I survived the mountains of AZ and all I have to show is this weird rash

Time for a new installment of the ToCN. I've been pretty busy; since Christmas I've been to Michigan, Salt Lake City, Newark, Tuscon, the Galiuros Mountains, and am now writing this from some high end coffee shop in downtown Phoenix. There is Much to report.

If you haven't gotten a chance to visit the left pinkie of the right hand of Michigan, I highly recommend including it in your travel plans. In June. Make sure to account for terrorist attack attempts while laying out your trip timeline. We ended up staying 2 extra days - causing my father's fun meter to plummet below the line. We then made an icy drive to Chicago to catch our second (new) leg back to Montana where people are apparently ready for bad weather. Still, aside from taking wonderful long walks only to return to the image of a day-glow Santa looking like a likely suicidal defenestration victim, the time with family was pretty good. We don't get together often (last reunion: 1994), but the events have consistently been wacky and full of laughter.

Upon returning to the "406" - and, no, people in MT don't say that - I was buffeted by interview requests. Weird, right? People were asking me to interview with their companies. Gratifying, yes; convenient, no. I had exactly 2 free days between a 23 hour drive to Tucson and the beginning of my lightweight backing course in the Galiuros Mountains of eastern AZ. So a few quickly arranged flights, some change of clothes, much handshaking, and a lot of caffeine shots later, and I was back in business ready to head south to my NOLS class by way of SLC. By the way, apparently the Jets didn't make it to the Superbowl despite the rabid fans of Northern NJ. Sorry all.

NOLS stands for the National Outdoor Leadership School - it focuses on developing leadership skills for the wild (taking groups of underexposed, wild-eyed friends into the deep frontiers as bear snacks), is an advocate of Leave No Trace, and teaches a lot of advanced skills in backcountry hiking, climbing, cooking, and medicine. I attended their Alaska hiking course after graduating from Stanford and have always looked back on my time in the Talkeetna Mountains as a coming-of-age experience. This time I had two weeks of time, a lot less physical hardiness, and a desire to hang out with folks who had at least graduated from high school.

My trip began at the NOLS Southwest branch in east Tucson - an equipment briefing, time in the mandatory NOLS circle for introductions, and a gear perusal. This course focused on the concept of lightweight backpacking. Rather than imitating masochistic mules bearing 60lb + packs, we worked hard to reduce our total carrying load to 25 pounds. Trust me - this is a phenomenal and fundamental shift in my packing paradigm. I mean, c'mon, no change of clothes, a lot of layers, 1 spoon, and a tent with no floor. What the hey!!!

Still, given the state of my relatively decrepit body, esp. knees, halving the total weight enabled me to keep up with all of my 19 year old classmates. We left the next morning for a planned 13 day, 90+ mile hike through the Galiuros Mountains of eastern Arizona: high altitude desert canyons, bouldering, bushwacking ("schwacking"), and cliff ascents. Lighweight back packing makes hopping, climbing, jumping, and swimming (brrr) possible; the desert southwest also enables LWB b/c you don't have to worry about rain/snow/insects/etc.... In theory.

I can't know if you have kept up with the weather as my father obsessively does (Dad knows the dewpoint in Glasgow or Rekyavik on any given day). There ended up being the father of all weather systems squatting over the southwest for days, dropping untold billions of gallons of precip all over the place. On day 9 a steady drizzle began to fall. Interestingly, when we ascended 2000 feet to conquer Rhodes Peak, the sun was shining, but that night the rain returned as sleet, then snow, then a blizzard. There is nothing that can prepare you to wake up in a down sleeping bag that now has the properties of a wet plastic sack. Everyones' gear was soaked and would have no chance to dry out - essential for providing insulation and retaining heat. It was time to bug out.

