road trip memoirs

still in the middle of my road trip. I'm currently in a really cool coffee shop in Estees Park Colorado. Sipping fresh peppermint tea, listening to local conversations about what God's occupation was before he created the universe.

Maybe he used to sit on the corner smoking cigarettes until inspiration hit. You know, he worked for 6 days straight? He must have been really smelly after he worked for 6 days straight. I bet he didn't even stop to take a shower.

Dark ominous clouds loom over the town teasing my desire for rain with little spit-like drops. More than a week into this trip and it feels so good to just stop. My chair isn't attached to wheels and flying down some mountain road. I can rest my head back and close my eyes without worrying about veering off the road. It seems like everyone who walks into this place is best friends with the owner. I want to be friends with him because then I could share my ideas of God's other occupations. But for now, it's nice to just listen.

This trip has taken me over almost every western state and Canada. I think the only two I'll be missing are Arizona and New Mexico. Northern california was beautiful. The redwoods really are majestic. In Eureka, I met a woman sitting on the side of the road holding a cardboard sign reading "Hungry". I made us some PB&J sandwiches and had a nice little chat about her cat "Baby". Most cats hate riding in the car. Not Baby. Baby rides shotgun eagerly watching the yellowlines as if they are mice too quick to catch. I finish my sandwich and wish her the best of luck.

After Canada, we drive down into Glacier National Park. It's high peaks and narrow valley are quite reminescent of Yosemite, but here there is a huge lake with the clearest of water. I call it the tears of the Glaciers which are apparently melting unfortunatly fast. Our camp neighbors return from a hike as darkness slowly begins to creep through the trees. They come over and talk. Jack is a retired coast guard guy and his wife Anne loves dogs. They are like her children. She blushes and slaps Jack sharply when he makes a comment about how she can't have kids. "You better watch it old man!" she says. They seem truly happy together.

Wyoming brings with it camping in Yellowstone and a visit with some old High Sierra friends now married and residing in Jackson Hole. We see their new amazing house with its beautiful view of the mountains. They have family visiting, a free spirited 50-something uncle and his half-korean daughter who lives in New York City. We sip wine and discuss communism in Africa and bush masacres. After a few glasses of wine, the daughters response to every sentence seems to be "that's not democracy! IS IT?!"

A few long stretches of freeway and one road-side sleeping session later, we arrive in Colorado to my present location. Camping in Rocky Mountain National Park is going to be awesome. That is all.

P.S. This is the longest I haven't shaved.........guess what? I CAN grow facial hair!!!! ("sort of" says Biermann across the table)