3/17-3/18/10: To the Coast-Melody & Marci

I originally contacted Melody via her Craigslist ad around the first of March. She was to be moving from Austin to Portland, stopping in Taos to see friends, then continuing on toward San Francisco. I had also been in chatting with Ray since Slab City, and discovered that he was in fact still on hiatus from his walk, and would be heading to the coast and up toward San Francisco instead of Yosemite due to climate concerns! It would be a bit warmer along the central California coast, and a good time to see some of the southern portions of Hwy. 1.

Between the two, it was obvious that this was an alternative to a dreaded trip east and a partial repeat of 2008's West Coast Run--one of my favorite's to date. It would also presumably provide an opportunity to dig deeper into some of the "Camel Ideas". This could be quite cool indeed.

For once, everything went as planned-- even better! Melody picked me up in Santa Fe as scheduled on St. Patrick's Day, and before nightfall we were sailing into Flagstaff where an ex-coworker from my radio days happened to live. Melody needed a break, doesn't mind venturing off the beaten path, and as the sun was about to set we were pulling into Marci's place for a nice, albeit quick, reunion.

The two of us had some nice chats between Flagstaff and Barstow, where we stopped for coffee on highway 58, before stopping in Bakersfield for a couple hours. The final stretch of road between Bakersfield and Hwy. 101 was incredible. It reminded me of what I imagine Ireland or Scotland would look like! We took took our time as the sun rose in the fog over the hills and valley behind us, stopping periodically for pictures or to just look around. I sent an email to Nick, who I had met my last time through, hoping to have a chance to catch up while I was there.

Shortly after merging with 101 at Santa Margarita, we came into San Luis Obispo and things began looking familiar after coming this way in June '08. I quickly remembered how beautiful this particular city is, and hoped against hope I'd see Pat's RV parked along the way.

From San Luis Obispo, you pick up Hwy. 1, and in a few minutes are in Morro Bay, and almost literally, ON the ocean. The first sight of the Pacific and the white caps can take your breath away! I was quite happy to be here and felt a surge of energy despite not sleeping much for a few days.

Cambria and San Simeon Beach State Park are a few miles up Hwy. 1 north of Morro Bay, and so was the nostalgia. I had experienced some very cool things in Cambria in '08, and had to smile as I rode past my fields and the church behind which I had lost (and re-found) SOG. This little town has held a very special little place in my heart since then, and I was happy to see that it all looked exactly as I had remembered it. It was now Thursday morning, and we were arriving at the campground a full day before I expected...

6/16/08: Highway 1-San Luis Obispo to Cambria

Pat woke up at about 4:30 to relocate the RV from the Distribution Center back to the parking lot where we originally met. We slept a few more hours then got up, had some coffee and chatted a bit more before I started packing up my stuff to hike toward the library to upload pictures and update this.

While I was packing my things up outside Pat saw his ‘boss’ spying on us from the bank parking lot. He came over and told Pat that I ‘couldn’t be there’. After the conversations we had the night before about ‘throw- away people, this pissed me off royally! You’re worth nothing in this country unless you’re lining someone’s pockets with your cash. I kept my mouth shut for Pat’s sake, and for that reason alone, but it would have been nice to ask that Fascist exactly what I was hurting!

Pat gave me general directions to the library, we exchanged information, and I hiked toward downtown feeling grateful I had had the chance to spend some time with someone so real who had so much to offer.

After about an hour I came upon the library only to find it was CLOSED! On a MONDAY! Not just this Monday; every Monday. And not just this branch, EVERY damn library in the state thanks to what one guy called Arnie’s Budget Cuts. Apparently California’s not so fiscally sound. This set the tone for my short time in San Luis Obispo, henceforth called SLO so I seem hip.

I figured since I was downtown I’d try to find a used bookstore to get a map of SLO County, and a Laundromat to cleanse my dirty self. The map I found, but when I went into the Visitor Center to ask about the Laundromat, I was informed that Laundromats aren’t ‘Chamber Members’ and, since they don’t let the Chamber of Commerce extort money from them, no information was to be had about their locale. Let’s see if I have this straight…

Visitors Centers aren’t centers to provide information for tourists about attractions and services to be found in these towns. Their places to funnel clueless visitors into ONLY the places that pay them to refer those who don’t know any better. Sound about right? The Chamber of Commerce can kiss Todd’s ass. I’ve dealt with these sweaty, slimy people for years when they came into the radio stations to use the airwaves to prostitute themselves. Never have I had much good to say about them and now I know my instincts were right. If I see a ‘Chamber Member’ sign in the door, I’m walking on by-Fascists!