We had a few days of exciting, accelerated travel through heavily blanketed trails (where trails existed) and had 2 12 mile days in a row with over 4000' of elevation change. We ended up splitting up the group, with our three strongest hikers taking the long way out of the mountains. My friends hiked 12 more miles (now 36 in 3 days of high winds and snow, little insulation) and descended 3000' in just over 4 miles to get a van to our rendezvous; the rest of us hiked out to a little-used roadhead to wait in filthy, wet tarps, clothes, and sleeping bags. We slept when possible, and I had a great time singing songs with one of my tentmates who is training to be an Opera singer. I had asked her to sing throughout the trip - only when the snow was falling in direct proportion to morale did she share her voice. It was ethereal to hear on the windswept, shadowy plain. What irony - singing "Paradise" in duet under those conditions. A truck arrived a few hours later bearing us all in its bed to a delightfully warm and dry ranchhouse. Western hospitality is NOT DEAD. Standing on the threshold of the light and heat and seeing everyone healthy and laughing was a highlight of my trip.

So, it was back to the frontcountry's noise and gaudy illumination, burritos and laundrymats. We had a day to clean up and reminisce. The other "old guy" and I found a pretty, uh, unique barber shop named Dapper where the shaves are close, the room is red, the beers are free and unlimited, the pool table level, and the hairdressers heavily tattooed. It was surreal - but I left a bunch of facial hair there and felt great. That, plus a Chinese reflexology massage near the hotel, and I am restored to my self, minus a few pounds. Spend some final hours with my new friend, Niek, at the Sonora Desert Museum watching birds, javelina, and big cats. Awesome place!

Headed north to Phoenix to hang with my long-time Stanford friend Emma and explore downtown. I'm fairly reacclimated but I swear, there are a lot of people around me and they smell funny. It must be because they are clean :)

Take care - more to follow when I arrive in SLC for househunting. Hurray!!

Merry Christmas to All!!

I hope this finds each of you enjoying a warm and happy holiday with your loved ones. I certainly enjoyed mine with the Sanborn clan. Aside from the regular sniping that occurs at any family gathering, it was great. This is the first time since 1992 I've seen everyone; such occasions are not to be taken lightly.

There's a lot of craziness in the world. Here's hoping that only some of it leaks inside ;)

Ho Ho Ho

Dave

Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, Wiccan Day

Greetings, all, from snowy, sun-drenched Michigan. No snow-ball fights, here, to distract the family from its very rare reunion on the Eastern Shore of Lake Michigan, lower glove, little pinkie region.

My parents and I, like many of you, slogged through hours in airports, arguments over directions (both among ourselves and with the GPS unit), and lock-outs from rental cars. But it is worth it to see folks who think like you and yet still welcome you with open arms. The power of blood is amazing for stain removal as it were.

It has not been a quiet week anywhere, least of all in my life. As Johnny Cash sings, I've been everywhere, man. I traveled to Salt Lake City and had a wonderful time exploring that clean, well-organized town with my friend Eric. He showed me the many nooks and crannies - including those forbidden fruits: coffee houses, patisseries, restaurants built by chain-smoking, poodle-bearing madams, taverns (no membership required), and chocolatl bars. O, SLC, how I barely knew ye.

Of course, in a town with one of the highest birth rates in the country, a trip to IKEA was required. We spent a few hours humoring my irrepressible urge to nest. Van's aren't built with cabinetry in mind, but I could imagine a well-turned-out, 515 sq. foot house after our visit... for each dog ;) I like being able to stretch out just a bit more.

Best of all, skiing, great skiing, is only 25 minutes away and hiking to-die-for is within a few hours drive. Just going up above the inversion layer reveals stark, beautiful scenery. As my friend Shannon says, SLC is a well kept secret. Well, I guess until now.

The on to San Francisco for 2 weeks of culinary excess and endless visitations EVERY NIGHT with old companions and new friends. I've rarely had so much fun for such an extended period of time. My friends, Mike and Chau, braved not one but two boarders and put up some very fine pho. Between beers, bars, sushi, pho, awesome hot pot, hot Chinese food, Cha'Am pad-prik-king, Shalimar Pakistani food, filming friends beat on each other in a dojo, and some console and table top gaming every spare minute was full up. Thus my inability to write to you, dear friends. Just too much time living and not enough talking about what was happening. It is a wonderful combination, but does call for some down time after a bit. [Pant. Pant.]

