stadium easily and quickly.  I was starving so I grabbed a Famous Star burger from Carl's Jr inside the park.  My seats were pretty good I was only 10 rows from the field but I decided that I only want to sit either behind or in front of the action.  I didn't care for sitting close between 3rd base and the foul pole, the side angle doesn't do it for me.

Price vs Puig.

The game was really exciting because the Dodgers came back to win in the bottom of the 9th.  This is the second MLB game I've been to in the past eight days and both of them have been dramatic walk-off wins, and the home teams were both down 6 runs in each game!  I don't need to say it, but I will, things happen when I'm around.  I left my seats and watched the 9th from the seats above home plate because I wanted to check that view out. 

    

Fenway Park has the most bleacher seats of any stadium I've been to.  Other stadiums seem to build up and around the infield, the Red Sox have done more of that in recent years.  The Dodgers did a cool thing, and this will probably sweep the stadiums in MLB, they removed most of the wall from behind the plate so the very front row is just behind a screen and dug into the ground.  Dodger fans are gaga over this new kid Yasiel Puig.  He was called up in June and in his first month he set the Dodger record and was only behind Joe DiMaggio for the MLB record for number of hits in the first month.  The Dodgers made a series of errors early in the game, Puig missed a pop fly in center field, I don't even think he was paying attention.  That terrible display of fielding made me more confident in my Red Sox World Series pick.

I'm headed out of LA tomorrow and I need to sleep, so I'll leave you with the most stirring song I heard today.  Enjoy.

  

Oasis in the Desert

I've spent the past few days in Vegas recovering from my near-death experience.  Like a prospector in the wild west I came to this mountain-cradled oasis in the desert seeking booze, gambling, and women to escape the harsh realities of the unfeeling, seemingly endless expanse of the Rocky Mountains to rejuvenate my body and soul.  I'm leaving here tomorrow and heading for California hoping to find redemption in the land of milk and honey.  I feel fine physically, but living through, and reliving by blogging, the horrors of the fiasco in Flagstaff took it's toll emotionally, and I've mostly kept to myself the past few days.  You should lower your expectations right now for any new blog posts because in Flagstaff I went to the edge and looked down and lived to tell.  However, you can't change the nature of who you are - so I'll be seeking thrills and excitement in California.  

I stayed at the Hard Rock and then moved over to my current location the LVH, formerly the Las Vegas Hilton, now simply the LVH.  Elvis lived in the Penthouse suite here when he performed in Vegas from 1969 to 1976.  The Sportsbook at the LVH, where I made my only bet in Vegas, $100 on the Red Sox to win the World Series, is appropriately named the LVH Superbook because it is massive.  Hundreds of screens from floor to ceiling with constantly changing odds and games from all over the world.  I want to live there.  Here's how I've spent the past few days:

LVH pool.  The DJ refused to play my song request.  

I was tempted to march behind the bar and demonstrate for the sushi chef how to properly roll rice tight.

This team is special.

Layin back in the cut under the spell of the dry desert heat.

NFL regular season win totals sheet...I felt like such a boss with a "sheet".

Pad Thai with chicken and shrimp from 888 Noodle Bar.

Homework by the pool.  2 for 1 cocktail hour. Blue margarita and something I regret getting. 

I had to switch out my Chevy Cruze because an orange light came on and the pressure of the tires was out of whack.  Neither one of us handled the thin air well, apparently.  I swung by the airport and drove to Hertz because I ain't got time for a broken cage.  I did try and put air in but that only made it worse.  The guy at the gate greeted me and I tried to be as articulate as possible about the problem.  We had the following exchange:

Hertz guy: Returning?

Me: No, I'm having a problem with car.

Hertz guy: What seems to be the problem?

Me: The tires are all fucked up. 

Hertz guy: Well that narrows it down, pull right over there.

I got a sexy new midnight blue Cruze as a replacement after I refused a Toyota Corolla, mainly because my brother drives a Corolla and his is so filthy that I wanted to wear gloves and a mask last time I borrowed it to go to the Fitz & the Tantrums show with Johnny G at the Paradise. 

