And Then There Were None..

Friday, August 3, 2007 - Day 43

Woke up in the company of three band members, all crashed out on the floor of the studio apartment. The rest slept in the van. After some very slow waking and getting ready, we went out for some damn tasty breakfast at some restaurant in NE Portland. I had biscuits and gravy with cheese grits. The gravy was some kind of apple-smoked bacon gravy or something like that. Just what I needed. I wish they could have all stayed another day and hung out, but that's life on the road, you gotta keep moving. I understand. We said our good-byes and they took off for San Fran. All good people. There is a chance that I'll see them again on this journey, as they are playing in Washington in two weeks, but I'm guessing that won't happen. I will be in Portland for another week, then it's back to Lincoln City, where I left the coast four days ago to resume the Oregon coastline on highway 101. I'm guessing it will take me a little while to get up into Washington once I leave here. After all, it's two days just to get back to the coast. Then I have at least 3 days along the coast to just get into Washington. I really don't have any of the rest of the trip planned out as far as time. I am starting to realize that this trip is going to take much more time than I had originally thought. I don't think that's a bad thing.

Once the band left, I was overwhelmed with loneliness. I've been alone for most of the last month, and I've mostly become used to it. It's just what I expect out of each day, not seeing anyone I know, and most days not even talking to anyone that I know. So to have some good friends around was such an overwhelmingly good rush. To wake up in the company of friends is so amazing when you've woken up alone for the last 40 days. The only time I've had that since leaving L.A. was with Gifford in San Fran and Georgia in Santa Cruz (means holy cross, Christafari!). Then when they took off, I felt as if I had been shoved out of a moving vehicle onto a desert road. I was alone in Max's apartment, with Max at work, and me not knowing anyone else in the city. I longed for familiarity around me, in some way.

I knew I had to get out and do something, to be moving in some way, otherwise I would shut down or break down. So I got on my bike and rode around, grabbed some lunch at Safeway, then headed out and found a park. It was a nice park with lime green water. I have been itching to do some writing for quite a while, so I laid down in the grass and did some writing. What I wrote was strange. I wrote about how I felt last night, going out on the town to the show, about a kind of energy that seemed to be about the city, or shared between the city and myself. Reading it later tonight, I found it to be quite strange, not really my style of writing. I really don't like it.

Tonight there was a free concert under the Hawthorne Bridge in the city. I didn't know any of the bands except The Blow. Max and I went down there for a bit, nothing interesting there at that time and no booze, so we went to a bar and got a drink. Then he went back to his apartment and I went back down to the bridge. All I wanted to see was The Blow, but I ended up talking to P.D. whilst I waited, lost track of time, and missed the band. Oh well. Didn't lose any money or anything. After that I called Max to find out where he was. At a bar with some kids we met at the Dusty show, friends of Kyle's from Kansas who now lived in Portland. So I walked about 35 blocks to the bar.

I feel a weird connection with this city. I find it really easy and condusive to my lifestyle. It is incredibly easy to navigate, so biker friendly, and safe to walk at night. Sometimes when I am biking around, I feel like I own the place, like it's all mine. Walking around at night, I feel like myself, or that I can fully be myself, like I'm not trying to be anything or even thinking about what I might be trying to be. I feel, though, that a lot of people look at me, and I can't figure out why. Maybe it's because I have a little different style, or I look like a mildly well-groomed vagabond? Maybe it's a apparent that I'm new to the area. I'm not sure. Either way, I do feel like I get a lot of attention wherever I go. Maybe they sense my enlightenment and are naturally drawn to my sophisticated aire. I'm sure the polka-dotted helmet has something to do with it when I am biking, but I'm not sure about the other time.

Music selections for today:
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots


band + some Portland kids


hey Eddie!


What's up Dre!


nice seeing ya


sink laundry. that's what i like to see, Kyle



i wonder if it tastes like lime?


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