I also got a chance to hang out with AT&T friends and other corporate sponsor-types and enjoy the higher end SF experience, you know: a little bit of food and drink for a lot of money. At least they sure make the grey goose martinis strong. Even spent an evening to celebrate my retirement at Acote', good food and great wine in Oakland's Rockridge area. If ever I return to SF, it will be there. I spent a half hour wandering its balmy streets, soaking in the cute shops, and nearly getting hit by an impatient driver. Makes for memories :)

So... a weary, and plumper, Dave wended his way over the 7000+ Sierras only to relearn how to put on chains, and forget how to properly take them off. Slithering around in 3" of wet slush is NOT fun. However, I can assure you all, I know how to deal with snowy driving conditions. . . I promptly returned home and bought a 4x4 Toyota Tacoma with snow-gripping tires. Screw chains.

Anyway, this post is running too long. I am approaching the end of my 11 year career at AT&T, my marriage is winding down, and the sun is dropping below the horizon at 4:30 p.m. I feel great and enthusiastic about what the future will bring. Despite everything, I know we will all be o.k.

Stay comfortable and find folks who make you laugh to hang out with. I'm happy being with crazy family in cold Michigan. I've never felt so warm.

It's On!

All,

I've returned to the road to visit friends and places heretofore unseen (by me) in the West. I'm also hoping to network like a big dawg as my impending unemployed status grows more real. I think I forgot how to budget somewhere along the way. I'll be learning quickly... and brushing up on my skills as a calligrapher. "Will work for food." Does that look better in 24 or 36 point font?

I'm now in Salt Lake City and hanging out with a very good, long-time friend of mine, Eric. We explored a few of SLC's more exotic venues - i.e. caffeinated and ethanalated (my new word of the day) establishments. I don't know of the LDS church bans chocolate cake, but they probably should; we tried that too. So far I thoroughly approve. Plus, no rain! Sweet.

I'm thinking this might be a good place to return. It is geographically and oddly equidistant to all of the Western US markets, halfway between the sun fields of Arizona and the windfields of Wyoming, and is affordable. Plus the houses are damn nice - for once, it is good to be in real estate in the late "oughts". We'll see, but so far SLC is looking like a damn nice place to start a business. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to fall - you know, forceful baptism and/or conversion, but despite fears nothing has happened. So far. As anyone with an ounce of sense knows, however, sometimes they really are out to get you.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family. I spent a wonderful evening talking about old Navy stories at a charming party with friends in Western Montana. We might not deep fry turkeys, but folks out here know how to throw down a 30k calorie spread. 3 slices of cake and a loosened belt later and I'm off for my second soiree with beer and football. Go Denver! It was a nice night - if only I could have woken up on time this morning.

Finally, I must admit the van remains in the shop. I'm traveling by way of a rental car. I have to hang my head in shame, but I really, really didn't want to be stranded between Idaho Falls and Butte. Look it up in google (or click here). Having your car crap out in this part of the world is not for the faint of heart. I'm fairly certain both USAA and AAA give a standard response to roadside assist requests in this part of the world. "Sorry, kid, you're on your own" followed by maniacal laughter recorded earlier in front of a studio audience. Bottom line, I went with something reliable. Dad and I will be effecting repairs upon my return from the SLC/Bay Area/Portland road trip. Once new boots are in, leaks are plugged, and gas mileage is solidly above 16mpg, I'll chance being stranded in one-tooth towns.

Take care and happy holidays. More reports from the city of Temple to follow.

Trip in Remission

All,

Thanks for your patience. I had to return back to my base of operations in Polson, MT to perform a thorough check on the BBB as well as take care of some local business crisis (mold in the rental!). It was a good week to reassess my travel plans.

First - unless one is REALLY camping and unplugging from the grid and Internet, traveling in a fuel inefficient vehicle from coffee house to coffee house isn't cheap. At all.