Vegas is Pacific time so when I was lounging by the pool today the Red Sox game had already started, so I pulled out my phone and played along for a few innings until my phone died on the MLB Preplay app, which I've become obsessed with.  You pick what you think is going to happen with every at bat and you can play along with your friends.  It's perfect because it combines several things I love - baseball, making predictions, competition, and gambling.  I've been playing with my buddies Mr. Pig, JBFunk, Tommy, Mr. Beer, and Pumpt Pumpt Gallagher so if you're on it look me up - dirtdog31. 

My favorite song that I've been listening to on the trip so far is Avicii - Wake Me Up.  I love it.  I had heard it but it wasn't until my buddy Dan requested it that it stood out to me.  I've also been mesmerized by Gordon Lightfoot's If You Could Read My Mind.  Gordy's lyrics are so tender and heart-breaking.  Click the link to enjoy the video with lyrics set to images of the stars of Prison Break.     

So, I'm feeling refreshed and I'm heading for the coast.  I'm afraid to reveal my new plan in case the spirits that haunt these hills throw me another curveball, so I'll keep it secret and keep it safe.  I can't even remember my old itinerary, except that right now I'd be drawing the Dead Man's Hand in a poker tournament in Nuttal and Mann's Saloon in Deadwood, SD where Wild Bill was shot by Jack McCall.  Just kidding, I've moved on from that because I have a short memory for any type of disappointment or anger.  It's not the strongest of the species that survives, I don't need the lung capacity of a Japanese pearl diver, it is the most adaptable to change.  

Day 1 - Part 2 Into Thin Air

We left off here, at Lake Mead.

After I left Lake Mead the Hoover Dam was very close because Lake Mead is created by the Hoover Dam.  The new Pat Tillman overpass crosses right in front of the Hoover Dam and the walls are so high you can't see the dam, so I had to pull off.  I drove down the twisty road and took a look as I drove by then banged a u-turn and headed east.  I didn't stop or take photos because I feel I know all I need to know about dams, so I left it to the tourists.

I crossed over the border to Arizona.  In these desert mountains there are fast rises and falls of elevation and I was feeling it, I had a slight headache and I was really thirsty.  I had booked a room at the Howard Johnson in Flagstaff, AZ, so I looked up it's elevation and was surprised when Wikipedia displayed 6,910 feet.  Having Cystic Fibrosis and a reduced lung capacity, and the fact that I was already feeling the elevation, I got nervous.  I have experience with elevation so it didn't even cross my mind that I would need to plan for it.  I spent 4-5 Christmases in Aspen, which is about 8,000 feet and I've been to the Continental Divide at Independence Pass and that's 12,000+.  But that was all about ten years ago.  

I pulled over in Dolan Springs, AZ to assess the situation.  My phone was dead, it was a 100 degrees, and I had arrived less than two hours ago.  I dug into my suitcase searching for for my pulse oximeter, the little thing that goes on your finger and measures your heart rate and oxygen saturation to get an objective point of view on this situation and make sure these symptoms weren't psychosomatic.  

The heat was unbearable so I slipped on the oximeter and walked inside the gas mart.  After a short, flat walk my O2 was down to 88, and then went up to 92-94 after I sat at a picnic table for a moment.  I plugged my phone in and stared blankly at the wall because the window was oddly placed and too high to look out.  Normal O2 saturation is above 95%.  At home, mine is usually 96ish.  This much of an O2 drop already was not good.  I was at about 3400 feet and I was going to end up at over double that.    

At this point I knew the altitude was having a considerable effect on my body, the vessel of my soul suffered with each foot I rose.  I was  alone and far from home in the desert mountains and I waited for a sign.  I summoned my moon in Libra with all the strength I could muster to evaluate all sides of the situation and consider my options.  

I had two options as I saw it.  I could be safe and quit and head back to Vegas.  Or, I could continue on and see what happened.  Maybe my body would adjust to the altitude, maybe I was tired from being up at 3 am and flying cross country.  Maybe it would get worse.  Driving in the car I was fine, but when I had to move around, carry a heavy bag, climb stairs, or whatever else, that's when I would be testing the limits of my body.  How far was I willing to go?

