| Macaroni
and Cheese
17 August 2003
I woke up in Steamboat, CO on Wednesday having
every intention of stopping around Las Vegas to camp and take in
the scenery a little.
I got out of the car in Vegas and it was 110 degrees. So I got back
in and drove straight to the ocean.
I made great time, I arrived at 11:20pm Pacific time, having left
at 9am mtn time... that makes for 15.5 hours, less 1.5 hours in
Junction for lunch. All in all a quick trip.
Driving west out of Vegas at sunset was quite a postcard... I now
understand what "purple mountain majesty" means. Three
hours later, I was nearing the outskirts of the LA metropolitan
area. It was cooler by then and I had the window down.
My first impression was that it smelled like Kraft Macaroni &
Cheese (it's the cheesiest) with a slight hint of the Paris Metro.
As I continued on, I must have passed a stockyard because it stunk
of cows.
Further south on 15, I caught a hint of the ocean before the air
turned to an overwhelming stink like Chinatown (ie garbage heavy
on the rotten fish).
As I neared San Clemente, my home for the next couple months, the
salty smell of the sea was so strong I could taste it on my lips.
I live across the street form the ocean, it's a long steep stairway
down to the beach. My apartment is spacious, I have my own room,
a hide out from the boys. I'm living with two guys at the moment.
One from Wisconsin, the other from Calgary, both newly converted
surfers. They're young but sweet guys. Like having brothers (though
no where near as cool as Joe and Jason!).
I've had two short days at Powder, of which I'll write about later.
I was able to keep the rental car until Saturday so I used it to
get my bearings a little. It's no joke that you HAVE to have a car
down here. Frankly people look at you like you're crazy for walking
anywhere! But despite a week on the road, I'm still in good walking
shape from Manhattan. It's funny... I almost miss New York. I miss
the independence of the city. There is always something to do or
see, and even if it takes three trains and 1000 subway stairs to
get there, you're dependant on no one for nothing.
Here of course, there is always the beach, and that is how I have
spent the past two days... exfoliating my skin with salt water and
re-charging it with vitamin D. Yea, swimming and laying in the sun.
I'm over half way through A Walk in the Woods and I started
it yesterday.
It's a different world out here... I don't think it's where I'll
want to stay forever, but it's something to experience once. |
