Posts
For those that have been following this page and the Journey, I am
sad to announce that my dog, Mischa, has died of Kidney Failure. I put
her down at the vets this afternoon around 4 pm.
Here is what I posted on Saturday:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/rik-converse/my-dog-mischa-has-kidney-failure/10151048257668165
Friday, October 3, 2014
iToons Tarot 06-19-12
Getting back (slowly) to writing. The Journey.
This is just writing to write. Not specifically part of "Cohalen's Journey" but a step towards continuation and completion.
iToons Tarot
06/19/12
Methodology - Random selection from my iTunes to determine the selection of the "Tarot".
What does each song reveal and how do they connect (if at all) to each other?
1) Big Brother and the Holding Company - Summertime
The slow sultry guitar; the intro builds - organically…and then – Janis -
Belting it out with a soul to raise up Big Mamma Thornton for the masses.
“One of these mornings, you’re gonna rise up singing”. Resurrection.
2) Leon Russell – Roll Away the Stone
Sacrilege? And on the third day, first side, fourth cut – Leon Rocks it out with his – shout out!
Raucous. Pounding. That slinky Guitar (Marc Benno?)
"Roll away the stone (Jesus, Really?) Don’t leave me here all alone.
Resurrect me, and protect me. Don’t leave me layin’ here
What will they do in 2000 years?"
NWJWD, I’m guessing.
3) Jude Cole – Compared to Nothing
Soulful. Haunting. Lonely. Piano like Sunday morning church.
A lost soul with questions. Universal questions with no answers. As they were meant to be.
“Problems that appeared so tall, turn out to be so small – compared to nothing….at all."
Oblivion. Nirvana.
4) Martin Mull - Jesus is Easy
“I tried a poodle, a collie, Kooklah, Fran and Ollie.
But Mary in a Manger got me satisfied”
Martin Mull’s irreverent comedy talks to the proliferation of every kind of religious – Self-Help – new age sects that are so omni-present in our land.
“Oh, I tell ya they got churches….everywhere!”
Mull sings at the end.
5) Skycycle – Alone
“Your sea of friends becomes a desert. All so you could be Alone”
A brooding song about a self-fulfilling prophecy of choosing to be alone.
‘Every tie you make, you sever. Somehow it makes you feel better.”
The theme is religion and the Big questions it’s supposed to help with but only seems to provide cookie cutter answers. As I drove across the country last year I remember seeing churches of every kind in the most remote back roads and on radio frequencies where nothing else could be found. You couldn’t find a 7-11 for miles, but there would be a little church with a white steeple or a sign on a trailer or some dime story preacher huckstering on the airwaves for funds to help spread his godless words of god and hate and bigotry and fear and damnation. Not comfort or joy. Though, in Dothan, Al., I heard a preacher using stand-up comedy to get his word across. (Pretty funny, too) It was open and joyful and welcoming and not too preachy for the most part. I could have listened to a lot more like that on the road.
A final “card” of the jukebox bid my attention.
6) Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam aka Steven Demetre Georgiou) – I think I see the light.
A childlike piano repetition. The song lyrics are about a girl changing the singer’s perspective, but with the substitution of the word “lord” for “girl” the song could easily be a religious/spiritual song.
Regardless, the result seems to be one of conversion from a dour lonely alone soul to one connected and enlightened.
“I think I see the light coming to me,
Coming through me, giving me a second sight.
So shine, shine, shine”
This is just writing to write. Not specifically part of "Cohalen's Journey" but a step towards continuation and completion.
iToons Tarot
06/19/12
Methodology - Random selection from my iTunes to determine the selection of the "Tarot".
What does each song reveal and how do they connect (if at all) to each other?
1) Big Brother and the Holding Company - Summertime
The slow sultry guitar; the intro builds - organically…and then – Janis -
Belting it out with a soul to raise up Big Mamma Thornton for the masses.
“One of these mornings, you’re gonna rise up singing”. Resurrection.
2) Leon Russell – Roll Away the Stone
Sacrilege? And on the third day, first side, fourth cut – Leon Rocks it out with his – shout out!
Raucous. Pounding. That slinky Guitar (Marc Benno?)
"Roll away the stone (Jesus, Really?) Don’t leave me here all alone.
Resurrect me, and protect me. Don’t leave me layin’ here
What will they do in 2000 years?"
NWJWD, I’m guessing.
3) Jude Cole – Compared to Nothing
Soulful. Haunting. Lonely. Piano like Sunday morning church.
A lost soul with questions. Universal questions with no answers. As they were meant to be.
“Problems that appeared so tall, turn out to be so small – compared to nothing….at all."
Oblivion. Nirvana.
4) Martin Mull - Jesus is Easy
“I tried a poodle, a collie, Kooklah, Fran and Ollie.
But Mary in a Manger got me satisfied”
Martin Mull’s irreverent comedy talks to the proliferation of every kind of religious – Self-Help – new age sects that are so omni-present in our land.
“Oh, I tell ya they got churches….everywhere!”
Mull sings at the end.
5) Skycycle – Alone
“Your sea of friends becomes a desert. All so you could be Alone”
A brooding song about a self-fulfilling prophecy of choosing to be alone.
‘Every tie you make, you sever. Somehow it makes you feel better.”
The theme is religion and the Big questions it’s supposed to help with but only seems to provide cookie cutter answers. As I drove across the country last year I remember seeing churches of every kind in the most remote back roads and on radio frequencies where nothing else could be found. You couldn’t find a 7-11 for miles, but there would be a little church with a white steeple or a sign on a trailer or some dime story preacher huckstering on the airwaves for funds to help spread his godless words of god and hate and bigotry and fear and damnation. Not comfort or joy. Though, in Dothan, Al., I heard a preacher using stand-up comedy to get his word across. (Pretty funny, too) It was open and joyful and welcoming and not too preachy for the most part. I could have listened to a lot more like that on the road.
A final “card” of the jukebox bid my attention.
6) Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam aka Steven Demetre Georgiou) – I think I see the light.
A childlike piano repetition. The song lyrics are about a girl changing the singer’s perspective, but with the substitution of the word “lord” for “girl” the song could easily be a religious/spiritual song.
Regardless, the result seems to be one of conversion from a dour lonely alone soul to one connected and enlightened.
“I think I see the light coming to me,
Coming through me, giving me a second sight.
So shine, shine, shine”
10-28-11 - The Morning Overature - The Day
- The Morning Overature -
For the last two mornings I've begun my day waking up in the parking lot of the Stater Brothers as Standard & McFadden in Santa Ana.
Activity starts slowly around 5:30 am nad begins to pop into a kinetic hive by 6:15.
A sweeper truck starts doing crazy patterens in the parking lot around the cars parked dashing in on the rapidly dwindling open spaces. seizing the open ground, trying for every last speck of stray rubbish.
Workers in white trucks with names on the side fill their large coolers of water for the day. Vehicles of every type zoom into open slots as their drivers stop for a morning snack at the 7-11.
Trucks with pool supplies; pickups with racks with PVC pipes on top; vans; economy cars; long beds. Their drivers are as vairied as their vehicles.
Some rush in and back with their purchases; others linger on the corner in conversations of the brotherhood of the working. Greetings to strangers are easily given. We all share "This" in common. This morning. This parking lot.
It is enough to find a bond in.
Life has begun again.
People in uniforms. People in shorts or painters pants. People in office clothers.
Men.
Women.
All ages, sizes ethnicities.
And the sun starts to lighten the sky with it's new promise.
- The Day -
I prep the car for the day's runs. I put Mischa in the back onthe passenger side on her bed. The front seat and seat behind me are open for delivery items.
I call in for my work assignment just before the assigned 7:30 am time.
No assignment.
Answer the phone if they call.
If I don't hear back from them by 9:15 am call them back.
I'm not thrilled by this. It's 7:35am and I'm ready to work NOW!
If I start at 9:15 am and they send me to...POMONA...my work day will be Short!
IF I get to work today at all.
I just have to hope they call sooner than 9:15am
- Disappointment -
No work today.
"Call back around 2pm and we'll set you up for tomorrow." "You can go about your day"
I have no other "day" to go about.
A wasted day
To preserve gas, I should stay put, but I drive to Tustin to use the library, look at some options and take Mischa to a park.
Then...sometime around 2 pm...life might release the "pause" button and...
For the last two mornings I've begun my day waking up in the parking lot of the Stater Brothers as Standard & McFadden in Santa Ana.
Activity starts slowly around 5:30 am nad begins to pop into a kinetic hive by 6:15.
A sweeper truck starts doing crazy patterens in the parking lot around the cars parked dashing in on the rapidly dwindling open spaces. seizing the open ground, trying for every last speck of stray rubbish.
Workers in white trucks with names on the side fill their large coolers of water for the day. Vehicles of every type zoom into open slots as their drivers stop for a morning snack at the 7-11.
Trucks with pool supplies; pickups with racks with PVC pipes on top; vans; economy cars; long beds. Their drivers are as vairied as their vehicles.
Some rush in and back with their purchases; others linger on the corner in conversations of the brotherhood of the working. Greetings to strangers are easily given. We all share "This" in common. This morning. This parking lot.
It is enough to find a bond in.
Life has begun again.
People in uniforms. People in shorts or painters pants. People in office clothers.
Men.
Women.
All ages, sizes ethnicities.
And the sun starts to lighten the sky with it's new promise.
- The Day -
I prep the car for the day's runs. I put Mischa in the back onthe passenger side on her bed. The front seat and seat behind me are open for delivery items.
I call in for my work assignment just before the assigned 7:30 am time.
No assignment.
Answer the phone if they call.
If I don't hear back from them by 9:15 am call them back.
I'm not thrilled by this. It's 7:35am and I'm ready to work NOW!
If I start at 9:15 am and they send me to...POMONA...my work day will be Short!
IF I get to work today at all.
I just have to hope they call sooner than 9:15am
- Disappointment -
No work today.
"Call back around 2pm and we'll set you up for tomorrow." "You can go about your day"
I have no other "day" to go about.
A wasted day
To preserve gas, I should stay put, but I drive to Tustin to use the library, look at some options and take Mischa to a park.
Then...sometime around 2 pm...life might release the "pause" button and...
06-26-11 Mosquitoes come to suck your blood
06-26-11
Mosquitoes come to suck your blood
Leave you there all alone
Just skin and bone
130.8 miles
Winona - Mauston - New Lisbon - Kennedy County Park
Packing up
Interview with Ron & Gail
Off to Wisconsin
Lots of hills and dales
Stop at Mauston for internet
Problems finding a signal
Low on gas and money
New Lisbon “Free camping”
Kwik Stop kindness
Campsite - no electric
Mosquitos in the midst
Cool Cops- Off
Mosquitoes come to suck your blood
Leave you there all alone
Just skin and bone
130.8 miles
Winona - Mauston - New Lisbon - Kennedy County Park
Packing up
Interview with Ron & Gail
Off to Wisconsin
Lots of hills and dales
Stop at Mauston for internet
Problems finding a signal
Low on gas and money
New Lisbon “Free camping”
Kwik Stop kindness
Campsite - no electric
Mosquitos in the midst
Cool Cops- Off
06-25-11 - I'm Only Sleeping
06-25-11
Please, don't wake me, no, don't shake me
Leave me where I am - I'm only sleeping
23.4 Miles
Winona
I get up late. The sun is out but it’s a little overcast.
I go to the post office to get the mail sent to me c/o General Delivery.
It’s there.
As I’m going thru it a local hails me.
“You from California?”
Yes.
What part?
I tell him.
“I had a girlfriend who moved there!”
She had green hair and was named “Tarantula”
OK!
I get loose and drive off to explore the town.
First Stop! Betty Jo Byolowski! (though everyone knows it as “Nancy!”.)
It’s a burger and beer joint a block from the Riverbank.
It’s toney.
I’d have liked to have had a burger & beer there.
Those sorts of things are not in my capacity.
I’m lucky to by a loasf of French bread for $1.49 and make it last for 4 days with the help of cheap spinach & artichoke hummus.
I can take pictures of the places I go to but can’t enter, explore them.
I can leave Mischa in the car for only so long. Less time in extremes of temperature. And then there’s the “Admission” issue as well. I prefer to go to places where Mischa can accompany. But there are some places I’d like to go if I could have a safe place to lave her where she would feel comfortable and relaxed without me being around. That’s only happened a few times…when I’ve been hosted. And that has happened all to infrequently during this Journey. (Though, to be fair, I’ve been much less productive during those visits!)
I explored about all I can figure out to see of interest in Winona in just an hour or so. I decide to take the big bridge over the Mississippi into Wisconsin. There is question as to how much further this road will go. I may be an optimist, but I’m also a realist. I drive across the border just to say I’ve made it that far.
24th state.
Half the distance.
I’ve crossed the Mississippi at least 7 times before this and this is the most beautiful crossing so far. The high hillsides, the deep soundings, the greenery all around, the wind over the water, the traffic passing below. It is poetic. It is tactile. It is supernatural in it’s imagery.
A short distance along the drive into Wisconsin, it comes to a “T” intersection. I go south (right) for about 9 miles and decide I’m wasting gas I’ll want tomorrow. I turn back and go back to camp.
In camp. I’m trying to write the past days notes and figure out finances. What I’ll need to get thru the Kickstarter Funding period and how to generate enough interest in 26 days to successfully fund the completion of the journey.
I start to fall asleep.
The woman camping behind me (Gail) who helped me identify an open space last night and has a small dog like mine brings be over a bowl of munchie mix saying “It’s a lot easier to work when you’re munching” and leaves it for me. I thank her as she walks off into the park.
I start slowly but soon realize…I’m hungry! I haven’t been eating and this is great!
I actually perked up for about an hour or so.
Then it started to drizzle.
Just a few drops.
But it was not ignorable.
And a few more.
Enough that it was annoying.
I moved into the tent.
And it became more constant.
Not ever heavy.
A light drizzle to a slight misty rain.
But all day.
From 2 pm untill I finally went to sleep.
I tried to write.
I kept fuzzing out.
Played my audio book
Kept falling asleep…finding the last place if was conscious of…
And falling asleep.
I was going in and out of sleep all day.
I never could rally.
I gave up around 9pm
I don’t know why I was so lethargic.
Road weariness?
Aversion to thinking about my situation?
Tick bite?
Whatever the cause
My remedy:
They call it sleep.
Please, don't wake me, no, don't shake me
Leave me where I am - I'm only sleeping
23.4 Miles
Winona
I get up late. The sun is out but it’s a little overcast.
I go to the post office to get the mail sent to me c/o General Delivery.
It’s there.
As I’m going thru it a local hails me.
“You from California?”
Yes.
What part?
I tell him.
“I had a girlfriend who moved there!”
She had green hair and was named “Tarantula”
OK!
I get loose and drive off to explore the town.
First Stop! Betty Jo Byolowski! (though everyone knows it as “Nancy!”.)
It’s a burger and beer joint a block from the Riverbank.
It’s toney.
I’d have liked to have had a burger & beer there.
Those sorts of things are not in my capacity.
I’m lucky to by a loasf of French bread for $1.49 and make it last for 4 days with the help of cheap spinach & artichoke hummus.
I can take pictures of the places I go to but can’t enter, explore them.
I can leave Mischa in the car for only so long. Less time in extremes of temperature. And then there’s the “Admission” issue as well. I prefer to go to places where Mischa can accompany. But there are some places I’d like to go if I could have a safe place to lave her where she would feel comfortable and relaxed without me being around. That’s only happened a few times…when I’ve been hosted. And that has happened all to infrequently during this Journey. (Though, to be fair, I’ve been much less productive during those visits!)
I explored about all I can figure out to see of interest in Winona in just an hour or so. I decide to take the big bridge over the Mississippi into Wisconsin. There is question as to how much further this road will go. I may be an optimist, but I’m also a realist. I drive across the border just to say I’ve made it that far.
24th state.
Half the distance.
I’ve crossed the Mississippi at least 7 times before this and this is the most beautiful crossing so far. The high hillsides, the deep soundings, the greenery all around, the wind over the water, the traffic passing below. It is poetic. It is tactile. It is supernatural in it’s imagery.
A short distance along the drive into Wisconsin, it comes to a “T” intersection. I go south (right) for about 9 miles and decide I’m wasting gas I’ll want tomorrow. I turn back and go back to camp.
In camp. I’m trying to write the past days notes and figure out finances. What I’ll need to get thru the Kickstarter Funding period and how to generate enough interest in 26 days to successfully fund the completion of the journey.
I start to fall asleep.
The woman camping behind me (Gail) who helped me identify an open space last night and has a small dog like mine brings be over a bowl of munchie mix saying “It’s a lot easier to work when you’re munching” and leaves it for me. I thank her as she walks off into the park.
I start slowly but soon realize…I’m hungry! I haven’t been eating and this is great!
I actually perked up for about an hour or so.
Then it started to drizzle.
Just a few drops.
But it was not ignorable.
And a few more.
Enough that it was annoying.
I moved into the tent.
And it became more constant.
Not ever heavy.
A light drizzle to a slight misty rain.
But all day.
From 2 pm untill I finally went to sleep.
I tried to write.
I kept fuzzing out.
Played my audio book
Kept falling asleep…finding the last place if was conscious of…
And falling asleep.
I was going in and out of sleep all day.
I never could rally.
I gave up around 9pm
I don’t know why I was so lethargic.
Road weariness?
Aversion to thinking about my situation?
Tick bite?
Whatever the cause
My remedy:
They call it sleep.
06-24-11 - The Great Northfield Parade
Richard J. Warren
06-24-11
There's Frank James and Jesse James
Billy the Kid and all the rest
Supposed to be some bad cats
Way out in the West
189.7 Miles
Waking up to sunshine. “And we will praise it. And love the light that puts a smile your face.”
I leave camp and stop in Victoria for $5.00 of gas - I want to buy more at a cheaper station along the way. I as if anyone knows here I can do laundry. No one is from around there but they suggest Chanhassen . I look up Laundromats on the internet and Chanhassen is the closest. I find the place and wash and dry various itemes that need it, chief among them are my jeans. I‘m nearly done with the writing when two little girls run ing to get change from the bill changer for candy from the concession machine and the oldest of the two says “you can’t have your dog in here - it says so over there”. I’m always pissed off at this kind of exclusion but I’m not going to get upset at a little “know it all” girl.
Am I ?
“Where does it say that” I ask. (‘cuz I’ve looked and actually couldn’t find a sign)
“There” she points at the little sign applied in a position where it’s is only really seen from the outside and is obscured by metal door handles near it. And I have not yet heard back from the person I was hoping to be able to interview. I have to more on.
Time is getting on
On to Northfield
I know I have enough gas to get there after stopping south of the city to get some cheaper gas ($3.49)
As I come into town I’m surprised to see that “Malt-o-Meal” is big in Northfield
I get into the center of the town and search for the building where the James - Younger ill fated Northfield bank robbery took place.
First, I cross a bridge above a river and enter the town. It is a lovely and historic downtown, but there is also a since of thriving younger businesses making themselves a part of the fabric of the culture. Past and present merged. Very Touristy, and yet a community all it’s own. And a very European feel to the town’s look and feel. There are two colleges/universities in the town and that helps the mix. I get my pictures and then look for a shady area to park for Mischa. She has gotten antsy and it’s clear she needs to get out, relieve herself and prance around abit.
We go to the riverside and walk along it. I read a layout of the town and later see a place that says the town is largely here and triving because of the mill down the river from me. The first owner sold it to (ironically) a Jessie Ames (one letter off!) and he and his sons moved the mill to the side of the river where it currently sits. They won many awards for their millwork. Years later they sold it to the people who would create “Malt-O-Meal”. And the rest, as they say, is history.
I go for internet access in the shade. I’ve found out that the person I’d hoped to interview will not be available to do so. I guess it works out. I’d already left.
I was already near empty…I put my last five dollars into the tank and had planned to drive to Red Wing and then down the river to Winona.
But as I get to a freeway overpass I assess my assets. I need to get to Winona to pick up some mail that has been sent to me there. That is the essential destination. I’ve had to forego a lot of things I’d like to do and places I’d like to have gone on this trip. This will be just another on the list.
But will I have enough to make it to Winona?
I get to Rochester on fumes. My Garmin kept on trying to take me on routes that seemed dubious at best. The fact that it is at least 4 years out of date, I’ve learned not to trust it when a map doesn’t seem to verify it’s routing.
I get on the interview and check to see if anyone has responded to my “SOS” to the world. Before leaving Northfield, I posted an “Urgent Need” post asking for help to get me to Winona.
Tammy Wilson, a friend from Oklahoma and buddy of the provider of my new tent, Larry, has joined my subscribers list with a $25 deposit in my paypal account. I can get to Winona. This is great news! But I’m not out of the woods quite yet. Her $25 is now showing as $17.50 because a purchase that was run thru as a charge has finally come in.
This is a frequent problem. Gas stations especially have problems putting thru debit purchases…they seem to prefer them as charges. And checks to parks - sometimes don’t process for 2 months. Keeping track of what’s a current balance and what hasn’t processed thru can often mess you up.
