Somewhere in that shimmering heatwave is Lordsburg

4/30/10-5/8/10

New Mexico-yep, all of it.

Somewhere in that shimmering heatwave is Lordsburg

4/29/10

I took a "weekend" trip to Tucson, which I won't detail too much because most of it was spent hanging out with Sasha or waiting for him to not be working. Much like my first visit there. I hitched a ride back to Lordsburg after the big back-track with a trucker named Daniel, from El Salvador. The almost 200 miles flew by with unimaginable speed, as I remembered every step and every stone. I got to Lordsburg in time for an incredible wind storm, and I set to finding a place to stay so I wouldn't be blown away in the night. Inquiry after inquiry led me to a Spanish service church that had a kind of homeless hostel. They were full, but a patron offered to let me stay on the couch in her unit. I was in for some life learning when I met _________, behind whose eyes lay more than a fair share of horrors and obscurities. In Korea, she taught conversational English. In Louisiana, she'd killed a man. (In all fairness, he shot her first, while robbing her home, at that. Nevertheless, I chose not to state her name.)

Spending time with _________ reminded me that life isn't as simple as good people and bad people. There are also people who, driven by desperation, introduce into the lives of others a darkness that may be impossible to dispel. Lordsburg is a place that seems to hold people hostage, just far enough away from any place you'd want to go to get away from your life. Though it's not a bad town, I hope _________ gets out of it.

4/30/10

Leaving Lordsburg was not difficult. In fact, though it was again windy, the 20 miles I'd planned for the day went by quickly and by 5pm I found myself at a trucker store marketing all sorts of "authentic" shams. Naturally, I felt my day was done, and my rest well-earned as I arrived. Ready to sit and relax, I was deterred by an arctic chill from the people working there, most likely because (as it seems to me) people around here are unusually wary of strangers. A short walk led to an empty home, the circumstances of whose abandonment were vague but appeared catastrophic. A feeling crept into me, inexplicable yet not dismissable, that something bad remained. So I left. I didn't know where I could get in the remaining daylight, since the next thing was still 10 miles away. So I just walked until sunset. And when It got dark I ran. 3 miles more and I ended up at a rest area, where I found sanctuary from the howling wind in the handicap stall of the bathroom. 31 miles today.

A garbage bag works wonders as a shelter in brambles.

What the hell?

a view of my ashy knees while elevating my swollen feet. Who needs a digital clock? Pfff......10am. Done and done.

5/1/10 Today wasn't all that eventful during the walking part; I did half the mileage as I did yesterday, arriving at the Savoy Travel Center well before sunset. I was sitting in the lounge, contemplating how my hair had finally reached its perfect level of dirtiness when a passing trucker offered me a shower pass. A hint? I choose not to think so... Soon enough, I had everybody in the place giving me route advice and wishing me well. A particularly interesting man, Rick from Iowa, had much curiosity about my eating strategies, etc., and invited me to join him for dinner. Hours passed in a matter of minutes and I ate more than I've eaten in forever. Though he couldn't fathom my usual approach of dumpster diving, he was a well-rounded and down to earth guy. It's amazing to me how you meet people you'd never be exposed to in "real life" when you travel, particularly if you travel the way I do. Because I don't isolate myself in a car or in a hotel room, I'm in the mix with all kinds of people, even the type of people about whom others might have certain preconceived notions. Like truckers. To be honest, I've learned more about life and being a good person from the truckers in my life than almost anybody else. 5/2/10 Deming was windier than all hell when I made my entrance. After being knocked down once, and almost twice, I evacuated to a carport with a trailer, under which I spent the rest of the day waiting for the blinding dust to stop. It never did, so I stayed until morning. And that was my day... 5/3/10 I went to the Chamber of Commerce "on my way out of town." I was met by lovely, lively people with free coffee to offer me. The Deming Chamber may have single-handedly redeemed my opinion of New Mexico. (Not that I didn't like NM, but there were fewer people who treated me kindly, or talked to me at all, as in the other states.) Once I left, I found a dumpster to ditch some of the junk I'd accumulated, and I met a man named Bob. He so graciously offered me an empty trailer to sleep in, but I was on my way out of town. We talked for several more minutes, and by now it was too late in the day for me to realistically make the miles I planned, so I told him, what the heck, I would love to stay another night. A rest day seemed reasonable. Having a nice space to myself was kind of like living somewhere. For that, I am eternally grateful to Bob. The scattered belongings of a mad genius. Haha. I kid. No, really, I'm kidding. I can't say I used my free time very productively, or restfully for that matter, which is a frequent blunder I regret most on 20+ mile days. instead of resting, journaling, or mending, I paced the town all day. I guess this is just a day in my life; A rest day really means 10 miles of walking, and doing nothing useful.