Second - it is crucial to drive to a place and then really shift into local (i.e. bike) transport. This begs the question - where can one simply shut down and plug in. Well, during my final days at the corporation, I'd have to go to a city and stay at a friend's place, or stay at a KOA. I am lucky to be blessed with many friends, but I feel guilty about consuming your mojo (i.e. power) too long and KOA aren't as cheap as I imagined - $30/night is better than a hotel, but not exactly the depth of low rent I was hoping for. After I leave the corporation, I can camp in place and start hiking in earnest at camping rates - hopefully asymptotically approaching, but likely not touching, $0.

Third - I must contain and plan my itinerary better or get a more fuel efficient vehicle. Wandering hither and yon at 13-14mpg is simply too expensive. $90/day was my average for a week of travel in the mountainous west. I have a feeling that traveling like this is quite doable in the urban wilderness of the East, but it gets pretty pricing to do a lot of travel between stops. Toyota Sienna or Tacoma look nice and will likely fit into my future business better than a VW van.

More to ponder. I hope to drive out to Portland next week . . . depending on what the other mechanic tells me about the VW. Seems there were a few other problems. . . .

Van down! Van down!

Well, it has been a hard two days. Who would have thought going from Bellingham to Seattle would be such a long, arduous journey.

Visiting B-ham was fun - if wet, but it was time to move on to the Big City. I was keen to find out how the van would do in a truly urban setting. Well, the fact is - it apparently disagrees with it violently. 1 hour into my drive on I-5 (doing 68mph!), I smelled gas. A very, very strong miasma of gas that was NOT dissipating. I pulled onto the next off-ramp into a convenient parking lot next to a gas station and across from Lowe's.

Getting out of the van I immediately noticed a trail of wet spots following my van. Peering underneath, and holding my breath, there was a large pool of fuel accumulating as more dripped from my now silent VW. I pulled myself into my old overalls (or should I say I stretched the overalls to partially cover my corpulent flesh) - and immediately felt bad about my weight. Sigh. First - confirm it was fuel and not oil. Yup, smelled like fuel but checked the oil level anyway - it was very, very low. So maybe that was the problem?? Continue to troubleshoot...

Anyway crawling around, and tearing up the engine cover, I quickly (ok, not so quickly) discovered the main fuel supply line to the carburetor had fallen free. The fact that the van's engine and body did not burst into flame is amazing.

Remember Lowe's? Hurray - higher power looking out for me. I ran across and got some clips. A lot of clips (just in case) and got to work reattaching the line. Feeling good about my ability to find and fix a problem, I pulled over to the gas station and refueled (back to 12mpg, but most probably spilled onto the road). So I returned to I-5 determined to fix the other problem. You did remember the low oil level, right? Did I mention the bits of metal (hopefully from the o-rings seating around the new pistons). Hello, Jiffy Lube.

A bit of advice - Jiffy Lube may be convenient but it is staffed by people, kids usually, who are not familiar with VWs. I was told, "They don't make 10w-40 anymore. How about 20w-50?" Well, I might be ignorant, but I know what I don't know. I tried some folks - parents (no cells???), mechanics (no pick up), strangers (ran away), and the Jiffy Lube database. No guidance. So I searched the car again - it was no longer organized, anyway - and found some 20w-50 Dad had left in from 1995. Ok, good enough for me, "Fill her up, guys" I saw authoritatively.

$50 worth of fuel, clamps, oil, and oil filter later I was ready to resume my trip south. But now when I drove down the road the car made a new noise. At this point I had highly tuned senses, a decent degree of paranoia, and no music on. Though the VW continually generates a veritable cacophony of whistles, clicks, and chugs that would impress a horde of blind Swahili speakers, this was a NEW sound. A heavy thumping that increased in direct proportion to the pressure I applied to the accelerator. I thought, "I bet that oil is too thick. The sound will go away once it heats up." Guessing and rationalizing is a bad combination.

The BBB's thumping did go away - in the middle of the intersection of Yelis and 6th Ave. My local expert told me later that this was not a good place for a van to lose its forward momentum and will to live. But with every dark cloud, a silver lining seemed to appear. I was pointed downhill with an empty parking lot within coasting range. I even had a homeless man help me out - what a great city!