So I have gas, and I get to Winona. It is surprising. I expected it to be low and flat beside the Mississippi River. I come into a deep gorge defile. To my left up a high flagstone mountain is a cylindrical sandy cone. I find out that it is called “Sugarloaf”.
It catches my attention from the back side of the approach to the south side of Winona. I go to Walmart thinking I may be sleeping there tonight. I call my nephew, Josh and an old college friend and housemate, Rick. I explain my situation. Josh has to check things out financially and will call me back. I tell him, if things are tight, just say no. I get Rick and he is willing to join up as a supporter. I needed $20 for a nights camping. I will have a place to sleep tonight and perhaps tomorrow as well. Maybe a little gas to enter Wisconsin on Sunday - the 24th state. Half way done. Moments later, I get a call back from Josh. He’s already put in $25. I’m and thankful, though a little guilty. I think this might have been financially uncomfortable for him . It would have been ok for him to say “No”. But this does guarantee that I’ll be able to enter, at least, Wisconsin.
There is huge question at this moment how much more this will go on. I hope to “Go the Distance”, but fundraising is like the battle of Sisyphus. And always out of my comfort zone.
I have concerns. Concerns about my health. Concerns about Mischa’s health especially. She’s lost at least 8 pounds since we began and I don’t know why. I don’t know if she hs been affected by tick bites. I’ve found a few on her and removed them…but have I missed some?
I have needs to keep from losing everything I own in storage. I have one week of medicine left. I need to keep my car insurance and auto club insurance current. All of this now coming on top of the basic need for gas, lodging and …occasionally food.
I’ve cut back on that the most. I think the last weeks food budget has been less than $28 for the entire week.
These are the things that keep me up at night.
The drive to the campsite was stunningly beautiful the sunset to the west highlighted Sugarloaf mountain. And the drive over the levee to the camp alongside the backwaters of the Mississippi with the last vestiges of the days light reflecting off the waters was a silvery mirror of moonlight and day kissing on the surface.
I get to the camp and go into the office to see if there is room. It looks like Memorial Day and the 4th of July combined. The camp is busy.
The person behind the counter is very young. He also looks incredibly like Daniel Radcliffe.
No?
How about Harry Potter.
Yeah.
Glasses and all.
He doesn’t seem to play to it or even acknowledge it.
He’s very helpful and competent.
I get the tent up, loaded and am ready to sleep. It was a good sunny day.
I’m a bit baked and the anxiety of the day makes me want to sleep. But my thoughts intervene. I write till I can’t focus. Play some more of the current Dresden files book until I lose track, become aware enough to shut down the computer. It’s becoming a frequent sequence of events.
And I’m getting tired of being tired..
06-24-11
There's Frank James and Jesse James
Billy the Kid and all the rest
Supposed to be some bad cats
Way out in the West
189.7 Miles
Waking up to sunshine. “And we will praise it. And love the light that puts a smile your face.”
I leave camp and stop in Victoria for $5.00 of gas - I want to buy more at a cheaper station along the way. I as if anyone knows here I can do laundry. No one is from around there but they suggest Chanhassen . I look up Laundromats on the internet and Chanhassen is the closest. I find the place and wash and dry various itemes that need it, chief among them are my jeans. I‘m nearly done with the writing when two little girls run ing to get change from the bill changer for candy from the concession machine and the oldest of the two says “you can’t have your dog in here - it says so over there”. I’m always pissed off at this kind of exclusion but I’m not going to get upset at a little “know it all” girl.
Am I ?
“Where does it say that” I ask. (‘cuz I’ve looked and actually couldn’t find a sign)
“There” she points at the little sign applied in a position where it’s is only really seen from the outside and is obscured by metal door handles near it. And I have not yet heard back from the person I was hoping to be able to interview. I have to more on.
Time is getting on
On to Northfield
I know I have enough gas to get there after stopping south of the city to get some cheaper gas ($3.49)
As I come into town I’m surprised to see that “Malt-o-Meal” is big in Northfield
I get into the center of the town and search for the building where the James - Younger ill fated Northfield bank robbery took place.
First, I cross a bridge above a river and enter the town. It is a lovely and historic downtown, but there is also a since of thriving younger businesses making themselves a part of the fabric of the culture. Past and present merged. Very Touristy, and yet a community all it’s own. And a very European feel to the town’s look and feel. There are two colleges/universities in the town and that helps the mix. I get my pictures and then look for a shady area to park for Mischa. She has gotten antsy and it’s clear she needs to get out, relieve herself and prance around abit.
We go to the riverside and walk along it. I read a layout of the town and later see a place that says the town is largely here and triving because of the mill down the river from me. The first owner sold it to (ironically) a Jessie Ames (one letter off!) and he and his sons moved the mill to the side of the river where it currently sits. They won many awards for their millwork. Years later they sold it to the people who would create “Malt-O-Meal”. And the rest, as they say, is history.
I go for internet access in the shade. I’ve found out that the person I’d hoped to interview will not be available to do so. I guess it works out. I’d already left.
I was already near empty…I put my last five dollars into the tank and had planned to drive to Red Wing and then down the river to Winona.
But as I get to a freeway overpass I assess my assets. I need to get to Winona to pick up some mail that has been sent to me there. That is the essential destination. I’ve had to forego a lot of things I’d like to do and places I’d like to have gone on this trip. This will be just another on the list.
But will I have enough to make it to Winona?
I get to Rochester on fumes. My Garmin kept on trying to take me on routes that seemed dubious at best. The fact that it is at least 4 years out of date, I’ve learned not to trust it when a map doesn’t seem to verify it’s routing.
I get on the interview and check to see if anyone has responded to my “SOS” to the world. Before leaving Northfield, I posted an “Urgent Need” post asking for help to get me to Winona.
Tammy Wilson, a friend from Oklahoma and buddy of the provider of my new tent, Larry, has joined my subscribers list with a $25 deposit in my paypal account. I can get to Winona. This is great news! But I’m not out of the woods quite yet. Her $25 is now showing as $17.50 because a purchase that was run thru as a charge has finally come in.
This is a frequent problem. Gas stations especially have problems putting thru debit purchases…they seem to prefer them as charges. And checks to parks - sometimes don’t process for 2 months. Keeping track of what’s a current balance and what hasn’t processed thru can often mess you up.
So I have gas, and I get to Winona. It is surprising. I expected it to be low and flat beside the Mississippi River. I come into a deep gorge defile. To my left up a high flagstone mountain is a cylindrical sandy cone. I find out that it is called “Sugarloaf”.
It catches my attention from the back side of the approach to the south side of Winona. I go to Walmart thinking I may be sleeping there tonight. I call my nephew, Josh and an old college friend and housemate, Rick. I explain my situation. Josh has to check things out financially and will call me back. I tell him, if things are tight, just say no. I get Rick and he is willing to join up as a supporter. I needed $20 for a nights camping. I will have a place to sleep tonight and perhaps tomorrow as well. Maybe a little gas to enter Wisconsin on Sunday - the 24th state. Half way done. Moments later, I get a call back from Josh. He’s already put in $25. I’m and thankful, though a little guilty. I think this might have been financially uncomfortable for him . It would have been ok for him to say “No”. But this does guarantee that I’ll be able to enter, at least, Wisconsin.
There is huge question at this moment how much more this will go on. I hope to “Go the Distance”, but fundraising is like the battle of Sisyphus. And always out of my comfort zone.
I have concerns. Concerns about my health. Concerns about Mischa’s health especially. She’s lost at least 8 pounds since we began and I don’t know why. I don’t know if she hs been affected by tick bites. I’ve found a few on her and removed them…but have I missed some?
I have needs to keep from losing everything I own in storage. I have one week of medicine left. I need to keep my car insurance and auto club insurance current. All of this now coming on top of the basic need for gas, lodging and …occasionally food.
I’ve cut back on that the most. I think the last weeks food budget has been less than $28 for the entire week.
These are the things that keep me up at night.
The drive to the campsite was stunningly beautiful the sunset to the west highlighted Sugarloaf mountain. And the drive over the levee to the camp alongside the backwaters of the Mississippi with the last vestiges of the days light reflecting off the waters was a silvery mirror of moonlight and day kissing on the surface.
I get to the camp and go into the office to see if there is room. It looks like Memorial Day and the 4th of July combined. The camp is busy.
The person behind the counter is very young. He also looks incredibly like Daniel Radcliffe.
No?
How about Harry Potter.
Yeah.
Glasses and all.
He doesn’t seem to play to it or even acknowledge it.
He’s very helpful and competent.
I get the tent up, loaded and am ready to sleep. It was a good sunny day.
I’m a bit baked and the anxiety of the day makes me want to sleep. But my thoughts intervene. I write till I can’t focus. Play some more of the current Dresden files book until I lose track, become aware enough to shut down the computer. It’s becoming a frequent sequence of events.
And I’m getting tired of being tired..
06-23-11 - In the city
06-23-11
It's survival in the city
When you live from day to day
City streets don't have much pity
When you're down, that's where you'll stay
101.7 Miles
The Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul
Waking up in the Walmart parking lot I was a bit better for wear than I though I would be. Shaking off the cold (warmer that a tent would have been) and stretching I put my sandals back on and prepared to get the day going. I went into Walmart to use the facilities and to get a little warm breakfast for Mischa and myself.
The facilities were waiting, but the deli wouldn’t open for two hours. I asked the woman at the entrance about local places to get some sort of warm breakfast and she mentioned a few. One of the clerks doing the morning stocking had mentioned White Castle. As much as I enjoyed the exploits of Harold and Kumar I decided to pass. I used the Garmin and it mentioned a Pannera* Bread and the Caribou Coffee place I’d discovered yesterday - both had internet and I hope some sort of breakfast sandwich. This was in the late 6am hour. I worked on finishing and posting 3 days of posts; launched my Kickstarter Project (sans video - they need a video of 200mb or less, the one I have is over 750mb. I need to have some work done on it.) and realized it was almost 11:30am!
I got an egg white, turkey and bacon (and spinach) muffin and a white peach raspberry smoothie, then prepared to explore the Twin Cities..
My first destination was the offices of Senator Al Franken. I thought maybe I could get some attention for my project and the ongoing plight of the 99er’s an long term unemployed. He seemed like a good person. Amy Clobaschar too…but I wasn’t sure how to spell her name. I put the address in the Garman and followed it to an unassuming building called the Drake.
There was a Bank on the bottom floor and the rest of the floors of th 5-6 story building looked to hold offices of various types.. The Capitol building (This is in St. Paul) was many blocks north of the freeway and this was just a few blocks south in an almost industrial area. I had thought perhaps the Garmin was taking me to an outdated address again until I realized I’d entered the address in myself this morning.
I thought of going in to talk to his staff to see what interest might be generated but chickened out.
One, I‘d have to leave Mischa in the parking lot for who knows how long (I presumed a security check point)
Two, I was very rough looking .to say the least at the moment. I had at last 5 days of stubble growth and hadn’t showered in as many days. My jeans were grubby and I’d slept in my clothes in my car all night. Good first impression, ya know?!
So, yeah…I chickened out.
Next stop- the capitol building. The radio was talking about the impasse between the Governor and the Republican State congress over the budget. If an agreement isn’t reached by the end of the month the government will shut down and thousands of state workers will be put out of their jobs, even critical services. I tried to get there via the Garmin’s routing, but it wasn’t aware that most of the city streets were under construction as thy were putting in a light rail system
I finally managed to maneuver my way to the Capitol building. It is way on top of a hill with an imposing majestic presence. And the view from the park overlook beside it is also imposing and majestic…an impressive. In the park ther overlook is suspended out from the hillside. The panoramic view of the capitol, the city downtown and th Mississippi river plain out to the Wisconsin border is dynamic.
Of course, the construction down the main drag of the city is a bit of an eyesore…but eventually I’m sure it will look grand again.
There was a man clearing high weeds from the area next to the overlook. I asked him “What city am I in?” This is St. Paul.
“Where’s Minneapolis from here?”
To the west. You visiting here? Friends? Family?
I told him about the Journey I asked him about the overlook. He said that it was originally built to look at the airport.
Airport?
It’s straight down below and was sort of a focal point. Then St. John’s built a hospital there, and another couple of hospitals and buildings were build, now you can’t even see the airport anymore.
I said the view of the Capitol building was pretty spectacular. Told him what a hard time I had navigating my way here.
“Yeah, that’s the light rail they’re building.” he pointed down to the main isle of construction downtown “You can’t get there from here” he jested.
I mentioned I’d been listening to the radio about the ongoing drama with the state budget.
What will happen to you if the budget doesn’t get passed?
“I’ll be out of work…along with over 35 thousand other state workers.”
How long will that be? A month or more?
“No, I think it’ll be no more than a couple of weeks. And the timing…just before the big 4th of July weekend.”
Do you think they’ll reach an agreement?
“No. I hope they do, but I don’t think so. Not this time around“.
I asked him his name and gave him mine. Jay was a good spirited man. Liked his work and his state. Took much pride in the area. And from that vantage point, it was easy to understand.
I went to discover the next place on the list of places to see. To Minneapolis!
I was trying to find a place called “The Original Minneapolis Baseball Hall of Fame”! I’d never heard of it but it was on the Garmin, so I had to find it. There was a good deal of construction going one there too. Right where I was trying to get to. It took me around the “Hubert Humphrey -Mall of America - Metrodome”.
[C’mon folks! Isn’t it time we put a ban on letting corporations buy the name of a stadium? It should be named ofter something from the state or city or a famous native son. “The Metrodome.” “Hubert Humphrey Memorial Stadium” “Shay Stadium” “Wrigley Field”. I tell you, I turned off to Baseball in a big way the day they allowed “3-Com” to take away the name of “Candlestick Park”. It was the point of demarcation when Pro Sports league and owners decided that profit came before the sport and the fans. That these were no longer centers of civic pride, but advertising venues available to the highest bidder. The ongoing loyalties of the “Bleacher Bums” rabble was to be cast away for the corporate clowns that could afford the luxury “Sky Boxes”. “Here endeth the lecture”.]
As I drove around the stadium I noticed the Marque players featured near the ticket boxes were Adrian Petersen (understandable) and Brett Farve (?!).
I also saw two cops on horseback sauntering down the street. You don’t see horse patrol that often. I asked one of the Equine Cops if they knew where this “Baseball Hall of Fame” building was. She looked at me with what could only be call disinterest. I’d obviously interrupted a pleasant conversation with her partner. They’d never heard of it and so I went on my way. Impeding my hunt were one way streets and more road construction.. I got to a place where it said I’d past it, but via triangulation I knew I must be only a block or so way. Then I saw a sign..old chipped paint on the narrow surface of a triangulated wall that mentioned “Baseball Hall of Fame”. “Dis must be de place!”
Cutting thru a restaurant parking lot I got as close to the sign wall as I could. Construction was going on on the other side of the wall - another street: so this was probably as close as I could have gotten, by shear luck. I walked around the corner and found a sporting memorabilia store. I had low hopes for this outcome.
A clerk was dealing with a customer who was buying a Mauer jersey and complaining about how much the stadium store wanted to charge for it. He left (eventually) and the clerk turned his attention to me. I asked about the “Hall of Fame” and he said “It’s right back there - I’ll flip the light on for you” “This was where the original Baseball hall of Fame was before” I ask.
“No. This was Minnesota’s first Baseball Hall of Fame” he corrects. He leaves me to it as another customer walked in.
This is basically a back storage room. And as for “Baseball” there are more pictures of Country Western artists and actors than Baseball players at first look. The constant is a older gentleman and/or his wife in all these pictures. Mr. Crump.
When I get to the back of the storage room I start to see Baseball pictures. Framed collections of baseball cards of the Twins players thru the years. Some of these hanging on the walls are blocked by display racks and other things in storage stacked in front of them. Only when you get to the back wall does it start to look like an intentional “Wall of Fame”. Again the framed baseball cards along with signed photos. But there is also an assortment of bats and uniforms (Tony Oliva is featured in two of these) I see a card for Johnny Roseboro (One of my all time favorite Dodgers) as a Twins catcher in 1969. There is a news paper and photo salute to the 1965 world series against the Dodgers. Pictures of Sandy Kofax pitching and one with him and Harmon Killabrew together.. A headline announces “Dodgers Sweep Twins in Two”.
And at the end of the isle, a true find. “The Beatles”. Photos of the Beatles from obviously their first or second US tour with Mr. Crump sitting on a cot next to each of the Beatles separately. (What were they doing on cots and what was he doing on the cot with them?)
I go out and ask the clerk about the man in the photos.
He tells me about him. He started as a bat boy for the Washington Senators and followed them when they relocated to The Twin Cities. He worked for them in various capacities through the years and started this store. He developed a hobby of meeting celebrities when they came to town. His connection to the tema gave him easy access and over the years it lead to other fields of interest, actors and county music artists.
I asked about the Beatles. The clerk said that when the they came to town to play there was concern about ptting them up in local hotels because of all the “Beatle-mania that had followed them throughout the states and since they were playing at the Ice Hockey arena next door to the stadium they put the boys up in the visiting teams locker room. Hence the cots.
I mentioned that Mr. Crump seemed to have had and interesting and fulfilling life. The clerk agreed. “He’s my dad.” he said with a little bit of pride in the words. This is a family business. And it was obvious that doing what you love, whatever that might be, is as good a road to happiness as anything else.
http://www.domeplus.com/Museum/index.htm
I had wanted to go to a gallery called “Louvre it or Leave it”. I liked the pun but not the parking. So I took a picture of the outside of the building where it was supposed to be and moved on.
Next was to find the Stone Arch and locks
These are very old stone works along the Mississippi River in the old warehouse district. A dam on the river provided power for the factories and the locks allowed navigation of the waterways. Old Mills and breweries and factories looked down from their purchases above the river course like old vultures or guarding sentinels. A family of ducks parades by unimpressed by their austere loomings. The water is wet…ant they’re ducks. They have what they need.
And with some photo snap page, so do I.
The ducks may not have been impressed…but I was. I am only human after all.
There is a big bridge across the river…so I have to stake it. I’l also getting low on gas so I think I’ll search for that on the other side.
I’m finding a lot of BP gas stations and for what they did in the Gulf they are on permanent boycott by me…like…forever! (Hence the permanent thing.)
I drive for miles further that I wanted to. I go into a University of Minnesota neighborhood and find a wifi spot and look for cheap (Non BP) gas. It’s just a few blocks away at a Kwik Stop. I go there and there’s a Panera Bread shop nearby so I get more of my internet communications done as evening starts to set in. I’m searching all around for cheap tent camping near the twin cities. I’m trying to arrange an interview and will leave tomorrow for Northfield so I would like to stay close and have a direct line south it possible.
At the end of the day, as the saying goes, going back to Victoria was the cheapest option. So I did that.
I set up camp in the daylight and took Mischa…check that, Mischa too ME on a walk. We explored much of the local flora and fauna. At one point Mischa seemed determined to head further down further down a dark muddy pathway. I nixed that and tried to head us both towards the sunny beach area…until I saw the sign “Pets not allowed on the beach”. Well, Then, I wouldn’t go on the beach either!
I went to pay for the nights camping and stopped to fill my water jugs. After bother were filled (from a drinking fountain) I notice a funny smell and a light discoloration to the water. I sipped it. Gasoline! Are they doing “fracking” nearby? I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was ignitable. After a sip, I spit it out and emptied the contents of both jugs. I may have to go back into town 3 miles way for water!
As I got to the pay station I saw a water pump! Huzzah! I can fill up here and stay in camp.
I filled one jug. Same story. In to town I went.
I stopped at a gas station for just a little more internet work - I posted a few things and then the lights went out. At the gas station. It was suddenly 10 pm and I had never gotten in to the station to get more water.
I drove over to the local store and a man was standing next to the door in the process of closing.
“Does the whole town close at 10pm?” I asked?
“We do, but what do you need?” he asked
“Water”
“C’mon in,” he offered, “I still have a customer inside”
I never saw the other customer, but got the jug of water…and a bag of tortilla chips…I wanted to make it worth the man’s time and kindness.
I was the only one in the store and he’d delayed his getting closed and home just to help me get some water. And he seemed gracious and unrushed about it. Like he was glad to do it. Remarkable.
But only in the since that I’ve seen an absence of that in recent years, but I’ve enjoyed an abundance of it along the Journey. Remarkable in that I think that kind of kindness and consideration to a stranger is second nature to most of us at our best selves. And that we’ve been strangers to our “Better natures” for far too long.
Back at camp I’m writing in the tent, then listening to another Dresden Files book winding down to sleep.
Across the way a couple (or is it a couple of couples - hard to tell) are sitting around the fireplace drinking and talking. A male is cussing and being generally loud. (This is going to be a fun night!)
Later in the evening I hear different sounds. I think of scenes in tents from Little Big Man and Dances with Wolves.
I think of a Paul Simon song “the couple in the next room, bound to win a prize”.
I hear the man loudly ejaculate “DAMN! I meant to save that!”
Speculation could last years as to what, precisely, he was referring to.
I only cared that things were quieter after that.
I woke to a sunny day in the morning and packed up the tent to head off. I was gone around 8am.
The couple has not left the tent this morning. Sleeping in late I suppose after last nights exertions.
