Mountains in the Mirror

Bus depot in Weed, Ca.

Sidewalk and hill in Weed, Ca.

6.28 Grueling bus ride so far. Absolutely full, not even one spare seat. Made it to Medford to the rest stop. I had a good banana muffin and not enough coffee to keep me awake, which is the right dose. Many things wrong. There is a kind of moldy smell, which could be certain passengers or the air system or maybe the bathroom, which smelled really bad and which could drift out over the whole bus. Many rude passengers, all right around me. A girl right behind me kept me awake with bouts of laughter, loud talking, and kicking my seat. A big guy next to me stuffed his bag on top of my guitar and changed his socks in the seat, leaning the feet into the aisle. The couple in front of me are watching episodes of "Friends" with Korean subtitles on a handheld and due to ear buds in both their ears, giggling loudly. The woman right next to me has her bags all over the floor so I cant put my feet anywhere but straight in front. She's sleeping, pretty much spilling onto my side. That's it for rude or annoying people next to and directly behind me. Further back, some woman is coughing repeatedly. Some guys in the back row were blasting ipods so loud the driver came back to tell them to lower it.

There was an unusual incident in southern Oregon. Right after Roseberg an old black guy asked to get off. He said "I wanna get off here." The driver said "you're in the middle of nowhere." And pitch dark too. But it didn't phase the old buzzard, he wanted to get off the bus, and did. Maybe he wanted to go to the bathroom, or maybe he wanted to walk. After a bit the driver got off to make sure he hadn't passed out under the wheels, then got back on and drove onward, lighter by one passenger.

I kept falling asleep in spite of the discomfort and noise. That worried me. There was probably not enough oxygen in the cabin to keep me awake. I woke up in front of Mt. Shasta. It was lit too strongly by the rising sun. I tried to get self portraits in the bus glass with the mountain behind.

Sidewalk in Redding, Ca.

Trappings for Fourth of July decoration, Medford, Ore.

Temporary fireworks shop, Medford, Ore.

Lake near Mt. Shasta, Ca.

Self portrait on bus, Mt. Shasta, Ca.

That Ole Travlin' Feelin' Inside

6.16 Sacramento bus station. I remember this place well from my 2001 US tour when I had my big portable surfboard. Now it's a big skateboard and a guitar. I was layed over on the way down from Oregon and I'd had a long conversation with a very colorful character, a trucker named Robert. He was short, talkative, and told a story about all the people he'd befriended and offended in eastern Oregon on many truck runs through the area. He'd bought some kids some bikes, which caused a misunderstanding, like he was over generous or something. Aside from that I recall that he had an obsessive relationship with a very heavy woman who he also lavished gifts on, but who never gave him sex until one day he finally ignored her. He was a strange little guy, but hilarious, and I can picture him now, waiting on line to catch his bus. It's odd that he was even on the bus, but I think he'd quit his job, after years of trucking.

Seems like everyone on the bus has some disfunction. What excuse do you have for having no car? Some people are homeless or transient, carrying boxes or sock like shoulder bags onto the bus. Robert quit his job as a trucker. Some people are just out of prison and cant drive yet. I'm a skateboard rider who lived in New York. We all just pass through Sacramento on the way to the next stop but no eventual destination. The other thing I remember about the layover there in 01 is this financial conversation I had with an older man. he said he'd just bought some stock he liked, a well priced stock called Enron. I told him it looked like it was heading down and to make sure he put a stop loss order under it. Good advice, as good as any I've given.

Music note: Today I strung a guitar, the first time I ever restrung a classical guitar. It's pretty wierd, you tie the strings on below the bridge. I used a pair of needle nose pliers to help make the loops and I think I got it to look just like the example guitar I saw at the Noe Valley music store. It had nice loops at the bridge and even windings on the tuning pegs.

Medford Oregon, rest stop. What is the running theme of this travel blog besides skateboarding? I meant for the sub subject to be music, but I think it's me getting sick. Ever since I left New York, just read the blog, look where I was sick-- sinus headaches in Atlantic City, stomach virus in Pittsburgh, diaharrea in Nashville and Memphis, fatigue and disorientation in Kansas City, upset stomach in Salt Lake City. Now, as soon as I got on the bus in SF, another gassy, upset stomach. Maybe it's the vibration of the seat that shakes it up. Or maybe the strain of bottling up instead of passing gas due to bus confinement. Or maybe it's another case of not being careful what I ate. In this case I wolfed down some of RK's spaghetti and sauce when maybe just a sandwich or something else really bland was what was called for.

It's a nice ride, really. Not crowded, and pretty quiet. A guy with a blasting Ipod, but I blocked it with the earplugs left from PK's rehearsal. No one coughing consumtively and no cell yellers, so it's a good pick as far as long overnight bus rides go. Or have gone on these tours.