Austin, and New Orleans

Austin is marvelous. Despite the weather. It is the right size city, with enough going on, and great vibe. And - the program is to my liking. I Visited UT Austin two full days, and they were very nice showing me around. I am excited about this whole project, but, again - we shall see.

We Stayed in a cute motel on S Congress until Thursday morning, and got to swim in their awesome pool on Monday, before the weather changed. Amy left very early on Wednesday, and my sister came late that evening. Blanca had been traveling for more than a full day, in which she transported herself on a car, ferry, bus and plane. Even so, to go from a remote island in Scotland to Austin TX in one day is actually pretty good.

(The motel in Austin, TX)

Entering Louisiana yesterday was really beautiful. I-10, the same interstate Amy and i took leaving LA and left going North, returned in the form of a massive bridge-like highway, above the Atchafalaya Swamp for more than 18 miles. It was pretty impressive. And beautiful. The guide talked about this area as "no place to ran out of gas", which made me laugh and think about this show i've been catching in motels (man vs. wild) that made both Guille and Amy laugh (at me, mostly) but that i was freaking into because they keep dropping this dude into the most dangerous parts of the planet right after they say "this is no place to hang around". Anyway, we did not ran out of gas, and enjoyed the swamp, 55 miles per hour.

(Atchafalaya Swamp, East of Lafayette, Louisiana)

We made our way into New Orleans through the West bank of the Mississippi, looking at all the plantations and mansions. The drive (through the all-mighty, old friend R-1) was pretty spectacular. That night i did laundry while Blanca took a disco nap, and we both hit the town to have dinner. Now, i do not know what the French Quarter looks like during Mardi Gra (Carnaval, for those of you in the Old World), but good lord i can't even imagine. There were hundreds of people on the streets, which were cut to traffic. Do they do this every Friday night? Like the red district in Amsterdam, multiplied by hundreds of party goers, drunks, and tourist like us taking pictures of the spectacle. We walked away from the party streets and found the old New Orleans, and had dinner in a corner restaurant. We didn't have much time to do more, but today we have all day, and i am excited to explore Creole culture.

(Fountain in the French Quarter, New Orleans)

Texas

(Madrid, New Mexico)

We are in the small town of Junction, Texas, about 150 miles West of Austin. There are no Super8s in this part of the country, so we had to go with a local hunters spot (they are all watching the football game next door). It's kind of perfect, actually. I was dreading this part of the trip a little - driving through Texas - but so far, it hasn't been all that bad.

We slept one night in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in an amazing spa in the mountains. It was a treat, after so long on the road. And from there, the beautiful Turquoise Trail down to El Paso (where we drove into Madrid, above.) This whole area is a balanced "green desert", not to be expected at all. It is beautiful. The last 600 miles have been an empty road across flat green fields, with distant canyons and plateaus. And a huge thunderstorm that has been following Ramón since we left Santa Fe. I look around and can't believe this is Texas.

The second part of this trip ends tomorrow. We will drive into Austin, where i have a few appointments at the university (such great response from these guys, really). Amy flies back to NY on Wednesday morning, and my sister is landing on Wednesday afternoon. I am sad, and, excited for this trip to continue in a different form. We should all be flexible with change. I actually think this whole trip has been about that: flexibility.

Ramón is starting to suffer a little. I picture this very old man, with an oxygen tank, dragging his little feel across the country. And slowly, getting everywhere. He has never felt so small until Texas, where EVERYTHING is freaking huge.

Below, one of the many murals around this parts...

(Ozona, Texas)

The Grand Canyon

From Flagstaff to the South entrance of the Grand Canyon National Park is a 85 mile drive. All up hill, up to the plateau, up up until you're 8000 miles above sea level, and then its all flat, and then... a crack. A huge crack. An immense, magnificent, totally ridiculous crack. We drove in the early morning, and we didn't catch any traffic. Van Morrison played while we drove in, and i had my hand out the window, feeling the dry wind. Dry, cool wind that has helped shape this wonder...

(Grand Canyon, AZ - with morning light)

We camped in the South- East section of the rim. It was a very small campground, and totally deserted, which is always nice. We hiked the rim trail (West to East along the rim) for the rest of the day and watched the sunset from one of the suggested locations with the rest of people who had escaped work on the second week of September. And you see, the canyon changes depending at what time you look at it. The sun is so bright during the day, it's hard to see the depth, and colors of all the small rock formations within the canyon itself. It is a never ending moving image. Walk East on the rim for a mile, look, and it is a different experience every single time. At sunset everything is red, and everyone is silent, because everything is silent. And you can almost hear the clouds move.

