And on to Phoenix

After arriving in California over a month ago I am finally out. It’s not that I wanted to get out, but it was time to tackle some other states. I really felt I was there for so long, I’m used to being in a state for only a week, so I feel like I’m violating some law when I stay in one state for longer than a week.

On my way to Phoenix I went from an elevation of sea level to 4,000 feet rather fast. It’s not that it was a particularly warm day in Southern California, but I did go from beautiful blue sky and one of the most colorful sunsets I’ve ever seen to nearly a blizzard when I got up to 4,000 feet. There had to be about five inches of snow on the ground. It was perfect! It was snowing hard, big beautiful flakes. I felt at home, I felt like it was snowboard season. Before hitting the peak I was at a gas station where I overheard the mother mentioning that her 25-year old son saw snow for his first time. I guess I take snow for granted being from the UP. When I got to the other side of the hill I started coasting downhill at about 70mph. So I reset the miles per gallon calculator on the Compass. While I was coasting down it read as high as 101 miles per gallon. I wish it was downhill both ways, I could save a lot of gas money.

My first two nights in Phoenix were spent at one of my best friends. John and I went to elementary school, high school (there is no middle school in Baraga), and college together. Throughout all of my schooling he’s the one person I’ve stayed in close contact with. He’s been in Phoenix just a little longer than I’ve been on this trip. He’s working full time as a web designer and part time at the Apple store. And I have to say it’s refreshing to meet up with someone I know so well. It actually gives me an excuse to be lazy for a day or two, I feel that as a guest at a stranger’s house I shouldn’t just sit around all day. However, I did spend a few hours writing about 25 Christmas cards and postcards. We went out for dinner and I realized how much I love mozzarella sticks! Those things are soooooo good. I also met his friend “Chicklet.” I guess they call her that at work because she’s so little. Well in only a long hour of visiting with Chicklet she could very possibly be the funniest person I’ve met on the trip. Then again, it could be the waiter who had on a SpongeBob SquareTie and could very well be a Chris Farley imitator.

From John’s I headed to Bill’s last night. I’ve been in touch with Bill since well before I hit the road. He is my cousin Melissa’s boss and has been very supportive of the trip in many ways. He helped to sponsor a state, stir up some press while I was in Milwaukee (where he grew up), is helping to make some dreams come true, and has even sent me about a dozen CDs of music for the road.

This morning Bill brought me a cup of coffee. “Coffee?” I ask myself. I’m no coffee drinking, I mine as well say it’s a first, the only other time I remember drinking regular straight up coffee (rather than those fancy $5 drinks that you get at Starbucks) is when I was a young boy and had a sip of my grandma’s coffee. Several hosts have offered me coffee along my way and I always stated that I’m just not a coffee drinker. Well, I have to say it was quite tasty. I don’t think I’ll be turning it down again, I might just become a coffee drinker. Of course I don’t know anything about coffee… creams, sugar, caff, de-caff, I would just say “surprise me” and see what kind I get.

P.S. It looks like the blog entries are becoming less frequent, but much longer.