So 24 hours later my bike rack is on my friend's car, my stuff is in his house, and the van has been fixed of a busted set of bolts that connect its mechanical hipbone to its legbone (I'm paraphrasing here). Apparently these should be tightened down by the person working on them. Whodathunkit? Nothing that money can't fix.

Still, I think it might be time to reconsider the reliability of the BBB for a long distance trip across the West. It could be prudent to test it out locally, Montana locally, before trying again to negotiate the steep hills and mountain passes with a cranky, cantankerous relic. Its not that I don't trust it. Okay, I don't trust it.

More to follow, I promise.

Note to self - new trucks apparently have either no hip bones or those titanium suckers that can be used to rebuild the $10B man. Check 'em out.

Popping the Top in Bellingham

Took a big step today and stayed in one place long enough to pop the heretofore, and long-closed, camper top only to discover 2 pillows that have been sitting, moldering, gathering the necessary ingredients to form intelligent life for nigh-on 14 years. Needless to say, I did NOT pick them up - I'm waiting until I can find two long sticks to serve as tongs to be grasped in my sweat-drenched, latex covered hands.

So yes, Bellingham is a nice-enough place to hang out for a few days. Sure, its rained 28 of the last 32 hours but I'll give it a nod on account of its massively disproportionate share of coffee houses and Thai restaurants. Natasha and I walked the streets of Fairhaven only to discover a great gelato shop serving up lemon and mango. All this and Pad Prik King - no, it's not heaven, its Washington.

A word to the wise, though. Dress warmly if you're going to work from inside a VW van all day. Damn, but it is hard to type without mistakes when your fingers are cold, cold, cold. What a nice change from a cubicle, though, in my pop-top tent, listening to the drip, drip, drip of the falling rain.

Chillin in NW Washington State

Another night "camping" in Wal-Mart. Sigh. Can't beat the price - and this time I managed to avoid dropping too much scratch on goodies in a midnight run. This time I was in Wenatchee, Washington. One of many industrial/agricultural towns along the Columbia and its tributaries, the town seemed to have a large number of hispanic immigrants. I even ate at an authentic Mexican restaurant - a very nice change from sandwiches.

But why, do you ask, did you visit Wenatchee?! It is in the middle of nowhere. Yes, true. It is. BUT, it is - therefore- off the beaten trail somewhat. Getting off of the Interstate improved the quality of my trip and the mileage. I passed some amazing gorges that looked like the South Dakota badlands, climbing in and out like a heavily-encumbered hiker. Gorgeous gorges ;)

The evening was divided between Starbucks and reading in my darkened van by headlamp. Within the close confines of the Blue Bed Bug's walls, I felt like a 6 year-old, bottled up safely in his fort made out of chairs and blankets.

Tear down this morning was much quicker than before so that is a good trend - assuming two lines are enough to signify a trend (they aren't). I resumed travel along the Cascade scenic highway and traveled through pastoral riversides full to overflowing with apples, apricots, and cherry orchards. The sun might not be shining brightly, but the weather is clement. The Cascades resemble the Appalachians of New England of 10 million years ago - before the mountains eroded into molehills with ambitions towards greatness. The highway winds through narrow avenues of gold, orange, and green - and everyone drives as fast (slow) as the BBB.

Tonight I hope to rest my car and clean up at a friend's place in Bellingham. The city has been around for more than 150 years and has been undergoing a huge brownfield renovation. I didn't realize how close it is to Canada's beautiful Vancouver island. I'm looking forward to visiting its many art exhibits and libraries as I tour the city by bike. I definitely enjoy that mode of transportation the most - best speed/noise ratio!

Hello Coeur d'Alene!

Well, I made it out of Montana and didn't freeze to death, or have to tow the car across the state line. My new VW should come with a tag line, "70 - Maybe. Heat - Some. Fun - Yes."

