February, 2010
These were taken on my Road Home journey from San Francisco to New Orleans.
Showing posts with label road home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label road home. Show all posts
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Shadow Shot Sunday
Somewhere along I-10, Texas
February, 2010
These were taken on my Road Home journey from San Francisco to New Orleans.
http://www.heyharriet.blogspot.com/
February, 2010
These were taken on my Road Home journey from San Francisco to New Orleans.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Lunch break
Funny how easy it is to slip back into comfortable routines. Sometimes it feels like I've never been gone, like I've been living here the whole time and have only been on a really long vacation for the past four and a half years. San Francisco seems like a foggy dream now. It feels good to be sitting here in between shifts again. Like catching up with an old friend.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Love affair
I was riding my bike down by the river today. The sky was red from the setting sun, casting a deep pink shine on the water, all sleek and sexy. The lights were coming on downtown, and the city was glittering. It was then that I had to stop pedaling, because my eyes were blurred with tears.
I am so fucking happy to be home.
Have you ever rekindled a love affair with a former flame? A former flame that you were passionately in love with, that you had sheet-grabbing, shirt-tearing, back-arching sex with? You know those initial stages, when you can't get enough, when you can't wait to retrace every pleasure-zone, reveling in the familiar nooks and crannies of your sweetheart's body, delighted by what is still the same and discovering the ways you both have changed? When you want nothing more but to gaze into each other's eyes, to kiss and caress, to devour each other, wholly and completely?
Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at with the city of New Orleans right now.
My love for this town, it's almost unbearable sometimes. No other place on the planet can do it to me like she does. I wish I knew why. I've tried to break away, oh sweet Lucifer have I tried. San Francisco did her best, but could never seem to completely satisfy. Like a neglected wife, I kept having to sneak away to the seductive arms of my former lover at every possible opportunity.
Sorry, SF. The song was mistaken. I left my heart in New Orleans. You're beautiful, you're well put-together. We had some amazing times, didn't we? You have a lot to offer. We'll always be friends. I'll always love you. But I'm not "in love" with you. Don't worry, I'll still come around. We'll still have lots of fun together. Hey, you never know what might happen in the future. Seriously. But right now...
Right now I'm exactly where I want to be. I hope you understand.
I am so fucking happy to be home.
Have you ever rekindled a love affair with a former flame? A former flame that you were passionately in love with, that you had sheet-grabbing, shirt-tearing, back-arching sex with? You know those initial stages, when you can't get enough, when you can't wait to retrace every pleasure-zone, reveling in the familiar nooks and crannies of your sweetheart's body, delighted by what is still the same and discovering the ways you both have changed? When you want nothing more but to gaze into each other's eyes, to kiss and caress, to devour each other, wholly and completely?
Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at with the city of New Orleans right now.
My love for this town, it's almost unbearable sometimes. No other place on the planet can do it to me like she does. I wish I knew why. I've tried to break away, oh sweet Lucifer have I tried. San Francisco did her best, but could never seem to completely satisfy. Like a neglected wife, I kept having to sneak away to the seductive arms of my former lover at every possible opportunity.
Sorry, SF. The song was mistaken. I left my heart in New Orleans. You're beautiful, you're well put-together. We had some amazing times, didn't we? You have a lot to offer. We'll always be friends. I'll always love you. But I'm not "in love" with you. Don't worry, I'll still come around. We'll still have lots of fun together. Hey, you never know what might happen in the future. Seriously. But right now...
Right now I'm exactly where I want to be. I hope you understand.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Storm Warning
New Orleans, LA
Hurricane Wanderlust is due to make landfall this evening. Floods of joy are expected in the Bywater, Faubourg Marigny, French Quarter, Mid-City and Uptown neighborhoods. It is advised to remain indoors, especially when the Saints win the Superbowl tomorrow. Those outside their homes during this time are subject to hugging, kissing, screaming, and tears of pure, unadulterated Bliss.
But you knew that already, didn't you?
It's been a long road home. I have driven for days. Battled snow, sleet, torrential downpours. Just to get Home. To my beloved bayous and lakes and rivers. To the magnolias and crepe myrtles. To the Spanish moss in City Park. To the music, the dancing, the crawfish. To the biggest motherfucking Superbowl party this country has ever seen!
WHO DAT!! GEAUX SAINTS!!
Oh wow. Homeward bound. Only a matter of hours now. Yeah you fucking right!!
Hurricane Wanderlust is due to make landfall this evening. Floods of joy are expected in the Bywater, Faubourg Marigny, French Quarter, Mid-City and Uptown neighborhoods. It is advised to remain indoors, especially when the Saints win the Superbowl tomorrow. Those outside their homes during this time are subject to hugging, kissing, screaming, and tears of pure, unadulterated Bliss.
