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Entries for December, 2004

December 14th, 2004

journey west . . . through the south

It snowed in Texas. My image of the place is utterly destroyed. Also, it wasn't as flat as my freind Mike promised it would be. I'm sorely dissapointed. Maybe further off the higway . . . .

West of St. Louis we passed Jesse James's hideout. I wanted to go in and look see, the 8-story high cave, but the cheap signage promised it would be tacky as all get-out, and would probably have destroyed my image of that, too. Yes, I know, St. Louis comes before Texas, heading west-ward, but this is in order of dissapointments, worst to least.

Anyway, it's nearly winter and most of those touristy things were closed anyway. A lot of fake teepees all along the higway through whats not teepee country. On the way up to the Grand Canyon (no California Condors! People with big telescopes got to see some, I did not.) someone was pimping a white buffalo, but didn't see that either. Anyway, theres something off-putting about the sign: "Sacred White Buffalo: $8 to view. Indian pots and Dairy Queen on site!"

The radio in the south playes music that sounds much like whats features on HBO's carnivale. 30s, 40s-ish, with wobbly turntable rasp included. Where we passed the time warp, I'm not too sure, but the south is trapped in the past. So much makes sense now . . . well, not really.

Anyway, somewhere around St. Louis the porn signage started. Big, higway-side billboards proclaiming adult megastores, malls, and muhc, MUCH, MORE!!!! This at about the same time that large billboards began proclaiming: JESUS. Not what to do with Jesus, or any sort of 'Jesus says', but just the one, big, bold text-ed word. Only the occasional sign added the instruction 'trust' to the 'Jesus'.

I was decidedly weirded out. And all before the "biggest cross in Texas" which is also the biggest eyesore in Texas. Not that I have anything agaisnt religious art. There are plenty of beatiful painting, sculptures, and statues abut the subject that I can openly admire and be awed by. I do have something against gigantic, ugly, made-to-intimidate monstrosities. Plus there was a similar one earlier on. West of St. Louis.

St. Louis, by the way, seems to be the gateway to the land of the increadibly off-putting and bizarre. I was wondering what that big loop thing was. Now I know. Time-warp and wormhoel generator.

Interesting signage outside St. Louis: two signs, one directly following the other:

Sign 1: Follow Jesus. Porn destroys families.
Sign 2: Adult XXX here! Megastore!!!

Wheres a camera when you need one? I swear you get easily get both signs in one frame. Swear it!! Also, I suspect both tipes of signs are put up by the same folks.

Arizona . . . . Well, I ain't got much bad to say about Arizona except thatits the one Wide Open Place I might willingly give up cities for. Its beautiful and its huge in that way that makes you feel very, very small, and the landscape is so old you can feel it. Arizona is America the beautiful and I was suitably impressed. No old-fashioned Indian village, though, and even though i know it was a crazy sort of wish, I can't help but feel at least a little cheated.

That and no Wile E. Cayote, although I did see some road kill cayote.

I never realized how many tiny, weird little towns have sprung up along the USA's higways. Villages consisting of a motel8, a Holiday inn, a McD's and not much else, which appear to eventually grow into cities consisting of huge trailer parks ringed around a Wal-Mart Superstore. Yeah, I'm exagerating, but not by much.

And Indos don't believe America has poor folks. Heh.

Anyway, I think I've had my fill of roadtrips for a while. Made in one piece and reasonably sane (southern radio: time warp music, football, and bill o'riley . . . it's enough to drive anyone over the brink!) only to freeload at my aunt's while I apartment hunt.

Until I find a suitable dwelling, updates will be limited. But if you miss me too much, close your eyes and put on some 30s music. God knows it's what'll be playing in my head for the foreseeable future.

Oh. And hymns. Don't forget the hymns.

PS. No snow in San Francisco. I am over joyed to be able to see grass in mid-december. XP

In case I don't get back on anytime soon: Happy Holidays!!

rurounibug ; 05:49 PM|fine, ignore me

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