Just as well to avoid awkward meetings of eyes.
It's survival in the city
When you live from day to day
City streets don't have much pity
When you're down, that's where you'll stay
101.7 Miles
The Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul
Waking up in the Walmart parking lot I was a bit better for wear than I though I would be. Shaking off the cold (warmer that a tent would have been) and stretching I put my sandals back on and prepared to get the day going. I went into Walmart to use the facilities and to get a little warm breakfast for Mischa and myself.
The facilities were waiting, but the deli wouldn’t open for two hours. I asked the woman at the entrance about local places to get some sort of warm breakfast and she mentioned a few. One of the clerks doing the morning stocking had mentioned White Castle. As much as I enjoyed the exploits of Harold and Kumar I decided to pass. I used the Garmin and it mentioned a Pannera* Bread and the Caribou Coffee place I’d discovered yesterday - both had internet and I hope some sort of breakfast sandwich. This was in the late 6am hour. I worked on finishing and posting 3 days of posts; launched my Kickstarter Project (sans video - they need a video of 200mb or less, the one I have is over 750mb. I need to have some work done on it.) and realized it was almost 11:30am!
I got an egg white, turkey and bacon (and spinach) muffin and a white peach raspberry smoothie, then prepared to explore the Twin Cities..
My first destination was the offices of Senator Al Franken. I thought maybe I could get some attention for my project and the ongoing plight of the 99er’s an long term unemployed. He seemed like a good person. Amy Clobaschar too…but I wasn’t sure how to spell her name. I put the address in the Garman and followed it to an unassuming building called the Drake.
There was a Bank on the bottom floor and the rest of the floors of th 5-6 story building looked to hold offices of various types.. The Capitol building (This is in St. Paul) was many blocks north of the freeway and this was just a few blocks south in an almost industrial area. I had thought perhaps the Garmin was taking me to an outdated address again until I realized I’d entered the address in myself this morning.
I thought of going in to talk to his staff to see what interest might be generated but chickened out.
One, I‘d have to leave Mischa in the parking lot for who knows how long (I presumed a security check point)
Two, I was very rough looking .to say the least at the moment. I had at last 5 days of stubble growth and hadn’t showered in as many days. My jeans were grubby and I’d slept in my clothes in my car all night. Good first impression, ya know?!
So, yeah…I chickened out.
Next stop- the capitol building. The radio was talking about the impasse between the Governor and the Republican State congress over the budget. If an agreement isn’t reached by the end of the month the government will shut down and thousands of state workers will be put out of their jobs, even critical services. I tried to get there via the Garmin’s routing, but it wasn’t aware that most of the city streets were under construction as thy were putting in a light rail system
I finally managed to maneuver my way to the Capitol building. It is way on top of a hill with an imposing majestic presence. And the view from the park overlook beside it is also imposing and majestic…an impressive. In the park ther overlook is suspended out from the hillside. The panoramic view of the capitol, the city downtown and th Mississippi river plain out to the Wisconsin border is dynamic.
Of course, the construction down the main drag of the city is a bit of an eyesore…but eventually I’m sure it will look grand again.
There was a man clearing high weeds from the area next to the overlook. I asked him “What city am I in?” This is St. Paul.
“Where’s Minneapolis from here?”
To the west. You visiting here? Friends? Family?
I told him about the Journey I asked him about the overlook. He said that it was originally built to look at the airport.
Airport?
It’s straight down below and was sort of a focal point. Then St. John’s built a hospital there, and another couple of hospitals and buildings were build, now you can’t even see the airport anymore.
I said the view of the Capitol building was pretty spectacular. Told him what a hard time I had navigating my way here.
“Yeah, that’s the light rail they’re building.” he pointed down to the main isle of construction downtown “You can’t get there from here” he jested.
I mentioned I’d been listening to the radio about the ongoing drama with the state budget.
What will happen to you if the budget doesn’t get passed?
“I’ll be out of work…along with over 35 thousand other state workers.”
How long will that be? A month or more?
“No, I think it’ll be no more than a couple of weeks. And the timing…just before the big 4th of July weekend.”
Do you think they’ll reach an agreement?
“No. I hope they do, but I don’t think so. Not this time around“.
I asked him his name and gave him mine. Jay was a good spirited man. Liked his work and his state. Took much pride in the area. And from that vantage point, it was easy to understand.
I went to discover the next place on the list of places to see. To Minneapolis!
I was trying to find a place called “The Original Minneapolis Baseball Hall of Fame”! I’d never heard of it but it was on the Garmin, so I had to find it. There was a good deal of construction going one there too. Right where I was trying to get to. It took me around the “Hubert Humphrey -Mall of America - Metrodome”.
[C’mon folks! Isn’t it time we put a ban on letting corporations buy the name of a stadium? It should be named ofter something from the state or city or a famous native son. “The Metrodome.” “Hubert Humphrey Memorial Stadium” “Shay Stadium” “Wrigley Field”. I tell you, I turned off to Baseball in a big way the day they allowed “3-Com” to take away the name of “Candlestick Park”. It was the point of demarcation when Pro Sports league and owners decided that profit came before the sport and the fans. That these were no longer centers of civic pride, but advertising venues available to the highest bidder. The ongoing loyalties of the “Bleacher Bums” rabble was to be cast away for the corporate clowns that could afford the luxury “Sky Boxes”. “Here endeth the lecture”.]
As I drove around the stadium I noticed the Marque players featured near the ticket boxes were Adrian Petersen (understandable) and Brett Farve (?!).
I also saw two cops on horseback sauntering down the street. You don’t see horse patrol that often. I asked one of the Equine Cops if they knew where this “Baseball Hall of Fame” building was. She looked at me with what could only be call disinterest. I’d obviously interrupted a pleasant conversation with her partner. They’d never heard of it and so I went on my way. Impeding my hunt were one way streets and more road construction.. I got to a place where it said I’d past it, but via triangulation I knew I must be only a block or so way. Then I saw a sign..old chipped paint on the narrow surface of a triangulated wall that mentioned “Baseball Hall of Fame”. “Dis must be de place!”
Cutting thru a restaurant parking lot I got as close to the sign wall as I could. Construction was going on on the other side of the wall - another street: so this was probably as close as I could have gotten, by shear luck. I walked around the corner and found a sporting memorabilia store. I had low hopes for this outcome.
A clerk was dealing with a customer who was buying a Mauer jersey and complaining about how much the stadium store wanted to charge for it. He left (eventually) and the clerk turned his attention to me. I asked about the “Hall of Fame” and he said “It’s right back there - I’ll flip the light on for you” “This was where the original Baseball hall of Fame was before” I ask.
“No. This was Minnesota’s first Baseball Hall of Fame” he corrects. He leaves me to it as another customer walked in.
This is basically a back storage room. And as for “Baseball” there are more pictures of Country Western artists and actors than Baseball players at first look. The constant is a older gentleman and/or his wife in all these pictures. Mr. Crump.
When I get to the back of the storage room I start to see Baseball pictures. Framed collections of baseball cards of the Twins players thru the years. Some of these hanging on the walls are blocked by display racks and other things in storage stacked in front of them. Only when you get to the back wall does it start to look like an intentional “Wall of Fame”. Again the framed baseball cards along with signed photos. But there is also an assortment of bats and uniforms (Tony Oliva is featured in two of these) I see a card for Johnny Roseboro (One of my all time favorite Dodgers) as a Twins catcher in 1969. There is a news paper and photo salute to the 1965 world series against the Dodgers. Pictures of Sandy Kofax pitching and one with him and Harmon Killabrew together.. A headline announces “Dodgers Sweep Twins in Two”.
And at the end of the isle, a true find. “The Beatles”. Photos of the Beatles from obviously their first or second US tour with Mr. Crump sitting on a cot next to each of the Beatles separately. (What were they doing on cots and what was he doing on the cot with them?)
I go out and ask the clerk about the man in the photos.
He tells me about him. He started as a bat boy for the Washington Senators and followed them when they relocated to The Twin Cities. He worked for them in various capacities through the years and started this store. He developed a hobby of meeting celebrities when they came to town. His connection to the tema gave him easy access and over the years it lead to other fields of interest, actors and county music artists.
I asked about the Beatles. The clerk said that when the they came to town to play there was concern about ptting them up in local hotels because of all the “Beatle-mania that had followed them throughout the states and since they were playing at the Ice Hockey arena next door to the stadium they put the boys up in the visiting teams locker room. Hence the cots.
I mentioned that Mr. Crump seemed to have had and interesting and fulfilling life. The clerk agreed. “He’s my dad.” he said with a little bit of pride in the words. This is a family business. And it was obvious that doing what you love, whatever that might be, is as good a road to happiness as anything else.
http://www.domeplus.com/Museum/index.htm
I had wanted to go to a gallery called “Louvre it or Leave it”. I liked the pun but not the parking. So I took a picture of the outside of the building where it was supposed to be and moved on.
Next was to find the Stone Arch and locks
These are very old stone works along the Mississippi River in the old warehouse district. A dam on the river provided power for the factories and the locks allowed navigation of the waterways. Old Mills and breweries and factories looked down from their purchases above the river course like old vultures or guarding sentinels. A family of ducks parades by unimpressed by their austere loomings. The water is wet…ant they’re ducks. They have what they need.
And with some photo snap page, so do I.
The ducks may not have been impressed…but I was. I am only human after all.
There is a big bridge across the river…so I have to stake it. I’l also getting low on gas so I think I’ll search for that on the other side.
I’m finding a lot of BP gas stations and for what they did in the Gulf they are on permanent boycott by me…like…forever! (Hence the permanent thing.)
I drive for miles further that I wanted to. I go into a University of Minnesota neighborhood and find a wifi spot and look for cheap (Non BP) gas. It’s just a few blocks away at a Kwik Stop. I go there and there’s a Panera Bread shop nearby so I get more of my internet communications done as evening starts to set in. I’m searching all around for cheap tent camping near the twin cities. I’m trying to arrange an interview and will leave tomorrow for Northfield so I would like to stay close and have a direct line south it possible.
At the end of the day, as the saying goes, going back to Victoria was the cheapest option. So I did that.
I set up camp in the daylight and took Mischa…check that, Mischa too ME on a walk. We explored much of the local flora and fauna. At one point Mischa seemed determined to head further down further down a dark muddy pathway. I nixed that and tried to head us both towards the sunny beach area…until I saw the sign “Pets not allowed on the beach”. Well, Then, I wouldn’t go on the beach either!
I went to pay for the nights camping and stopped to fill my water jugs. After bother were filled (from a drinking fountain) I notice a funny smell and a light discoloration to the water. I sipped it. Gasoline! Are they doing “fracking” nearby? I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was ignitable. After a sip, I spit it out and emptied the contents of both jugs. I may have to go back into town 3 miles way for water!
As I got to the pay station I saw a water pump! Huzzah! I can fill up here and stay in camp.
I filled one jug. Same story. In to town I went.
I stopped at a gas station for just a little more internet work - I posted a few things and then the lights went out. At the gas station. It was suddenly 10 pm and I had never gotten in to the station to get more water.
I drove over to the local store and a man was standing next to the door in the process of closing.
“Does the whole town close at 10pm?” I asked?
“We do, but what do you need?” he asked
“Water”
“C’mon in,” he offered, “I still have a customer inside”
I never saw the other customer, but got the jug of water…and a bag of tortilla chips…I wanted to make it worth the man’s time and kindness.
I was the only one in the store and he’d delayed his getting closed and home just to help me get some water. And he seemed gracious and unrushed about it. Like he was glad to do it. Remarkable.
But only in the since that I’ve seen an absence of that in recent years, but I’ve enjoyed an abundance of it along the Journey. Remarkable in that I think that kind of kindness and consideration to a stranger is second nature to most of us at our best selves. And that we’ve been strangers to our “Better natures” for far too long.
Back at camp I’m writing in the tent, then listening to another Dresden Files book winding down to sleep.
Across the way a couple (or is it a couple of couples - hard to tell) are sitting around the fireplace drinking and talking. A male is cussing and being generally loud. (This is going to be a fun night!)
Later in the evening I hear different sounds. I think of scenes in tents from Little Big Man and Dances with Wolves.
I think of a Paul Simon song “the couple in the next room, bound to win a prize”.
I hear the man loudly ejaculate “DAMN! I meant to save that!”
Speculation could last years as to what, precisely, he was referring to.
I only cared that things were quieter after that.
I woke to a sunny day in the morning and packed up the tent to head off. I was gone around 8am.
The couple has not left the tent this morning. Sleeping in late I suppose after last nights exertions.
Just as well to avoid awkward meetings of eyes.
06-22-11 - Watching the river run
06-22-11
Further and further from things that we've done,
Leaving them one by one.
And we have just begun watching the river run.
Listening and learning and yearning.
Run, river, run.
I don’t get a lot of sleep from the night before.
Realizing I’d lost th thread of the audio book that was plaing long before, I’d shut the computer down around 11pm and faded back to sleep. But I woke at 1pm to the sounds of the trucks that seem to be ever present in this town. There is a junction of at least two highways along Melrose’s “Main Street” and a few lots off the main road are lots filled with trucks and or trailers from various trucking companies. There is a Tyson’s food factory in town and maybe a lot of shipping by truck is from them. But I think it’s more just a waypoint town. The loud engine growl of 18 wheelers can be heard day and night from the campgrounds. The river runs thru the town but does not quiet it with the soothing sounds of its swift flowing effluence.
I think of things thru the early morning hours. The thoughts both prevent me from sleeping and give me something to do in sleeps absence. My nature abhors a vacuum. I think of past girlfriends, the loves of my life, back to elementary school - Margarita in 2nd grade at John Muir Elementary in Santa Monica and especially Cynthia in Mr. Silverstein’s 3rd grade class at Thomas A Edison school is a different part of Santa Monica. I think of the kid I was back then and the times that influenced me. I was confident and had the best friends then. I ran for class president and won! The 1960 elections had been televised almost to the exclusion of anything else so I watched that. We were republicans. I liked Ike and rooted for Nixon to win. But I also like that Kennedy guy. And they both won! (It was the primaries.) I listened to their speeches and thought about our class president speeches that usually went with the general format of “ If elected class president, I promise to do a good job and represent Mr. Silverstein’s 3rd grade class to the best of my ability.” I had never run before but on a lark I decided to try it. Those speeches were pretty meaningless and everybody pretty much said the same thing. I was going to run on a platform and make campaign promises!
The main reason for being class president was to be chalkboard monitor for the month and to be able to be team captain for the sports teams. I’d been listening too to the complaints about the corruption in the office by the past title holders. The president would appoint themselves or their friends “Chalk board monitor” and their friends would get to bat first and more frequently. It was Cynthia, representing the nascent woman’s caucus that had brought up the inequity of girls getting to bat. So, when It camp my turn to mumble my standard “election speech” I said If elected, I will give everyone a fair chance to be chalkboard monitor, and girls will get to play on the baseball team”…and I finished with the standard stuff about representing the class. I think the whole “Chalkboard-gate’ had gotten me fired up in it’s unfairness, I wan’t running for myself, it was to redress the unfair practices of past presidents.
I won by a landslide.
Then the hard job of keeping my word and keeping my friends. I decided that I would not seek nor accept the position again after the great Baseball debacle. Girls “Did” get to be on the team, but they often got to bat last…because we were playing other classes and “we wanted to win”. And many of the girls just weren’t as good as the guys who played all the time. My big failure was, in the last inning. We were close and could win with the right hitter. A girl, who was a notorious “whiffer” was due at bat, and my friend Chris (the best player on the team) pleased with me to put him in so we could win. I told the girl I was putting Chris I so we could win the game and she would be responsible for letting us win if she would let him bat ahead of her. She grudgingly agreed. Chris hit, we won, recess was over - and I’d lost. The trust of the girls, stature, though not friendship of Cynthia and my desire to be class president. I’d learned pleasing a lot of people could be a fractious task. I determined to pre-follow Ricky Nelsons’ future advice “you can’t please everyone, so you’ve got to please yourself. I found it was more important to be true to my friends that to campaign promises that I said to get elected, but had know idea how to implement them and still keep true to my intent.
These are some of the things that come to mind late at night. Especially on those nights where I’m trying to figure out how to keep the Journey moving forward. If the end is at hand and what to do then.
----------------------------
I woke up this morning to a steady staccato of drizzling rain on the tent and a nearly deflated air mattress. I opened the tent to let Mischa out to explore and relieve herself (she at least got a full nights rest) and to see how the day fared. The rain was not as bad as it sounded, but I would till wait awhile before breaking camp to try to get the car loaded with as many dry things as possible.
I watched the river flow and thought of the Loggins & Messina song. I though of the large Hispanic community in this town and wondered why here and in Minnesota of all places. A question to ask today if I can. I grew up in Santa Monica and Orange County California and blacks, Hispanics, Asians they we all part of my background, classmates and friends. I never thought too much about it. Seeing a large population of Hispanics in Orange, El Modena, Santa Ana - it wouldn’t even make me think twice. But in the small town of Melrose, Minnesota…it makes me wonder. Why here? How long have they been here? Who were the pioneers for their community. Are they a majority population here? Close?! It is the first community I have seen since perhaps Page Arizona or Clarksdale, Ms where a large population of “people of color” (I hate that phrase - everyone is a “Person of color”), let me re-phrase people who are of predominantly “non-Caucasian” heritage. It makes me think of home. It makes me thing of America. At least the country I grew up in.
The things I think of in the daytime when I’m awake.
And it’s only 7:25 am.
What will the rest of today bring?
I head east planning to get close to The Twin Cities by days end. Best option seems to be a campsite in Victoria, west of Eden Prairie.
I drive towards St. Cloud for gas and internet access. The internet access in Melrose has been catch as catch can - highly unreliable and slow.
Before getting to St. Cloud I stop at a Freeway Rest Stop. I talk to a service attendant name Denny who works there. He’s been in Minnesota most of his life except for when he was in the service. Grew up in Albany where he lives now. Worked for many years in the Twin Cities. Moved back and bought a home with acreage in Albany. Went thru a divorce and moved to St. Cloud for a few years, then when the divorce was finalized, moved back and bought the farm back where he now lives. He said it’s been difficult getting work. He’s getting hours because he’s filling in for a sick co-worker. Though it’s a state rest stop, his services are from a concessionaire that has the government contract. In the days new broadcast there is constant reporting on the budget crisis in the state that seems to mirror yet loom larger than the similar budget crisis on the Federal level. Denny is working 9 hour work days - no overtime. And he is lucky if he gets close to full time. If the state budget does not get approved and the government shutdown begins…Denny is out of work.
I think of my situation…the possibility that this adventure ends in days and that both Denny and I may be competing for jobs soon. And Minnesota just announced an unexpected increase in unemployment claims.
I wonder if anyone in government at any level has an idea of what life is like these days for people like Denny and I. The lack in faith in elected representatives who live and work in the comfort of funding by all the Denny’s and people like myself who pay our taxes regardless of our personal economic plight expecting that the paycheck these elected public servants cash will focus the attention of these people to “promote the general welfare” for the people who provide the only legitimate income they earn while they are in public service. They clearly don’t get it. The income they earn with the position is clearly not enough for them. So they double dip. They take in millions of campaign contributions. How, as a nation, did we ever allow this situation to happen? If a person can’t live on the 173k income we pay them annually (this doesn’t include the per diem or other benefits - “Leadership” positions get and extra 20 grand!) then they should pursue a more lucrative form of employment elsewhere and leave the field of public service to those who understand the term. And they should serve no more than two consecutive terms in any one position. On the state level, they need to remember that, thought they are elected to represent the constituents from the district they were elected from, their paycheck comes from everyone in that state (Yes…your personal paycheck comes to you via socialism.) and you are obligated to represent the entire state…as you are working at a state level. Sure, you advocate hard for things that benefit your district and for it’s best self interest…but not when it is at odds with the interests of the entire state!
The same goes for servants representing their state at the federal level. If you are a Representative or
Senator from ANY state…your pay comes from the taxes of people from every state in the union. (Let’s face it folks, if the payroll money came from the states the representatives came from nearly half of the states could not afford their representation!) At the Federal level you have the responsibility to represent ALL the people of the united states FROM your state or state district. Yes, advocate for your state or state districts needs, but not at the cost of the needs of the whole country. The problems of most of the elected officials at the the federal and national level is that they have become far too provincial and insular over the last few decades. Too selfish and short sighted. Too much “Senator & Representative” and not enough “Public servant”. Too much focus on re-election campaigns and not enough on “earning their paychecks”.
We do have some hard working public servants in government at all levels. But not enough and even they may have overstayed their welcome in their current seats. It was never meant to be a permanent career, but a limited term of public spirited service.
I leave Denny to continue making the rest stop a clean, pleasant and welcoming location. True “public service” and I’m sure he’s not getting anything near 173k/year…though he may actually be more productive than those who do.
Getting to St. Cloud, It is a rambling city and the Garmin takes me a long way to the center of it looking for McINternet. I perhaps could have found a location closer to the Freeway…but I didn’t check the map and was lazy.
I spend about an hour or more trying to figure out what to do with my now limited and dwindling resources.