I sat pensively as my phone charged.  A woman apologized for chatting loudly on the phone to her neighbor back home.  I said I didn't even notice, and I didn't, she could have been revealing government secrets and coming out as the next leaker and I wouldn't have known or cared, there was too much going on in my head.  

I tried to figure out the worst case scenario in Flagstaff.  It was death, so I searched to see if there was a hospital in Flagstaff - I had no idea, Flagstaff could be some tiny town in the desert.  Flagstaff Medical Center had an emergency room, so in the worst case scenario I could get medical attention there.  I was glad to be in America.    

After what seemed like hours, but was more like twenty minutes, I made a decision - I'm not a coward so I got back in the car and drove towards Flagstaff.  I had to find out, I had to try.  I spent so much time planning this out and I had such enthusiastic, shining hopes that quitting wasn't an option.  I had the Arizona playlist on but neither Gin Blossoms or the Meat Puppets could hold my attention for more than a few seconds as I nervously watched the elevation on the GPS rise to 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, topping out at around 7300 by the west entrance to the Grand Canyon.  I was glad that I had such a spectacular view of the Grand Canyon from the plane because I wasn't sure I'd have another chance at this point.     

Before I go on I have to mention something about Arizona.  It has the perfect road trip speed limit, and that is 75 mph.  I find the perfect speed on a road trip is somewhere between 72-76 because you can safely look around and take in the scenery and you also feel like you're getting somewhere.  Here's a few pics I took driving through Arizona.

At one point I went 56 miles without seeing a gas station.  I was thirsty and need a snack.  I stopped in Seligman, AZ for gas and snacks.  Walking into the gas mart and being winded at 5200 feet was not what I needed.  O2 was at 86 while walking and went back up to only 90-92.  My vital signs were steadily declining.  I was not having a good time.

As I go into the 6000s I was feeling light-headed and my chest was tight, like someone was sitting on it.  My mind wasn't 100%, I was thinking clearly, but there was a bit of a fog, I was not razor-sharp like I usually am.

I arrived at the city limits of Flagstaff and the elevation was over 7000.  Parking the car as close to the door as possible I went to check in at the HoJo.  I asked for a room on the first floor, but didn't get it, my room was on the second floor near the stairs.  I walked up to the room without my bags because I had to go to the bathroom.  I checked my O2 right after walking up a flight of stairs and walking across my room and it was 83.  I had taken the highway to the danger zone.

I struggled to catch my breath.  My O2 was dipping lower and recovering slower.  My oxygen-deprived brain was working enough because I knew I was at a point where the next choice I made might be between life and death.  I wanted to wake up the next day and I didn't like the current worst case scenario.  Your O2 sat drops when you sleep and mine was already low.  I could not afford to go any lower because I could die in my sleep or wake up so delirious that I wouldn't be alert enough to call 911 and die anyway.  It was about 630 pm Mountain Time and I was really tired.  I had been awake since 3 am Eastern time.  I came out of the bathroom and stood in front of the freshly made king size bed with fluffy pillows and soft white sheets.  It looked incredibly comfortable, maybe a rest would do me a lot of good.

If I went to sleep my life could be over.  I didn't go to sleep I went to the car and set a course for the Flagstaff Medical Center.  I was very concerned as I walked through the parking lot.  My mind was fuzzy, I struggled to breathe, and it was raining.  I spoke to people at the ER greeting window barely able to put a sentence together as I tried to catch my breath from the walk.  A man immediately shoved an oximeter on my finger and then instantly rushed around with a tank of oxygen because it was at 75%.  If I didn't go to the ER I could be dead.

Within minutes I was feeling much better with a supply of oxygen.  I still had light-headedness and chest tightness but my O2 was back up to 96 and I was going to live.

I sat in the waiting room with my tank.  A little girl who was carried in her father's arms couldn't move her arm and when the doctor tried to touch it she cried out in pain.  Even her brief screams of anguish didn't disturb the eery calm of the waiting room.