My legs, doing nothing useful. I hate to admit that I went to the donut shop, but I did, and I met some more wonderful people. They sent me off with their best wishes, words of wisdom, and not to be overlooked, a bag full of yummy donuts!! I like the desert more and more every day. Go healthy living! 5/4/10 23 miles to Akela, nothing exciting (Sorry, I seem to say that a lot.But really, some days it's hard to describe in detail what walking for 8 hours is. Sometimes, it's just walking. Kind of a boring story.) Anyhow, the people at the restaurant there were very welcoming. I found some pines at the edge of a pecan grove and camped. Nice and warm.

The trees were FILLED with birds in the morning. :D

5/5/10

Again, the day was uneventful. Although I did find a bag of chips on the side of the road, open, but miraculously un-stale. There were, however, dead ants all over them, so I had to eat them one by one, furiously blowing the ants off because they were pretty well-adhered. And because I'm vegetarian. 28 miles today.

Somebody has been here before me! And walking! Read this amazing story:

Auburn's Carol Cruise comes full circle in 'faith walk' around U.S.

By MARK KLAAS Auburn Reporter Editor Nov 11 2008

Like her name suggests, the Rev. Carol Cruise is on a journey. She literally has been around the block. The Ohio woman lost her lower right leg to a medical mishap nearly 20 years ago. But that hasn’t prevented her from conducting a personal pilgrimage, a “faith walk” for God. Cruise – with the help of a prosthetic limb, and accompanied by friends and a three-legged Pomeranian fittingly named “Walker T” (the T is for Tripod) – is walking the perimeter of the United States counterclockwise. All in the name of God, country and her ministry. “It’s been awesome. I have met so many nice people along the way,” said the 54-year-old Cruise, who recently passed through Auburn’s streets on her way across Western Washington to the Oregon Coast. “I would like to say God’s carrying me every mile because I can’t do it. My doctors said I couldn’t do it.” Doctors tried to save her leg, but despite 15 surgeries and three years, they could not. She accepted the loss but gained strength in her faith. She decided to walk again, but this time with a purpose.“I’ve been blessed,” said Cruise, a single mother and former chemical dependency counselor who became an ordained minister. “I’m doing all of this on faith.” Cruise has a long way to go before she reaches her ultimate destination – South Beach, Miami – but she’s allowed herself plenty of time to get there.

On a 9-year mission

She designed her walk to stretch more than 10,000 miles and finish exactly on the day it started nine years ago. Cruise’s journey began with her first northerly steps out of Miami on Jan. 1, 2002. On New Year’s Eve 2010, Cruise plans to finish the mission with a bang, amid some fanfare and midnight fireworks in Florida. Cruise averages about 10 miles a day, with Sundays off. For every mile she walks, Cruise places a small wooden cross into the ground, marking her progress and spreading the word of her mission. Each cross is attached to a card that explains her ministry and asks the finder to pass the crucifix on. “Through this, I have become a better person, not a bitter person,” she said. A friend she met along a remote Montana highway last summer escorted Cruise on her brief visit to Auburn. Auburn’s ultra-walker, Don Stevenson, was heading east on his benefit walk for Huntington’s disease. Cruise was heading west. “Don extended an invitation to meet up again here,” Cruise said on a break from her jaunt along the north Auburn sidewalks. “I’m glad I came.” Added Stevenson: “She’s a remarkable person.” Cruise intends to follow the coastline to San Diego before turning eastward toward Corpus Christi, Texas, and eventually, South Florida. Just last week, Auburn – precisely at the intersection of Auburn Way North and 37th Street Northeast – represented the 6,125th mile. Wendi Miller, a friend, stays nearby, driving a support vehicle. Donations from well-wishers, churches, organizations and businesses generously support the walk. A New Hampshire firm, for instance, donated the last three prosthetic legs. Cruise currently is pounding the pavement on her seventh one. The walk is a testimony to her inspiration and devotion, and a way to pray and spread the good word. “There have been so many changes in my life,” she said. “My faith is so much larger than when I started.” This woman makes me look like small potatoes! I'm inspired, nonetheless.

5/6/10

Today I reached the first sizable city since Tucson, now 3 weeks and 300 miles behind me. Looking down into the city from a vantage point some 10 miles before, I was awestruck by land a vivid green I'd not seen since leaving my beloved coast. I was little deterred by having to walk on the interstate as I barreled down toward verdant fields that rest at the foot of the Organ Mountains.