I have to pick up some mail that has been sent to me along the way. And I am not sure I’ll have funds to last out the week -for gas and camping. And it’s been raining for two days and expected for another. My mood mirrors the weather, gloomy and overcast. Threat of rain, immanent.
I’ve got a since of where to go. Victoria seems to be the place to go. I had hopes of a different city park a little further from the cities than Victoria because it was less expensive, but they prohibit tents. Leave me out…in the cold.
My tent is still wet from last night, this morning so putting it up again is not a happily anticipated idea, though probably necessary.
I am directed off the freeway at Monticello to go thru Buffalo, Rodgers, Wayzeta, Minnetrieste and finally into Victoria. I find the campgrounds and see that there are a few good options for a place to stay with good wind/rain shelter. But before pitching tent, I decide to find wifi and check my options again. I find a Starbucks but can’t get a strong enough signal from my car in the parking lot. I find signal eventually in a shopping center across the road via Caribou Coffee. I find many things that help me decide. It’s rainy and getting dark. I head back to the campsite and stop at a grocery store for food for dinner. I get a cheap loaf of bread and some sandwich meat. I feed Mischa and myself a little food and take off, not to the camp but to a Wal-mart. I’d been told that you can stay overnight in Walmart parking lots - truckers do it a lot. I go to the location in Eden Prairie (though there is a closer location in Shakopee). I find a space to stay for the night and Mischa is getting antsy. I take her for a walk and see a Walmart guy collecting carts and comment, “it’s true that people can sleep overnight at Walmarts across the country. He says, “Not here” he continues “It’s the city ordinance, not Walmart's!” I ask if the other Walmart’s might be ok? “Yeah, Shakopee - they’re open 24 hours.”
So I drive there…in the rain…freeway construction makes night driving dicey. I start hearing an engine sound. Damn, I’m overdue for adding oil…should have done it back in Fargo! I get to the Walmart - check out potential sleep spots then go into the store and buy two quarts of oil. I put them in, move to a darker spot and stop to try to sleep in the car around 11pm.
I must have been really exhausted. I make it thru with only a brief break in sleep around 1:45am. I finally wake at 5:45am. A little stiff, but not a bad nights sleep…’cuz I did sleep.
Further and further from things that we've done,
Leaving them one by one.
And we have just begun watching the river run.
Listening and learning and yearning.
Run, river, run.
I don’t get a lot of sleep from the night before.
Realizing I’d lost th thread of the audio book that was plaing long before, I’d shut the computer down around 11pm and faded back to sleep. But I woke at 1pm to the sounds of the trucks that seem to be ever present in this town. There is a junction of at least two highways along Melrose’s “Main Street” and a few lots off the main road are lots filled with trucks and or trailers from various trucking companies. There is a Tyson’s food factory in town and maybe a lot of shipping by truck is from them. But I think it’s more just a waypoint town. The loud engine growl of 18 wheelers can be heard day and night from the campgrounds. The river runs thru the town but does not quiet it with the soothing sounds of its swift flowing effluence.
I think of things thru the early morning hours. The thoughts both prevent me from sleeping and give me something to do in sleeps absence. My nature abhors a vacuum. I think of past girlfriends, the loves of my life, back to elementary school - Margarita in 2nd grade at John Muir Elementary in Santa Monica and especially Cynthia in Mr. Silverstein’s 3rd grade class at Thomas A Edison school is a different part of Santa Monica. I think of the kid I was back then and the times that influenced me. I was confident and had the best friends then. I ran for class president and won! The 1960 elections had been televised almost to the exclusion of anything else so I watched that. We were republicans. I liked Ike and rooted for Nixon to win. But I also like that Kennedy guy. And they both won! (It was the primaries.) I listened to their speeches and thought about our class president speeches that usually went with the general format of “ If elected class president, I promise to do a good job and represent Mr. Silverstein’s 3rd grade class to the best of my ability.” I had never run before but on a lark I decided to try it. Those speeches were pretty meaningless and everybody pretty much said the same thing. I was going to run on a platform and make campaign promises!
The main reason for being class president was to be chalkboard monitor for the month and to be able to be team captain for the sports teams. I’d been listening too to the complaints about the corruption in the office by the past title holders. The president would appoint themselves or their friends “Chalk board monitor” and their friends would get to bat first and more frequently. It was Cynthia, representing the nascent woman’s caucus that had brought up the inequity of girls getting to bat. So, when It camp my turn to mumble my standard “election speech” I said If elected, I will give everyone a fair chance to be chalkboard monitor, and girls will get to play on the baseball team”…and I finished with the standard stuff about representing the class. I think the whole “Chalkboard-gate’ had gotten me fired up in it’s unfairness, I wan’t running for myself, it was to redress the unfair practices of past presidents.
I won by a landslide.
Then the hard job of keeping my word and keeping my friends. I decided that I would not seek nor accept the position again after the great Baseball debacle. Girls “Did” get to be on the team, but they often got to bat last…because we were playing other classes and “we wanted to win”. And many of the girls just weren’t as good as the guys who played all the time. My big failure was, in the last inning. We were close and could win with the right hitter. A girl, who was a notorious “whiffer” was due at bat, and my friend Chris (the best player on the team) pleased with me to put him in so we could win. I told the girl I was putting Chris I so we could win the game and she would be responsible for letting us win if she would let him bat ahead of her. She grudgingly agreed. Chris hit, we won, recess was over - and I’d lost. The trust of the girls, stature, though not friendship of Cynthia and my desire to be class president. I’d learned pleasing a lot of people could be a fractious task. I determined to pre-follow Ricky Nelsons’ future advice “you can’t please everyone, so you’ve got to please yourself. I found it was more important to be true to my friends that to campaign promises that I said to get elected, but had know idea how to implement them and still keep true to my intent.
These are some of the things that come to mind late at night. Especially on those nights where I’m trying to figure out how to keep the Journey moving forward. If the end is at hand and what to do then.
----------------------------
I woke up this morning to a steady staccato of drizzling rain on the tent and a nearly deflated air mattress. I opened the tent to let Mischa out to explore and relieve herself (she at least got a full nights rest) and to see how the day fared. The rain was not as bad as it sounded, but I would till wait awhile before breaking camp to try to get the car loaded with as many dry things as possible.
I watched the river flow and thought of the Loggins & Messina song. I though of the large Hispanic community in this town and wondered why here and in Minnesota of all places. A question to ask today if I can. I grew up in Santa Monica and Orange County California and blacks, Hispanics, Asians they we all part of my background, classmates and friends. I never thought too much about it. Seeing a large population of Hispanics in Orange, El Modena, Santa Ana - it wouldn’t even make me think twice. But in the small town of Melrose, Minnesota…it makes me wonder. Why here? How long have they been here? Who were the pioneers for their community. Are they a majority population here? Close?! It is the first community I have seen since perhaps Page Arizona or Clarksdale, Ms where a large population of “people of color” (I hate that phrase - everyone is a “Person of color”), let me re-phrase people who are of predominantly “non-Caucasian” heritage. It makes me think of home. It makes me thing of America. At least the country I grew up in.
The things I think of in the daytime when I’m awake.
And it’s only 7:25 am.
What will the rest of today bring?
I head east planning to get close to The Twin Cities by days end. Best option seems to be a campsite in Victoria, west of Eden Prairie.
I drive towards St. Cloud for gas and internet access. The internet access in Melrose has been catch as catch can - highly unreliable and slow.
Before getting to St. Cloud I stop at a Freeway Rest Stop. I talk to a service attendant name Denny who works there. He’s been in Minnesota most of his life except for when he was in the service. Grew up in Albany where he lives now. Worked for many years in the Twin Cities. Moved back and bought a home with acreage in Albany. Went thru a divorce and moved to St. Cloud for a few years, then when the divorce was finalized, moved back and bought the farm back where he now lives. He said it’s been difficult getting work. He’s getting hours because he’s filling in for a sick co-worker. Though it’s a state rest stop, his services are from a concessionaire that has the government contract. In the days new broadcast there is constant reporting on the budget crisis in the state that seems to mirror yet loom larger than the similar budget crisis on the Federal level. Denny is working 9 hour work days - no overtime. And he is lucky if he gets close to full time. If the state budget does not get approved and the government shutdown begins…Denny is out of work.
I think of my situation…the possibility that this adventure ends in days and that both Denny and I may be competing for jobs soon. And Minnesota just announced an unexpected increase in unemployment claims.
I wonder if anyone in government at any level has an idea of what life is like these days for people like Denny and I. The lack in faith in elected representatives who live and work in the comfort of funding by all the Denny’s and people like myself who pay our taxes regardless of our personal economic plight expecting that the paycheck these elected public servants cash will focus the attention of these people to “promote the general welfare” for the people who provide the only legitimate income they earn while they are in public service. They clearly don’t get it. The income they earn with the position is clearly not enough for them. So they double dip. They take in millions of campaign contributions. How, as a nation, did we ever allow this situation to happen? If a person can’t live on the 173k income we pay them annually (this doesn’t include the per diem or other benefits - “Leadership” positions get and extra 20 grand!) then they should pursue a more lucrative form of employment elsewhere and leave the field of public service to those who understand the term. And they should serve no more than two consecutive terms in any one position. On the state level, they need to remember that, thought they are elected to represent the constituents from the district they were elected from, their paycheck comes from everyone in that state (Yes…your personal paycheck comes to you via socialism.) and you are obligated to represent the entire state…as you are working at a state level. Sure, you advocate hard for things that benefit your district and for it’s best self interest…but not when it is at odds with the interests of the entire state!
The same goes for servants representing their state at the federal level. If you are a Representative or
Senator from ANY state…your pay comes from the taxes of people from every state in the union. (Let’s face it folks, if the payroll money came from the states the representatives came from nearly half of the states could not afford their representation!) At the Federal level you have the responsibility to represent ALL the people of the united states FROM your state or state district. Yes, advocate for your state or state districts needs, but not at the cost of the needs of the whole country. The problems of most of the elected officials at the the federal and national level is that they have become far too provincial and insular over the last few decades. Too selfish and short sighted. Too much “Senator & Representative” and not enough “Public servant”. Too much focus on re-election campaigns and not enough on “earning their paychecks”.
We do have some hard working public servants in government at all levels. But not enough and even they may have overstayed their welcome in their current seats. It was never meant to be a permanent career, but a limited term of public spirited service.
I leave Denny to continue making the rest stop a clean, pleasant and welcoming location. True “public service” and I’m sure he’s not getting anything near 173k/year…though he may actually be more productive than those who do.
Getting to St. Cloud, It is a rambling city and the Garmin takes me a long way to the center of it looking for McINternet. I perhaps could have found a location closer to the Freeway…but I didn’t check the map and was lazy.
I spend about an hour or more trying to figure out what to do with my now limited and dwindling resources.
I have to pick up some mail that has been sent to me along the way. And I am not sure I’ll have funds to last out the week -for gas and camping. And it’s been raining for two days and expected for another. My mood mirrors the weather, gloomy and overcast. Threat of rain, immanent.
I’ve got a since of where to go. Victoria seems to be the place to go. I had hopes of a different city park a little further from the cities than Victoria because it was less expensive, but they prohibit tents. Leave me out…in the cold.
My tent is still wet from last night, this morning so putting it up again is not a happily anticipated idea, though probably necessary.
I am directed off the freeway at Monticello to go thru Buffalo, Rodgers, Wayzeta, Minnetrieste and finally into Victoria. I find the campgrounds and see that there are a few good options for a place to stay with good wind/rain shelter. But before pitching tent, I decide to find wifi and check my options again. I find a Starbucks but can’t get a strong enough signal from my car in the parking lot. I find signal eventually in a shopping center across the road via Caribou Coffee. I find many things that help me decide. It’s rainy and getting dark. I head back to the campsite and stop at a grocery store for food for dinner. I get a cheap loaf of bread and some sandwich meat. I feed Mischa and myself a little food and take off, not to the camp but to a Wal-mart. I’d been told that you can stay overnight in Walmart parking lots - truckers do it a lot. I go to the location in Eden Prairie (though there is a closer location in Shakopee). I find a space to stay for the night and Mischa is getting antsy. I take her for a walk and see a Walmart guy collecting carts and comment, “it’s true that people can sleep overnight at Walmarts across the country. He says, “Not here” he continues “It’s the city ordinance, not Walmart's!” I ask if the other Walmart’s might be ok? “Yeah, Shakopee - they’re open 24 hours.”
So I drive there…in the rain…freeway construction makes night driving dicey. I start hearing an engine sound. Damn, I’m overdue for adding oil…should have done it back in Fargo! I get to the Walmart - check out potential sleep spots then go into the store and buy two quarts of oil. I put them in, move to a darker spot and stop to try to sleep in the car around 11pm.
I must have been really exhausted. I make it thru with only a brief break in sleep around 1:45am. I finally wake at 5:45am. A little stiff, but not a bad nights sleep…’cuz I did sleep.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
06-21-11 - Summer Song
06-21-11
Some say that all good things must end someday
Autumn winds must blow
But don’t you know that it would hurt me so to say good by to you
Wish I didn’t have to go -oh, no, no, no!
4 Miles
Summer started in rain and a flood warning. I’m camped by the Sauk River.
It’s close to the bank. Maybe 15 feet away. The river rushes by very swiftly. Up river a spillway is releasing a copious amount of water continuously.
Yesterday, people were on either side of it, fishing.
Not this morning.
This morning the only people outside in the rain are Mischa and I. We’re walking up to the place the AAA driver left my car last night.
I’m dreading the exchange. I have about $80 left. And my car is in the shop (or will be when I give them the keys.)
A few moments later to my astonishment, the mechanic drives my car into the bay. DRIVES it in! maybe this won’t be as bad as I imagined. Maybe they found to problem already and fixed it and are just teaking the connection. (I knew it was just a cable or pin coming loose!)
Later a mechanic tells me that it’s going to be difficult, they have to remove the middle console to get to the gear shifter…something has broken inside the shift mechanism. It will be expensive.
We go out to look at the car. He’s showing a flashlight at it and I tell him it was working and then just came loose in my hand…like a wire disconnected.
Scott is the main mechanic on this car. He sees and feels something he hadn’t before. He finds the cable. It’s supposed to have a snap on connection to a ball on the stick shift. That connection is apparently shattered.
He’s managed to get the center plastic console out of the way and it makes seeing the problem easier. But it’s either trying to find a Saturn part and getting it to Melrose (costly) or finding a way to drill in to the device and connect the cable so it won’t come loose again.
I’m sure either way, I’m down to my last dollars. This could be the end…of the Journey, of the adventure, of the dream. But I’m going to have a warm breakfast before that happens. I’m told a deli in a local market (Coborn’s) has breakfast specials. I’m able to leave Mischa in the basket area between the outside and inside sliding glass doors of the store. I make and pay for my order (getting a ham, egg and cheese croissant; a soda and some cookies) and then go back to Mischa (who hasn’t barked) to wait the breakfast order to be cooked. A couple of women said Mischa was being so good and patient waiting for me by the door while I was pouring my soda. I was proud of Mischa and angry at myself for taking so long to get back.
I walk back old timers are playing ongoing games of cards at a poker table in the waiting room. They seem to own the place. Not legally, just occupationally. I imagine this game goes on daily, nearly all day. And their connection to the store?! I have no idea.
The waiting area itself was something to see. There was, between the card game and the shop floor , four chair in a row, a two tiered coffee table and another seat making a “L shape for seating. There were magazines to look at on the table. There were magazines to look at on the seats…every one of them! If only one piece of literature, but every seat had something placed on it. “Don’t sit here” seemed to be the message.
Being an outside agitator, I collected every magazine and newpaper and flyer off every seat and set them roughshod on the table for readers to peruse at their will. But I was going to occupy a seat, two even, damn it!
I get called by Scott who says that if I wanted to, I could do the seat back swap that I’d mentioned I’d wanted to do earlier. I think about it and say, :Just button her up” I don’t want to test fate. I’ve learned to live with the seat the way it is, I can do it a little longer. (I know how to get the console out of the way, If I really want to try it, I can do it later in a better venue.
Everything is put back, there is a little drama with the cigarette lighter re-attachment. A Fuse blew and getting it set back to running took a little time, but the real moment of truth was about to hit. I only had $78 in my account, probably $70-71 after breakfast this morning. How bad was this going to hurt?!
Scott charges me one hour of service - $60. As someone told me before…I’m blessed.
I have $12, a quarter tank of gas, a campsite for the night…and hope.
Things could be a lot worse.
I get the wet and moldy clothes out of my car and tent (now that I’m mobile again) and head to the Laundromat.
That’s a day for me. It’s almost 3 pm, I’m going to get some charcoal ,cook dinner tonight (Probably tuna helper of some sort) and see what tomorrow’s tide sends me. Like my old tech theater teacher used to preach - “Not - To- Freak”
Words to live by.
And this just in - Tornado warning for The Twin Cities and western Wisconsin. I'm headed that direction tomorrow...just in time, huh?!
Some say that all good things must end someday
Autumn winds must blow
But don’t you know that it would hurt me so to say good by to you
Wish I didn’t have to go -oh, no, no, no!
4 Miles
Summer started in rain and a flood warning. I’m camped by the Sauk River.
It’s close to the bank. Maybe 15 feet away. The river rushes by very swiftly. Up river a spillway is releasing a copious amount of water continuously.
Yesterday, people were on either side of it, fishing.
Not this morning.
This morning the only people outside in the rain are Mischa and I. We’re walking up to the place the AAA driver left my car last night.
I’m dreading the exchange. I have about $80 left. And my car is in the shop (or will be when I give them the keys.)
A few moments later to my astonishment, the mechanic drives my car into the bay. DRIVES it in! maybe this won’t be as bad as I imagined. Maybe they found to problem already and fixed it and are just teaking the connection. (I knew it was just a cable or pin coming loose!)
Later a mechanic tells me that it’s going to be difficult, they have to remove the middle console to get to the gear shifter…something has broken inside the shift mechanism. It will be expensive.
We go out to look at the car. He’s showing a flashlight at it and I tell him it was working and then just came loose in my hand…like a wire disconnected.
Scott is the main mechanic on this car. He sees and feels something he hadn’t before. He finds the cable. It’s supposed to have a snap on connection to a ball on the stick shift. That connection is apparently shattered.
He’s managed to get the center plastic console out of the way and it makes seeing the problem easier. But it’s either trying to find a Saturn part and getting it to Melrose (costly) or finding a way to drill in to the device and connect the cable so it won’t come loose again.
I’m sure either way, I’m down to my last dollars. This could be the end…of the Journey, of the adventure, of the dream. But I’m going to have a warm breakfast before that happens. I’m told a deli in a local market (Coborn’s) has breakfast specials. I’m able to leave Mischa in the basket area between the outside and inside sliding glass doors of the store. I make and pay for my order (getting a ham, egg and cheese croissant; a soda and some cookies) and then go back to Mischa (who hasn’t barked) to wait the breakfast order to be cooked. A couple of women said Mischa was being so good and patient waiting for me by the door while I was pouring my soda. I was proud of Mischa and angry at myself for taking so long to get back.
I walk back old timers are playing ongoing games of cards at a poker table in the waiting room. They seem to own the place. Not legally, just occupationally. I imagine this game goes on daily, nearly all day. And their connection to the store?! I have no idea.
The waiting area itself was something to see. There was, between the card game and the shop floor , four chair in a row, a two tiered coffee table and another seat making a “L shape for seating. There were magazines to look at on the table. There were magazines to look at on the seats…every one of them! If only one piece of literature, but every seat had something placed on it. “Don’t sit here” seemed to be the message.
Being an outside agitator, I collected every magazine and newpaper and flyer off every seat and set them roughshod on the table for readers to peruse at their will. But I was going to occupy a seat, two even, damn it!
I get called by Scott who says that if I wanted to, I could do the seat back swap that I’d mentioned I’d wanted to do earlier. I think about it and say, :Just button her up” I don’t want to test fate. I’ve learned to live with the seat the way it is, I can do it a little longer. (I know how to get the console out of the way, If I really want to try it, I can do it later in a better venue.
Everything is put back, there is a little drama with the cigarette lighter re-attachment. A Fuse blew and getting it set back to running took a little time, but the real moment of truth was about to hit. I only had $78 in my account, probably $70-71 after breakfast this morning. How bad was this going to hurt?!
Scott charges me one hour of service - $60. As someone told me before…I’m blessed.
I have $12, a quarter tank of gas, a campsite for the night…and hope.
Things could be a lot worse.
I get the wet and moldy clothes out of my car and tent (now that I’m mobile again) and head to the Laundromat.
That’s a day for me. It’s almost 3 pm, I’m going to get some charcoal ,cook dinner tonight (Probably tuna helper of some sort) and see what tomorrow’s tide sends me. Like my old tech theater teacher used to preach - “Not - To- Freak”
Words to live by.
And this just in - Tornado warning for The Twin Cities and western Wisconsin. I'm headed that direction tomorrow...just in time, huh?!
06-20-11 - Didn’t it rain, children, rain all night long?
06-20-11
Didn’t it rain, children, rain all night long?