I was feeling so many emotions.  I was angry and frustrated that I had not given altitude enough respect.  I was feeling disappointed because at some point on the drive I had looked up all the places I intended to stay to check the elevation and the lowest was 3400 and that was in the Great Plains, so the idea that this trip was permanently altered crept into my mind and saddened me.  But, most of all, at this moment, I felt gratitude towards myself, I was glad that I came to the ER, I had saved my own life, and for that I was thankful.

They eventually put me in a room and I saw a doctor and it was obvious that I needed oxygen to-go.  I had to wait for a company to deliver me portable tanks.  The woman who would deliver them was "down-mountain" so it would take a few hours.  I waited on a bed, two different people offered me the remote for the TV when they came in, but I never turned it on.

At midnight, I had supplies that would keep me alive and went back to the HoJo.  All evening I was thinking of the options I was left with.  This morning when I woke up I had to decide where I was going to go.  I checked Facebook to avoid the decision I knew I'd have to make.  I booked a hotel for the night before I left.  I didn't even check out of the HoJo I just left the key on the dresser.

I left at 1030 and just missed breakfast a the McDonald's a few blocks away, so I was forced to get something I didn't want and it was so disgusting that I abruptly pulled into a Jack in the Box for something better.  Then I saw one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.  The drive thru menu said "breakfast served all day" and things just got a whole lot better.  Jack in the Box was a revelation.  I ordered a Big Stack Waffle sandwich.  I grabbed the bag and tossed it on the passenger's seat and got back on the road.  The GPS said turn right, so I turned.  On this day, I was both the saddest and happiest person driving on Historic Route 66 because as I unwrapped this gargantuan sandwich I saw one of the most glorious sights my eyes have ever seen.  A big stack waffle is two fried eggs, crispy bacon, sausage, ham, and American cheese stacked between two lightly sweetened maple waffles.  Behold, and bow to your master:

               

As I ate this monstrous masterpiece driving between Flagstaff and Williams it was raining, and since Arizona is one of the driest states, I knew this rain was for me, to purify my soul and wash me clean of the troubles behind, so I could be born again with new life on this trip.  

I've accepted that I can't do what I set out to do on this trip because I need a supply of oxygen to be safe at altitude and everywhere I intended to go is at altitude.  If I had prepared the proper supplies I could do it, but I didn't, and if I was to continue on the course I set it would become a stressful, possibly dangerous race to get new supplies of oxygen everywhere I went, so I'm not at all interested in doing that.  There's always next summer.   

Everyone out west is high!

I'm sitting in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas and trying to come up with a new plan.  I might stay here and play poker and take money from the fish, or I could drive to the Pacific Coast, or maybe I'll go to some baseball games in California or try driving through Yosemite with these new supplies.  Whatever I decide to do will be new and my mind is right so I'll have fun.  I'm in good hands because there's a poster on the wall of KISS standing in front of a buddhist statue looking over me.
     
Life is full of ups and downs and you never know what's around the next corner.  Yesterday was one of the most extreme days of my life because I was up for nearly 24 hours, in three time zones, three states and Washington D.C., took two planes, drove 262 miles, went from sea level to 7300 feet in elevation, and nearly died, but I'm glad to be in the west.  The American West is unchanged by my arrival, it always has been and forever will be a place of broken dreams and everlasting hope.  

Day 1 - Lowell to Flagstaff

My day began at 3:17 am when I woke up after about 3 hours of restless sleep.  I showered and gathered my gear.  My mother was kind enough to sleep over and drive me to Logan.  On the way out the front door I passed a couple of tipsy ladies who were wrapping up their night, so I was confused about what to say because it was my morning, so I just said hi.  We left Lowell at 3:50 and I turned up the car radio when Imagine Dragons - It's Time came on.  We arrived around 4:30.

I had a window seat on the connecting flight to Washington DC, which was only an hour, but I had to go to the bathroom 5 minutes in.  I thanked the women that I made get up and apologized for being high maintenance. On that flight I got an excellent view of Manhattan.

While waiting for the connecting flight in DC the woman sitting next to me was intensely texting and giggling.  I assumed she was sexting Anthony Weiner. 

When I boarded the connecting flight the flight attendant that checked my boarding pass said she liked my Bruins sweatshirt and that that was her team.  That must be why she didn't say anything as I boarded with zone 3 when my boarding pass said zone 4. 

