sorry i didnt make it home, but keep reading.
Last Friday, the 13th, a group of 25 headed north, 6 hours, to Death Valley. It is the lowest, driest, and hottest location in North America. Our first destination was the Eureka Sand Dunes. These dunes, rising 600 feet from the desert valley floor, are some of the biggest in North America.
We spent two nights at the dunes. I woke up early one morning with my friend Ana before sunrise, and climbed up the dunes to say thank you to, and appreciate, the sun. We offered the sun tobacco in return for her rays, energy, and love.
This is the ground, because it is so dry:
From the dunes we drove another 6 hours to the Saline Valley Hot Springs. One day we will all sit in the nude, together, in hot springs, in the middle of the desert, with palm trees providing us shade, smoking a spliff. I met many unbelievable human beings.
I heard one story of a guy who was arrested, and while in the police station, he began to stand on one leg. The police asked him why he was standing on one leg, because they didnt like it. He said he was because he wanted to, and then asked if it was illegal. They kept on asking and pushing him. He successfully diverted the attention away from his crime to him standing on one foot, and he was actually let go.... so, if you are ever arrested, stand on one foot.
As we left the hot springs, the oil pan on the car cracked, and there was a huge oil spill. The car, without oil, couldnt start. So, the car was stuck 40 miles off of any paved road, in the middle of the desert. I got a ride to cell phone service in a town called Lone Pine, CA, and called AAA. Unfortunately, AAA sucks, and they wont tow when the car is off of paved road. However, they reffered me to a towing comapny...they quoted me $1600! Somehow, i found a local guy to do it for $600. Really lucky.
After a day of 12 hours of driving, we finally made it to this waterfall to set up camp for the night, at 3:30 in the morning. we made some pasta and drank some rum and fell asleep under the stars.
The next day, we headed up to Mamouth to go snowboarding. A friend has a condo literally right on the mountain which is so tight. We walked out of the door and boarder to the chair lift. tickets were $80. but we later found out that we could ride for free from 2:30-4 every day because they stop checking tickets. This mountain is huge, and most of it is aboce the tree line, so you can acutally snowboard anywhere you want....there are pretty much no trails. So tight... and i landed a nice 360.
After a few days of boarding and smoking and reading "Expect Resitance" by crimethinc., we headed back to lone pine to pick up the car.... i got cheated out of so much money and had to pay another $1015. so fucked.... later i found out from a VW dealer that it should have only been $495.
Then we stopped in Bishop, CA, and I got in touch with my artistic side, and took some pictures...
Much love.power to the people
Great recap dude...sorry about the car trouble, but it sounds like an amazing trip. Keep the posts coming.
ReplyDeleteawesome buddy.. im so jealous. i really need to get away and come join you on your adventures..
ReplyDeleteyea you do. im doing lots of awesome shit right now in my life. but i need you guys with me.
ReplyDeleteso far, plans are:
-Be in school, finish the semester, do lots of work, cook at the shakedown, try to make some money...(i found this place in town that does a book buy back, and, although it is kinda morally questionable, ive found lots of books that just sit around all over campus, so i can sell them)...and do this internship at this native American tribal office.
-after may 10th or so, after school ends, i think im going to go to southeast utah with my friend paula to go see that kid jack who i met this summer hitchhiking.
-then, im trying to be a volnteer at Strawberry Music Festival
-if that happens i will stay in the redwoods for a week and continue training for the aids ride.
-June I am gonna be driving back across country with mom and dad.
-I'll be home after that, until mid-July, at which point ill either leave on a trip with my parents (Jordan or Palestine, or somewhere else, we don't know yet) or ill be in Copenhagen just living (squatting, couchsurfing, sleeping in a tent, or in hostels) until Thanksgiving.
-After thanksgiving i want to just chill out for a bit, do some visits with you all, depending on where you are.
-and then, i want to WWOOF in Hawaii for two months.
that should bring me to the begining of second semester next year, and i will see if i want to come back to school, at Pitzer or anywhere for that matter.
Anyways, I'm really glad this finally got put together. If we use it wisely and treat it with care, it could turn into something great...or at least greater than it already is if that is possible.
cant wait to see you in APRIL, for nickys birthday and josh's concert, its so wonderful they coincide, and i love you all.
be well
power to the people.
MA
Hell ya man. Sounds like a plan. Strawberry Music Fest looks really chill. Gotta go to the redwoods together at some point. I'll be home May and June. Out the 10th of July to Ghana. Back early August (8th or something). Then working in Northampton until school starts. Loving this site. So sweet. Keep posting keep posting keep posting. Love you guys. Peace
ReplyDeleteIs there a way we can get a joint calender set up.. to know when everyones plans are.. and where they'll be..?
ReplyDeletewell.... first thing would be to make our own calenders. then we can try to coordinate...or ideally we would make our own calenders by coordinating haha. i think i will be home from mid june to mid july. and again around thanksgiving.
ReplyDelete