Didn’t it, didn’t it, Oh, my lord, didn’t it Rain?
124.7 miles (and a tow)
Barnesville - Fergus Falls - Sauk Center - Melrose
The day began gray and overcast. A distinct contrast to the prior day.
The radio forecast had been for heavy rains and flash flood warnings for the west and south central parts of the state.
Hey, that’s where I am and where I’m going!
I had planned to go to Brainerd (bloody woodchoppers and all!) but the route to Detroit Lakes from Barnesville seemed long and I knew I could make Sauk Center today and it was along the faster and closer freeway. So I took the 94 south to Fergus Falls, by passing Detroit Lakes. Steinbeck only gave passing notice to Detroit lakes and I think I have mentioned them more than he did. (Although, to his credit, he at least drove through Detroit Lakes, and I will not - perhaps on my part because they are in Minnesota and not Michigan as their name might imply.)
I stop in Fergus Falls to get some internet connection. I try three separate places and they all are barely connecting. (I have to park at three separate places in the McInternet parking lot just to finally get a signal!
I stop at a gas station to get a refill of Pepsi and to use the restrooms. The women behind the counter are talkative, funny and sharp. They talk me into buying “2 for one candy bars”. (Tough sale.) As I am about to leave I ask “Who’s Fergus and why did he, or where are his falls? They know wher the
Falls are alright, but I stumped them on Fergus. “I’ll have to google it” says one of them.
I did. Turns out the town was Founded by a Scottish explorer who named the town after his boss! (Who never saw the place. And the explorer never got his place in the sun because he was dad within a year from an Indian raid. A claims clerk bought up the abandoned claim and started a trading company. And that was the beginnings of the town .
I get back on the road and pass by Alexandria and go into Sauk Center following my Garmin. My Garmin had 4 year old shit for brains. It leads me to a industrial yard that is supposed to be Sinclair Lewis Park. Maybe at one time…but not anymore. I drive a couple of blocks around this place thinking a road usage may have changed/been repurposed at some point in the past. I find the park and the campgrounds I’d been considering staying at. AAA is antiquated again. And it’s the 1011 edition! You’d think that they’d either 1) check to verify the rates, or 2) have a covenant with these park not to change their rates anytime within the calendar year that their posting is listed. It’s bad for AAA’s reputation and bad to the campground as well.
At the pricing they have, though it’s in a very picturesque location on a lake with a park across the street, I think I’ll pass. I found a cheaper site for the night just down then road in Melrose. The Melrose City Park (or Sauk River Park - it seems to go by two names!) is only $8/night for tent camping. Garmin of course doesn’t list it under either name…so I try to route my self to the place by finding a business a block or so away. I get to town - find the bowling alley on 6th, but am not finding the park. I find the Lake Woebegone Trail, but am still searching for the park when…my stick shifter goes loose in my hand. (I know, sounds like a personal problem…and it is!)
I am dead. I try to push the car against the curb, but It seems I only got to about 3 feet from it.
What to do? I’m seeing a desperate end to my travels. I’m already under $100 and I have storage, car insurance and …my AAA card is expired.
I call them and “You’re in the grace period. We’ll come out without a commercial charge applying”.
Blessings.
The Tow person, Tom gets to me and is kind enough to show me where he’s going to leave the car in town (It’s now after 5pm) and then take me to the campsite, let me unload the things I’ll need and then take it back to the Tire Shop (They do repairs as well) for them to get in the morning.)
After putting the tent up and plugging into the electric, I realize the power cord to my computer is still in my car. So Mischa and I take a walk the 3 or so blocks to the back of the shop to get the things from my car. I discover at least 5 other things to bring back, not least is the air pump for my mattress that requires a cigarette lighter socket to run. And my car is in the shop. I am an optimist!
We get back lugging things from the car and I ask a family nearby if they would use their igniter to inflate my mattress. They say yes! (Saved from rough sleep and hyperventilation!)
I have some firestarter and matches and get a grill going with found pieces of wood and pager products lft in the fire rings so I can cook a packaged meal of cheese broccoli rice for dinner.
It takes 2-3 times as long as the listed instructions (fire won’t get hot enough and the winds for the coming storm are beginning to blow.)
Mischa is sacked out from the long walk and shows little interest in my food or even hers. But she is nuzzling up beside me, which is bit unusual. Perhaps she is sensing my feelings of depression, desperation and concern.
I decide to trust Scarlett O’Hara and Tom Hanks in Castaway. “Tomorrow is another day” and “See what the tide brings in.”
The storm starts. We’re in the tent and relatively safe (as far as we know.) We are the only people left at the campgrounds and the Sauk River is raging downstream just 15 feet from me tent. And there’s a flash flood warning thru Wednesday. What could go wrong?
Around 11pm the storm announces it self formally with a looooog booming continuous thunderclap that was at least 2 ½ minutes in duration. Quite impressive. But as I was already in a twilight sleep mode all it did was to make me think to turn off the computer.
I would wake several more times that night - wind pressing the tent into me; rain pummeling the tent tring and succeeding to get my attention; and birds at 4:55am. Birds. (One incessant bird in particular.)
Good morning “Summertime”! (Where the hell are you?!)
Didn’t it rain, children, rain all night long?
Didn’t it, didn’t it, Oh, my lord, didn’t it Rain?
124.7 miles (and a tow)
Barnesville - Fergus Falls - Sauk Center - Melrose
The day began gray and overcast. A distinct contrast to the prior day.
The radio forecast had been for heavy rains and flash flood warnings for the west and south central parts of the state.
Hey, that’s where I am and where I’m going!
I had planned to go to Brainerd (bloody woodchoppers and all!) but the route to Detroit Lakes from Barnesville seemed long and I knew I could make Sauk Center today and it was along the faster and closer freeway. So I took the 94 south to Fergus Falls, by passing Detroit Lakes. Steinbeck only gave passing notice to Detroit lakes and I think I have mentioned them more than he did. (Although, to his credit, he at least drove through Detroit Lakes, and I will not - perhaps on my part because they are in Minnesota and not Michigan as their name might imply.)
I stop in Fergus Falls to get some internet connection. I try three separate places and they all are barely connecting. (I have to park at three separate places in the McInternet parking lot just to finally get a signal!
I stop at a gas station to get a refill of Pepsi and to use the restrooms. The women behind the counter are talkative, funny and sharp. They talk me into buying “2 for one candy bars”. (Tough sale.) As I am about to leave I ask “Who’s Fergus and why did he, or where are his falls? They know wher the
Falls are alright, but I stumped them on Fergus. “I’ll have to google it” says one of them.
I did. Turns out the town was Founded by a Scottish explorer who named the town after his boss! (Who never saw the place. And the explorer never got his place in the sun because he was dad within a year from an Indian raid. A claims clerk bought up the abandoned claim and started a trading company. And that was the beginnings of the town .
I get back on the road and pass by Alexandria and go into Sauk Center following my Garmin. My Garmin had 4 year old shit for brains. It leads me to a industrial yard that is supposed to be Sinclair Lewis Park. Maybe at one time…but not anymore. I drive a couple of blocks around this place thinking a road usage may have changed/been repurposed at some point in the past. I find the park and the campgrounds I’d been considering staying at. AAA is antiquated again. And it’s the 1011 edition! You’d think that they’d either 1) check to verify the rates, or 2) have a covenant with these park not to change their rates anytime within the calendar year that their posting is listed. It’s bad for AAA’s reputation and bad to the campground as well.
At the pricing they have, though it’s in a very picturesque location on a lake with a park across the street, I think I’ll pass. I found a cheaper site for the night just down then road in Melrose. The Melrose City Park (or Sauk River Park - it seems to go by two names!) is only $8/night for tent camping. Garmin of course doesn’t list it under either name…so I try to route my self to the place by finding a business a block or so away. I get to town - find the bowling alley on 6th, but am not finding the park. I find the Lake Woebegone Trail, but am still searching for the park when…my stick shifter goes loose in my hand. (I know, sounds like a personal problem…and it is!)
I am dead. I try to push the car against the curb, but It seems I only got to about 3 feet from it.
What to do? I’m seeing a desperate end to my travels. I’m already under $100 and I have storage, car insurance and …my AAA card is expired.
I call them and “You’re in the grace period. We’ll come out without a commercial charge applying”.
Blessings.
The Tow person, Tom gets to me and is kind enough to show me where he’s going to leave the car in town (It’s now after 5pm) and then take me to the campsite, let me unload the things I’ll need and then take it back to the Tire Shop (They do repairs as well) for them to get in the morning.)
After putting the tent up and plugging into the electric, I realize the power cord to my computer is still in my car. So Mischa and I take a walk the 3 or so blocks to the back of the shop to get the things from my car. I discover at least 5 other things to bring back, not least is the air pump for my mattress that requires a cigarette lighter socket to run. And my car is in the shop. I am an optimist!
We get back lugging things from the car and I ask a family nearby if they would use their igniter to inflate my mattress. They say yes! (Saved from rough sleep and hyperventilation!)
I have some firestarter and matches and get a grill going with found pieces of wood and pager products lft in the fire rings so I can cook a packaged meal of cheese broccoli rice for dinner.
It takes 2-3 times as long as the listed instructions (fire won’t get hot enough and the winds for the coming storm are beginning to blow.)
Mischa is sacked out from the long walk and shows little interest in my food or even hers. But she is nuzzling up beside me, which is bit unusual. Perhaps she is sensing my feelings of depression, desperation and concern.
I decide to trust Scarlett O’Hara and Tom Hanks in Castaway. “Tomorrow is another day” and “See what the tide brings in.”
The storm starts. We’re in the tent and relatively safe (as far as we know.) We are the only people left at the campgrounds and the Sauk River is raging downstream just 15 feet from me tent. And there’s a flash flood warning thru Wednesday. What could go wrong?
Around 11pm the storm announces it self formally with a looooog booming continuous thunderclap that was at least 2 ½ minutes in duration. Quite impressive. But as I was already in a twilight sleep mode all it did was to make me think to turn off the computer.
I would wake several more times that night - wind pressing the tent into me; rain pummeling the tent tring and succeeding to get my attention; and birds at 4:55am. Birds. (One incessant bird in particular.)
Good morning “Summertime”! (Where the hell are you?!)
06-19-11 - Was a sunny day
06-19-11
Was a sunny day
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
4.2
Barnesville
A sunny day, Like I’ve been dreaming of.
High wispy clouds.
Slight breeze.
The potential for too much heat.
Alabama heat.
I’ll take it.
I even had a shower and got ride of my stubble for the first time in 5 days.
I need to find a Laundromat, but there’s none in town.
I even tried to see if I could use the motel’s laundry…but I don’t think they have one. I couldn’t even find the rental/manager’s office for the motel. Just rooms. Who doe they rent them out?
The cown consisted of two competing gas stations at the highway intersection corners, and off to the east the town itself. But there as an oddity about it.
The main street - it was closed. And the roadway was torn up for blocks and blocks. It reminded me of a cross between The Last Picture Show and Neon Parks cover for Little Feats “The Last Record Album”.
All of those businesses needed to be driven to via the back streets and walked to from the side streets.
No telling how long the street had been plowed up, nor how long it would remain so.
But the town was pleasant enough. Friendly people. A lot of the residents rode around the town on bicycles. Not a bad decision considering how close everything is and you could presumably get closer to your shopping destination with the bike than with your car.
I spent the day either at the campsite writing, making solar tea or cooking a dinner in my lunchbox stove; or in town taking pictures and accessing the internet from local home servers.
I found a closer source to camp about a block away - St. John’s Church.
Barnesville was a great find and the city campgrounds was wonderful. I didn’t even mind that the shower required $1.00 in quarters. Luckily, I had just 4 quarters in my change holder. And the shower was longer than I needed it to be, so it was a worthy investment.
The afternoon was hot but started cooling around 5pm. I went back to camp, had some of the solar tea that I’d set up in the afternoon. It was very good.
I I felt cocky and dug out a rice in a bag mix for bbq flavored rice. I added in my last two Cheddybrots and set it to cook.
I was typing up old texts while waiting for dinner. A beautiful blond dog named Daisy from next door came by off leash to say hello, much to Mischa’s chagrin.
Dinner was ready and it was good , though Mischa wasn’t having any of it. I don’t know if it was the Dolly visit or she just wanted the Dogswell Chicken strips more than my “weird smelling” BBQ rice.
I listened to more Dresden files in the comfort of warm temperatures.
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
4.2
Barnesville
A sunny day, Like I’ve been dreaming of.
High wispy clouds.
Slight breeze.
The potential for too much heat.
Alabama heat.
I’ll take it.
I even had a shower and got ride of my stubble for the first time in 5 days.
I need to find a Laundromat, but there’s none in town.
I even tried to see if I could use the motel’s laundry…but I don’t think they have one. I couldn’t even find the rental/manager’s office for the motel. Just rooms. Who doe they rent them out?
The cown consisted of two competing gas stations at the highway intersection corners, and off to the east the town itself. But there as an oddity about it.
The main street - it was closed. And the roadway was torn up for blocks and blocks. It reminded me of a cross between The Last Picture Show and Neon Parks cover for Little Feats “The Last Record Album”.
All of those businesses needed to be driven to via the back streets and walked to from the side streets.
No telling how long the street had been plowed up, nor how long it would remain so.
But the town was pleasant enough. Friendly people. A lot of the residents rode around the town on bicycles. Not a bad decision considering how close everything is and you could presumably get closer to your shopping destination with the bike than with your car.
I spent the day either at the campsite writing, making solar tea or cooking a dinner in my lunchbox stove; or in town taking pictures and accessing the internet from local home servers.
I found a closer source to camp about a block away - St. John’s Church.
Barnesville was a great find and the city campgrounds was wonderful. I didn’t even mind that the shower required $1.00 in quarters. Luckily, I had just 4 quarters in my change holder. And the shower was longer than I needed it to be, so it was a worthy investment.
The afternoon was hot but started cooling around 5pm. I went back to camp, had some of the solar tea that I’d set up in the afternoon. It was very good.
I I felt cocky and dug out a rice in a bag mix for bbq flavored rice. I added in my last two Cheddybrots and set it to cook.
I was typing up old texts while waiting for dinner. A beautiful blond dog named Daisy from next door came by off leash to say hello, much to Mischa’s chagrin.
Dinner was ready and it was good , though Mischa wasn’t having any of it. I don’t know if it was the Dolly visit or she just wanted the Dogswell Chicken strips more than my “weird smelling” BBQ rice.
I listened to more Dresden files in the comfort of warm temperatures.
Was a sunny day
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
4.2
Barnesville
A sunny day, Like I’ve been dreaming of.
High wispy clouds.
Slight breeze.
The potential for too much heat.
Alabama heat.
I’ll take it.
I even had a shower and got ride of my stubble for the first time in 5 days.
I need to find a Laundromat, but there’s none in town.
I even tried to see if I could use the motel’s laundry…but I don’t think they have one. I couldn’t even find the rental/manager’s office for the motel. Just rooms. Who doe they rent them out?
The cown consisted of two competing gas stations at the highway intersection corners, and off to the east the town itself. But there as an oddity about it.
The main street - it was closed. And the roadway was torn up for blocks and blocks. It reminded me of a cross between The Last Picture Show and Neon Parks cover for Little Feats “The Last Record Album”.
All of those businesses needed to be driven to via the back streets and walked to from the side streets.
No telling how long the street had been plowed up, nor how long it would remain so.
But the town was pleasant enough. Friendly people. A lot of the residents rode around the town on bicycles. Not a bad decision considering how close everything is and you could presumably get closer to your shopping destination with the bike than with your car.
I spent the day either at the campsite writing, making solar tea or cooking a dinner in my lunchbox stove; or in town taking pictures and accessing the internet from local home servers.
I found a closer source to camp about a block away - St. John’s Church.
Barnesville was a great find and the city campgrounds was wonderful. I didn’t even mind that the shower required $1.00 in quarters. Luckily, I had just 4 quarters in my change holder. And the shower was longer than I needed it to be, so it was a worthy investment.
The afternoon was hot but started cooling around 5pm. I went back to camp, had some of the solar tea that I’d set up in the afternoon. It was very good.
I I felt cocky and dug out a rice in a bag mix for bbq flavored rice. I added in my last two Cheddybrots and set it to cook.
I was typing up old texts while waiting for dinner. A beautiful blond dog named Daisy from next door came by off leash to say hello, much to Mischa’s chagrin.
Dinner was ready and it was good , though Mischa wasn’t having any of it. I don’t know if it was the Dolly visit or she just wanted the Dogswell Chicken strips more than my “weird smelling” BBQ rice.
I listened to more Dresden files in the comfort of warm temperatures.
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
4.2
Barnesville
A sunny day, Like I’ve been dreaming of.
High wispy clouds.
Slight breeze.
The potential for too much heat.
Alabama heat.
I’ll take it.
I even had a shower and got ride of my stubble for the first time in 5 days.
I need to find a Laundromat, but there’s none in town.
I even tried to see if I could use the motel’s laundry…but I don’t think they have one. I couldn’t even find the rental/manager’s office for the motel. Just rooms. Who doe they rent them out?
The cown consisted of two competing gas stations at the highway intersection corners, and off to the east the town itself. But there as an oddity about it.
The main street - it was closed. And the roadway was torn up for blocks and blocks. It reminded me of a cross between The Last Picture Show and Neon Parks cover for Little Feats “The Last Record Album”.
All of those businesses needed to be driven to via the back streets and walked to from the side streets.
No telling how long the street had been plowed up, nor how long it would remain so.
But the town was pleasant enough. Friendly people. A lot of the residents rode around the town on bicycles. Not a bad decision considering how close everything is and you could presumably get closer to your shopping destination with the bike than with your car.
I spent the day either at the campsite writing, making solar tea or cooking a dinner in my lunchbox stove; or in town taking pictures and accessing the internet from local home servers.
I found a closer source to camp about a block away - St. John’s Church.
Barnesville was a great find and the city campgrounds was wonderful. I didn’t even mind that the shower required $1.00 in quarters. Luckily, I had just 4 quarters in my change holder. And the shower was longer than I needed it to be, so it was a worthy investment.
The afternoon was hot but started cooling around 5pm. I went back to camp, had some of the solar tea that I’d set up in the afternoon. It was very good.
I I felt cocky and dug out a rice in a bag mix for bbq flavored rice. I added in my last two Cheddybrots and set it to cook.
I was typing up old texts while waiting for dinner. A beautiful blond dog named Daisy from next door came by off leash to say hello, much to Mischa’s chagrin.
Dinner was ready and it was good , though Mischa wasn’t having any of it. I don’t know if it was the Dolly visit or she just wanted the Dogswell Chicken strips more than my “weird smelling” BBQ rice.
I listened to more Dresden files in the comfort of warm temperatures.
06-18-11 - We can bide time
06-18-11
Sweet wine, hay making, sunshine day breaking
We can wait till tomorrow
Car speed, road calling, bird freed, leaf falling
We can bide time
243 miles
Village City 5:30 am - Woke up, got out of bed… Packed up the car and headed out.
Tough getting out of town. They had Main street blocked off. It was the way I knew out of town. I had to go 8 blocks north to cross thee blocks to get past their road blocks. I had been looking for a Laundromat that I’d seen the night before…but gave up and too back to the freeway. It turns out that there was a closer way to the freeway to the south of the town, but I didn’t know that. I might have saved myself two miles of detour and a lot of agrivation had I turned south rather than north.
But I was back on the highway and heading east. I checked my Garmin “favorites” for places I’d selected to try to see based on the Fargo/Moorhead tourist book. First stop, near Buffalo!
Buffaloed in Buffalo - A winery called Red Trail was listed.
I got off the highway and drove maybe a quarter mile before the paved road ended and a dirt & gravel one took it’s place. Lots of farm land on either side. The Garman announced that my destination was 1.5 miles ahead. I could see more Wind Turbines off to my right as I approached.
I pull in and it’s a quaint litte farm house with vineyard fields surrounding it. A nice looking paved patio to the side. An a sign on the front door - “Closed”. What? It’s a Saturday and it’s 10 am? I check the tourist book. Sure enough it says Saturdays 1pm. Wow. Really? Would have been unheard of in most other wineries. But my error for not remembering the times. Oh, Well. Only a 3 mile total wasted drive.
I continue east to Castleton - The first thing I immediately like about this place and had been looking forward to was Cheap gas - I made a Ethanol/gas mixture at $2.98/3.46. 3 gallons of the 85% ethanol and about 8 gallons of regular gas. I filled my tank for just about $37. Best gas prices I’d gotten in a long time!
Castleton is a small community. Seems to be two main streets. Langer coming into town and Main St. crossing it. (Just after the railroad tracks.).
Just north of the tracks is a small town park. Here is a btrick paved circle with peoples names on the bricks and four benches. Each of the benches is dedicated to a man who came form of lived in Castleton. Each was a State of North Dakota Governor. 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats. From the first governor since Statehood to the 70’s. I struck me that a town this small would have had 4 Governors come from or retire there. Pretty amazing odds.
