SANTA BARBARA, A VISION OF HEAVEN
Pedaled for several days thru the Big Sur and arrived at a friend's house in San Lius Obisbo. Got to sleep up in their cozy loft and get the trike all tuned up and ready for the final push to Santa Barbara and the offices of Simple Shoes. Leaving S.L.O. the sky was perfectly clear and a light wind blew off the Pacific. After pedaling 6 hours i found myself at an old campsite on the Vandenberg Airforce Base, but signage on the fence said DO NOT ENTER, UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE IN AREA! Seeing a storm coming in and dog tired, i threw the bags under the fence and the trike over and set up camp anyway. That night i listened to my tiny AM radio squeak out Mexican stations and horrid talk shows, then to the rain, as it tapped on the tent roof all night, successfully soaking the down bag, shoes and anything else not wrapped in plastic trash bags. The next morning the storm continued so i packed up and headed into the tempest, knowing that if it got too bad i could always stay in Lompoc, down the road about 15 miles. And yes by the time i got there at noon i was a totally drowned ratskin in dire need of a hot shower and clothes dryer, not to mention a comfortable place to sit with a bag of chips to watch THE SUPER BOWL!!!! So i did something this hobo rarely does, i checked into a cheap motel, filled the tub and enjoyed the remarkable game with a quart of milk and box of Wheat Thins. As you can see it takes barely anything to entertain this vagabond, especially when soaked to the bone and freezing.
The next day it was a relatively easy 60 mile jaunt into sunny Santa Barbara, where a bike mechanic said yes i did have a totally ruined new derailer (that's why it wouldn't shift properly), and where i got to see all the old buds and catch up on the last 7 months. From here the plan is unclear. Still running down the dream....working on the mystery. May be lost for awhile.... HOBO
love reading all your adventures..read moonlight chronicles, a wandering artists journal, how to make a sketchbook journal...radical simplicity..and then last night your whole blog...but somewhere in the blog was mentioned a book on drawing your maine publisher was working on (??) when will that be out?? hope you check your comments...would like to get this when its available...
Posted by: deborah | February 08, 2008 at 09:49 AM
Ah yes, the Drawing Book. Was just in a quiet cabin trying to write that but couldnt. Never have had writers block (6200 pages if the Chronicles since 1993!) but it just wouldnt emerge. Just putting it on hold for now till the bells go off in the ole noggin to get it done! Glad you like my stuff. hobo
Posted by: dan price | February 08, 2008 at 01:34 PM
thanks for the info...Danny Gregory kind of got me interested back into drawing, and then reading his book, came upon you and your tales...I can't afford all 63 chronicles...but I'd like to start getting them...do you have an email address?
Posted by: deborah | February 08, 2008 at 05:26 PM
yes, hoboartist@yahoo.com
Posted by: dan price | February 09, 2008 at 10:30 AM
awesome post Dan...Keep on keep on living an "authentic life"...
Funny how the simple things like a cheap motel and chips are so fun when you've lived simply for sooo long...
It is the simple things that make life fun...
Some people can't even enjoy their mansions and limos....
Tyler
Posted by: Tyler | February 12, 2008 at 09:27 PM