Autistic Archipelago
The problem is that we
Overdevelop Theme
And loose perspective, and time,
And may even get lost
As far as what is important
As we rush into the future
In our thoughts,
The future that we like
But rarely happens
Because we spent too much time
There
And not in Now.
How to be in Now?
The problem is ...
Posting from Home (backtracking) - Notes from the road
April 8-10 Arizona
The morning after the last night (4-8-13) in New Mexico, I drove out from the Bluewater Lake State Park north towards I-40 and then took I-40 towards Gullup thinking maybe to go to Window Rock; a mechanic at the car service raved to me about it.
This is how the country looks pretty much there from I-40 on a way to 491...
And so I got off I-40 onto 491 and then to 264 and got to Window Rock and drove around but didn't stop anywhere; I couldn't figure out where to stop to touch it, and ended driving further north to Fort Defiance.
Fort Defiance - Just drove around looking... It was a strange place; an Indian town of a defying kind, that gripped your soul; I felt it was like us - holding on in defiance of the present - for the ashes to rise; things that will change everything; back to before, when we too were God's children.
An old church stood at the turn of the road - beautiful and forbidding; it halted me in remembrance; not welcoming me; I wanted to understand; It saw me as I asked for ourselves, when I stopped and without stepping out, I looked and took its image; the act of forbearance that was between us; perhaps...
I drove past it and kept driving past the office of Indian Affairs to nowhere that wasn't mine, and then turned around and went back the way I came; on a way back, just at the point of leaving I suddenly saw - It was saying something to me;
I felt it, but could not understand the message, I felt sad and torn.
Going back to I-40 by way of 264 via St.Michaels to Ganado; these roads are not much traveled, there was nobody I could see in front nor behind me, even as I slowed to look at the woods; 264 there goes through the woods, and you can pull to the side of the road, but the woods are fenced by the barbed wire, so you can't really go there except by trespass;I drove...
I drove through and then it changed to kind of desolate as I got to 191 and drove it south to I-40. I was looking to go to Painted Desert, which is where the Petrified Forest National Park is.
I got to the park as the wind started to rise; stopped at the visitors center, and when I got out the wind was already gusting making it hard to walk.
Drove through the park in high winds, stopping here and there and walking around, taking in the sand storm and the pictures with both my phone and the fish-eye (my fish eye camera got messed up as well at some point there - a foggy spot on the pictures I took, probably some sand got blown by the wind into it). This sand storm was something else - it was like a living creature - it saw you and rushed charging at you from far.
Some pictures:
Looking at strange reflections
Got out of the park at the other end and continued by 40 west, planning to drive to Flagstaff but decided to check out Holbrook. Holbrook is a strange dusty town; stranger than strange. I wanted to stop at the library but it was closed.
There was a visitors center nearby and for some reason I decided to stop there. It was strange as well. The door you had to pull hard to open. Then a dark hall and a few steps up an older dude waiting for you. I've asked for a map, and got one, and then he tells me that the road to Flagstaff is closed due to high winds until tomorrow. Any parks around where I can sleep in a car, I asked. Not really he said, you may try the city park but be aware of thiefs. Do you have any valuables in your car? he asked. Nothing but dirty clothes and an old sleeping bag, I said. You may try it, but you may check this out, he said giving me a broshure with cheap motels; there were a couple for 25 a night. He showed me on a map how to get there. It was on Hope street. Be carefull parking there, he said.
I said goodbye and left; it started to rain a snowstorm was coming.
I drove to Hope street looking for a hotel. There were 2 that I decided to try. The first I rang up but nobody came; I went to another it was open but nobody was there. I was about to leave when a woman came out. She was an indian woman, I thought, Hopi I thought right away, although I've never seen one before. I asked for the room, she said she had one. I asked price and she said $30. I showed her a broshure that showed it at $25. She looked at me and said $30. We looked at each other and I knew that she was a witch. OK I said, let me look at the room. No, she said. It's a room do you want it or not. OK I said, I'll take it. She gave me paperwork, I filled it, got $30 and she took the key out, and we exchanged it. I went upstrairs to the room, it was on a second floor and walked in. It was a run down place, even worse inside than outside, but I didn'tcare. I plugged my computer in to check mail and I wanted to write down, this post, but I saw that my glasses were gone. I couldn't find them anywhere, and I thought I had them just before. I must have used them to fill out the paperwork. I went down to the office, but she was gone. There was not a trace of her and she didn't come when I rang. I went outside thinking maybe I dropped them somewhere. I had a strange recollection of that moment when we exchanged key and paperwork, it was as if there was moment when I was gone, and I knew she took it from me then. But I didn't want to believe it and thought maybe I left it in the visitors center, so I drove there, and asked the guy there; he remembered me having glasses and looked around but they were not there. Where are you staying he asked. I told him. He looked at me with strange look. Good luck he said.
I went back to motel. She still wasn't there, but there was a strange group of people that looked like a thievery bunch, they followed my path to the room; I got concerned for the car, leaving it at night there, but it was what it was.
The loss of glasses bothered me a lot, I knew she got them, but what bothered me most that she got me so easy. How she's done it. Because I thought I was above it.
--- So here is where I got tired and went to sleep --
In the morning I got out, the storm was over, the road open, I went to the office and returned the key. I asked her if she saw my glasses. She looked at me and smiled, I smiled back. I liked her that witch, she was probably my age but looked young and ageles, she was stocky and strong, and she liked me. That was her trophy, and I've got a lesson in return.
=========== from short notes -----
In the morning went to flagstaff, got there about noon
Went for a hike in the mountains 2.5 miles but it was up to the lookout point. Good hike.
Went to library but got out. Got out of flagstaff around 6pm - ate pizza in pizza hut, i like that pizza. On a way there was a most spectacular sunset!
Drove to the Lake Havasu, drove to the state park, there was a gate but was open, it was a self pay $20 a night, you had to put envelope into a slot on a pole there but there were no envelopes; drove through but didn't go to a campground instead drove to a state park parking lot; wasn't too bad but not great.
Went to sleep at about 10 but woke up at 3 and had hard time sleeping afterwards.. Pulled out of the park - was concerned not to get caught there, didn't go looking for showers; this place is small and just concrete mostly everywhere. Instead got out of the park and drove to marina next to it and am sitting there facing the lake as the sun came out. Swallows flying all over having breakfast on insects.
NIGHT APRIL 9-10
I need to figure my next destination. And that is not trivial - do I go inland or to the shore? I think INLAND. I HAVE 20'days and need to cut in. I do want to get to Seattle, but will I? I'm missing them and him especially.
Commercial and residential infestation To lake Isabella, 58, 395. 14, 178. What a road
No comments:
Post a Comment