My net stop was the Maple River Winery/Distillery. Across the street from the benches are the two businesses. There are two businesses separating them. I meet jeff inside and start to talk about their wines. Rhubarb wines seem to be a specialty. I mention my recent Red ass Wine tasting in south Dakota and he mentions that they had just been in competition with that wine and one 1st place in the world for fruit wines
They began in the late ninties when the owner, Greg, had a wine party with some friends. Not a wine tasting party, mind you, a wine Making party Greg had a lot of crabapples in his back yard and didn‘t want to see them go to waste, so he made a crabapple wine. Apparently he had a knack for this and soon began doing this full time. They have perhaps 20 different fruit or flower based wines from Strawberry Rhubarb to chokeberry and Pumpkin, Lilac and Dandylion.
They also have other t\items made by local food makers like jellies, jams, fruit butters.bbq sauses and the one I bought - Chokeberry Honey!
They don’t grow their materials, but buy their vegatables, fruit and flowers from local growers within a 60 mile radius making their products very “green” and sustainable. I mentioned an apple and orange mixture wine and Jeff said no. not because the idea was silly, but because they can’t get oranges to grow in North Dakota. If they can’t get the raw materials from a grower in the state, it won’t make it into their wines.
They sell to a lot of restaurants and cooks because th flavors of their wines add a lot to flavoring and tenderizing meats and other foods, desserts, etc.They have found a unique niche that they can be proud of. Distinctly North Dakotan and proud of it. That doesn’t mean they won’t ship out of state!
I was then taken 3 door away to their Distillery - This company expansion is 1 year old, but 3 years in the making. It took two years to get the approvals and bonding to allow them to go into production. They are the states first and only legal distillery. They make Vodka (corn rather than potato based) - Cordials - very sweet and almost sherry like at times. Brandies - very strong! Some so strong it’s hard to taste the flavoring. I had expected that experience from the vodkas, yet those the flavors come through very well, the the brandies are “Kick ass”!
I really liked and was impressed but their operation and what they were doing there.
Basically a 4 person operation they are growing at an amazing rate and enjoy what they do. The economy has not effected them at all. (Which seems to be a common theme for most all of North Dakota. Their state bank protected thme from many of the financial follies other states fell into in the last decade of “go-go’ investing. So there are drawing people from other state even with the severe weather conditions because
“business, as they say, is a-boomin’” Colleges, oil fields and health fields seem to be hireing at better than national rates. And this little town with it’s small group of industrious entrepreneurs is thriving.
Fargo - first stop is to find more food for Mischa. And the Garmin lists the same location for the pet food store as for the Roger Maris Museum! It’s in a mall!) The day is already hot. I find a spot with a modicum of shade and wave down a security officer on a bike and ask him how close to this mall entrance are the two businesses. Ironically I’ve chosen the right protal. Both are withih steps of each other and just a few yards from the entrance. I take pictures of the Museum and then go to the pet shop. The name has change on the business from what the Garmin lists, but it’s the same company…sort of. I ask about the Nature’s Variety Instinct product. They don’t carry it, but a clerk give me an sddress just down the road that does carry it.
I go to the store and it is the right kind of pet shop. I buy a larg bag of the instinct as the size I got before was about $18 for 2kg and I get 6 kg for $30 - 3 times as much food for less then twice the price. I switch to Chicken from Duck& Turkey just to give her a little variety. I was down to just a hand full and about 3 chicken strips. I get a new package of Dogswell Happy Hips chicken strips.
The next stops are all “touristy explorations of Downtown Fargo. The Fargo Theater - Broadway - 2 old train Depots - Statue of Liberty Park which is on the southwest side of the Red River Bridge separating Fargo from Moorhead City - North Dakota from Minnesota.
On to my ultimate destination: Maury Wills Museum @ 1515 15th St. at the NDSU stadium.
I ask a father with his kids about parking and where the Museum is and he tells me “Maury is there!
Upstairs in the Stadium!
I park the car, rush across the street and get up to the stadium and ask “Where is Maury Wills? A lady informs me “He just went down those stairs, not three minutes ago.“ Missed him by 3 minutes. One of the great missed opportunities I will remember for a long time. He was on the field the night I saw my first live baseball game. 1960 - LA Memorial Coliseum. Dodgers vs. Cubs - Drysdale pitching. Roseboro starts as catcher is replaced in the 3rd by Norm Sherry. Wally Moon hit’s a “moon Shot”, Maury steals abase. Duke Snider gets thrown out at third trying to stretch a double to a triple sliding head…or belly first in to the bag. Doesn’t quite beat the tag. Ron Santo and Ernie Banks win my respect. Those were the days when I LOVED Baseball. Lived and breathed it. Knew every player and had (most) all of their portraits from 76 Union Stations. Thrilled at the limber tones and storied tales of Vin Sully’s voice. Even learned to tolerate Jerry Doggett! But those days are gone. And so was my chance to meet ome of my favorite Dodgers and thank him for a large part of the joy of my childhood..
To mollify myself for the loss I checked out the Viking ship in Moorhead City. (yawn.) I mean, the feat of building this by hand is nothing to yawn at…but it not like getting to meet Maury Wills.
Time to find camping for the night. It’s approaching 5 pm and I want to get a tent set up amd maybe try to head back to the NDSU stadium and see If I might have a 2nd chance at meeting him (He’s supposed to be back that night to be at a game and lead a parade just before the game. - Hope springs eternal, right?)
I check the local options. There is a place in West Fargo, but their answering machine has no details about camping.. I try the Fargo-Moorhead campground they’re too expensive $20/for a Tent! I find a camp in Fargo! Lindenberg campgrounds - run by the parks & rec dept. and it’s on “Roger Meris Drive”! and tent camping is only $14.50! Yeah! I get there .”Were all full up.” Even for a tent? “Sorry.!”
I call Buffalo State Park $18…plus a $5 car fee. That’s actually $23
It seems like the Fargo - Moorhead Campground is the cheapest option. It used to be a KOA (which may explain the high cost) I go there…it is not east to find. And the girl giving directions doesn’t help that much either. I find the way there. The old road was blocked off, the new one goes through an area mant to have tract homes or apartments…nothing is going in and it doesn’t seem to be “Currently under development”.
The road become a dirt& gravel affare…with potholes, not well maintained. Maybe that’s why they’re no longer affiliated with KOA. I’d expected better. I didn’t get it wifi only in the office. Tent camping is $20/night unless I want electric…that’s $5 more.
Camping - not in Fargo not in Moorhead City. Not for me.
I Drive toward Brainerd.
At the Offramp to 10 (to Brainerd) I see a sign for camping. Wagner Memorial Park near the town of Barrnesville. Tent camping is $10/night! I start Minnesota a night early..
5 days of stubble and no showers. Looking forward to getting clean tomorrow!
Mischa has lost over 8 pounds since beginning. I confirmed this at a vets scale in New Salem.
Her energy is there and she seems healthy. Maybe it’s the new food I’ve been giving her since Denver. No gain. Maybe she’s just shed fat?! I hope it’s not anything bad…I’ll keep monitoring her weight.
Hot all day. Sun all day. If the weather stays like this thru the coming northern states, I may risk going further north before Michigan and after in Pennsylvania and New York…even in Maine! Too early to tell.
Sweet wine, hay making, sunshine day breaking
We can wait till tomorrow
Car speed, road calling, bird freed, leaf falling
We can bide time
243 miles
Village City 5:30 am - Woke up, got out of bed… Packed up the car and headed out.
Tough getting out of town. They had Main street blocked off. It was the way I knew out of town. I had to go 8 blocks north to cross thee blocks to get past their road blocks. I had been looking for a Laundromat that I’d seen the night before…but gave up and too back to the freeway. It turns out that there was a closer way to the freeway to the south of the town, but I didn’t know that. I might have saved myself two miles of detour and a lot of agrivation had I turned south rather than north.
But I was back on the highway and heading east. I checked my Garmin “favorites” for places I’d selected to try to see based on the Fargo/Moorhead tourist book. First stop, near Buffalo!
Buffaloed in Buffalo - A winery called Red Trail was listed.
I got off the highway and drove maybe a quarter mile before the paved road ended and a dirt & gravel one took it’s place. Lots of farm land on either side. The Garman announced that my destination was 1.5 miles ahead. I could see more Wind Turbines off to my right as I approached.
I pull in and it’s a quaint litte farm house with vineyard fields surrounding it. A nice looking paved patio to the side. An a sign on the front door - “Closed”. What? It’s a Saturday and it’s 10 am? I check the tourist book. Sure enough it says Saturdays 1pm. Wow. Really? Would have been unheard of in most other wineries. But my error for not remembering the times. Oh, Well. Only a 3 mile total wasted drive.
I continue east to Castleton - The first thing I immediately like about this place and had been looking forward to was Cheap gas - I made a Ethanol/gas mixture at $2.98/3.46. 3 gallons of the 85% ethanol and about 8 gallons of regular gas. I filled my tank for just about $37. Best gas prices I’d gotten in a long time!
Castleton is a small community. Seems to be two main streets. Langer coming into town and Main St. crossing it. (Just after the railroad tracks.).
Just north of the tracks is a small town park. Here is a btrick paved circle with peoples names on the bricks and four benches. Each of the benches is dedicated to a man who came form of lived in Castleton. Each was a State of North Dakota Governor. 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats. From the first governor since Statehood to the 70’s. I struck me that a town this small would have had 4 Governors come from or retire there. Pretty amazing odds.
My net stop was the Maple River Winery/Distillery. Across the street from the benches are the two businesses. There are two businesses separating them. I meet jeff inside and start to talk about their wines. Rhubarb wines seem to be a specialty. I mention my recent Red ass Wine tasting in south Dakota and he mentions that they had just been in competition with that wine and one 1st place in the world for fruit wines
They began in the late ninties when the owner, Greg, had a wine party with some friends. Not a wine tasting party, mind you, a wine Making party Greg had a lot of crabapples in his back yard and didn‘t want to see them go to waste, so he made a crabapple wine. Apparently he had a knack for this and soon began doing this full time. They have perhaps 20 different fruit or flower based wines from Strawberry Rhubarb to chokeberry and Pumpkin, Lilac and Dandylion.
They also have other t\items made by local food makers like jellies, jams, fruit butters.bbq sauses and the one I bought - Chokeberry Honey!
They don’t grow their materials, but buy their vegatables, fruit and flowers from local growers within a 60 mile radius making their products very “green” and sustainable. I mentioned an apple and orange mixture wine and Jeff said no. not because the idea was silly, but because they can’t get oranges to grow in North Dakota. If they can’t get the raw materials from a grower in the state, it won’t make it into their wines.
They sell to a lot of restaurants and cooks because th flavors of their wines add a lot to flavoring and tenderizing meats and other foods, desserts, etc.They have found a unique niche that they can be proud of. Distinctly North Dakotan and proud of it. That doesn’t mean they won’t ship out of state!
I was then taken 3 door away to their Distillery - This company expansion is 1 year old, but 3 years in the making. It took two years to get the approvals and bonding to allow them to go into production. They are the states first and only legal distillery. They make Vodka (corn rather than potato based) - Cordials - very sweet and almost sherry like at times. Brandies - very strong! Some so strong it’s hard to taste the flavoring. I had expected that experience from the vodkas, yet those the flavors come through very well, the the brandies are “Kick ass”!
I really liked and was impressed but their operation and what they were doing there.
Basically a 4 person operation they are growing at an amazing rate and enjoy what they do. The economy has not effected them at all. (Which seems to be a common theme for most all of North Dakota. Their state bank protected thme from many of the financial follies other states fell into in the last decade of “go-go’ investing. So there are drawing people from other state even with the severe weather conditions because
“business, as they say, is a-boomin’” Colleges, oil fields and health fields seem to be hireing at better than national rates. And this little town with it’s small group of industrious entrepreneurs is thriving.
Fargo - first stop is to find more food for Mischa. And the Garmin lists the same location for the pet food store as for the Roger Maris Museum! It’s in a mall!) The day is already hot. I find a spot with a modicum of shade and wave down a security officer on a bike and ask him how close to this mall entrance are the two businesses. Ironically I’ve chosen the right protal. Both are withih steps of each other and just a few yards from the entrance. I take pictures of the Museum and then go to the pet shop. The name has change on the business from what the Garmin lists, but it’s the same company…sort of. I ask about the Nature’s Variety Instinct product. They don’t carry it, but a clerk give me an sddress just down the road that does carry it.
I go to the store and it is the right kind of pet shop. I buy a larg bag of the instinct as the size I got before was about $18 for 2kg and I get 6 kg for $30 - 3 times as much food for less then twice the price. I switch to Chicken from Duck& Turkey just to give her a little variety. I was down to just a hand full and about 3 chicken strips. I get a new package of Dogswell Happy Hips chicken strips.
The next stops are all “touristy explorations of Downtown Fargo. The Fargo Theater - Broadway - 2 old train Depots - Statue of Liberty Park which is on the southwest side of the Red River Bridge separating Fargo from Moorhead City - North Dakota from Minnesota.
On to my ultimate destination: Maury Wills Museum @ 1515 15th St. at the NDSU stadium.
I ask a father with his kids about parking and where the Museum is and he tells me “Maury is there!
Upstairs in the Stadium!
I park the car, rush across the street and get up to the stadium and ask “Where is Maury Wills? A lady informs me “He just went down those stairs, not three minutes ago.“ Missed him by 3 minutes. One of the great missed opportunities I will remember for a long time. He was on the field the night I saw my first live baseball game. 1960 - LA Memorial Coliseum. Dodgers vs. Cubs - Drysdale pitching. Roseboro starts as catcher is replaced in the 3rd by Norm Sherry. Wally Moon hit’s a “moon Shot”, Maury steals abase. Duke Snider gets thrown out at third trying to stretch a double to a triple sliding head…or belly first in to the bag. Doesn’t quite beat the tag. Ron Santo and Ernie Banks win my respect. Those were the days when I LOVED Baseball. Lived and breathed it. Knew every player and had (most) all of their portraits from 76 Union Stations. Thrilled at the limber tones and storied tales of Vin Sully’s voice. Even learned to tolerate Jerry Doggett! But those days are gone. And so was my chance to meet ome of my favorite Dodgers and thank him for a large part of the joy of my childhood..
To mollify myself for the loss I checked out the Viking ship in Moorhead City. (yawn.) I mean, the feat of building this by hand is nothing to yawn at…but it not like getting to meet Maury Wills.
Time to find camping for the night. It’s approaching 5 pm and I want to get a tent set up amd maybe try to head back to the NDSU stadium and see If I might have a 2nd chance at meeting him (He’s supposed to be back that night to be at a game and lead a parade just before the game. - Hope springs eternal, right?)
I check the local options. There is a place in West Fargo, but their answering machine has no details about camping.. I try the Fargo-Moorhead campground they’re too expensive $20/for a Tent! I find a camp in Fargo! Lindenberg campgrounds - run by the parks & rec dept. and it’s on “Roger Meris Drive”! and tent camping is only $14.50! Yeah! I get there .”Were all full up.” Even for a tent? “Sorry.!”
I call Buffalo State Park $18…plus a $5 car fee. That’s actually $23
It seems like the Fargo - Moorhead Campground is the cheapest option. It used to be a KOA (which may explain the high cost) I go there…it is not east to find. And the girl giving directions doesn’t help that much either. I find the way there. The old road was blocked off, the new one goes through an area mant to have tract homes or apartments…nothing is going in and it doesn’t seem to be “Currently under development”.
The road become a dirt& gravel affare…with potholes, not well maintained. Maybe that’s why they’re no longer affiliated with KOA. I’d expected better. I didn’t get it wifi only in the office. Tent camping is $20/night unless I want electric…that’s $5 more.
Camping - not in Fargo not in Moorhead City. Not for me.
I Drive toward Brainerd.
At the Offramp to 10 (to Brainerd) I see a sign for camping. Wagner Memorial Park near the town of Barrnesville. Tent camping is $10/night! I start Minnesota a night early..
5 days of stubble and no showers. Looking forward to getting clean tomorrow!
Mischa has lost over 8 pounds since beginning. I confirmed this at a vets scale in New Salem.
Her energy is there and she seems healthy. Maybe it’s the new food I’ve been giving her since Denver. No gain. Maybe she’s just shed fat?! I hope it’s not anything bad…I’ll keep monitoring her weight.
Hot all day. Sun all day. If the weather stays like this thru the coming northern states, I may risk going further north before Michigan and after in Pennsylvania and New York…even in Maine! Too early to tell.
06-17-11 Pump it Up
06-17-11
210.4 Miles
Left New Salem with much affection an gratitude for the stay. Tried to start my Kickstarter project (finally!) found out that Amazon (who is handling pledge amount, should the funding be successful) requires bank verification. Through this I learned that a camping fee from back in April had just bounced at the back I was referring Amazon to because my camping fee was $5 over what my balance (in June) was. Miscalculation on my part. (That’s why I hate paying camping fees by check, sometimes they don’t process the check for months after the event) This lead me to contacting Paypal to try to get money moved over to cover the overdraft. (One thing leads to another. Several long phone calls ate up a lot of my remaining minutes. Got a call from my Cousin Laura and then my phone went dead.. Ran out of time. Drove east to Bismarck looking for gas and a Walmart. Found the Garmin out of date again, but found a supermarket that was having one of those outside cooking sales. I got a Brot, chicken sandwich, chips and soda for about $5.50. Mischa was happy, the McD’s I parked next to was chagrined at losing my patronage (though I did steal their internet…again.) Found the Walmart and updated my calling minutes. (Reachable again!) Called my cousin back to explain what happened.
On to Jamestown. A;long the way there were rain storms. I tried to let them move ahead of me and pulled off the highway to get a little rest. Briefly closed my eyes with the map in my lap. Woke to a Sheriff’s car right next to me. I didn’t even hear him. He looked at me and said “Just taking a rest”. I said “yeah” and he nodded and took off. Suddenly I was wide awake!
In Jamestown I got cheaper gas for the drive to Valley City where I would stay for the night. I also stopped at the Walmart there because I wanted to see about returning the air mattress I bought in Soiux Falls for another one under their return in 90 policy as it wasn’t holding air for more that maybe 3-6 hours. I’d expected firmness for like 24 hours (without calling a doctor…) Anyway, as I produce my receipt to the returns clerk she thumbs back in the direction of a small printed sigh that says “Air mattresses will be exchanged only and within 15 days of purchase”. No one told me that when I bought the thing! I’d been given the standard “return anything within 90 days with the receipt. Oh, well. Find the leak or buy another. But not now…and not from that store. I’ve got to show Some umbrage!
I drive to Valley city. It’s a quaint little town. Visitors center is closed when I get there but there is a bridge across a river across the street; an railroad car outside the building and it’s very picturesque. I look for and find the “Tourist Park” which has camping right on main streeet. The website lists the tent camping at $7 got the sign at the park says $10. And the tent camping is a grass area on the far side of the lot. No tables; no firepits/grills, no water or electricity. I don’t even know it they had a bathroom!
I investigate the Army Corp of Engineers campsites 12 miles away on Lake Ashtabulah. There are arrays of wind generators along the way I get to the campsite and - It’s full” I am told that tow other sites along the lake “May” have some openings. But I’m also told that tent camping is $22, the same as if I had an RV! Too rich for my blood. I go back to the tourist park and their $10 fee. It’s only for the night as I drive back to twon storm walls have amassed to the west and it’s a race to get tot the park and get the tent up. But in front of me are two different veicles that feel the necessity to drive at least 5 mph the posted speed limit.
I get to the park and it’s already started to rain. Light drizzle, but it’s still wet. I get the tent up and loaded in again just as the big deluge begins. (I lucked out this time) the storm has been moving quickly east and soon there is sunlight and the rain is light, all the thunderclaps distant to the east of me.
It’s already 8 pm and I do a little with my laptop until the battery light starts flashing. That’s it for this day
Goodnight.
210.4 Miles
Left New Salem with much affection an gratitude for the stay. Tried to start my Kickstarter project (finally!) found out that Amazon (who is handling pledge amount, should the funding be successful) requires bank verification. Through this I learned that a camping fee from back in April had just bounced at the back I was referring Amazon to because my camping fee was $5 over what my balance (in June) was. Miscalculation on my part. (That’s why I hate paying camping fees by check, sometimes they don’t process the check for months after the event) This lead me to contacting Paypal to try to get money moved over to cover the overdraft. (One thing leads to another. Several long phone calls ate up a lot of my remaining minutes. Got a call from my Cousin Laura and then my phone went dead.. Ran out of time. Drove east to Bismarck looking for gas and a Walmart. Found the Garmin out of date again, but found a supermarket that was having one of those outside cooking sales. I got a Brot, chicken sandwich, chips and soda for about $5.50. Mischa was happy, the McD’s I parked next to was chagrined at losing my patronage (though I did steal their internet…again.) Found the Walmart and updated my calling minutes. (Reachable again!) Called my cousin back to explain what happened.
On to Jamestown. A;long the way there were rain storms. I tried to let them move ahead of me and pulled off the highway to get a little rest. Briefly closed my eyes with the map in my lap. Woke to a Sheriff’s car right next to me. I didn’t even hear him. He looked at me and said “Just taking a rest”. I said “yeah” and he nodded and took off. Suddenly I was wide awake!