Flying over the Rockies and the Grand Canyon was magnificent and stunning. I was in the grace and favor of U.S. Airways today because I had a window seat on the right side. 

Those photos don't do justice to how enormous and beautiful the landscape is out here.

The woman in front of me screamed "let's get wasted!" as the plane touched down.  As I made my way through the McCarron airport to the car rental area I was furiously refreshing my phone because Hertz texted me my rental information with a link for Gold members to choose any car currently available.  On one refresh a Mustang Cobra popped up for an extra $20 per day and as I foolishly hesitated, weighing the cost, someone grabbed it and it never popped up again.  The deal of the day was a Camaro for $35 extra, but that's not what I needed.  I originally was set up with a Toyota Corolla, but a Chevy Cruze popped up and I took that because I had driven several recently and they agreed with me.

Nevada was damn hot.  I was a little out of breath lugging my bag around the airport.  It was 100 degrees as I approached my car so I got in and cranked the AC because the desert heat was oppressive. I cranked the Nevada playlist and the Killers kicked things off.

I drove south out of Vegas through Henderson Nevada and Boulder City.  The first destination was Hoover Dam.  The elevation climbed to about 2000 feet as Brandon Flowers sang "higher and higher".  Descending on route 93 the Great Basin Highway I was stunned at the majestic beauty of Lake Mead.

I stopped at a casino hotel just before the Hoover Dam to take a photo of Lake Mead. 

It seemed like one dip in the water of Lake Mead could cure all your worries and pains.  I was so consumed with the beauty of Lake Mead that I didn't notice my shortness of breath until I was walking back to the car. 

To be continued...Day 1 - Part 2 tomorrow...

Updated Western USA Road Trip Route & Highlights

I took the time yesterday to plan out a more precise route for the western leg of my USA road trip.  I want to thank everyone that sent me music recommendations, all the songs have been added, and feel free to keep them coming this week because my new route added 500 miles!  Here are the maps and a list of highlights.  I'm leaving Monday morning.

Here's the Google Maps interactive map.

Highlights of what I'll be seeing:

-Hoover Dam

-Grand Canyon

-Monument Valley

-Four Corners 

-Great Plains

-Chimney Rock - NE

-Black Hills - SD - Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore monuments, Deadwood

I've also learned that I'll be in the Black Hills during Bike Week, so I might return on a motorcycle.

-Yellowstone National Park

-Hells Canyon - OR

-Yosemite National Park

-Mojave, Great Basin deserts 

I'm sure they'll be plenty of surprises too.  I'm nervous with excitement.

Music of the West

I've collected music for my western USA road trip but none of the playlists are finished because I'd love to get recommendations from anyone who has them.  I used the same guidelines as my previous road trip - music from the states I'm driving through.  I have started a playlist for each of the states to play while I drive through it.  This was good for several reasons, aside from the obvious like not knowing what kind of mood I'll be in, what the weather will be like, or having to spend time with my eyes off the road browsing, it helped me feel more connected to each state I was in - I just cranked it and felt the people and their stories wash over me.

Here's what the lists look like so far and if you have any recommendations (bands from/formed in states I'll be in) please send it to me via email, Facebook, Twitter or whatever.

Nevada - The Killers, Panic! at the Disco, 7 Seconds
The very first time I heard Mr. Brightside I was at the gym in Edmonds Hall at BC and I knew I was going to love them.  I've seen the Killers at the Tsongas Arena with Johnny G in Lowell and at the Garden.  Both shows rocked.  Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than anywhere else in the world, too bad I won't be sleeping in one.

California - The Beach Boys, Tome Waits
Assessing the California music scene seemed overwhelming.  The Beach Boys came to mind immediately and no other band defines California rock n' roll like them, so I just put Pet Sounds on the list since I'll be in California for only a short time.  Taking another road trip up the Pacific Coast highway from San Diego to Seattle seems necessary to get a proper feel for the west coast, so that's why I only feel a little bad for shorting California.  Danny M recommended Tom Waits' Gun Street Girl so I've added that as well.