By last count my father and I have spent over $11k on getting the Blue Bed Bug to run, and it needs to do so for over 6000 miles as I traverse the western US. I'm trying really hard not to calculate the cost per mile. Even the gas on this thing is dear - 12MPG at last count. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the engine break in to net MUCH better mileage. "But when will that be complete?" he asked innocently.

So, on to the journey/adventure/geographic. I leave a Montana starting to show her winter slouch - cold and (finally) rainy with high winds BUT - and this is key - no snow! Hurray. After braving the mountain passes and emerging into Idaho, the rain picked up enough to have the Bug skidding across the highway's puddles like some poorly-designed, Cretaceous insect. So I abandoned my goal of Spokane for C'D and found the drive downtown to be delightful and resolved to bed down in the community.

Not to be. After consulting locals at a nice coffee shop (with a cover fee!?), we decided it would be best not to crash at a park in town but head out to Post Falls and its Wal-Mart. I may hate the company, but props to its allowance for people to park overnight. Of course, they are counting on us getting up in the middle of the night and going shopping for a four-pack of Diet Rockstar, granola, and an apple. Damn their scheming little minds.

Obstacles to overcome as noted at 10 a.m.: finding a quiet place to sleep, getting enough power to cook and recharge my numerous electronic devices, waking up early enough to put everything away, not spending huge $ at coffee houses along the journey, and ensuring I remain clean and healthy. Bottom line, staying at friends houses (or outside them - just need the juice, man, the juice) or KOA campgrounds during the week is going to be crucial.

Delightful discoveries: riding my Nirve bike around town is really, really fun. I highly recommend you, faithful reader, check 'em out and get going. I feel like a kid - which is a good thing at this point in my life.

Too Darn Hot

Hello to those of you reading this (hi Mom),

I've made it to Missoula, Montana. This is actually according to plan, so please - control your snickering. The boys at Bitterroot Bugs have stated - unequivocally - that the car must be observed and the oil changed after 400 miles. Ergo, unless I want to become the human boomerang, I needs must drive hither, thither, and yon but within towing distance of Columbia, Falls MT. Towing, by the way, does NOT contribute to the 400 mile target.

So I'm sitting in a Starbucks with a venti chai. If you recall in an earlier post I forecast this exact situation. But, you may ask, why on earth am I not in the Blue Bed Bug? Well, I'm still working out the, well, bugs of the electrical/networking system. While I can get a 3G signal, it is only so-so (time to check that wireless booster behind the drivers seat that I hear humming). While I can get into the local KOA, I'm not convinced that I should try to enter post-business-hours without some fortification by way of caffeine. And while I can get my stuff working, I'm not entirely sure if I'll be able to keep it all functioning for any significant length of time.

Apparently the BBB only has a group-24 battery. I was unaware that this is weak-chops. Luckily a family friend (hi Ken!) opened up the battery compartment and poked around. He pointed out, with a chuckle, the crazy wiring and manual switching system (say hello to the "switch") from battery to shore power. He also pointed out that with the gear I intend to run on a regular basis - you know, for work during the 8 ("10") hour day - will drain the battery in the timespan required to be groped in a crowded Tokyo train after entry. Same experience actually - you think your on your way only to feel really uncomfortable and unable to get away.

I'll be kicking around here for the next 5 days - come hell AND high water. Thanks to last minute, yet brilliant, work by my Dad on the hitch adapter and Ken on the arrangement, I was able to get my sweet bike, a Nirve, into the bike rack without it falling off the back or getting creamed by an over-eager tailgater. That is my in-town transport and I fully hope to get some use out of it before the weather drops to freezing. Bummer.

So wish me luck and thank my parents for their support up to and including last-minute adjustments, supplies, and supplication. We're off!

Might not be on the road, but I'm already a "Dad"

The VW is fixed but still 70 miles away. All it required was a furry (ok, cold-weather) alternator and starter. More money :( Maybe I should have invested in a tow truck.

Great news to share, however. My friend Stew has honored me by asking me to be the Godfather to his newborn daughter, Sofia Elena, born September 24 at 7lbs 10oz, 20" at 4:01 p.m. Yayyyyy! More reason to visit the East Coast.