In Jamestown I got cheaper gas for the drive to Valley City where I would stay for the night. I also stopped at the Walmart there because I wanted to see about returning the air mattress I bought in Soiux Falls for another one under their return in 90 policy as it wasn’t holding air for more that maybe 3-6 hours. I’d expected firmness for like 24 hours (without calling a doctor…) Anyway, as I produce my receipt to the returns clerk she thumbs back in the direction of a small printed sigh that says “Air mattresses will be exchanged only and within 15 days of purchase”. No one told me that when I bought the thing! I’d been given the standard “return anything within 90 days with the receipt. Oh, well. Find the leak or buy another. But not now…and not from that store. I’ve got to show Some umbrage!
I drive to Valley city. It’s a quaint little town. Visitors center is closed when I get there but there is a bridge across a river across the street; an railroad car outside the building and it’s very picturesque. I look for and find the “Tourist Park” which has camping right on main streeet. The website lists the tent camping at $7 got the sign at the park says $10. And the tent camping is a grass area on the far side of the lot. No tables; no firepits/grills, no water or electricity. I don’t even know it they had a bathroom!
I investigate the Army Corp of Engineers campsites 12 miles away on Lake Ashtabulah. There are arrays of wind generators along the way I get to the campsite and - It’s full” I am told that tow other sites along the lake “May” have some openings. But I’m also told that tent camping is $22, the same as if I had an RV! Too rich for my blood. I go back to the tourist park and their $10 fee. It’s only for the night as I drive back to twon storm walls have amassed to the west and it’s a race to get tot the park and get the tent up. But in front of me are two different veicles that feel the necessity to drive at least 5 mph the posted speed limit.
I get to the park and it’s already started to rain. Light drizzle, but it’s still wet. I get the tent up and loaded in again just as the big deluge begins. (I lucked out this time) the storm has been moving quickly east and soon there is sunlight and the rain is light, all the thunderclaps distant to the east of me.
It’s already 8 pm and I do a little with my laptop until the battery light starts flashing. That’s it for this day
Goodnight.
06-16-11 It’s a good morning and I’m feeling fine!
06-16-11
Oh, smile! A frown would just be passe;
I gotta say, oh what a day!
It’s a good morning and I’m feeling fine!
I spend most of the morning at the gas station posting on the internet and exploring the small town of New Salem. It is very small town. Maybe 15 businesses in the main town proper. 4 blocks deep by 20 wide?
Beside the main street is the railroad. The trains come thru many times a day and two of them come by at 3:15 and 4:30 am . And they lay on the horn as they do. All the way thru town. I’m maybe a mile away and I hear it every night. What must if be like in town?
And at noon a siren goes off. The first time I heard it, I though “Tornado warning” which was weird, because there wasn’t a cloud in the sunny sky. I figured out it was probably from the farmers grain silo location and was their verion on the noon lunch hour bell or whistle that many places use. I wonder what they use if ther is a tornado?
The sky begins to darken later and I go inside the tent. Regional squalls were predicted and it’s hitting us now. Windy and violent thunderstorms. Around 2 am I wake to strong winds and the hint of thunder in the distance.
I get up to check it out. Mischa (unleashed) comes out to. I grab here and look at the storms. One south and one east. I think about packig up right then and going east. But to what point? We go back in and ride it out getting back to sleep around 3 am. I wake at 6 and pack up to leave. It’s been a good stay, but it’s time to move to the east. Two days left.
Oh, smile! A frown would just be passe;
I gotta say, oh what a day!
It’s a good morning and I’m feeling fine!
I spend most of the morning at the gas station posting on the internet and exploring the small town of New Salem. It is very small town. Maybe 15 businesses in the main town proper. 4 blocks deep by 20 wide?
Beside the main street is the railroad. The trains come thru many times a day and two of them come by at 3:15 and 4:30 am . And they lay on the horn as they do. All the way thru town. I’m maybe a mile away and I hear it every night. What must if be like in town?
And at noon a siren goes off. The first time I heard it, I though “Tornado warning” which was weird, because there wasn’t a cloud in the sunny sky. I figured out it was probably from the farmers grain silo location and was their verion on the noon lunch hour bell or whistle that many places use. I wonder what they use if ther is a tornado?
The sky begins to darken later and I go inside the tent. Regional squalls were predicted and it’s hitting us now. Windy and violent thunderstorms. Around 2 am I wake to strong winds and the hint of thunder in the distance.
I get up to check it out. Mischa (unleashed) comes out to. I grab here and look at the storms. One south and one east. I think about packig up right then and going east. But to what point? We go back in and ride it out getting back to sleep around 3 am. I wake at 6 and pack up to leave. It’s been a good stay, but it’s time to move to the east. Two days left.
06-15-11 Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send.
06-15-11
Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send.
But I love you…
4 miles
It was chilly this morning, but the sun was shining. Sure more like two days ago than yesterday. I’ll take it.
I have two more days here and plan to pump out a lot of pst days and get a feww things written about all the times I spent with family and friends. You see I haven’t written more than a page or two about the times I was hosted by them. Only one page about Texas. Only a page about Florida. I did complete Georgia, but late. Only the first day at my friends in Hilton Head. SC (though I do have notes written) and I did catch up on Oklahoma. But nothing for Colorado. And missing 4 days in Iowa. Why? Many reasons. I was doing too much those weeks. Either driving from place to place or spending time “doing things” and going places with friends or relatives. But I suspect there is also a hesitance in writing about friends and relations and my take on things. Fear of offence, fear of omission, respect for privacy…well, who are we kidding here, maybe it’s decorum, or manners.
Or I haven’t processed it all yet.
They were good times, mostly. There is always the thought in the back of my head - sure they love me, but how long is too long? How much of an imposition am I causing? And then there is just the tumult of life. For instance, Colorado. How do I talk about the Joy of seeing an old college friend, a pen-pal musician friend and his wife for the first time; My “god-daughter” and a sister of my sisters (for lack of a better description, though I think of her as another sister.) And my nieces and nephews and :grandnieces (is that even a category?) Juxtapose that with the death of my youngest nephew two days after I arrive at the age of 29. I could have seen him the night before, but he didn’t come over. A whirlwind week that I’m still trying to sort out , what to tell, who to include, what impressions to express; what to keep to myself.
Writing of this sort is hard. It doesn’t “roll from my fingers on to the screen willingly. There is much ado about something in my mind for these days.
And these are the days that will be coming up shortly as I am nearly cleared of all other backlog (save the transcriptions of the audio interviews) I am confronted, but determined to cut a swath through those days and perhaps even before I leave this state. (North Dakota). Some new friends have a blog called “The Blank Rectangle” that refers to this state, because it’s sort of the look people give when North Dakota is mentioned. What people get when they try to imagine what that state shape contains. Well I have another view of this phenomenon. It comes from the idea that nature abhors a vacuum. That in meditation, one lets thoughts fly up to clear the space for creative idea to enter. Where creating a clearing opens a space for things to enter.
I am clearing a space so new thins can enter. And to do so I need to get these past days out and posted, so that I only have the prior day to record.
Today’s post is not so much about what I did today and my focus. I have written up about 9 days worth and posted nearly that many. It’s almost 9 pm, the sun is still out and I think I have another two days worth of writing I’ll be able to do in the tent before I close the book on this day.
Other than exploring the little town of New Salem this afternoon and visiting the grocery and two gas stations this afternoon, no reall “activity’ of note beside walking Mischa around and swatting away mosquitoes happened. And tomorrow will be the same.
I hope to have some astounding discovery, insight or meeting tomorrow, but the odds are against it.
Not everyday will be exciting. Not every day will be memorable. Look at your own lives.
Fritter and waste your hours in a offhand way, indeed.
I’m sitting here, in a park, near a small town in North Dakota.
It’s 9 pm, the sun is still out. The weather is still warm. And I feel like I’ve done a good days work.
And I’m ok with all that.
Tomorrow it could storm. (It’s not supposed to - but it could)
I’ll take it as it comes. As long as I get another day of accomplishment like today.
I’m good with that.
Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send.
But I love you…
4 miles
It was chilly this morning, but the sun was shining. Sure more like two days ago than yesterday. I’ll take it.
I have two more days here and plan to pump out a lot of pst days and get a feww things written about all the times I spent with family and friends. You see I haven’t written more than a page or two about the times I was hosted by them. Only one page about Texas. Only a page about Florida. I did complete Georgia, but late. Only the first day at my friends in Hilton Head. SC (though I do have notes written) and I did catch up on Oklahoma. But nothing for Colorado. And missing 4 days in Iowa. Why? Many reasons. I was doing too much those weeks. Either driving from place to place or spending time “doing things” and going places with friends or relatives. But I suspect there is also a hesitance in writing about friends and relations and my take on things. Fear of offence, fear of omission, respect for privacy…well, who are we kidding here, maybe it’s decorum, or manners.
Or I haven’t processed it all yet.
They were good times, mostly. There is always the thought in the back of my head - sure they love me, but how long is too long? How much of an imposition am I causing? And then there is just the tumult of life. For instance, Colorado. How do I talk about the Joy of seeing an old college friend, a pen-pal musician friend and his wife for the first time; My “god-daughter” and a sister of my sisters (for lack of a better description, though I think of her as another sister.) And my nieces and nephews and :grandnieces (is that even a category?) Juxtapose that with the death of my youngest nephew two days after I arrive at the age of 29. I could have seen him the night before, but he didn’t come over. A whirlwind week that I’m still trying to sort out , what to tell, who to include, what impressions to express; what to keep to myself.
Writing of this sort is hard. It doesn’t “roll from my fingers on to the screen willingly. There is much ado about something in my mind for these days.
And these are the days that will be coming up shortly as I am nearly cleared of all other backlog (save the transcriptions of the audio interviews) I am confronted, but determined to cut a swath through those days and perhaps even before I leave this state. (North Dakota). Some new friends have a blog called “The Blank Rectangle” that refers to this state, because it’s sort of the look people give when North Dakota is mentioned. What people get when they try to imagine what that state shape contains. Well I have another view of this phenomenon. It comes from the idea that nature abhors a vacuum. That in meditation, one lets thoughts fly up to clear the space for creative idea to enter. Where creating a clearing opens a space for things to enter.
I am clearing a space so new thins can enter. And to do so I need to get these past days out and posted, so that I only have the prior day to record.
Today’s post is not so much about what I did today and my focus. I have written up about 9 days worth and posted nearly that many. It’s almost 9 pm, the sun is still out and I think I have another two days worth of writing I’ll be able to do in the tent before I close the book on this day.
Other than exploring the little town of New Salem this afternoon and visiting the grocery and two gas stations this afternoon, no reall “activity’ of note beside walking Mischa around and swatting away mosquitoes happened. And tomorrow will be the same.
I hope to have some astounding discovery, insight or meeting tomorrow, but the odds are against it.
Not everyday will be exciting. Not every day will be memorable. Look at your own lives.
Fritter and waste your hours in a offhand way, indeed.
I’m sitting here, in a park, near a small town in North Dakota.
It’s 9 pm, the sun is still out. The weather is still warm. And I feel like I’ve done a good days work.
And I’m ok with all that.
Tomorrow it could storm. (It’s not supposed to - but it could)
I’ll take it as it comes. As long as I get another day of accomplishment like today.
I’m good with that.
06-14-11 Just a little of that Human Touch
06-14-11
Do you think what I'm askin's too much
I just want something to hold on to
And a little of that Human Touch
Just a little of that Human Touch
0 miles
The gang of hikers, Gwen, Jeremy, Tyler and Richard prepare to leave for today’s hike to Sweet Briar Lake, some 17 miles to the east. It would be an easy hike yesterday but this day starts with cold, dusky hewn skies and light rain. Thunderclaps can be heard to the southwest.
Jeremy comes over to my camp area and helps me get a video together for my Kickstarter project.
As we wrap up, Richard and Tyler come by, for a second I think they are wanting to see how the video is going but then I realize it is a subtle sign .that Jeremy needs to get ready to head out. I say goodbye and they go back under their shelter and load their gear on for the hike…as the weather worsens. Intrepid they are, pragmatic…?
I see the 3 guys walking up the road and assume Gwen has gone ahead and will meet them at one of the gas stations up the road. As they get to the point of the road that will take them out of sight of the camp area they turn and I wave to them as the wave to me. Then they shout out things like “Good luck on your journey” and “Keep dry”! My only reply to both is a weak “You Too!” And they are gone.
And after that the storms follow.
I stay out on the picnic tables and type up a few things and then go thru my AAA camp guides for the next 5 states looking at pathways and camping possibilities. Michigan seems daunting. Not only are the gas prices some of the worst in the country, but the camping rates for most of the state seem exorbitant.
Indiana has some good rates, but not along the path I wanted. If I detour to places along the Ohio river, my camping prices decrease significantly Or take a path thru Ft. Wayne to Muncie. We’ll see when I get there, I guess.
A rainy day doesn’t do much to inspire action. And cold in the air and massive storm walls with lightning, thunder and heavy rain encourages early hibernation. I take everything into the tent and hope it will pass soon and the day will return to the glorious sunshine of yesterday. It said 60% chance of rain, which I took to mean that there was a 60% chance it would rain sometime that day in that place - not that it would rain 60% of the time that day in that place!
I think about the comfort and safety of the hikers. I realize I miss the company. Having people with agile minds and ready smiles, good stories and good will is something I realize that I miss. Facebook provides some of that, in that there is a regular group of people I exchange comments and post with whenever I get on line. But sharing a moment in time at a definable place with other people in “real time” with spontaneous responses to comments that sometimes cause a tumult of comments is something that I recognize have missed. I’m not lonely. Mischa is a great companion. But here communication is limited. I believe that I understand here various communications better than anyone else and that she understands me very well, but it’s not the gift that true conversation gives. Here companionship is wonderful and comforting, but it is not the same thing as conversation with other people.
So I go back to writing in the tent but the weather is so horrid that I just end up playing endless games of Peggle and then watching tV episodes I downloaded (for free) from iTunes (The Killing and Teen Wolf Pilots) Then I start listening to an audio book in the Dresden Files series that I hadn’t finished (Summer Knight) and look outside as it has gotten light outside finally. It’s still very cold, but it’s light I’m seeing. I check my clock on the computer - it says it’s 9:35 pm. What?!
Boy have I frittered away a day. I can’t say I burned daylight and there was little of that to be seen. I resign myself that the day is almost over and that (Hopefully) tomorrow will be a better day. I listen to the audio book till I realize I’ve dozed and lost my place in the story. I turn it and the computer off and go to sleep moving Mischa under my covers as it is chillingly cold.
Around 2 am I am woken up by someone driving nearby with a throaty muffler. Muscle Car I imagine. It slows and then drives off slowly. I’m presuming the bars have just closed and this person is heading home but perhaps thinking of extending the fun of his evening with some hi-jinks. I keep alert for the next 45 minutes until I’m reasonable certain no one is coming near the tent. I go back to sleep with the occasional train passing noisily through the nearby town of New Salem.
Do you think what I'm askin's too much
I just want something to hold on to
And a little of that Human Touch
Just a little of that Human Touch
0 miles
The gang of hikers, Gwen, Jeremy, Tyler and Richard prepare to leave for today’s hike to Sweet Briar Lake, some 17 miles to the east. It would be an easy hike yesterday but this day starts with cold, dusky hewn skies and light rain. Thunderclaps can be heard to the southwest.
Jeremy comes over to my camp area and helps me get a video together for my Kickstarter project.
As we wrap up, Richard and Tyler come by, for a second I think they are wanting to see how the video is going but then I realize it is a subtle sign .that Jeremy needs to get ready to head out. I say goodbye and they go back under their shelter and load their gear on for the hike…as the weather worsens. Intrepid they are, pragmatic…?
I see the 3 guys walking up the road and assume Gwen has gone ahead and will meet them at one of the gas stations up the road. As they get to the point of the road that will take them out of sight of the camp area they turn and I wave to them as the wave to me. Then they shout out things like “Good luck on your journey” and “Keep dry”! My only reply to both is a weak “You Too!” And they are gone.
And after that the storms follow.
I stay out on the picnic tables and type up a few things and then go thru my AAA camp guides for the next 5 states looking at pathways and camping possibilities. Michigan seems daunting. Not only are the gas prices some of the worst in the country, but the camping rates for most of the state seem exorbitant.
Indiana has some good rates, but not along the path I wanted. If I detour to places along the Ohio river, my camping prices decrease significantly Or take a path thru Ft. Wayne to Muncie. We’ll see when I get there, I guess.
A rainy day doesn’t do much to inspire action. And cold in the air and massive storm walls with lightning, thunder and heavy rain encourages early hibernation. I take everything into the tent and hope it will pass soon and the day will return to the glorious sunshine of yesterday. It said 60% chance of rain, which I took to mean that there was a 60% chance it would rain sometime that day in that place - not that it would rain 60% of the time that day in that place!
I think about the comfort and safety of the hikers. I realize I miss the company. Having people with agile minds and ready smiles, good stories and good will is something I realize that I miss. Facebook provides some of that, in that there is a regular group of people I exchange comments and post with whenever I get on line. But sharing a moment in time at a definable place with other people in “real time” with spontaneous responses to comments that sometimes cause a tumult of comments is something that I recognize have missed. I’m not lonely. Mischa is a great companion. But here communication is limited. I believe that I understand here various communications better than anyone else and that she understands me very well, but it’s not the gift that true conversation gives. Here companionship is wonderful and comforting, but it is not the same thing as conversation with other people.
So I go back to writing in the tent but the weather is so horrid that I just end up playing endless games of Peggle and then watching tV episodes I downloaded (for free) from iTunes (The Killing and Teen Wolf Pilots) Then I start listening to an audio book in the Dresden Files series that I hadn’t finished (Summer Knight) and look outside as it has gotten light outside finally. It’s still very cold, but it’s light I’m seeing. I check my clock on the computer - it says it’s 9:35 pm. What?!
Boy have I frittered away a day. I can’t say I burned daylight and there was little of that to be seen. I resign myself that the day is almost over and that (Hopefully) tomorrow will be a better day. I listen to the audio book till I realize I’ve dozed and lost my place in the story. I turn it and the computer off and go to sleep moving Mischa under my covers as it is chillingly cold.
Around 2 am I am woken up by someone driving nearby with a throaty muffler. Muscle Car I imagine. It slows and then drives off slowly. I’m presuming the bars have just closed and this person is heading home but perhaps thinking of extending the fun of his evening with some hi-jinks. I keep alert for the next 45 minutes until I’m reasonable certain no one is coming near the tent. I go back to sleep with the occasional train passing noisily through the nearby town of New Salem.
06-13-11 maybe it’s just a change of climate..um-humm
06-13-11
And of course this is why I’m so concerned
And I come back to see the stars misplaced
And the smell of a world that has burned
(yeah well, maybe it’s just a change of climate..um-humm )
38 miles
I wake late. It must be 8am (7am my body time)
I’m not yet ready to get going. Not sure which way to go.
I’m over half way thru the state and I’m down at least $35 more than I had intended to spend my first night in North Dakota.. But I’d be a real fool if I died in severe weather when the safety of a motel was close by. Unfortunately the average “low” price in Bismarck was $71 dollars. So when the only real low price came up on Kayak, it was still in the $40’s (before tax).
Looking outside I saw the day saw sunny and blue skies with an abundance of white puffy clouds mocked last nights drama. “Oh…we were just foolin’” the clouds seem to chide.
After loading the car I go to find internet access. I’m between reception for McD’s, Schlotzky’s, Arby’s and Perkins (which has the name “surfintown”. Being a good California son I select that source. I have to drive over to that parking lot to finally get even slow access. At the Perkins parking lot Mischa suddenly gets antsy. I take her out for a little walk to relieve herself, as I’m sure this is what she’s hinting at. We walk around a bit and nothing is happening. She walks near a car bumper and hesitates before moving on. I look down and see a penny. By now you know what that signifies to me on this trip. But next to it are two quarters! What could this portend? (I’m .51 cents richer, that’s what!)
I look at our options. Continue east and be thru to Fargo in a couple of days and just hang out near the border waiting to cross like it’s Check Point Charlie? [ This is a “Cold War” reference for you youngsters - Google it!]
No. there’s not a lot of camping options in my budget that I couldn’t find staying in Bismarck.
Stay here? Same issue, budget…I’ve got to compensate.
Go back west? To New Salem? I think about how bad that storm looked last night and that another storm is coming from the west in a day or so. But I also think “Lightning seldom strikes twice in the same place” …in the same week I rationalize. I also know this is a fallacy. Lightning can strike multiple times in the same place…but usually when that happens it’s in the same time frame.
So I decide to go back to New Salem. $5 for the first night and 3 each succeeding night. My biggest concerns is the parking area. It’s grass and was already a little muddy, last nights deluge can’t have made it better.
But I decide to go anyway. 36 miles or so backwards and (according to The Weather Channel App) it’s worst day of the week will be tomorrow with that storm coming from Washington and Oregon with a 60 % chance of rain. I’ll take it!
