A Prairie Home Companion

I left New Mexico on a cloudy Saturday morning. After departing Albuquerque way before the Sun even thought about rising, and picking up some ice at Cline's Corners, I made my way east to Tucumcari. Then I motored northeast along a route that took me through the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma, and grabbed some food in Liberal, Kansas. I didn't stop to see Dorothy's house again, but it was a nice thing to be on some familiar roads again.





My route took me through Wichita and on up a toll road to Kansas City, where I spent the night. On the way there I passed through the Flint Hills, and what an amazing sight those were to see. They almost looked like the Windows XP stock wallpaper. Who knows, maybe I'll be like Dorothy and call Kansas home someday.




 
 


Kansas City was a nice "last stop" on my trip, albeit the only thing I did was crash in a pretty comfortable bed as soon as I walked into my room. No BBQ this time around, but being KC is only 5hrs away, it will probably be a weekend getaway in the future sometime.






 

The following morning I awoke to a short drive back to the land between two waters, but first, it was time for some breakfast. I resisted when I was in New Mexico, but did eventually stop for some in northern Missouri. The order was incorrect, but it was not wrong. I may have asked for a sausage breakfast toaster sandwich, but it came with bacon instead. Like I said, incorrect but not wrong at all. Bacon strips, and bacon strips, and more bacon strips!


Once I had been satiated, I made a quick jaunt to the IA/MO border, and dropped the top for a cruise through our state capital, with state fair traffic and all. From there it was an even shorter leg up to Cedar Falls in the early afternoon.

All in all, my journey consisted of awesome sights and the most amazing of people. My passenger seat was full as well, but it was empty. As piled high and filled with stuff as it had been, it was missing something. There wasn't anyone there to look from that seat at the beautiful countryside, or the city skylines, or at the guy in the driver's seat.

That's what was missing from this and all of my previous journeys. She's out there somewhere. She just needs to meet me.


The Sun hasn't set on that dream yet. It is good to be back in Iowa though, back where I can find my own prairie home companion who listens to IPR.

Just what the doctor ordered

I finally made it back home to New Mexico. What a joyous occasion it was when I crossed over from the southern mountains of Utah and Colorado. I'll save the homecoming story for a little while. Let's begin with some deep reflecting right off the bat.

I spent Wednesday morning before the visitor's center was even open traveling through Arches National Park. It was a beautiful morning in the Moab canyon, and then to see the serenity of the morning in Arches, it was almost too amazing to describe.

Even the drive (which I captured on video) was riveting, far more than the congested Going-to-the-Sun Road of Glacier a few days earlier. Arches definitely ranks up there as one of my favorite parks.

Seeing the arches there were eye opening to say the least, but the time I spent there was just as reflective. With the morning sun coming up behind the cloud cover, I looked back at the thousands of miles I put behind me on this trip. It was certainly one for the record books, but the feelings that showed up then were strange. Feelings of wonder, not only about the places I've experienced, but just the fact that I'm in a transitional period of social classes. I could have never in my wildest dreams foreseen that I'd have the capacity to be able to take a few days off of work, go on a trip, and actually afford it. Growing up, it was about scraping by and having just enough to get by until the next paycheck. Who am I now? I don't recognize myself.

I have no idea how to be middle class. I have no examples to follow. No road map to success on this newly found journey of mine. It is scary to think I'm now on a trajectory that will take far beyond the confines of the old hometown mindset.

Through the cloudiness of the self-made "worry storm," though, there are two beacons of hope that I rely on more now than ever before. My parents. When you're young, you may just brush them off as always being a pain, or maybe they're not "hip" (even though both of mine were and are still hippies), but their roles change as you get older. I don't know how to ask them questions about certain things, however, I can ask them philosophical questions. You know, the ones that make you lose sleep at night. Life altering decisions. How to handle fallout from mistakes made, etc.

The few arches I was able to see (as I was not prepared to hike that morning) made me think of where I'll have to go in the future. On one side there is the firm foundation of my upbringing, education, and familial ties. On the other is the future, one of interesting and uncertain possibilities. In between is a delicate arch, that could easily shatter should even the littlest fissure begin.