Pictures of the van will be posted shortly.
...
Oh, I might be able to get pics of Sofia as well.

The Blue Bed Bug is Down with a Cold

To quote O Brother Where Art Thou?, Montana is a geographical oddity: 2 extra days are required to do anything. Turns out rekeying the venerable VW is not quite as straightforward as it might appear. Another day in the shop.

It is just as well. Last night the weather gods dropped 4 inches of snow in 7 hours and the temperatures dropped to the low teens (sub-zero for you Celsius fans). There's a winter storm advisory and high winds advisory - not exactly perfect weather to be taking out a thin-walled, poorly insulated, sailboat-cum-VW-van. I continue to pace...

The Blue Bed Bug is Alive!!!

Well, ya'll. I have some amazing news to share. After much anxiousness, slipped deadlines, unpleasant surprises, and gratuitous upgrades, the VW van is operable. In fact, I operated it today for approximately 14 miles. I had planned for 70, but had to stop to get every lock rekeyed. Oh well.

It is one loud, but smooth running vehicle. I don't imagine I'll be pulling up into any drive-through Starbuck's soon - not without risking permanent hearing damage to the barrista and me.

There are some final touches to apply - some sealant, some sound baffling material (WHAT DID YOU SAY?????), a nice privacy screen (read blanket-over-rope), and a bike rack. Then it is time to check out the many, many electronic upgrades and do-dads I've had installed. After working through the electrical, electronic, mechanical, and comodal (hey, I just invented a word) checklists, I will drive the beast into the belly of liberal western Montana. For no more than 400 miles. And then an oil change. Sigh. Not quite as romantic as Columbus, but even that (horny) bugger had to stop in the Canaries for "refueling" so I shouldn't feel so bad.

Still, I'm so very, very happy to have finally seen it running. The VW has only been a lump o'blue until now. My dream has finally got some functional wheels. Sweetness abounds.

Music, Ya'll

Ok,

I'm embarrassed to admit that my mother has exposed me to some new music (although I think I'm still up 20-1to Mom).

Check out Jason Mraz singing I'm Yours.

Other awesome artists to listen to on gloomy days - Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole 'IZ' 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'   and Eva Cassidy - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

All are absolutely freaking awesome!!!! Great stuff that makes me very happy ;)

Thinking Things Through

So after my 7th hour of constant teleconference calls, I decided to rest my bloodied ears and think about the first day after I hit the road. With few distractions the reality of my situation, and my racing mind, will combine to put me in the madhouse (Mad, I tell you, MAD!!!).

How did people live before the Internet and video on demand. I suppose they read a lot. I can do that, but it will cost a lot in gas and lost foodstuffs. [As an aside, something like 10% of the weight of a modern warship is made up of the paperwork required by the DoD.] Writing on the other hand only takes a few bytes.

I do have ideas and have been posting them here and there. I've no interest in writing a book about "fast guns and hard dicks" (by which I mean private investigators...) or medical thrillers that bombast us with terminology and thin characters.  Nope, I want to write about the corporate world. A tragi-comedy if you will. I have a lot of material with which to work. But I can always use more.

Please send your ideas this way. I assure you, they won't be kept alone in a dark, dark cubicle hoping for specks of sunlight and truth, fearful of the ice weasels that come at night (thanks Matt Groening).

Most recent topics - the myopism of reacting to the symptoms years after being called out on the causes (if we were a body, we'd be dead by the time we realized we were sick, Jim). The power of escalation and its appropriate use in saving headcount. Building teams of cheerleaders instead of saving solid performers. AND the irony of writing about career development while letting people go and handing out slight pay raises. Endless topics for developing into stories. Now the only trick is to ensuring the readers don't think I keep escaping into hyperbole.

Well, I did it. I held to my guns and told my manager I was leaving my monstrously large company after 11 years of institutionalized living, fear, and loathing. My plans for taking to the airwaves and road remain unchanged - if anything, I can now see even more of the country. My excitement finely balances my anxiety over leaving my sugar daddy in these economic times.

But I believe.