Arizona - Meat Puppets, Gin Blossoms
The state of Arizona is rich with copper, but not every state is musically rich.  My favorite Gin Blossoms Song is Alison Road.  I'll be stopping at the Grand Canyon.  Arizona has eleven types of rattlesnake.  

Utah - Imagine Dragons
The song Radioactive gets me pumped.  I'll be in Utah very briefly unless I decide to take a detour through Salt Lake City on the way back to Vegas.  The beehive is the state symbol of Utah, it symbolizes thrift and industry.  Also, polygamy.

Colorado - The Lumineers, Apples in Stereo
Stubborn Love is a great song and my favorite line is "when it got cold we bundled up".  I'll probably listen to that song and move on to New Mexico because I know Colorado, I spent time there in another lifetime.

New Mexico - The Shins
Perhaps the desert of music as well.  New Mexico has more sheep and cattle than people.

Let's pause for a moment while I play the air long bass in a seersucker suit

Texas - Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Janis Joplin, Roy Orbison, and ZZ Top
Again a seemingly endless musical history so I went for stuff that would put some hair on my chest.  The world's first rodeo was held in Texas July 4,1883 and there is such thing as jalapeño pepper jelly.  More land is farmed in Texas than any other state.

Oklahoma - Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, The Flaming Lips
Getting my twang on.  Carrie underwood's Before He Cheats has to be the sexiest revenge song ever.  Garth Brooks, from Oklahoma, is the best selling music artist of the last 20 years, but he won't put his music on Spotify, so fuck him.

Kansas - The Embarrassment, Kansas, Joe Walsh
Fans of the Embarrassment refer to them as "the best band you've never heard of".  Can't wait to find out.  Also, can't wait to listen to Kansas in Kansas.

Nebraska - Bright Eyes
Way more cornfields in Nebraska than musicians.  Kool Aid and CliffsNotes were both invented in Nebraska.

Wyoming - The Lillingtons, Job Loy Nichols
Wyoming is the last state alphabetically but was the first to give women the right to vote.

South Dakota - The Reddmen, Indigenous 
Native American blues rock.  Bliouxs?  Yankton was the original capital of the Dakota territory, I knew that from watching Deadwood.

North Dakota - Peggy Lee
I heard the song Fever and immediately stopped looking for other artists.  I'll let Peg serenade me through North Dakota.  I found the album Essential Peggy Lee and that is exactly what I was looking for.  This video version of Fever features Marilyn Monroe.

Montana - The Decemberists, Pearl Jam
Stretched a little for Montana.  The lead singer of the Decemberists is from Montana and the bassist of Pearl Jam is from Montana.  I picked Pearl Jam's live recording at Boston's Orpheum Theater.  Again, your favorite Pearl Jam songs and other recommendations encouraged.

Idaho - Josh Ritter, Built to Spill, The Very Most
Built to Spill seems interesting and they've been described as an "unpredictable live act" so that's good. Can't wait for their 20+ minute live version of Cortez the Killer as I cruise through the Gem state.

Washington - Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Fleet Foxes
Nevermind wasn't my thing, but I put it on the list, hoping my eternal optimism will breathe a new life into Nirvana for me.  Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix are both part of the 27 Club, Janis Joplin is as well.

Oregon - The Wipers, The Dandy Warhols
Oregonians.  Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.  The state nut of Oregon is hazelnut, which I hate.  Oregon and NJ are the only states without self-serve gas stations.

I'm sure I missed a lot.  Please send any recommendations, thanks.

Western Road Trip Map

I just booked my roundtrip to Las Vegas, where I'll be flying in August 5th and out on the 15th.  On this trip, I'll be passing through 17 states, in this order Nevada, California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.  After this leg I'll be up to 49/50 states, and the only one left will be Alaska.

This is the route I've mapped out for the road trip next month:

Here's the link if you want the Google Maps interactive version.

The state that I'm most looking forward to driving through is Montana because it seems wide open with endless possibilities.  The specific area I'm excited to drive through is the Black Hills in South Dakota, especially after watching Deadwood.

