Routine

But soon coming are the 45th parallels.
And the mediation, the meditation, the accreditation.
And statistics.

Far from over, it's beginning...

Some moths look like camels:

For the Homies

Atrocities not covered in the main stream media

Those of you that enjoy maraschino cherries should discontinue the reading of this post. You are complicit in the problem – you are the demand for a horrible process – a genocide of sorts…



We harvest many types of cherries – all delicious. The purpose of this post is to discuss the processing of the gold and emperor francis varieties.



After they are taken off of the tree they commiserate about their fate in large tanks We transport loads to a local drop-off – huge vats in the ground after which they are shipped, soaked in a brine and completely bleached of all color and flavor. They are then macerated to be set upon the top of your sundae.




This mug is the last view up through the water at the loving world that they have known:

Homage to Felipe

Or: Peripatetic agriculture and its contents


Some people talk about being an itinerant fruit picker, some act on it.

This is my tractor:



See the world from my eyes for most of the day:


I told you it was my tractor. I drive boxes or tanks filled with water to and fro. Sometimes they are empty. Sometimes they are full.



Sometimes it rains.



Fun factoids:

-Weight of filled box: 700lbs.
-Weight of filled tank: 2000lbs.
-Number of breakdowns of shaker (from 1970): 4
-Number of breakdowns of catchframe: 2
-Number of uses of various saws (chain, circular): >8
-Number of bats (BFBs) caught in catch frame, paralyzed but still hissing: 1
-Number of exploding boxes filled with cherries: 1
-Number of apple trees uprooted from runaway catchframe: 1 (ghost ride the whip)

"Every girl's crazy...

... 'bout a sharp dressed man."

- ZZ Top


"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."

- Mark Twain

San Gabriels

Only around LA do the birds even sound like cell phones.

San Antonio Creek:



And Bonita Falls:





Thanks be to Mike for his functional Pentax camera.

Off towards MI.

Leaving the Eye of the Storm

Life's rule of thumb:

When you figure out what something is, it isn't
And, when you have no idea, you have learned.
When you find direction, you are moving away.
And, when you find yourself getting lost, you are coming closer to finding yourself.

Stop. Breath slowly and deeply. Look inside and become part of everything around you. All flows through you, and through all things you will flow.

You are already there.


-Jeremy Vann

NZ&UT, Like Peanuts and Bubble Gum

Maybe you're looking for clarification. Maybe you're seeking insight into the topography of the current mental landscape. Maybe you want to know how I feel about the weather forecast for all of us floating here together in the ether.




In a little over 4 weeks I've almost gotten used to the size of quarters. Wal-Mart has Trac-Ball. That's something to embrace. We are now taking suggestions for the TB League. No immunization necessary.




But maybe you want enlightened offerings from the inherent perspective gleaned from living somewhere else and then returning and driving across the country. Well, finding a great (Mini) bar to enjoy Palm at is hard here; however, Eggs Bendict is good anywhere, I'll tell you that right now.



People get too involved with time. Making time, saving time, driving time... And there are so many obstacles that can get in your way. Other drivers or traffic lights, for instance. Maybe we could all just relax a little bit. Listen to Classical Gas on repeat. Wait. Scratch that last bit. That would lead to an increase in road rage.



Home is where you want it to be, e.g., a department store, canyon or truck. Where do you sleep best at night? In BB&B sheets? That's home to you then. The nice thing about that home is that you can have a deep fat fryer for breaded frozen cookie dough.





So go out and create your own reality. The loose ends will get sorted along the way. Get yourself sorted. Let those that you wish to have join you in on it know and have a blast. Goose Sponge-Bob if you want to. He's worked hard for that figure.

Enter N/S Cackalack

First of all, everyone needs to beware of the 'stache.



Seriously. Too much power.

Apparently no canyons around so it was time to assimilate into the BORG hanging around the Cacalacks' border for the Coca-Cola 600. I LOVE NASCAR.

"One must live the way one thinks, or end up thinking the way one has lived."
- Paul Borget




"The trouble with resisting temptation is that you may not get another chance." - Edwin Chapin

Act 2

Like the Popcorn. Extra butter flavor please.