I believe that it is better to guide my life with those things I care about passionately, than let fear drive my direction.
I believe in a higher power that takes care of those who let go of what they cannot control.
I believe that I have gifts and talents and will find a place to exercise my potential if I go after something I want.
I believe I will be ok.

It was strange - the first time I broached the subject with my manager I felt pretty tense. I approached the topic sideways rather than closeting him away. The second time we spoke, after his requested cooling off period for my potential reconsideration, I felt completely confident about my decision. I spoke without hesitation, feelings of guilt, or anxiousness. It felt right.

So, we'll see if I'm proving to be foolish; my self-will run riot. There are a lot worse things I could do with my life as I enter this tumultuous phase. Going camping, seeing friends, hiking, staying healthy and off the computer (more than 4 hours a day...) are fairly positive. I don't anticipate a Leaving Las Vegas ending ;0

Wish me luck. It is time to move away from making lists to checking them off.

Despite the best laid plans to go West first, I have ended up in western Michigan. Still, the drive up the western coast of the state was beautiful. I really enjoyed the views of Lake Michigan - the waters were peaceful and the wind glorious. The sounds and sights of civilization literally behind me - the strident tones of hatred, anger, and insanity were quieted by perspective.

It is time for a change, both in my life and the culture and tone within America.

I just figured out what I'm doing - urban camping. I first read the concept (but not the soon-to-be-trademarked name) in the 40-50-60 series by Kim Stanley Robinson. Why do I have to have a house? Can't I live out of a car - if I must have a car - and split my functions into modular living arrangements?

My friend and co-worker Ginger died today.

She was surrounded by family. She died holding the hands of her loving spouse. Her pain ended. She was laughing 3 days ago, despite everything.

She knew what was most important in this life.

I shall miss her.

Traveling back from Iowa I'm possessed of a creative frenzy. The madness that can only come from listening to the thoughts in my own head for endless hours of driving. It's no wonder Van Gogh cut off his own ear. He was tired of hearing voices. For him, the mad whisperings of the Muse were (according to History) worth it - I can only hope that mine are even half as good, or at least not completely insipid. I'd like to get something for my therapy sessions, thank you.

So I've thought up at least 2 schemes for potentially turning a profit: number 1) a targeted condo development in Polson that takes advantage of the proximity of health services, a decent view, and a walkable distance to town center and the health food store. Number 2) going around Eastern Montana and Western South and North Dakota and ripping down old barns for the lumber (for flooring). Think of this idea as harvesting lost wood; not as lucrative as pulling submerged logs out of the Mississippi, but not yet discovered. There was a hidden third scheme - writing a book - but it has a poor chance of completion and less chance of a lucrative return on time vested. Still....

Today I look in depth at plan 1...
Get Rich Slow Plan 1 - Ravendell
Can one develop a eco-friendly, socially-just village and sell it for a decent profit? That is the challenge. Perhaps the key is going for uniqueness - after all, repurposing old, used goods is certainly low-impact and low-cost, but the "opportunity" cost is less attractive fixtures, essentials that are in-turn harder to maintain/replace in-kind. Add in the market conditions found today and a low-entry project runs the risk of having high ongoing costs while waiting for investors and buyers. So the key is going to be getting enough people sufficiently interested and vested in the project (i.e. earnest money) to mitigate the risk.

1. Come up with a saleable vision - green, focused on an under-served niche market, location, amenities
2. Differentiate the vision from the competition - HOA per person/home that focuses on serving the long-term interests of the association (first right of refusal to buy), theme (real, not marketing) of extended family, Mondragon cooperative ideals (keep it small, keep it focused on community house, let members get first shot as hired help if they wish)
3. Create an affordable plan
4. Find investors - both public and private
5. Find and buy land with investor money - for plan to work, ongoing opex expenses must be limited to taxes and permits on undeveloped land
6. Find buyers
7. Find builder
8. Build
9. Sell
10. Repeat if successful, goal is to create a repeatable business

Groups to sell to: middle-class (by price) friends, groups of women, life-transition (empty nesters). For this location we think targeting early-senior women is good.