Rihanna - Unapologetic

I'm tired from golfing and attending the Bruins game last night so I've declared today a day of rest.  Surely, Mister Jesus would agree that I am both deserving and in need of it, however, this Sunday Rihanna will be my savior. Since I've fulfilled my mission to acquire tickets to the Rihanna show at the Garden tomorrow I decided to resurrect my blog, which I've forsaken since school started, to review Robyn Rihanna Fenty's latest album, Unapologetic, to see if I can find a little slice of heaven on earth.  Let's love one another - who's ready to be saved?

If you bought the album the old fashioned way the first thing you'd notice is the cover, which is a naked Rihanna from the waist up covered only by a word splash.

From the cover I would expect stripped-down, honest storytelling.  One eye is blinded by the word "Love", clearly this is done intentionally.

Phresh Out the Runway

The opening track is a club banger that seems to serve as a reminder, nay, a warning, to everyone that Rihanna isn't always nice and sweet and that she will snap any twig in her path.  The line "how could you be so hood, but you're so fucking pop" perfectly illustrates Rihanna's abhorrence of labels.


Diamonds

Diamonds is an amazingly beautiful and uplifting song.  Underlying this song is the notion that humans are social creatures, and taking that idea to it's logical conclusion, we need other people to reflect the good within ourselves.  There's good in all of us and others help us see that.  Diamonds don't actually sparkle, it is the reflection that we see.  If you were the last person on earth it wouldn't matter what you did because there would be nobody to witness your goodness; nobody to do good for and reflect it back.  Rihanna is celebrating the union of souls raising each other to a higher plane than one alone can achieve.  Rihanna speaks to how elusive this connection can be "you're a shooting star I see".  A connection to someone can last for a moment or a lifetime.

Rihanna sings a line that you need to pay careful attention to "when you hold me," then breathily "I'm alive" she is symbolizing the momentary surrender to the warmth, and when she sings the chorus "shine bright like a diamond" that is a command - seek the good and be good - so you can feel the love and be lifted.  That's what love is, the mutual recognition and celebration of the goodness within each other.


Numb

Numb is lament about pain we feel when we've been hurt or disappointed.  We want to make it go away and we don't want to feel anything else because the risk is too great, we're in a fragile state and one more crack and we could break.  Going numb is the defense we play to protect ourselves.

Pour It Up

This is a sad song.  Despite singing about strip clubs, dolla bills, shots of Patron, and ballin out, the mood of this song is melancholy.  The true nature of the song is revealed in the lines "the look in yo eyes I know you want some" and "all I see is dolla signs...money on my mind".  Rihanna seems to have an endless supply of money and while this may be cause for celebration - you can't listen to this song and tell me she's celebrating.  She is saying "I still got MORE money", meaning that despite how I ball extravagantly, ultimately, it's worthless.  She is lamenting that money is a distraction from real happiness.  This song is a reminder to refocus on what's really important.

Loveeeeeee Song

We can all relate to this song.  Rihanna and Future have what is essentially an open and honest discussion of their needs.  We need some sort of recognition from others to know that we are important to them.  Even if we could read minds we wouldn't want to because it's nice to hear that we mean something to each other.  Rihanna's character lets Future know that she doesn't have unreasonable demands, that he is good enough to please her, but it takes effort.  Sometimes guys think women are impossible to please and Rihanna tries to dispel that myth.  Future's character also explains his needs by saying that despite a brawny exterior men need "love and affection" too.  There is comfort in appreciation and affection.  It's unfortunate when two people don't realize their potential because they're afraid to say how they feel, this song is a testament to the benefit of good communication.  We must not be afraid because there's nothing to fear.

 Jump

I already know the move I'm going to bust out at the concert for this song because I already do it at home, a high crack-the-whip motion in a quickening pace when the song is about to jump off.  This track gets me amped.  Rihanna comes from a point of strength and says

I ain't running around chasing no dude
Think somebody else like me gon' come around
Boy you got it misunderstood

Clearly, Rihanna realizes her value and says "come and jump on it".  She's not going to waste her time with someone that's fooling around and this boy better recognize before it's too late.  Pretty straightforward, and tempting.  Then Kanye blows up the scene and adds another side to the story.  I guess the idea here is that nobody is necessarily right, but that we tell ourselves stories that make situations more acceptable to us and blaming other people can be a way to avoid responsibility for our actions.