(Grand Canyon, Az - at sunset)

At night we heard the coyotes. And in the morning we hiked down a not so popular trail down to Cedar Point, 1.5 miles into the rim. Being inside the canyon is a test of endurance. It was hot, with very few shade - but totally worth it. Everything is so vast. So beautiful. And you get to be in it. And it is exhausting. And wonderful. And i can't wait to do it again, further in, hardcore hiking all the way down to the Colorado river, and cross the foot bridge that i know is down there. Someday.

Someday.

Today, driving East away from the canyon, through the Navajo Nation and Hopi lands. Tomorrow we make base in Santa Fe, NM. The landscape is still red. And, as always, endless.

(hiking the south rim, one foot away from the abyss)

East, East

Santa Barbara is a small, perfect, paradise. Too perfect for my taste i think. Southern California is totally, exactly, like in the movies. It was a bit of a clash, actually, to drive south on R-1 (so fabulous), with seals, and ocean clashing with land, and hills and mountains... into Santa Barbara. The night before we camped in a campground south of Big Sur, in Los Padres National Park. 5 feet away from the cliff, and the ocean. The sunset was so spectacular...

(Beach south of Big Sur, CA)

The more I am in nature, the more offensive I find the conglomerations of civilization. We drove away from the LA area, and the road transformed itself from a 7 lane highway into a 2 lane freeway, with no cars. Driving through the dessert at nightfall... so much better than a clustered beach... The road inland was slightly painful the next day, because of the heat, and the distances. But it was worth it. We drove through Sedona, and its red rock formations, and it was incredible. The Grand Canyon awaits. I have been waiting for so long to see it again (more than 20 years!) that I am not sure how will I react to it now.

No expectations.

The secret to always being surprised.

(Sedona, CA)

North California

Ashland is a beautiful little town on the interior border of Oregon and California. We were hosted my Amy's friend Malena, in her recently bought home, with a garden, right next to the old (and unused) train tracks. The town is a tourist destination for rich californians, specially this time of year because of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We didn't see any plays, we walked around the town and bought new shoes instead. We also played in the old train tracks to fulfill my train fetish...

(old train in Ashland OR)

On our way to Ashland from Brookings we drove through Stout Grove and witnessed the magnificent redwoods. The little dirt road was built to show off the trees, and it was lovely to feel very very small among such beauties. It was only a 4 mile drive until we hit the paved road towards Ashland, and we bordered the Smith river for a few miles after that. The amazing thing about the rivers in Oregon is that it is the only source of swimmable water, besides certain lakes, in the state. The pacific is too cold all year round. I think the Oregonians have develop an incredible love for rivers, and they know how to take good care of them. They trade river hole locations on the internet, they pass them on from friend to friend, or they just keep the secret to themselves. Nature is very well kept in this part of the world. It gives me hope for humanity.

(little Ramón in the Redwoods)

We drove from Ashland to Oakland (near San Francisco) on Monday. The drive was long, and the high temperature didn't help us, nor Ramón. He was overheating a little, so we stopped. In a casino. I know, we never learn our lessons... BUT! this time i actually pulled my blackjack skill out of my hat and won 115 dollars. Which paid for gas, oil and dinner. The lucky event helped the drive into the city (HELL) - but the stay here has been great. I had good interviews with both Berkeley and Standford and I could get excited about living here. I'm just not going to just yet...

Today we drive to lower California on R-101. Tonight we camp midway between here and Santa Barbara. After that, family in Ojai and Irvine, near LA.

Its been a month since i left New York.

I'm not tired!

Oregon

I am sitting in a very small coffee shop in the harbor of Brookings, OregAn. It is raining like crazy, and the locals are very happy about it. It has been a very dry summer, they say. I just spent two days on top of a beautiful mountain, way high, with views of the valley and the Chetco river, and the Pacific. The drive from Eugene on R-101 was magnificent: the steep walls that defend the land from the sea, and seals. Thousands of seals.

(The Pacific, coast of Oregon)

We left Eugene on Wednesday afternoon. I had my last appointment that day (everything great with the university.) We camped that night south of Florence, already in the coast. We ate mexican food in a very cozy joint, and lost 20$ in the casino (I was winning 80$ for a minute there...) The next day we had fun in the dunes.

(Dunes near Florence, OR)

Brookings is were Amy grew up. And it is here where her mom rests. Her ashes were spread to the wind and the river almost two years ago. Yesterday we drove up the Chetcho river to say hi to her. The sun was warm, the road was empty, and the river was the most beautiful and spiritual body of water i have ever been in.

Today, East to Ashland. Not saying goodbye to Oregon just yet...

(Chetco river, near Brookings)