One good thing that came from that visit is that I became aware of the best part of SLO: mass transit. I found that I could take a bus from SLO to Morro Bay, a good 15 miles, for $1.25- NICE! So, I did. Funny thing happened too: they dropped me off a block from the Laundromat! HAHA!! Clean clothes for me!

I did my laundry and tried unsuccessfully to find Internet access for less than $7 an hour. I began to walk to the north along Main St., which ran parallel to Hwy 1 and realized the bus continued to go further north. I called, got the schedule and pickup point, and plopped down on the bench for about 2 hours waiting. A long time yes, but worth it because it would take me all the way to Hearst Castle if I wanted it too and I wasn’t encouraged by how far the Morro Bay Sprawl seemed to go.

I eventually got on the shuttle and asked the people on the bus for information about where to get food and water, They all said Cambria was my best bet, and one guy told me there was a Hike N Bike a couple miles north of Cambria where I could camp for like $3 a night. All about that! I took their advice and got off at the grocery store, taking a bag of cherries that were given to me by my new info-giving friend. God they were good!

I went into the store and loaded up on tortillas, peanut butter and Cliff bars and was off, I thought, toward the campground. But somewhere along the way I thought it a good idea to stay close to town so I could get the Internet access the next day not knowing when my next chance would be. Fateful decision.

I started looking for a place to camp, first on a bike path then through a nature preserve. I followed a creek as far As I could until I either had to cross it or turn around. I should have turned around. But… it didn’t look so deep so in I went…and out I came with soaked feet.

I wasn’t too worried about it because in front of me was a HUGE field that looked promising (see pics) and I was sure I’d find a place there. I did. I found about 200 of them, but for whatever reason I kept looking and looking for something better. Just couldn’t choose. It was getting steadily darker and as it was I traversed the WHOLE field, and I mean to tell you it was HUGE!

Eventually I found myself back on the other side of the creek (uselessly wet feet!) near a church. I must have walked another 3 ½ miles needlessly and the wet shoes were causing my feet to blister much more quickly than normal.

I stopped right next to the church, pissed off at myself and decided that I’d just find a suitable place to throw down the Thermarest and sleeping bag. When I found it I looked down and noticed my SOG multi-tool was gone!! Now, this made me sick! Not only was it expensive, but useful as hell! I called myself everything in the world but a white male, and hoofed it back toward the church with my head lamp hoping against hope I’d find it…across another smaller field this time!

Of course there was nothing and I lamented my lost friend, and lost money. While I was next to the church I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask God, whatever He is, to help me find it. Still nothing. At this point…and here it is again…I just went numb in my mind and began walking; just as I had the night before when I'd met Pat. I walked all the way back across that field… again… not really following a set route; just walking. I was just compelled to do it and was thinking that if I went with it I’d find my little friend.

It turns out I didn’t, but I found my nesting spot for the night and went to sleep really mad at myself…

6/14 & 6/15/08: San Luis Obispo, CA-Pat

In a rush again! These library policies can kiss my butt!

I did indeed leave Santa Barbara on Saturday. I decided to try to walk the beaches as far as they take me, but neglected to take TIDES into account! Almost got pinned in against a cliff after sitting on the rocks enjoying the views for about an hour.

I find out later that the off- shore oil wells pump 'tar' into the water that winds up on the beaches. Guess what I was sitting in while on the rocks! My pants are hosed...

It was an enjoyable day though. After I left the beach, I took some trails along the cliff edges and around a golf course and found where Hwy. 101 meets up with the main drag. I didn't feel like hitching, or hopping on the freeway so I crossed some train tracks, and followed an unknown road until I saw a sign for a public beach that was adjacent to the Bacara Resort. Quite an upscale place, so I got some funny looks from some of the very few people I did see, but they were nice.

Eventually, as dusk came along, and I finally did something I've always wanted to do. Build a campfire on the Pacific Coast. Not really sure why, but I was ecstatic! I called everyone I knew to make sure they understood how happy I was.

I was going to camp on the beach, but following the advice of some other bonfireists I climbed a hill at about 12:30am, and simply climbed under a pine tree with just the Thermarest. I eventually dug out the sleeping bag and slept quite nicely!

