What makes you Jump?

Jumping is one of those things that seem to fade out with age.  I am thinking that occurs not because of the jump itself but mainly the landing.  Even that should be moderated because we can't launch ourselves nearly as high as we could in college.  I mean a 42 inch vertical leap requires some technique on the return to earth.  At my age I'm trying to figure out why a 6 inch jump hurts so much?  Anyone want to tackle that one?  Yes I know I have added a few stones here and there but that should only make my legs and knees stronger which would aid in the landing.....  right?  It sort of balances itself out or so it seems in my illogical mind.  Here is a toast to the jumpers in the world.  You are the few who will see the world differently if only for a brief moment.

Pharaoh and the Fire

The life of a Playa Pharaoh can be tough. One day you are cruising with the Queen of Sheba and the next night you are pulling out the stereo and thinking you should have paid more attention when your friends wired up the stereo in high school.  All in all, there is nothing like cruising the playa in the boat during Burning Man.  This is a photo of the boat during a camp stop to refuel La Crema and watch the regional pieces burn last week.  It was taken on top of Camp Fiasco and shows just a small amount of the fire in Black Rock City that night.  The fun part came in a campground in Eastern Nevada where the boat itself came under the fire....no playa pharaoh next year.  JRL you better get your design cap out.

50 is the Loneliest Number

Central Nevada is one place where the pace and trappings of the modern life are far and few between.  People who live there do so for the most part I believe, because they do not want to be found.  Today on Highway 50 , "The loneliest Road" in America,  I ate lunch in Austin Nevada.  It's a town 75 miles from anywhere high in the mountains.  Actually, I have through this place before and there was a street dance going on..... imagine the radical self expression of a street dance on the loneliest road in America.  Today was lunch at the Independence Cafe with a server who thumb gouged every piece of silverware she put down and laughed  out loud when she set a table and cried when she put food down.  To top it off she had covered her head in what appeared to be a table cloth.... Muslim do you think?

After running to leave the "Bates Motel" town,  I ended up some hours later in Middlegate.  An old stagecoach stop in the middle of nowhere on the loneliest highway in America.   Gas was more expensive than La Crema but the place was not short on character and perspective.  So, as the lessons of the road teach you...never miss a gas station and pay close attention to where the locals go.....  It may be the only choice.   Heading in to Black Rock City in the morning.  It really does feel like going home.   Enjoy your week.  I will be writing each day but not posting until I break for my other home.  I wish you well.

Coming Home

I'm sitting right now by a fire in Cathedral Gorge State Park in Southeastern Nevada.  The park is a gallery of God's sandstone art given to man for a few years.  The rain has made for some amazing blue skies and deep contrasts of color.  I have been off the grid for a few days trying to see Monument Valley in Arizona, Utah, Arizona, Utah..... on and on. It's all Navaho land so not so easy to see really.  I guess they have some reasons for what they do.    Sitting in a cafe in the only place to stay within a million miles, I was the only one speaking English.   The area is overrun with people from different countries coming to see our national treasures.  It actually made me proud.  I would have hated to have to explain how to eat a cheeseburger but there was a sense of pride to know what we have in our country things of beauty and spirit that people from other storied cultures would travel around the world to see.  Tomorrow deep dark Nevada and the Extraterrestrial highway.  Hope to send the trip a little more in the coming days before the Playa blackout.  

My photo of the day came to me as I was stopped on the awful rutted track in Monument Valley.  I noticed the tracks of vehicles before me, in the rare soft sand and thought about how we all travel somewhere and it's not the track that we take.....it's only that we travel and get to where we want to be.  

take the step....

Miles

Trailer Trash meets Burning man.

It's amazing how much work goes into having the time of your life.  I am so exhausted from lifting, pushing, pulling, stuffing, twisting, stacking, boxing, bungeing (my word). taping, and begging, shit into the Rat I am in a pre-trip coma.  The adventure starts early tomorrow which is a little early and a little late?  Now the next few hundred miles will be constant worry and anxiety centered around things falling off, breaking, splitting, blowing, and generally messing up.  After the honeymoon is over with the Rat, I hope to settle in with my ride and explore the Utah desert and do some images of Monument and other out of the way "gems of heaven".   It will be a long road trip but I am going to enjoy my company and time on the road.   Stay tuned for posts and photos every 100 miles of the adventure.  I hope to see a few moonflowers along the way.....  one step at a time my friends....one step at a time.

Late night

some times the most clear moments in a life come late at night when all things should be done.  A piece of history, or a close warm feeling make a difference.  Our pieces of life truly do make our life, but we can never forget that we are, "only bit players in everyone's life but our own".   so,... enjoy your children, your parents, your friends, but know....... your life is yours .....and no one else's........

Halfway

I have always used a walk to clear my head and try to put the chores of living in perspective.  As a child it was the city lake across the street from my house in Mesquite.  In college it was a footpath out behind the stadium.   My years in Austin brought me to

the hike and bike trail and the Lost Creek golf course at night.  Singapore was the botanical gardens and Denver was the park by the Red Lobster on wadsworth.  Now it's the park in Canton.  I never even knew it existed until a friend told me about it.  It was a very important gift.  The great thing about is park is that is has a nature trail.  This pier is the halfway point of the loop.  For months I have gone this way and to date have only seen one person on it.  Every morning I stop there and do some stretching and thinking.  Today I realized that I have been taking this small piece of my life for granted.  The solitude and quiet of this little piece of my world is magic and I am lucky to have it.  So, today your homework is to come up with one place or thing that is magic for you and spend a few minutes pinching yourself about how lucky you are.  We all have them so no excuses.  Take nothing for granted.....