17) Floating Clouds and Rainbow Highways

Rainbow and circle of blue beaming down upon Budget, Honda and Plymouth and those within. Desolate Indian Reservation country. There are signs all along I-40: “You are entering Shoshone Nation”, or “You are entering Arapahoe Nation” and Navajo and Hopi, etc. Lot’s of tepee shaped roadside attractions; although only some of these tribes lived in tepees. Also, lots of Indian trading post  souvenir stores alongside the highway; claiming authentic Indian jewelry (made in China). A sad and beautiful place.

Technorati tags: Indian country, Indian Reservations, clouds, rainbows, Interstate 40, roadside attractions, moving, travel, on-the-road, adventure, USA

16) Floating Clouds and Greener Pastures

The temperature dropped from 117 to 110 and then to what seemed a comfortable 99 degrees F. We left the California and Arizona desert behind and were pleasantly surprised by pine glades and greenery. Coinciding with the cooler temperatures, was an increase of traveling companions on the highway; especially trucks and SUV’s. They are definitely the preferred method of transportation in the United States. It seemed as if most people were either totally unconcerned about or oblivious of oil shortages, or even the higher price of gas. People were sweet and kind though. There is still a level of innocence and hopefulness in the people of the USA. They possess a can-do, ‘boy-howdy’ type of attitude. It’s as if they still think they are adventurers and explorers, out on the open plains, with a vast new frontier spread out before them. There will always be a land of plenty, greener pastures; something fresh and new up ahead. Floating clouds and cowboy angels are protecting and guiding us all. It is difficult not to get caught up in that spirit. Unless one has a vivid imagination, and while glancing out their window, momentarily witnesses a vast herd of buffalo, dotting the landscape from horizon to horizon.

Technorati tags: clouds, trucks, SUV’s, cowboys, peak oil, buffalo, transportation, travel, USA, environmental

15) Roadside Attractions

Mitch had to stop fairly often to gas up the rental truck.

This gave me a chance to check out the local roadside attractions and/or detritus, however you look at it,

grab another bottle of water, and visit the local facilities.

Hi RESTROOM. Hi AIR.

Then visit with Kiki and Toby, who were riding in Mitch’s truck. Hi Kiki. Hi Toby.

Technorati tags: cats, moving, fast food nation, road trip, travel, peak oil

14) Desert Solitaire RIP

I thought of the late author and environmentalist, Edward Abbey, often while driving across the open desert. He loved the desert and devoted his life to it’s protection. Sadly, he knew what was coming ‘down the road’ so to speak.

“Strolling on, it seems to me that the strangeness and wonder of existence are emphasized here, in the desert, by the comparative sparsity of the flora and fauna: life not crowded upon life as in other places but scattered abroad in spareness and simplicity, with a generous gift of space for each herb and bush and tree, each stem of grass, so that the living organism stands out bold and brave and vivid against the lifeless sand and barren rock. The extreme clarity of the desert light is equaled by the extreme individuation of desert life-forms. Love flowers best in openness and freedom.” Edward Abbey

Technorati tags: desert, Edward Abbey, travel, cars, freedom, wilderness, civilization, open space, peak oil

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Rematch)

You knew I would! Just click on center arrow and enjoy video clip and song.

13) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Trains crossed the vast expanse of desert often. They added to the feeling of high-lonesome, of an America of yesteryear, the wild west. Perhaps I watched too many westerns as a youth. I half expected a pistol shootin’ cowboy ala Jesse James to appear; being chased across the train tops by Wyatt Earp or Shane or John Wayne or Clint Eastwood.

All photos in this blog were shot by me, Jodi M., blog driver. Most were shot with my Canon PowerShot A410, without looking into a viewfinder, held in point and shoot style with my right hand, while steering with my left at 80 MPH.

12) Desert hippie angel

Where is Pam?

Crunching on rice cakes

I look for roadrunners

Maybe a coyote or two

Mountains up ahead

mirage?

 

11) "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"

Unfortunately, the heat continued to rise. I feared for the health and safety of my 2 furry travel companions riding in my back seat. The little battery operated fan I bought, only circulated hot air around. I phoned Mitch on the cell and we arranged to meet-up and move the kitties into the front seat of his rental truck which had A/C. Goodbye Toby Tyler. Goodbye Kiki Karma. Now I would have to drive alone with my thoughts and nagging homesickness for Berkeley and the friends I left behind. Although Mitch provided me with a cell phone for this trip; we hardly ever spoke to each other the entire time we were on the road. What was there to say? Once he did call me and asked me what color he should paint his porch? “Red.” I said. “That was the color of my grandma’s porch.” I remembered the hot summer nights, my grandfather returning from work, sitting in the dark on the red painted porch enjoying the cool night air, with me in his lap waiting for the ice cream man. Now I was alone with the endless highway and hot desert.

10) "Is There Life After Berkeley?" Maxine Hong Kingston

Mitch was busy chugging along ahead, focused on his newly purchased bungalow in North Carolina; but I started to lag behind. I was terribly homesick for Berkeley; actually grieving it’s loss. Perhaps I could still turn around and go back? I missed my wonderful neighborhood, a real neighborhood. We helped each other. We had a 36 plot community garden where I had my own plot with happy flowers and heirloom, organic veggies. We had our own fabulous produce market, Monterey Market, a colorful place full of colorful people, fruits and veggies. We had a year round all organic farmer’s market. We had our own

european style coffee shop, with lots of outdoor seating, and free wireless; always full of people discussing things and reading and writing. We had our own health food store, Berkeley Natural Grocery. We had our own greenway that I could ride my cruiser bike on all the way to Albany, the next town over, to visit the Milo Foundation, an animal rescue center, where I adopted Toby. We had the most awesome North Branch (Berkeley Public) Library, and King Park with the track I walked my 2 miles on every day. We had a great bagel shop, a Brooklyn style pizza joint and Lilly’s dim sum. We had the venerable Berkeley Horticulture Nursery where I bought all of my plants. I hardly ever had to drive; and the BART station was 2 blocks away. An easy commute to San Francisco. And there was the added bonus of Helen’s roses. Although Helen is gone; her roses bloom on and continue to beautify the neighborhood in her spirit.

9) HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

I followed behind Mitch for 3600 miles, a large portion of the journey through desert outback.