Sunday was spent sitting on the beach for the first 4-5 hours of the day enjoying the day. That's the nice part about having no schedules to keep, or places to get to. You can look around at where you are. I laid out the socks and shoes to dry, and eventually decided to try my luck on Hwy. 101 and get a bit further north. I had been fighting tendinitis on the top of my left foot that was triggered I came to discover by my inserts. I decided to take it easy for a day or two and give it a chance to recover.

I got to 101 and walked for a couple miles until the freeway designation ended, then thumbed it. After about 30 minutes a woman turned around and offered to take me as far as San Jose. She was nice enough, but annoying. There was no way was staying in that car to the San Fran sprawl! So, I asked her to let me off in San Luis Obispo and she did after buying me Burger King.

Meet Pat

I went into the gas station, and loaded up on water thinking I'd be walking and camping, but as it turns out I went about 2 blocks until I ran into a Goodwill Donation Center that was staffed by a guy in an RV. I didn't really make a rational or conscious decision, but I just turned left and crossed the road to chat with the guy and maybe get some information on what lie ahead, and where to camp for the night.

Pat was a bit leery of me at first, but warmed up quickly when he figured out that I wasn't in search of money, booze, or cigarettes. I told him what I was up to, and as it turned out he had done his share of hitchhiking and used to ride Harley's all over the place with his late wife.

After maybe 5 minutes of chatting he wound up inviting me to stay with him in his little RV for the night. I was a bit apprehensive at first; hearing Surplus Supply Dennis' warnings about how crazy the 'homos' in California are and how they like hitchhikers.

Dennis is an idiot.

Eventually, Friar Chris and Walkingman Gary's voices won out, and I took him up on it.

Pat wasn't living in his RV. He had a place in North San Luis Obispo County, but 60 miles away. With gas quickly approaching $5/ gal., he simply could not afford to make the commute so he slept in his RV parked between 2 trailers at the Goodwill Distribution Center, and went to his regular job from there. He is 60 now, and had a hard time finding work after having to go on disability for his knees because no one wanted to take on the liability when they could just hire a younger person to drive trucks. He had even a harder time getting help from the state. As he put it, if you're between 55 and 65, and haven't 'made it', you're expendable and thrown away.

That may sound melodramatic to those who thrive on exploiting the poor for profit, or believe in the predatory capitalist system, but I've seen other examples first hand, including my own mother. Pat lost his wife in the early 90's, and ever since and by his own admission has been lost. He has children who are quite successful, but he refuses to burden them with his troubles, because as he said they'd go ballistic to know their father's living in an RV with no bathroom.

I'm really developing a great disdain for you 'economic predators' who thrive at the expense of the poor while hiding beneath the shade tree of law, policy, and worse yet 'The American Way'.

These are the things we talked about all night. I loved it. Along the way I realized I'd neglected to tighten Chris' Boca bag lid all the way, and as a result soaked all my clothes, among other things, in my pack. Pat offered to take me to the laundromat, and while we were there we ran into a guy who was about my age and absolutely blindly proud of his ignorance.

He walked into the laundromat strutting proudly and saying 'Whuddup Dogg' to everyone. I wanted to grab him by the throat and punch him in the eye, but didn't. I just said 'woof' and glared at him, trying to make it VERY obvious I wanted him to stay away from me. I REALLY wasn't in the mood to deal with a 40 year old guy with the mental capacity and maturity of a 13 year old, and my testosterone level had risen to the point that I would have hurt him if he provoked me.

That sort of surprised me! Pat was sitting in the RV it turns out watching the whole thing. When the guy decided to smoke his blunt at the front door and start prancing around like he thought he was Snoop Dogg, I had just about had enough of him. Fortunately, the clothes were dry and I was ready to go. When I got in the RV Pat said, 'it looked like you were about to kick that little fucker's ass, and I was about to join you!'

We got on very well before this, but after Pat really seemed to warm up to me. He has the same, as Bruno defines it, 'thirst for authenticity' as I do. I can tolerate almost anyone who's who they are, to a point, but have next to no tolerance for fronts and displays. Our conversations were fantastic as we half-watched SNL on his 4'' TV and finally got to sleep at about 1am.

Pat has had an interesting life, and is madly proud of the fact that all he wants to do is work and 'find his place in old age'. I respect the hell out of that. It's hard to do though when your body fails and no one within your vocation will hire you and get no state support as a thank you for paying taxes for 40+ years.

I really felt grateful that I had crossed that road because the perspective he offered me was priceless. There'd be more of that to come later in the week...guidance from somewhere; seeming coincidences that defy logic.