But you knew that already, didn't you?
It's been a long road home. I have driven for days. Battled snow, sleet, torrential downpours. Just to get Home. To my beloved bayous and lakes and rivers. To the magnolias and crepe myrtles. To the Spanish moss in City Park. To the music, the dancing, the crawfish. To the biggest motherfucking Superbowl party this country has ever seen!
WHO DAT!! GEAUX SAINTS!!
Oh wow. Homeward bound. Only a matter of hours now. Yeah you fucking right!!
Dining on the road home
Austin, TX
When I'm in Austin, I like to have migas for breakfast:
Beer for lunch:
Bar-B-Q for dinner:
And these?
These I like to have as often as possible. Careful. They're addictive.
When I'm in Austin, I like to have migas for breakfast:
Beer for lunch:
Bar-B-Q for dinner:
And these?
These I like to have as often as possible. Careful. They're addictive.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Rest stop on the road home
Onion Creek, Austin, TX
I really love Austin. J & J are lucky. They have all this a few blocks away from their front door:
Austin is beautiful, even in winter when the trees are bare. The rest of the year all of this is alive, lush and green. It's amazing.
There's a cactus patch up the hill. Great place to spend an afternoon if you have two energetic dogs in your company.
I always enjoy being here. To me, Austin feels like the comfort of a familiar lover's bed. Wish I could stay a little longer, but I've got to hit the road. Stopping off in Houston to have lunch with a dear friend I haven't seen since August 2005. Next stop, New Orleans. There's a very important Superbowl party I have to get to. A Black and Gold Superbowl party, to be exact. The Saints are going to the Superbowl. For the first time ever. I may have mentioned it once or twice. WHO DAT!!
I really love Austin. J & J are lucky. They have all this a few blocks away from their front door:
Austin is beautiful, even in winter when the trees are bare. The rest of the year all of this is alive, lush and green. It's amazing.
There's a cactus patch up the hill. Great place to spend an afternoon if you have two energetic dogs in your company.
I always enjoy being here. To me, Austin feels like the comfort of a familiar lover's bed. Wish I could stay a little longer, but I've got to hit the road. Stopping off in Houston to have lunch with a dear friend I haven't seen since August 2005. Next stop, New Orleans. There's a very important Superbowl party I have to get to. A Black and Gold Superbowl party, to be exact. The Saints are going to the Superbowl. For the first time ever. I may have mentioned it once or twice. WHO DAT!!
Dining on the road home
Dripping Springs, TX
When you're in Texas, you know you have to stop for some...
And when you're in Dripping Springs, Texas, you have to make sure you stop for some Bar-B-Q here:
I'd been driving all day. It's a long road, the road through Texas. I wasn't far from Austin, not at all, but it was pouring down rain and I was starving. It was that weird time in the afternoon, between lunch and dinner, so I had the whole place to myself.
I mean really. What more do you need?
Actually, I would have preferred a Purple Haze. But they only serve Anheuser-Busch products. It's OK. At least A-B makes that ZiegenBock stuff, which isn't half bad. Brewed 'specially for Texas. After seven hours in a car, a beer is a fucking beer, right?
Chopped brisket. Spicy sauce. A reprieve from the rain and a cute waitress. I like Dripping Springs.
When you're in Texas, you know you have to stop for some...
And when you're in Dripping Springs, Texas, you have to make sure you stop for some Bar-B-Q here:
I'd been driving all day. It's a long road, the road through Texas. I wasn't far from Austin, not at all, but it was pouring down rain and I was starving. It was that weird time in the afternoon, between lunch and dinner, so I had the whole place to myself.
I mean really. What more do you need?
Actually, I would have preferred a Purple Haze. But they only serve Anheuser-Busch products. It's OK. At least A-B makes that ZiegenBock stuff, which isn't half bad. Brewed 'specially for Texas. After seven hours in a car, a beer is a fucking beer, right?
Chopped brisket. Spicy sauce. A reprieve from the rain and a cute waitress. I like Dripping Springs.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Dining on the road home
Truth or Consequences, NM
Last time I was here it was 2002 and I slept in my car in a gas station parking lot because it was 4:30 in the morning and I didn't want to pay full price for a motel. This time it was raining really hard, which sucked, because I wanted to go to Elephant Butte Lake.
Truth or Consequences, NM is a tiny, sleepy little town with some amazing hot springs and great natural beauty surrounding it. It's so sleepy, in fact, that the police station keeps banker's hours...
There's a joke there somewhere, about police and consequences, but I'm too road-weary to come up with it right now. Help me out here, people.