I can only imagine what the next step in my life will be. What I do know is that I am so fortunate to have family, friends, and mentors to help me along. I've done some legwork, but without their guidance and support I may not have made it across the country all these times. To you, my hat is off. Until we meet again, know that Albuquerque has been nice these last two days. After enjoying a nice evening with the two NSE friends I made, I stayed the night and had egg, cheese, and chorizo burritos for breakfast. I also spent some time on UNM's campus just scoping out the place (No, I'm not looking for a doctoral program yet, haha).

Unfortunately, I will probably have to cut my vacation short. There were a few places I would have liked to go yet. The car was acting funny these last few days, so some serious thought might need to take place when I return to Iowa. I'm just putting this out here now so it's not a big surprise when it happens, but I may have made a mistake on buying this car (see paragraph about parents and their guidance). I hope it doesn't come down to it, but my summertime fling with the Sebring might come to an end.

Fortunately, I won't leave this one on a sour note like that. On the plus side, my return route takes me through Iowa's state capitol, where I'll be stopping at the Iowa State Fair! What I'll do there, I do not know, but one thing is for certain. I won't be having deep fried butter on a stick again. Tasty? Yes. Nutritious? Not a chance.

Catch you all down the trail!

Salt, Road Construction, and The Lord of the Rings

Today's tales from the road involve a trial by fire, a test of will, and a discovery of sorts. Though the morning started out great (I left Montana with plenty of enjoyable miles, even all the way through Idaho), the middle of the day was wrought with panicked drivers (or maybe it was just me). The streets of Salt Lake City thundered with the sound of tens of thousands of cars, trucks, heavy machinery, and bears (yes, there were bears in town for some reason). On the plus side, I did get a chance to visit the Temple Square in downtown SLC. Quite a center of commerce, religion, and architecture, as a matter of fact. All the while, I was surprised that no one came up to me asking if I could spare a few minutes of my time to talk about a particular person.

Everything from the tabernacle...

 ...to Assembly Hall...

 ...it's many gardens...

 ...(another shot of Assembly Hall)...

 ...and of course...

...the Salt Lake Temple.

Suffice it to say, the traffic there was terrible, but you'll have that almost 1 million residents in the metro area, plus visitors and commuters. Yuck.

Thankfully, there was a beautiful end in sight. The mountains of southern Utah held a secret that only mother nature could have constructed. That's a story for tomorrow though when I go to a place that would make the Roman aqueduct builders jealous.





Oh, and I made a pleasant discovery today. You may recall when Gandalf fell into the chasm while fighting the balrog. Well, later in the series he returns as Gandalf the White. I think that was just a doppelganger, and Gandalf the Grey retired to Utah under a pseudonym (even with alternative spelling), as an Italian sandwich maker.

That's my theory. Don't tempt me, Frodo.

Into the great wide open

Hello everyone! My apologies for the delay in publishing an update about my trip. Last night when I arrived at my hotel I was quite bushed, so straight to bed I went. Interestingly enough, here it is almost 10pm mountain time tonight, and I'm awake, even with the longer route today. Anyway, you're probably interested in the details. Let's begin!

After a most awesome weekend of seeing a cohort member, my family, and attending a boating tour for my friend's bachelor party, I set out at 4:30am on Sunday from Waukon. It was an early morning most definitely. I'll spare you the first few hours of my trip, but once I got to land of North Dakota I noticed something that made me wonder if I was in New Mexico already. Then, it hit me, I know why some people think this ND is a myth. I question whether it really existed in the first place. After crossing the entire state, I think someone just got lazy and pressed "Ctrl+C" over Nebraska and "Ctrl+V" where ND was supposed to be. Suffice it to say, I think you'd be hard pressed to find an efficient land route to New Mexico that isn't flat and boring. So, after arriving at my hotel in Glendive, Montana at the end of the night yesterday, I settled in and slept til 4:30am again, only this time I had a much more exciting route before the end of the day.

From Glendive I headed north up until I hit Highway 2, which was a nice long stretch of highway, surrounded by fields and fields of amber waves of grain. As I pushed further west, noticed that it had been since Iowa that I had my top down, so it was about time I made that happen. I spend the remainder of the trip going through Glasgow, Havre, Shelby, and took 89 north from Browning until I ended up in St. Mary (a place with nearly $5/gallon gasoline). All of it was worth it though to experience the next two hours of my journey.