I stop at “Dan’s Supermarket” before heading out to get a few supplies and cash for the campsite (New Salem doesn’t have any place that gives cash back on debit purchases. They have ATM machines, but I have an aversion to giving away $2.00 per ATM transaction on principal..
I get to the site and even the person’s trailer that was there yesterday is now gone. There is a family with a poptop van, but they don’t stay.
I set up tent in mild warmth and enjoy the familiarity of the routine. There is a picnic shelter with electricity plugs. They work and I see the next few days spent here will be productive in catching up with past posting. A quick drive up to the gas stations by the interstate and I will be able to access the internet and post, catch up and enjoy the pleasure of meaningless repartee with friends across the land. I hope the only bad day of rain will be tomorrow and that it is only passing and intermittent in nature.
I’m washing out dirty dishes in preparation for dinner when I hear voices coming towards me.
Four young hikers are coming down the road to the came in high spirits. Mischa takes exception to this and starts barking at them. I stop the washing process and grab her as they pass by. We exchange a few pleasantries and they continues past me towards the other shelter to set up their own campsite. We’re the only people here, why not use the facilities?!
Another couple drive up in a camper truck and explore the possibilities. They decide not to stay.
I’m trying to cook a package meal of chicken Broccoli with my little alcohol stove I was given in Louisiana. It almost works to boil water. Patience and perseverance is the key. I got to use the bathroom and on returning decide to talk to my fellow campers about maybe interviewing them for the Journey posts. They are all from Bismarck, but now live other places. They have decided to explore their state from the Montana border to Bismarck on foot. They started June 3rd and are 36 miles from the end. They did 20 miles today so they may have two more days ahead of them.
I mention a NPR program I heard yesterday discussing the differences and divisions between Western North Dakotans and Eastern North Dakotans. They know that program. They suggested it an were supposed to be on it, but this trip precluded their inclusion. They have a blog called “The Blank Rectangle” (named after a quote by North Dakotan Eric Severied). They are four individuals, three guys and a girl, traveling the roads less taken…even by North Dakotans.
We exchange information about our journeys and say goodnight, though the sun is still shining for a good while more.
I’m hoping to catch them tomorrow for a group interview before they take off again. And maybe they can help me with my Kickstarter interview.
I decide to go over tonight to see if they are up for the interview tonight. They are. It’s a fun and interesting session and we talk till the camera shuts off. I make my goodbyes and hope to see them in the morning and get them to shoot my Kickstarter interview and finally get that on the way. Maybe that’s what the found .51 cents is about. Or maybe it was just the good fortune of coming back to this campsite and running across this rare group of adventurers.
And of course this is why I’m so concerned
And I come back to see the stars misplaced
And the smell of a world that has burned
(yeah well, maybe it’s just a change of climate..um-humm )
38 miles
I wake late. It must be 8am (7am my body time)
I’m not yet ready to get going. Not sure which way to go.
I’m over half way thru the state and I’m down at least $35 more than I had intended to spend my first night in North Dakota.. But I’d be a real fool if I died in severe weather when the safety of a motel was close by. Unfortunately the average “low” price in Bismarck was $71 dollars. So when the only real low price came up on Kayak, it was still in the $40’s (before tax).
Looking outside I saw the day saw sunny and blue skies with an abundance of white puffy clouds mocked last nights drama. “Oh…we were just foolin’” the clouds seem to chide.
After loading the car I go to find internet access. I’m between reception for McD’s, Schlotzky’s, Arby’s and Perkins (which has the name “surfintown”. Being a good California son I select that source. I have to drive over to that parking lot to finally get even slow access. At the Perkins parking lot Mischa suddenly gets antsy. I take her out for a little walk to relieve herself, as I’m sure this is what she’s hinting at. We walk around a bit and nothing is happening. She walks near a car bumper and hesitates before moving on. I look down and see a penny. By now you know what that signifies to me on this trip. But next to it are two quarters! What could this portend? (I’m .51 cents richer, that’s what!)
I look at our options. Continue east and be thru to Fargo in a couple of days and just hang out near the border waiting to cross like it’s Check Point Charlie? [ This is a “Cold War” reference for you youngsters - Google it!]
No. there’s not a lot of camping options in my budget that I couldn’t find staying in Bismarck.
Stay here? Same issue, budget…I’ve got to compensate.
Go back west? To New Salem? I think about how bad that storm looked last night and that another storm is coming from the west in a day or so. But I also think “Lightning seldom strikes twice in the same place” …in the same week I rationalize. I also know this is a fallacy. Lightning can strike multiple times in the same place…but usually when that happens it’s in the same time frame.
So I decide to go back to New Salem. $5 for the first night and 3 each succeeding night. My biggest concerns is the parking area. It’s grass and was already a little muddy, last nights deluge can’t have made it better.
But I decide to go anyway. 36 miles or so backwards and (according to The Weather Channel App) it’s worst day of the week will be tomorrow with that storm coming from Washington and Oregon with a 60 % chance of rain. I’ll take it!
I stop at “Dan’s Supermarket” before heading out to get a few supplies and cash for the campsite (New Salem doesn’t have any place that gives cash back on debit purchases. They have ATM machines, but I have an aversion to giving away $2.00 per ATM transaction on principal..
I get to the site and even the person’s trailer that was there yesterday is now gone. There is a family with a poptop van, but they don’t stay.
I set up tent in mild warmth and enjoy the familiarity of the routine. There is a picnic shelter with electricity plugs. They work and I see the next few days spent here will be productive in catching up with past posting. A quick drive up to the gas stations by the interstate and I will be able to access the internet and post, catch up and enjoy the pleasure of meaningless repartee with friends across the land. I hope the only bad day of rain will be tomorrow and that it is only passing and intermittent in nature.
I’m washing out dirty dishes in preparation for dinner when I hear voices coming towards me.
Four young hikers are coming down the road to the came in high spirits. Mischa takes exception to this and starts barking at them. I stop the washing process and grab her as they pass by. We exchange a few pleasantries and they continues past me towards the other shelter to set up their own campsite. We’re the only people here, why not use the facilities?!
Another couple drive up in a camper truck and explore the possibilities. They decide not to stay.
I’m trying to cook a package meal of chicken Broccoli with my little alcohol stove I was given in Louisiana. It almost works to boil water. Patience and perseverance is the key. I got to use the bathroom and on returning decide to talk to my fellow campers about maybe interviewing them for the Journey posts. They are all from Bismarck, but now live other places. They have decided to explore their state from the Montana border to Bismarck on foot. They started June 3rd and are 36 miles from the end. They did 20 miles today so they may have two more days ahead of them.
I mention a NPR program I heard yesterday discussing the differences and divisions between Western North Dakotans and Eastern North Dakotans. They know that program. They suggested it an were supposed to be on it, but this trip precluded their inclusion. They have a blog called “The Blank Rectangle” (named after a quote by North Dakotan Eric Severied). They are four individuals, three guys and a girl, traveling the roads less taken…even by North Dakotans.
We exchange information about our journeys and say goodnight, though the sun is still shining for a good while more.
I’m hoping to catch them tomorrow for a group interview before they take off again. And maybe they can help me with my Kickstarter interview.
I decide to go over tonight to see if they are up for the interview tonight. They are. It’s a fun and interesting session and we talk till the camera shuts off. I make my goodbyes and hope to see them in the morning and get them to shoot my Kickstarter interview and finally get that on the way. Maybe that’s what the found .51 cents is about. Or maybe it was just the good fortune of coming back to this campsite and running across this rare group of adventurers.
06-12-11 The sky is falling down
06-12-11
It sounds like thunder
Just like the calm before a storm
The light surrounds you now
Can’t stop before it turns to rain
The sky is falling down
207.6
Glendive
To the east the Badlands are finally seen.
Steinbeck fell in love with this.
The soft green skin of the hills and mounds, it’s flesh ripped raw by the wind and its scabs washed away by the rain leaves the look of a grassy Arizonian desert landscape.
I cross the border into North Dakota with a sense of joy. I made it to another state! And the sun is shining!
I stop at the first exit which is the visitors center before Beach. I spend a good deal of time there getting materials about the state. The site is unhosted so it’s what I can find. No live person to wlecome me to the state and give me insider info about places to go and things to see.
I drive by signs to see Medora. It seems kinda touristy to me so I decide I’ll skip in. But as I get closer the billboards persuade my mind in a different direction. - Theodore Roosevelt State Park; Cowboy Hall of Fame .- Chateau de Moreno - Pitchfork Fondue - Medora Musical. There’s a lot of stuff down this one off ramp. I got to explore and take some pictures.
I discover Theodore Roosevelt National Park has been closed to camping due to recent flooding. I check with the visitor center about other potential places. They say that Ft. Abraham Lincoln IS open for camping (thought I’d seen online that they weren’t) and was told about a campsite in Lincoln is available for only $5/nite (but not told the name of the campsite) As I leave I hear a flurry of Gunfight at the Cowboy Museum across the way. I ask about it at the kiosk as I leave the park . “Yeah, that do that twice a day and 1 and 4 pm”. It’s 1:10 pm. I guess I’ll miss it. The sounds are maybe something like the old Disneyland/ Knott’s Berry Farm shootouts, but on steroids.
I decide to explore the area a bit before continuing towards Bismarck.
I go first to explore the Chateau de Mores, but there is an admission fee, so I passed it up and went up the hill to see the Medora Musical and Pitchfork Fondue attraction. I drive up the raod and before I’m even to the top of the climb, I know I’ve come to the right spot. The whole valley is below and the view is magnificent. I take a few pictures right there looking back at the town and continue up to the top. It’s even better there. I drive to an overlook by the parking area in front of the theater building and take some pictures of the “Badlands “side of the property. Oh to do theater everyday in a location like this. It sort of paupers Shakespeare Santa Cruz and Ashland, though they have compelling attraction of their own.
I see a big white truck moving over by the area which I presume is where the Pitchfork Fondue happens. (Like it sounds they skewer huge slabs of beef (or hot dogs) on a pitchfork and stick it in a big vat of oil and cook it that way.)
A young woman gets out of the truck when I ask of it’s ok to just take a few pictures of the place.
Her name is Haley and she is here for her first season in the Medora Musical. She is from Minneapolis. I ask her about the show and how many people are involved putting it on. She thinks it’s about 300 cast and running crew. I ask her more detailed info about the productions history and she says she’s to new to know a lot of the answers but knows someone who would know threm. She dials up Tawney at the visitors information booth in town.- I proceed down to meet here and receive a history lesson in the town of Medora. Tawney is well suited to her craft. There is a pride and enthusiasm as well as professionalism in here dissertation of the various facts and personalities past and current that have made Medora the thriving little tourist hamlet that it is. I leave with much appreciation and enjoyment in the knowledge I have gained about this spot. It could be perhaps compared to Wall Drugs, in South Dakota; but instead of a being a business that gives the small town international fame, it is the whole town, whose businesses bring it that fame.
On to camping. I pass Dickenson (too soon) - I see a sign for the Enchanted Highway and decide Not to take this path. I do get a snapshot from the road of one of the giant sculptures that is visible from the road. “Flying Geese“. It is very good, but I just don‘t want to take the time to go to who-knows-where just to follow this path. I pass by Richardson and Glen Ullin - I’m Loosing time. It’s not that it’s a long drive - I’ve just lost an hour crossing the time line between Mountain and Central. What was 4 is now 5pm.
And as the time slips away from me I decide to start seriously looking for a campsite for the night. It’s always better to get the camp set up with lots of daylight left to settle in, get a little writing done and maybe even “cook” something! (What a concept!)
I pull off at New Salem, home of Salem Sue the Largest cow statue in the world!
The AAA guide listed cheap camping at the city park.
It’s true! It’s listed as a suggested donation of $5 for the first night and $3 for each additional night.
I have a feeling I’m going to Like North Dakota! The bathroom is less user friendly than expected (water on the floor and broken doors on the stalls, lighting, but no switch to turn it on or off (I’m hoping there is a timer behind the locked door the wiring goes behind.) But it’s only $17 for 5 nights, there is electricity at the campsite and a grill/picnic tables and a shelter!
.I can get a lot of back writing done and then head to Bismarck/Fargo for the last two days, even stay at a place with a shower on one of them!
I’m going to get cash for the camping fee. As usual in small towns like this there is No cash back/atm only.
One of the gas bookmark gas stations has wifi. Iget on internet and see a storm is coming to right where I am1
I look up and see storm coming to right where I am. It is a huge black storm wall. The flags at the gas station are blowing directly west. And the first drops of rain start to pelt my windshield. I disconnect from cyberspace and get the car in gear heading east as fast as the speed limit will allow and dive to Bismarck, ND
Now, the wind had been blowing west in New Salem but the storms followed me NE to just west of Bismarck .
The radio keeps interrupting announcing “ Severe storm watch” and
“Flooding warning”
And “Tornado watch”
It is at this time, watching the light show to the west of me that I start looking for cheap motels in the area. Everything starts just about $71 but one (Motel 6) has a rate for $44 (before tax)
I go there and try to book a room. The couple in front of me (“I’m just so tired. We’ve been driving so long from I don’t know where”) got the last downstairs non-smoking room. I don’t want to lug all the stuff upstairs - plus if a tornado hits I’d rather be downstairs for whatever added protection that might provide. I pass and go looking for another option. Maybe a local truckstop to park outside for the night and go inside should things get dire.
Then on the radio I hear the Nation al Weather Bureau interrupt with the announcement “Tornado warning” seek immediate shelter!
Motel room! I go back and amazingly I get a downstairs non-smoking room (after the crane driver ahead of me gets an upstairs room!) Where fortune smiles, I guess. Timing is everything.
It’s not quite as good as I’d hoped. The room is fine, it’s just that to only parking is way away from the room. Somebody is parked in front of my room. So I haul things in bit by bit. First, Mischa and the netbook and then several trips of other less essential things should the storm be suddenly upon us. I’d debated online weather I should spend the near $50 for this night in the motel. But eventually I decided I’d be a real putz if I lost my life and Mischa’s because I gambled that I could survive outside and save that money. I had to believe my life was worth the $50. (At least Mischa’s was!)
In the room Mischa is immediately approving of the choice. She lies across the bed and is stretched out and visibly relaxing. She is soon snoring. (Man, I wish I could master that!)
I stay awake watching the Weather Channel (and Game of Thrones and Robot Chicken) until I feel it’s safe to sleep after 1am.
It sounds like thunder
Just like the calm before a storm
The light surrounds you now
Can’t stop before it turns to rain
The sky is falling down
207.6
Glendive
To the east the Badlands are finally seen.
Steinbeck fell in love with this.
The soft green skin of the hills and mounds, it’s flesh ripped raw by the wind and its scabs washed away by the rain leaves the look of a grassy Arizonian desert landscape.
I cross the border into North Dakota with a sense of joy. I made it to another state! And the sun is shining!
I stop at the first exit which is the visitors center before Beach. I spend a good deal of time there getting materials about the state. The site is unhosted so it’s what I can find. No live person to wlecome me to the state and give me insider info about places to go and things to see.
I drive by signs to see Medora. It seems kinda touristy to me so I decide I’ll skip in. But as I get closer the billboards persuade my mind in a different direction. - Theodore Roosevelt State Park; Cowboy Hall of Fame .- Chateau de Moreno - Pitchfork Fondue - Medora Musical. There’s a lot of stuff down this one off ramp. I got to explore and take some pictures.
I discover Theodore Roosevelt National Park has been closed to camping due to recent flooding. I check with the visitor center about other potential places. They say that Ft. Abraham Lincoln IS open for camping (thought I’d seen online that they weren’t) and was told about a campsite in Lincoln is available for only $5/nite (but not told the name of the campsite) As I leave I hear a flurry of Gunfight at the Cowboy Museum across the way. I ask about it at the kiosk as I leave the park . “Yeah, that do that twice a day and 1 and 4 pm”. It’s 1:10 pm. I guess I’ll miss it. The sounds are maybe something like the old Disneyland/ Knott’s Berry Farm shootouts, but on steroids.
I decide to explore the area a bit before continuing towards Bismarck.
I go first to explore the Chateau de Mores, but there is an admission fee, so I passed it up and went up the hill to see the Medora Musical and Pitchfork Fondue attraction. I drive up the raod and before I’m even to the top of the climb, I know I’ve come to the right spot. The whole valley is below and the view is magnificent. I take a few pictures right there looking back at the town and continue up to the top. It’s even better there. I drive to an overlook by the parking area in front of the theater building and take some pictures of the “Badlands “side of the property. Oh to do theater everyday in a location like this. It sort of paupers Shakespeare Santa Cruz and Ashland, though they have compelling attraction of their own.
I see a big white truck moving over by the area which I presume is where the Pitchfork Fondue happens. (Like it sounds they skewer huge slabs of beef (or hot dogs) on a pitchfork and stick it in a big vat of oil and cook it that way.)
A young woman gets out of the truck when I ask of it’s ok to just take a few pictures of the place.
Her name is Haley and she is here for her first season in the Medora Musical. She is from Minneapolis. I ask her about the show and how many people are involved putting it on. She thinks it’s about 300 cast and running crew. I ask her more detailed info about the productions history and she says she’s to new to know a lot of the answers but knows someone who would know threm. She dials up Tawney at the visitors information booth in town.- I proceed down to meet here and receive a history lesson in the town of Medora. Tawney is well suited to her craft. There is a pride and enthusiasm as well as professionalism in here dissertation of the various facts and personalities past and current that have made Medora the thriving little tourist hamlet that it is. I leave with much appreciation and enjoyment in the knowledge I have gained about this spot. It could be perhaps compared to Wall Drugs, in South Dakota; but instead of a being a business that gives the small town international fame, it is the whole town, whose businesses bring it that fame.
On to camping. I pass Dickenson (too soon) - I see a sign for the Enchanted Highway and decide Not to take this path. I do get a snapshot from the road of one of the giant sculptures that is visible from the road. “Flying Geese“. It is very good, but I just don‘t want to take the time to go to who-knows-where just to follow this path. I pass by Richardson and Glen Ullin - I’m Loosing time. It’s not that it’s a long drive - I’ve just lost an hour crossing the time line between Mountain and Central. What was 4 is now 5pm.
And as the time slips away from me I decide to start seriously looking for a campsite for the night. It’s always better to get the camp set up with lots of daylight left to settle in, get a little writing done and maybe even “cook” something! (What a concept!)
I pull off at New Salem, home of Salem Sue the Largest cow statue in the world!
The AAA guide listed cheap camping at the city park.
It’s true! It’s listed as a suggested donation of $5 for the first night and $3 for each additional night.
I have a feeling I’m going to Like North Dakota! The bathroom is less user friendly than expected (water on the floor and broken doors on the stalls, lighting, but no switch to turn it on or off (I’m hoping there is a timer behind the locked door the wiring goes behind.) But it’s only $17 for 5 nights, there is electricity at the campsite and a grill/picnic tables and a shelter!
.I can get a lot of back writing done and then head to Bismarck/Fargo for the last two days, even stay at a place with a shower on one of them!
I’m going to get cash for the camping fee. As usual in small towns like this there is No cash back/atm only.
One of the gas bookmark gas stations has wifi. Iget on internet and see a storm is coming to right where I am1
I look up and see storm coming to right where I am. It is a huge black storm wall. The flags at the gas station are blowing directly west. And the first drops of rain start to pelt my windshield. I disconnect from cyberspace and get the car in gear heading east as fast as the speed limit will allow and dive to Bismarck, ND
Now, the wind had been blowing west in New Salem but the storms followed me NE to just west of Bismarck .
The radio keeps interrupting announcing “ Severe storm watch” and
“Flooding warning”
And “Tornado watch”
It is at this time, watching the light show to the west of me that I start looking for cheap motels in the area. Everything starts just about $71 but one (Motel 6) has a rate for $44 (before tax)
I go there and try to book a room. The couple in front of me (“I’m just so tired. We’ve been driving so long from I don’t know where”) got the last downstairs non-smoking room. I don’t want to lug all the stuff upstairs - plus if a tornado hits I’d rather be downstairs for whatever added protection that might provide. I pass and go looking for another option. Maybe a local truckstop to park outside for the night and go inside should things get dire.
Then on the radio I hear the Nation al Weather Bureau interrupt with the announcement “Tornado warning” seek immediate shelter!
Motel room! I go back and amazingly I get a downstairs non-smoking room (after the crane driver ahead of me gets an upstairs room!) Where fortune smiles, I guess. Timing is everything.
It’s not quite as good as I’d hoped. The room is fine, it’s just that to only parking is way away from the room. Somebody is parked in front of my room. So I haul things in bit by bit. First, Mischa and the netbook and then several trips of other less essential things should the storm be suddenly upon us. I’d debated online weather I should spend the near $50 for this night in the motel. But eventually I decided I’d be a real putz if I lost my life and Mischa’s because I gambled that I could survive outside and save that money. I had to believe my life was worth the $50. (At least Mischa’s was!)
In the room Mischa is immediately approving of the choice. She lies across the bed and is stretched out and visibly relaxing. She is soon snoring. (Man, I wish I could master that!)
I stay awake watching the Weather Channel (and Game of Thrones and Robot Chicken) until I feel it’s safe to sleep after 1am.
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