green

God where do I start.

Left Louisville this afternoon. Crossed the municipal bridge to Indiana where I had a turkey sandwich on foccaia bread that made me sink in my seat it was so good. The meal deal at this place gives you a sandwich, cupcake, bag of chips and a drink. I'm a genius. I talked myself into a second cupcake instead of the chips. Mortality wise it's probably a push but down the road with a cup of coffee I was again very pleased with my choices.

Somewhere in the east of Kentucky people started to drive 10 over the limit just like back home so I got a little more comfortable with my fellow travellers and I continued to notice the landscape.

Kentucky is pretty. Hills roll with brown veg and trees clumped together. In the spring the green must be deafening but even now the brown curving hilltops are something nice to look at.

I crossed into West Virginia. Mountains. Rolling up, down, up...up..Rocky sides on the roads. Nature had no need for this road man broke it down and put it in.

Richmond. Am I going to make Richmond.

I stoppped at a very very cool Folk Art Museum in Kentucky. Pictures of sharecroppers from the 30's and hand crafted carvings, scultures and paintings that were amazing. You could not get further from the art establishment. I wanted to stay but ...Richmond.

6pm.

West Virginia. Coffee won't help.

Fatigue.

Where to stop. What would fit.

WOW! Greenbrier! The golf resort and it's historical. I saw it on the history channel. Google it. Yes, google it.

It's a little extravagant but I eat cold cuts for a month sometimes to make sure I can do what I want on this trip and this was one of those calls.

I stopped at a mcdonalds, wified the reservation and pulled away.

It's dark now and I get to a gate.


...

The guard smiles and looks down at me...

Caballero....I say...

Yes Mr. Caballero....Up and to the left....

I drive up and it looks like the white house. NICE! Lite up and clean like my house isn't.

Since I had just booked the room they had trouble getting me settled so they upgraded me to ...something....

I got to the room and it must be a suite. 2.5 bath. The room is big. Well appointed. but...fuck....the room....has flowered wall paper...I mean 4 foot fucking flowers in walt disney colors. It's fucking loud...I layed down and I was pretty sure I could hear the wallpaper from the toilet.

The staff are very curteous in that professional way. I can't ask for more.

I go through the welcome pack turn on the tv to the hotel station...WTF! CASINO!
They just opened a casino down stairs.

!!!!

Shower. Sleep for 9 minutes...

FUCK!

In the welcome pack, the casino has a dress code. I like James Bond and all but I'm just not the jacket and tie type and I have ratty tennies. I NEVER anticipated I would be in a place like this.
I called down and they will loan me a jacket and they are not hard and fast about the shoes.

BOOM!

Tonya, the casino concierge, very sweet girl gets me a jacket and I'm in.

The craps table is packed. One table. Wall to wall gringos. Blue hairs on the southend Yuppsters on the North. The yuppsters had their own jackets.

The table is howling so I'm not getting in.

Slots.

Up...down....down...down...small bits....chipping at my stack.

Waiting for the table. They are wedged in .

Zues....I won big on Zeus in vegas....

bing bing bing! Win $100. Nice.

Now I have to get at the table. I ask the manager if he plans on putting a crew on the second table. He says no but there is probably room at the one that's open. He leans in a the older couple split. I'M IN!

So I'm next to a very nice loud white lady that weighs about what a deck of cards weighs but howls "YO!" like a foghorn. To my left is a 6 or 7 foot white haired man with my jacket.

Hey, we are going to get along.

The dice are at the far and and the lady keeps talking to me. I don't like to make conversation very much at the table but sometimes it happens and soundtimes its fun so I go with it.

She wants me to wish for a 4. I guarantee it. 9 9 5 12 3 4....Hey. It's what I do.

Shooter rolls for a while. A good roll. Lady gets the dice rolls. Craps out.

This is what I'm here for. Now I'm still up for the gambling portion of my trip. I could play it safe but fuck come on.... really....why?

My point is five.
Dice...boom! roll
Dice...boom! roll
Dice...boom! roll
I lose one over the rail and I ask for it back. I can hear a guy at the other end of the table. "some people take long but this guy is quick"
Not with everything but ...thanks for the thought.
Dice...boom! roll
Dice...boom! roll
Dice...boom! roll
5
winner..
I'm betting across and hitting my points.
7 out.
I'm down a little but I love the dice in my hand.