St. Mary was the start of the main attraction for this trip. Last year's helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon was cool, but this was all about the drive. The Going-to-the-Sun Road was the purpose of this trip, and what a trip it was. The sights were spectacular (with the exception being the first few miles where there was construction).

Quite remarkable that such a place is still accessible. There was so many people, however, so the Sebring and the Maserati a few cars behind me weren't able to stretch there legs very much. It was a very enjoyable day, and there was plenty of time to just sit back and take it all in to reflect. As for tonight, I'm in Butte, MT. I've had my supper and now it's time to rest these eyes of mine. They saw a lot of awesomeness today.

Enjoy the pics and the upcoming updates! I'm switching it up with tomorrow's update, at least scenery-wise. Stay tuned!

 

It's that time of year again!

Greetings!

It certainly has been a long spell since I last posted. To my faithful followers, I appreciate your patience. With finishing my master's degree this summer and obtaining permanent status at my employer, I've been a little out of the online loop. So, I apologize for the delay in posting.

At any rate, let me help you get up to speed with my upcoming happenings. The biggest story so far is the trip I have planned for August. Of course the route will go through New Mexico, but this year's destination will be just as epic as the helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon last year. Details to follow. (Hint: The attraction is also on a large scale, except far more organic in nature. And, part of the route involves many miles of top down driving.)

Speaking of going topless, I should formally introduce my ride of the past few months. The Sebring (which does not officially have a nickname yet, like the Battlecruiser or Red Dragon did), is ready with a fresh set of brakes on all corners, Royal Purple oil and filter under the hood, and a clean bill of health otherwise. Expect plenty of shots and footage of the fun in the sun action as the miles roll over on the journey.

I'm also beginning the initial steps of planning a documentary of Iowa's 99 counties. I have several of the main components ready to go, but need some more time to plan it out properly. Those pesky little details will be crucial to keep in mind. More updates as that gets underway officially.

So, until next time, keep on keeping on. I'll catch you on down the trail!

Szab

Escaping the craziness, slowing down, and a dash of creativity

The morning began as any other Monday morning (though, an hour later than if I had to go to work). On one of the coldest of January days in Iowa, I left the city to return home. It had been a spell since I last seen my family, my critters, and the old stomping grounds. The morning sun shone brightly off the hood of the Cadillac and off what snow remained in the ditches. 'Twas a beautiful journey back to the Driftless Region of our state. However, the day did have one mishap.

Upon my arrival, I decided I best refuel before beginning the rest of my day. I inserted my credit card into the reader, selected the fuel grade I wanted, and began filling my tank. I proceeded then to step into the car and wait inside to not catch frostbite in this -5º weather. After spacing out for a little while, paying no mind to the pump, a frantic woman ran up to my car with a dumbfounded face pointing toward the back of my car. In an instant I knew exactly what she was pointing at. I leaped from the heated seat, shut off the pump, and inadvertently stepped in about three gallons of fuel on the ground.

I was surprised that the pump had not "clicked" when the tank was full, as is their design. However, just as with any invention, the adverse weather has an effect on functionality. Nonetheless, I quickly regained my composure, admitted my foolish mistake, walked inside to announce the spill to the managers on duty, and was immediately met with a, "Yeah, don't worry about that." I inquired as to the possibility of getting two plastic bags to cover my gasoline soaked shoes. They pondered this idea for a solid 10 or 15 seconds after one of the managers asked the other, "Can we give out plastic bags?"

Suffice it to say, I received the bags and continued on with my day. Visiting family was nice, as well as a welcomed recharge to my otherwise crazily hectic existence here in Cedar Falls. In a way, it is a challenge to be from two different worlds. What I mean by that is that I grew up in a very rural and ignorant part of the world. I say ignorant not as a derogatory term, but one that expresses little concern for anything outside the area. It is a far removed place from the small city in which I reside now. In no way can I compare this to the other large cities I've lived in (Las Cruces and Albuquerque in particular), but for the sake of this entry, we'll just go with the two here in Iowa.