Pics of UT eventually. I live out of my truck.

Now a certified ACA Canyon Guide. No employment, but at least I have a vocation. It makes me look quasi-responsible. I live out of my truck.

Fire me up!

Counting, Down

Getting close. Coming back to drive on the other side of the road. Seeing all you crazies on the video-conference feed of the techno-savvy US of A.




Just calm down will you? No need to be in such a rush. It will take me negative hours to fly on over. As in 45 minutes I'll be moving back in time.










So soak this one up and keep it firing around on your synapses:


That is all. Tusen takk for sauer og Jonno.

Canyonero! Hi-YA!!!

Let's recap a little, but first some unpleasant business:

My camera can now be found in Japan. Those lovely folks in Christchurch decided to send it away on suspicion of having gone deeper than 1.5m. Not true! Also, no permission was asked under the full knowledge of my soon leaving (look a gerund!) the country. [Insert pity party here]



So:

Number of 12-Mile descents: TBD
Number of Routeburn descents: TBD
Number of Hematomas: 1
Number of Hyperextended knees: 1
Number of jammed fingers: 3
Number of dislocations in NZ: 0
Number of internal bruises: 2
Number of limbs free of injury whilst canyoneering: 1
Number of hearts broken: ?
Number of coffees ordered in Glenorchy: >80
Number of Veggie wraps eaten in Glenorchy: <10 :(

Any questions?

Dojo

Winding up with no stop apparent for trips. Large one-guide groups, plenty of water with the rain and the saturated soil and the... Tick-tock Tick-tock, much to do...

Another day...

And the work continues at a steady pace. Yet, today I got to bear witness to another of the numerous activities to engage the self in around Queenstown: The Canyon Swing (The world's largest swing)

It is important to remain consistent and I maintain that any similarities borne out in the photo of myself and of the jumper are but a mere coincidence. I mean, you've seen what wizardry is possible on celluloid. At least give me the benefit of the doubt.

Please?

Patience is Rewarded

First off I'd like to pass the time. You know, waste some space.






Now with that out of the way, let's clear the mind of all office/school/work trivialities and discuss what is really important. Discuss the nature of reality as we know it and how we're all part of the giant spaceship. I'd like to sound like the rantings from a Dr. Bronner's soap bottle. I'd like to make a hat in the style of those outdoor propane heaters. Wearing a gas tank on my back, I would be the life of the party! I could keep scantily clad women all around me even in the coldest of winter nights and serve a nice smoked gouda cream sauce with foccacia bread. But let's move on:





Some places are still nice.



Now although the shoes have been retired...



...I still go canyoning (canyoneering). We leave Queenstown...



...and drive...



...past the bluff...



...and past the glare of the bald into the Routeburn valley...


...I understand that -burn is a Scottish word meaning river or valley and that saying Routeburn valley is somewhat redundant, so let's talk about something more esoteric: (NB: ZB)

Up in Mt. Aspiring National Park, they allow recreational fishing. What do they fish for you ask? Brown trout. No standard fish hook method, but you have to use a fly rod and it has to be catch and release b/c it's quite easily accessible by car. I hope that those driving check their oil before beginning the trip.

Time to cleanse the palate:



Sometimes they even let me leave Queenstown!:



And drive up the coast:



Or to the fjords:



That is all. Takk for mej.

Sooncomemanyhappypicturemagicwishshow!

With Choo-Choo Charley and his right arm tan!

The folks with Pentax say they'll get my camera back to me before the impending end of the world. Before then we'll get pictures of identical clouds in valleys as well as my new idea for an outdoor heating hat. We'll be the life of the cold outdoor party! Or maybe not, as the patent application may not have been submitted. But you can imagine it in your own special mind.

We'll be matching the synchronous with the a- as you do. And becoming enlightened as we realize how little is understood. We'll be smiling more frequently. We may even be out from the in communicado instilled from the tranquility found in lawn bowling with any luck.

Much love!

Lingering questions answered:

-I'm just a vector