820 miles to Tuscon
Added on Friday, August 27th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor
820 miles to Tuscon
Just arrived on the outskirts of Tucson. Ridden 820 miles in 14 hours, mostly on interstate 15 and 17 down to Phoenix. It is warm and riding conditions are near perfect. I am seeing very little, just a combination of scorched desert scrubland and the topography of the canyon lands - Bryce and the Grand Canyon were nearby. Normally I would go to visit but this is not that type of journey. It is a strange journey. For example, when I do stop it is to talk to people in the service industry. When I was sending an email from a McDonalds this morning I wanted to know which town I was near and when I asked a server, he said quizzically, “sir, you are in a McDonalds, and if there is anything else I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to ask”.
I left Tim’s house in a southern suburb of Salt Lake City at 7am. It was late but I didn’t get to bed until after 1am. The bike service took Tim’s four mechanics and helpers a full three hours to complete. In my sleep I was dreaming deeply and so far from being awake that when I did open my eyes, my body shook, so severe was the dislocation. That’s ok because the ability to shift between different types of reality is my job. 10 days ago I was with my family at home in Wales, wondering whether to have honey or brown sugar on my porridge. Now I am in a hotel room much like any of the thousands that look quite the same. I am in anywhere land with only the hum of the fridge to keep me company.
I filmed myself in the room after which I washed some clothes and then had a bath and shave. It is important to feel each day is a fresh start. As Tim’s father said to him and also mine to me; you get up in the morning, you put your breeches on and you go to work. Tomorrow I go to Mexico. I have recent reports about the violence there and the comments about roadblocks make for disturbing reading. For a few moments, alone in my room, I admit to feeling scared. In all the years of travelling across countries in both remote landscapes and busy cities I have never once been afraid. I am now.