I'm torn between my desire to live in the country, where self-sufficiency is crucial, yet long to have exposure to the cultural experience of the city (be it through science, arts, entertainment, etc.). Obviously all of those things can be found in rural areas, but that happy medium is somewhere awash at the moment in my current state of affairs. One step at a time, lest I put too many feet first and end up face first on the floor. It will be a busy next six months, but the payoff will be worth it when I have my degree and can start on the next chapter of my tale.

Suffice it to say, I keep this blog not only to share my inner turmoil (such as dealing with that balance thing, my Daoist beliefs, and poetic descriptions of great "battles" to be fought), but also to explore the thing we all have within ourselves, creativity!

One of the things I did today, aside from enjoy a bacon cheeseburger pizza back home at a local restaurant, was pick up a cheap lamp from which I hope to make a cell phone holder for the car. Now, you might say, "Well, couldn't you just get one online or at a store or something?" My response to that is, "Where's the fun in that? Anyone can buy an answer to a problem. Where's your sense of adventure?" With the help of a friend's tools back home, I disassembled it and brought it back to Cedar Falls with me.

While I'm hoping to find some use for each part that originally went with the lamp, the main piece that I wanted was the flexible stand that held up the light. I believe it will be strong enough to withstand hard turns without tipping over, and is easy enough to move without being more of a distraction than having to reach well below the dash to find my phone when I receive a call.

So far, the cost is only $10 for the lamp. If I can reuse some of the parts, like the bracket, a metal plate, and the lamp housing, it shouldn't be much more when I construct the phone holder portion. Eventually this will just bolt to an existing bolt in the passenger compartment, so no drilling with be required.

Yes, there will be follow up pictures as the project continues. Thanks for tagging along on this journey. Until next time, readers!

Remembering long lost friends, preparing for a trial by fire

Long ago there was a cat. His name was as intimidating as any beast, yet he a was a kind and gentle soul. As a kitten, he was the smallest of the kindle, but grew up to be a larger than life character.

Whether he was relaxing on the couch, speeding across the linoleum in the kitchen, or simply looking out the window, he was always one to turn to if things got rough.

It has been almost ten years since he passed. Named after the monster that terrorized Tokyo in so many films, this Godzilla never had to battle Mothra, King Ghidora, or King Kong, but did fight a disease that ultimately caused his liver to fail. Inevitable as this confrontation with mortality was, I did not stop believing in him. (Insert tears here.)

As the new year gets underway, I cannot help but think of where I came from and where I will go in the future. Godzilla's spirit endures in my memory, and I'll look to his (and other individuals' as well) as I am faced with the latest tribulation in my life, a grand graduate school and career-altering conundrum.

While I am not alone, nor am I the only one this has ever happened to, I do feel like I have to stand up about this issue on my own. My career and education are my responsibility, and dealing with broken systems in favor of the house are all part of the game, I suppose. However unjust and unfair it may seem, there is hope. Like the companionship and happiness that Godzilla and I shared, I have friends, cohort members, and family for which to be thankful. For those of you in those categories that read this blog, thank you. My tale could not be complete without including you within its pages.

By now you have probably wondered what this "trial by fire" business all means. After these accolades have been given, and the memories recalled, perhaps some details would help to enlighten those seeking some depth. Quite frankly, and presumably, I'm probably making this into a bigger dilemma than it actually is, but there is still a degree of severity in my writings.

After being advised to step back my education to part time status for one semester, it is now coming back to bite me. For this semester, it looks as though I'll be enrolling in fourteen credits, as well as applying for a position that requires a master's degree. Getting into all of those credits will be the easy part if the appropriate ducks are in a row. The hard part will be taking off the gloves for an all out bout to have my student requests approved. The oldest of those requests are now six months old. I have evidence that other requests, submitted well after my first request, were submitted and approved within a matter of one or two days.

Historically I have not been the confrontational type. However, I am not above looking out for my future by making some telephone calls, copying the president of the university in an email, or contacting the appropriate movers and shakers to get things done. I'll finish this post with one of my favorite scenes from the film V for Vendetta. Look beyond V's words in terms of the plot. Focus instead on the meaning of this scene. This scene should not be taken literally or as implying a solution to my problem. Rather, it is encourage others to not fear power. Something only has power so long as we give it power.

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson (http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/when-governments-fear-people-there-libertyquotation)