There is a lot to see here so I have to be up early to tour the grounds, see the bunker and the gardens. Try to make Richmond or revise my plan.

I kept the jacket.
My plan may include the table .

sleep well.

Time

During this trip I will knock off two things on my things to do list. I'm tired already.
Usually my birthday is an amazing day. Yesterday was nice but not extraordinary and that's ok.
When you consider all of the things going on in the world millions on people would give everything they could for just a taste on normalcy.

During these trips the experience is the thing. Seeing, being, doing, experiencing. Being exhausted. A little frustrated and tense is part of the experience.

Seeing, doing, writing and drawing it all and I can remember it.

Writing on the iPod is tedious so I'll stop here.

The hotel has a casino.

Later

Days with many parts

Yesterday I was in Oklahoma city. Saw the art museum which was nice. On the way out of town I went to the murrah bombing memorial site. It is very well done. Simple. Elegant. Horribly sad. The car ride softened the feel. Terrible there are two ground zeros in the US.

Drive drive drive. The plan was to get to Memphis but fatigue changed my plans.

I stopped in little rock.stayed at the Capitol hotel. An amazing building and a terrific hotel. I never would have thought I would want to return to Arkansas but I do.

The morning came and I went to the Clinton library. Remembering the 90s before Bush seemed so long ago.

Driving again. Memphis. Beale and sun studios. Great stuff! My group sang parts of great balls of fire and I walk the line in the same studio they were recorded in.

A good day.

I'll be out of touch tomorrow.
It's after midnight.
I'm 46.
I've come a long way...

I 40

I'm slowing down. Not pushing for the next stop as I planned and using some of the slack I built in my schedule.
Stopped at four Indian casinos. Up 110 dollars. Nice!
Last casino hand playing card crap...boooooooo.
Coffee pie casino.....repeat.
Free wi fi at McDonalds . Thanks Ronald.
Later

ok ok

Arrived last night from Santa Fe.
Shorter drive but still the drive is getting to me.
Ate. Slept.
Woke up this morning. Oatmeal is $5. Brought to the room. $8.
So I go down to the cafe. The hotel is very nicely done. Historic building with all new appointments. People are friendly. Genuinely friendly. The guy at starbuck could really give a shit about what kind of day I'm having. Here at least, they seem to care.
I sat down, unfolded myself and an older asian lady came to serve me. Her accent was charming and she moved like she wanted to go 90 mph but was told to go 30. I gave her my order and she disappeared.
I drew for a little bit and and came with coffee and turned her head down to talk to me like I was nine years old with a grandma's smile and eyes. It was nice.
Coffee in me, my eyes were cracked open and brain starting to shuffle, the lady...comes....she comes to the table with a plate with fruit and oatmeal...held like it was the kings crown and she says ..."Here comes the sweetie..."
I laugh to myself when I think of it. Those are the moments I love on these trips.
I had two more cups of coffee and finished all my oatmeal.
I asked her name and she told me, Kim. I thanked her for a great breakfast and she told me to come back soon.
So sweet.
Off to the OK art museum, a show on George Nelson. Had not heard of him but his designs I'm a fan of. One of those people whose work you know but have been invisible.
I'm late.
I'll be in Memphis late tonight or tomorrow.
Tired but not exhausted.

santa fe

I don't know.
I planned on getting here in about 10 hours. No traffic and following the plan it took 17. Brutal. I stopped a couple of times to stretch, eat and gamble (I won $30 at a slot machine but lost $60 at the craps table).
Santa Fe just kept getting further and further away.
I left at 3am, about 5 the sun rose directly above the road ahead of me. I had to drive looking away from the road. NICE!
The redstone and desert were great to look at. The day turned the colors so there was always something to watch.
Coming in to New Mexico it was much of the same but the pueblo architecture was all around. There is a good art vibe here.
The hotel is great. Small. Intimate and full of character.
I slept like a log in a deep soft bed.
Now I'm up. 7. I'm never up at 7 but it's vacation and I get full of piss to see everything and keep moving.
I just walked around the St Francis area and it's great. I want to see the city but I have to be in NYC and get the car back.
I have slack in my schedule but I get the itch to move.
Should be in OKC tonight.
later.

Car

Booked the car today.
I'm jacked up for my trip.
Seems my birthday comes along when I need it. Then comes baseball.
Life is good