“Every bristling shaft of pride
Church or nation
Team or tribe
Every notion we subscribe to
Is just a borderline
Every income, every age
Every fashion-plated rage
Every measure, every gauge
Creates a borderline
You’re so quick to condescend
My opinionated friend
All you deface, all you defend
Is just a borderline.”
~Joni Mitchell
Monday was moving day. I woke up early and in a good mood. I did my morning routine of coffee in bed and then my workout. I packed up and headed south toward Phoenix. The heat wave had broken. Last week it was above 100⁰ in Phoenix and Quartzsite; this week it dropped down into the low 80’s. My first stop was a Walmart just inside the Phoenix city limits, to the north side of town. I was surprised how much different Walmart is in a big city. I had been following a series on YouTube called “Hot Ones” where a guy interviews celebrities as they eat hot wings, with the sauces getting progressively hotter with each wing they eat. It made me jealous to see people eating hot wings. I have not done that for 51 years. So at Walmart, I searched out the frozen section and figured they’d have a vegetarian alternative. Yes they did! The “fake meat” section took up two freezers. I had a choice of at least 3 kinds of plant-based wings. I chose two and picked up a head of cauliflower too. (Paul Rudd was one of the celebrities they interviewed. He is mostly vegetarian, so they prepared a plate of breaded and hot sauced cauliflower for him to eat as the host asked questions.) I also bought a Magic Bullet mini-blender. I have a Vitamix which I love, but it is too big to fit on my kitchen counter, and too big to fit in one cupboard. So I have to get the base out and put it on the floor, and then get the container out and sit it on top. When I’m done, I have to take it to the outside shower to clean it as it is too big to fit under my kitchen faucet. The mini-bullet is ideal for my morning protein drink after working out. I bought some frozen berries as well, which blend into a perfect, cold, frothy smoothy. Knowing this would be my last Walmart adventure for months (Quartzsite and Ehrenberg are nowhere near a Walmart) I stocked up a bit more than usual. I drove 15 minutes more and pulled off onto New River Road to a spot on Arizona Land Trust. I was back in the land of saguaro cacti and Joshua Trees, and it was sunny, and about 78⁰. Could life get any better?
I feasted Monday night on my new-found wings and a roasted jalapeno wing sauce I bought that day. I sat outside with the half moon so bright it left long shadows of the tall, two-armed cacti surrounding me. I slept soundly and woke up to the unmistakable sound (woosh) of a propane burner lighting. Could the heat have come on? I raised my head and looked out the window and a giant hot air balloon was coming toward my van. It was so low, it had to turn on the burner to rise enough to float over my van. I grabbed my camera and rushed outside.
What a nice way to wake up. I texted my friend Leo who I met this past spring at Two Guns. The last time we talked, he was working in Phoenix and when I checked in to see where he was, he said he was staying on the AZ Land Trust at New River. He sent coordinates and indeed, he was less than a mile away, on the other side of New River Road. I packed up and Cosmo and I joined him. He made us breakfast and we took a walk and hung out a bit. When I woke up Wednesday morning, I looked out my window. He had gotten up before I did and was already relaxing in the sun.
I invited him over for coffee before he headed into town to do laundry, run errands, and go to work. He works 3 evenings a week as a security guard. It brings me such joy to reconnect with fellow nomads on the road.
When he left, I worked out and was in such a state of bliss. The high temperature was only going to be 74. What a delightful relief from the 90+ weather I’d been in for weeks. I switched up my music during my workout. I chose my favorite massage playlist, and, not having heard it for several years, I was immediately transported back to my last year in Delaware, doing massages, and I had pleasant recollections of many of my clients, and the closeness and healing that took place during that time. (Many of my clients got pain relief from our sessions, but truth be told, I was the one receiving such healing energy from them.) I felt a wave of joy wash over me. I loved being back in the land of the saguaro cactus. I loved the cooler temperatures. I loved the promise of Quartzsite and Ehrenberg and all the friends I’d met there in years past, and the potential of seeing many of them again this winter.