If you have any sense, next time you're in Truth or Consequences you will stop here and get yourself a Green Chile Philly:
As you may have guessed, a Green Chile Philly is a philly cheesesteak with green chiles on it. Yes, Kilfeather. I know. A REAL philly cheesesteak would never have chiles, green or otherwise. Stop it. Just shut up, OK? It's good. It's really fucking good. Hint: put some of that coleslaw on the sandwich. You won't regret it.
I very nearly got stuck in Truth or Consequences as a result of the Happy Belly Deli. Those who know me, even just a little bit, know how much I love tiny, bizarre towns in the middle of nowhere with interesting people to talk to. The Happy Belly Deli is the sort of place where old-timers come to shoot the shit and read the paper.
Somehow or another, I got to talking with two of the old-timers about cars and women. Long story, don't ask. It took all my willpower to break away and hit the road. That was a conversation I could see going late into the evening, and I had places to be...
Last time I was here it was 2002 and I slept in my car in a gas station parking lot because it was 4:30 in the morning and I didn't want to pay full price for a motel. This time it was raining really hard, which sucked, because I wanted to go to Elephant Butte Lake.
Truth or Consequences, NM is a tiny, sleepy little town with some amazing hot springs and great natural beauty surrounding it. It's so sleepy, in fact, that the police station keeps banker's hours...
There's a joke there somewhere, about police and consequences, but I'm too road-weary to come up with it right now. Help me out here, people.
If you have any sense, next time you're in Truth or Consequences you will stop here and get yourself a Green Chile Philly:
As you may have guessed, a Green Chile Philly is a philly cheesesteak with green chiles on it. Yes, Kilfeather. I know. A REAL philly cheesesteak would never have chiles, green or otherwise. Stop it. Just shut up, OK? It's good. It's really fucking good. Hint: put some of that coleslaw on the sandwich. You won't regret it.
I very nearly got stuck in Truth or Consequences as a result of the Happy Belly Deli. Those who know me, even just a little bit, know how much I love tiny, bizarre towns in the middle of nowhere with interesting people to talk to. The Happy Belly Deli is the sort of place where old-timers come to shoot the shit and read the paper.
Somehow or another, I got to talking with two of the old-timers about cars and women. Long story, don't ask. It took all my willpower to break away and hit the road. That was a conversation I could see going late into the evening, and I had places to be...
The road home
Leaving Albuquerque didn't go quite as planned. I wanted to take I-40 to Texas, hit Austin through Lubbock and Abilene. I don't know what I was thinking, in the middle of winter. At first it wasn't too bad...
Somewhere along I-40, New Mexico
Then things got worse. Much worse. Don't have any pictures of that. Needed two hands to drive. All road home pictures are taken flying down the interstate at 75 miles per hour.
Once I realized the storm was impassable, I turned back and cut down I-25 to I-10.
Somewhere along I-25, New Mexico
Still pretty snowy!
Somewhere along I-40, New Mexico
Then things got worse. Much worse. Don't have any pictures of that. Needed two hands to drive. All road home pictures are taken flying down the interstate at 75 miles per hour.
Once I realized the storm was impassable, I turned back and cut down I-25 to I-10.
Somewhere along I-25, New Mexico
Still pretty snowy!
Once I hit Texas, things cleared up. Could have made it to Austin in one shot if I hadn't had so many snow delays. No matter. It was pretty and I didn't wreck the car, so life is good. Made it as far as Ft. Stockton, then stopped for sleep. Next stop, Austin.
Somewhere along I-10, Texas
Rest stop on the road home
Albuquerque, NM
My two days in Albuquerque were great. Wonderful place to recharge after two days in a car. Good company, too. This was a beautiful place to spend an afternoon...
If you go, make sure you stop at the visitors center to get a map. Bring water. It's dry out there. Even in the middle of winter.
My two days in Albuquerque were great. Wonderful place to recharge after two days in a car. Good company, too. This was a beautiful place to spend an afternoon...
Fun day climbing around on rocks. I know. Wasn't that how I broke my knee back in August? Yes. Yes it was.
If you go, make sure you stop at the visitors center to get a map. Bring water. It's dry out there. Even in the middle of winter.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Moving forward, looking back
Future looks bright and beautiful. Anything is possible. There are a bunch of people and places I can't wait to see in New Orleans. The road ahead looks good...
Moving Forward
Looking Back
The road behind me looks pretty good too. San Francisco was fun, overall. California eventually grew on me, in a weird sort of way. I look forward to visiting. There are a bunch of people and places I was very sad to leave behind. It was a painful exodus. I was brooding and pouting until I hit Palo Alto. Then I remembered that the Saints are going to the Superbowl...
WHO DAT!!
Left SF Sunday afternoon. Drove ten hours to Needles, CA, which is at the Arizona border. Slept, woke up, drove eight hours to Albuquerque. Visiting a friend and resting here for two nights. Next stop, Texas.
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