The Rio Grande proved an insurmountable obstacle on foot, at least without adding a hell of a lot of miles. Finding me confusedly ambling about, a nice man in a big truck offered to take me across. I got in, he spilled his iced tea everywhere, and in moments I was in Las Cruces. I found the grocery co-op, Mountain View market, which was every bit the cultural mecca I was expecting it to be. From the free samples at the entrance to the "Here's a plate of broccoli, you look hungry!" I was enthralled and impressed to find such a place with such people in it.

http://www.mountainviewmarket.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=A38B9850AA84474892FC42D8840973D6

I stopped by a local shelter, which was run by a church. This was fine with me until they got pushy with their beliefs, even requiring that all patrons go to church in order to stay. I declined the invitation for a stay, simply because I think humanitarian aid is only such when there are no strings attached. And furthermore, faith is a wonderful thing to share, and an invitation to be included in a spiritual gathering is most enriching; However, it should never be used as a pre-requisite for the desperate to receive help. (not that I see myself as part of this group) Forced worship is a disservice both to faith and to community service in the name of faith. I love culture and belief, but they can only be beautiful when sincere. I said my thank-yous, went to the university library, and used the internet until campus quieted down enough to camp undetected.

5/7/10

I rose at 5am, in part because the birds were mercilessly noisy, and in part for fear of being arrested in my clandestine camping spot. Without much else to do at this hour, I sat and waited for sunrise. The sun itself didn't seem all that enthusiastic to get up today. After several hours of nothing in particular I found myself again at the co-op, indulging in a free cup of coffee paired with free hummus, offered up by two of the many awesome employees I met there. Full and happy, I wandered around towns, exploring neighborhoods and taking photos.

At some point I became very disoriented, as many of the streets just veer of in some direction never to return, and other simply change names for no reason. I think I literally had my hands in the air, saying "what the fuck!" out loud to myself, both passing by and walking on Idaho st, when a car pulled up next to me. (how can you be on a street that is perpendicular to itself?!) A pretty girl in sunglasses smiled and asked "Are you hungry? Do you need anything?" I said no, but told her that I was lost as all hell. As a car came up behind, she invited me to get in, and soon we were at the coffee shop I was looking for. She had to go to work, but we enjoyed at least a short bit of conversation, including her interest in joining me out of Las Cruces for a few miles.

Spirit Winds is a locally owned gift shop and cafe whose interior certainly captures the spirit of the southwest culture. With bright green walls and cement flooring, it's a cozy and cool refuge from the beating sun outside. Local art graces the walls, and tapestries with quotes of inspiration remind me, in more or less words, to make each day count.

After sparking up some more conversation with the ladies of the shop, I acquired a generous donation of bagels and scones, as well as new and exciting friendship, and a place to stay for the evening.

Jovanna, a young lady whose awesomeness cannot be fathomed without meeting her firsthand, took me to her place where we freshened up, and we then went to a local brewpub and met up with the other ladies.

Her place was amazing! It had all the charm of a college home--not that of a beer-drinking, slovenly frat boy college home. But full of interesting art and books and stuff. Fancy, but simple.

And, bummer, I just realized I deleted the best photos I took of her house :/ Waking up here was just the good start to the day I needed to push forward. A nice, early start, and I was on my way toward the ever-mysterious El Paso. What awaits me there a few days' time will reveal.

It's hard to believe that the entire state, well a good chunk of it, has flown by so fast. Only several days ago Colin said, as we ended a long day in the middle of nowhere, "Somewhere in that shimmering heatwave is Lordsburg." Now it's so many miles behind me, Colin has parted ways to start his job, and the rest of New Mexico has come and gone. I continue alone in the desert, left only with my wits and sensibility...eeeh...

Well, wish me luck. Love, always, Shay There are more photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/FakePlasticShay and here: (most recent) http://cid-d97b248810ba5cf6.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/New%20album The blog, which is just a running accumulation of these emails and journalings, is here: http://fakeplasticshay.blogspot.com/

Slow down. Live simply. Seek Wonder.

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So! Onward! I am an adventure traveler. I am not a tourist seeking a distraction from my discomforts and worries. I am a lover of life seeking to submerge myself in the world outside myself. The nature and quality of my experience are based on some questions: -What do I want from the road? -Why will I travel? I want to see amazing things I want to meet amazing people I want to do a lot of walking I want freedom I want stories I want to see and try new things I want all of these things at the expense of taking risks and encountering uncertainty. _____________________________________________________________________

These travels are neither for fundraiser nor for personal profit. I seek to live as minimally as possible while traveling, and in life in general. However, I rely primarily on the kindness of others, and the faith that everything I need I will always find in one way or another. The infinite graciousness of others has kept me moving forward, day by day. Any help along the way is monumentally appreciated, as food and shelter are of the utmost uncertainty on this trip. If you would like to make a small contribution for food you may do so by clicking here: https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=marketing_us/send_money click the "personal" tab, send it to Fakeplasticshay@gmail.com, specify your own amount as a gift, and help me get one day and one city further! As always, anything helps and is so very much appreciated! If you'd like to send a letter of support, please contact me for location specifics for general delivery. Thank you all so much! Love, Shay