So... What next?

28/08/2009

3000 kilometers from Austin to Chico and they passed in no time. It was Charlie's first big test and he passed with flying colors.

It was a very long route, but incredibly comfortable and I ended up doing the whole thing in less than 48 hours. Charlie coped without a problem even with endless hours of non-stop driving and my seat is the most comfortable I have ever sat on.

The whole ride was really interesting, mainly due to the fact that it was so different than any other I have traveled on so far. Hundreds of kilometers through the deserts, where every now and then a gas station would show up along with a restaurant and a couple of hotels for the truckers and travelers like myself.






Took a few friends from Texas for a ride.

I crossed Texas, passed through New Mexico, saw Arizona from east to west and finally California from south to north. At some point in the middle of nowhere in Arizona, I stopped on the side of the road and got out of the car to take some photos. Two minutes later, I turned around and saw a police car stopped right behind my car and the cop approaching me.

- Good afternoon. You taking photos?
- Yes.
- Ok. Well, I'm gonna ask you to get back in your car and drive off, because we are looking for someone and he is somewhere around here right now.

He didn't need to say it twice. I was already driving away with Charlie, thinking "Daaaaamn!"



Sunday morning I made it to D.'s place in Chico, a couchsurfing friend with whom I never had the chance to meet in person. In fact, I even had the chance to meet B., another couchsurfer I know the same way, with whom we have the same sense of humor and for three days we did not stop laughing and throwing sarcasm all over the place.
The three days that followed till we left for Burning Man, I didn't see much of Chico, as we had so much to do and be fully ready for two weeks in the middle of the desert. Needless to say, we were not short on laughters, wines, food and chats.








Preparing and protecting cameras for the burn.

And the grand day of departure towards Burning Man had finally arrived.



It's about 500 kilometers away, so we split the ride in two, spending a night in Reno, a casino filled city in the heart of Nevada.
28th of august and in a few hours I will be in Black Rock City, in Burning Man, the primary force that dragged me all the way to the USA. My excitement is undescribable! :D

M.

21/08/2009

Ok, there are a couple of zeros missing, but it's no big deal...

The time has come to leave Austin. I stayed in this vibrant city for three weeks and I had a blast. It is time, however, to head out west and start approaching Burning Man (for the ones who have not done their homework, a relative article will follow).

So, Charlie is ready...



the route already selected on the GPS...



and off to Chico, California we gooooooo! There is a long way ahead of us!

Μ.

17/08/2009

I decided to take up my old hobby of freefall.

I found a skydiving center just an hour away from Austin, the San Marcos skydiving center and visited them one saturday.



I had forgotten how addictive this sport is. I ended up spending four out of the past five days at the dropzone, jumping off planes over and over again.

I had forgotten what it's like to be on a plane with 10 more people, which rises slowly and you spend those 20 minutes of flight looking at the open door out of which you will jump towards the void.

I had forgotten the sensation of the strong wind against my body those few seconds during which I am holding on outside the plane, ready to let myself fall.

I had forgotten what it means to let myself loose in the hug of the clouds and to quickly escape when I find myself in the heart of the pillows of the skies.

I had forgotten how magical is the view from up there and how I feel when I look at an opening amongst the trees on the ground and accelerate my flight towards it.

I remembered it all...

Μ.

11/08/2009

I have decided to continue my trip with someone. Someone reliable who will follow me around everywhere and will make my life just a bit easier.

We only met recently and we have decided to continue this trip together until wherever possible. We're going to go through the weirdest of places and will share everything.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor to present you to...


...Charlie!

Charlie will be my new mode of transport for the rest of my trip around the USA. In fact, it's not just my car, but my proper house. :)



Anyone feels like joining? ;)

M.

10/08/2009

I found out that every sunday there is a gathering of the city's circus addicts in a park in the center and they spend the whole evening there.





There is a little bit of everything: acrobatics, juggling, dance, music, painting, a couple of nutters with whips... And all this under the, as every day of the week, very hot texan sun.













I told you I was gonna like this. :)

Μ.

05/08/2009

I bought a bike to be able to move around. (Public transportation here is inexistent!) On wednesday a critical mass ride was organised on midnight because of the full moon and about 250 bikes gathered up on the pedestrian bridge.



We set off from the center of the city just after midnight. After the second sidewalk that I jumped off, my saddle started wobbling a bit more than it should.
I ignored it.

Three minutes later, as I am cycling amongst a big bunch of bicycles, I hear a clunk-wack, I look back and see my saddle upside-down on the street. Apparently, I had lost a bolt, so it was impossible to repair it at that moment. Well, I thought, I'll just continue riding standing. Either way, how long are we gonna be in the streets anyway? So I took the saddle pole off too (to avoid any tragic accidents), put everything in my bag and continued.



Three hours later and we were still cycling! I couldn't believe it! And since we were at the other side of the city and I had no friggin clue on how to get back, I stayed with the rest of the bunch.

To cut a long story short, I ended up getting home at 5am, after having cycled approximately 30 kilometers standing..............

Μ.

01/08/2009

A few hours later and I was already in the United States of America. And first stop was Austin, Texas.



My friend D. came to pick me up from the airport and from the very first moment, it was obvious that she was prepared to show me her side of Austin.


D. and her artcar!

Already during the first couple of nights, they showed me the creative side of Austin and that people in all essence are just looking for an excuse to fool around.






The idea was to dress up as a lion. Turned out a bit gay, but anyway...

In the meanwhile, I was noticing various strong stereotypes that we are generally familiar with. :)


Keep you?? Before your time?


Eat...


...tacos!

One day we even went swimming!



All they got around here is a little lake and the poor sods turned it into a beach. Bless em, how cute. :p

Anyway, the days are passing and the sillyness goes on strong! :)





Something tells me I'm gonna like it here. hehe

Μ.