Right Now

Tomorrow's way too far away
And we can't get back yesterday
But we young right now
We got right now

This track points out the importance of the present and comes with a beat that makes you want to get up and do something.  Just take a look at the news - bombings, crashes, fires - life changes instantly and constantly.  Time is an unforgiving forward march.  You can do nothing or something, it's up to you.

What Now

This is the song that I predict will bring down the house.  Rihanna sings about love and you can feel her frustrations and confusion as she belts out the chorus.  Rihanna knows what love is, but like life love changes too, and when love breaks it can feel like a glass ball shattering.  This song is about those feelings when we have to put the pieces back together.

What now? I just can't figure it out
What now? I guess I'll just wait it out
What now? Please tell me
What now?

Sometimes the the best thing to do is wait it out, but 'wait it out' as a term is too oversimplified and contradictory.  To wait it out really means to move forward with the faith that what happened is for the best and that what is to come will be better.

Stay

Stay is about attachment, attachment leads to suffering.  When we expect things not to change then we will suffer because things do change, always.  We beg for something to be different, to be the way it was, and we suffer because we are attached to an idea of the way something should be, but it is only that way on our minds.  When we think we "can't live without" something - we are mistaken because we have to.

Nobody's Business

This dancey track featuring Chris Brown sends a clear message - it ain't nobody's bidness 'cept me and my baby.  This song works because of the past history between Rihanna and Chris Brown, but how would we feel if it wasn't them singing this song?

Each of us has, to different degrees, a will that we want to see manifested in the world.  With more and more media and technology to track our every step our lives become more public, which means more people are going to have opinions about what we do, so it is necessary for each of us to have the strength to tell people "ain't nobody's bidness", or else individuality and eccentricity are in danger.  It is good to have people that think and act differently because they show us new ways and that makes us better, alternative thinking create progress.  So, I guess the message of the song is important, tell people to fuck off more often.  If they can move on we should too.

Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary

Love Without Tragedy is about the profound effect one quick event can have on a relationship.  Whether Rihanna is talking about Chris Brown or not I don't really care because it could just as easily be us with our partner, brother or cousin.  You leave to go for a drive and you come back changed, new people, new relationship.  This song is about the power of that one event that can change things, maybe you find something out, maybe you lost control, either way something irrevocable has happened and it changed you.

The gapless transition between the songs serves as an existential awakening.  Rihanna seems to be reflecting on the journey she's taken, humbled by her fame, and looking for guidance to move her spirit.   Mother Mary seems tailor made to open a concert.  I can picture Rihanna emerging and rising to the stage as it softly opens.

Get It Over With

Get It Over With is an excellent metaphor about the weather and our emotions, and how we cycle through them.  Denial, anger, depression, acceptance.  Clouds, thunder, rain, sunshine.  After the rain the sun comes out, so Rihanna is encouraging us to purge the emotions so we can be free and clear again.  The sooner we process what is upsetting us the closer we are to that sunny day.  Rihanna wants to lift us up out of the bad place.

Look up, the sun it's just a cloud away

No Love Allowed

A playful song with a reggae feel.  I find this song both hilarious and tragic.  The song begins with a 911 call claiming that Rihanna has been "murdered" by love and she wants the man charged with the "143" and that a broken heart is the case.

This song is also tragic because the reason we are sometimes afraid to take chances is because we are afraid the other person might not love us back.  Rihanna is hurt and screaming murder, literally.  However, the greater point is that - yes, love can hurt, but you have to take chances or you'll never have it, you have to be fearless.

Lost in Paradise

"What am I supposed to do with this heart
How do I take it off if I love it on 
it's like a work of art

I know how Rihanna feels, I also want to ferociously attack the world with my love and I can't put this flame out.  For people like Rihanna and me all we want to do is spread our love to heat up this cold world.  Rihanna sings "in love we all will fall" but what's great about love is that it will never run out, so when she sings "all my fears are gone tonight" then it's time to try again.  The world is a paradise because opportunities for love abound, it is a canvas to be painted with the brush strokes of our hearts.

If we love harder than you, we don't have to apologize.