On Thursday morning, Leo came over and we took a walk. When we came back, I made us coffee and we chatted for a bit. Then I worked out, packed up and left for Tonopah where I stopped at the El Dorado Hot Springs. For those of you paying attention, I was there in May, and it housed a rather eclectic cast of characters. This time around, it was quite quiet and Matt, the owner, said to pick any spot. Instead of being close to the front gate where all the loud and “need-to-be-seen” folks seemed to hang out, I drove to the back corner and found myself the most amazing spot by a tiny pond.
Jackpot. I was surrounded by bamboo, and other exotic looking trees. I looked out my bedroom window and took in the pond and an occasional blue heron.
A man on the other side of the pond introduced himself as Teo and we hit it off. We talked for a while and then I headed to the hot springs. I had the huge communal tub to myself. I sat down and got up to my chin in hot water, laid back and closed my eyes. How I miss being able to soak in my old massage room soaking tub every day.
Thursday was quiet, and the conversations in the hot tub were minimal but personal. “Where are you from? Where do you live now? How long have you been on the road?” There were 4 of us in the communal tub and we all felt included. By Friday, a few day trippers came by. They brought a whole different vibe with them. I don’t think it was because they were only there for the day. I think perhaps part of it was that most were quite young (20’s and early 30’s?) It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t nearly as cozy as Thursday afternoon and evening had been.
Saturday morning I did my last soak in the tub. I was alone. There weren’t many people camping, and I guess most were sleeping in. I got out of the tub and headed for the shower so I could give my hair and beard some TLC before moving westward.
It felt like a change of seasons. Although the temperatures are in the low 80’s, heading back to Quartzsite seemed like the start of fall. I’d meet up with my peeps from years past, settle into the routine of a familiar grocery store, and getting my propane from people who would recognize me. And although I’d be hopping from Quartzsite to Ehrenberg to Joshua Tree BLM and back again, I know I’d feel a bit more stable. I know these places. I feel at home in all of them.
Lessons From The Road: I became aware of a new tribal subdivision this week. Hot Spring Seekers. They are often nomads, but a very distinct segment unto themselves. They travel from hot spring to hot spring. They take pride in knowing where the best ones are, and gloat if they know of one that no one else has been to. The conversations in the hot tub often turned to “can you top this.”
I noticed that people in general, and younger people in particular, often state everything as a matter of fact. Us old folk on Thursday, shared stories, opinions, and preferences. Our sentences often started with “I think…” or “My experience there was…” The young people on Friday talked much more, seemed to need to be the center of attention and their sentences started with “Arizona IS…” “That hot spring IS…” All opinions were expressed as a matter of fact. I wondered if it was a result of social media where anyone can have a Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube account. If you have any one of those, you can present yourself as an expert. I often see people, especially young people, who are going to teach you how to make a flower out of a piece of paper, or how to make a paperweight out of a rock they found in the back yard. The instructions can be quite detailed even though every step is obvious to anyone over the age of 5. And yet, they see themselves as “influencers” and “content creators.” I suppose that people who know very little can teach others who know less. I think it’s funny. I saw it bleed over into real life at the hot springs. Anyone who had been to any hot springs was now a bona fide tour guide. There was also an element of needing to be “the one” to give information, even if others had been to the same place, or a place that they thought was better. It seemed slightly contentious. People sometimes seem willing to fight if you disagree with them or have a different opinion.
I realized that I size people up instantly. I make judgments about strangers based on first impressions and they aren’t always positive. I get that from my father. I think he often judged people before they could judge him. It is a defense mechanism. If I decide I don’t like you, then it doesn’t matter if you think something negative about me. I realized that I also inherited, or learned, the gift of gab from my dad. I can (and do) talk to anyone, often starting with a joke that falls flat because either nobody understands it, or they are too busy wondering “who is this man and why is he talking to us?” I can usually talk my way out of the awkwardness and overall, a friendly conversation usually ensues.