The road trip is over, but I do need to fill in the last few days on the road and how I got to this point. So here it is, my last entry from the road trip.

Thursday December 2 - James' father sent me away with homemade energy bars and bean soup. Being so far north from 40, I decided to go diagonally through Oklahoma toward Muskogee on route 62. The road was a pleasant drive and featured numerous historical markers about Native Americans. I could sense the rich heritage, it was overwhelming. The subtle differences were everywhere. I had plans to play at a course in Oklahoma City next to a flower garden, hoping the sun was on my side as the evening crept on. As it happened, I had plenty of time to play 18 holes. These 3 guys waiting at the first tee asked me if I would play skins with them instead of playing by myself. I loved playing along with them, they gave me some pointers and seemed genuinely excited when I had some great drives. After leaving the course I decided to treat myself to Waffle House for dinner. Those damn restaurants were everywhere, I figured I would do my part to support the local cultural flare. I listened to a little football on the radio that night before tucking away into bed.

Friday December 3 - I figured I would average 1 state per day as I made my way back to San Francisco, which meant I would be staying in Texas next. I did not do much besides buy gas in Oklahoma City that morning before I got on the road towards Amarillo. The drive went by rather quick, even though it took most of my day. Once in Amarillo, I took the 40 West loop through the city which also happened to be the old route 66. There were plenty of homages to the rich history of the road and lots of historical signs/buildings adorned with 50s garb. I stopped along the road at a dollar store to buy a can opener and kill some time walking around walmart. The Christmas hoopla had turned that place into a zoo, so I thought it better to leave the cattle to their farm. I didn't feel too tired and Texas just didn't seem like a place I wanted to be very long, so I got back on the road and decided to drive until I found something that felt 'right.' About an hour after leaving Amarillo I pulled into a picnic rest area to cook my dinner for the night. James' bean soup made the cut as well as pasta. At this time, I had a moment a clarity. It was quite improbably, but maybe that's why it happened. Here I was on the side of the road, at night, somewhere in Texas, with the wind howling, big rig trucks passing by in the distance, a metal sign clanging against a fence post somewhere in the distance, bean soup aroma filling the air, the night sky looking so bright. It all came together in a supreme moment of awareness, perspective and peace. I drove a few hundred more miles that night and stayed at a hotel in Tucumcari, New Mexico my belly full of beans.

Saturday - December 4 I figured I would stay in Albuquerque this night so I made my way west on 40, continuing the trek home. High desert vistas and sparse vegetation were beautiful, contrasting to the tall green redwoods of Washington or the small orange/red/yellow trees of New Hampshire. Albuquerque stood out as a beacon of life in the desert. Believe, there is nothing for miles in either direction. I knew that Albuquerque had a couple disc golf courses so I made my way towards the nearest library hoping to find their locations online. Well, the librarians informed me that I had to buy a library card in order to use the computers. No guest pass, nothing. I was never going to use this card except once in my life and only for about 15 minutes. They wanted 3 dollars for their library card and I said fuck that. I picked up my things and decided I didn't want to stay here very long. I didn't need to play their courses or look up cool things to do anyways. I left Albuquerque about 10 minutes later, drove down the road and drank some beers at an Indian Trading Post along the road. The day was winding down and I sat and enjoyed the sunset against a rocky vista. I got back in my car, putting plenty of distance between me and those stupid libraries. Gallup, NM presented itself and I made camp for the night. This night was exceptionally cold, the snow surrounding my car the next morning being little surprise.

Sunday December 5 - I woke up this day knowing I needed to get to Flagstaff so spend the night in preparation for the Grand Canyon. I was not a long drive between the 2 cities but I made use of my day by stopping at the Petrified Forest National Park. Honestly, I didn't know the park layed along 40 and I loved what the park offered in terms of scenery. It only lasted a couple hours (the park is about 27 miles long) but I loved it a lot. Rocks of differing origins painted the sands multiple colors, giving a beautiful background to the multiple petrified wood logs which dotted the landscape. Even though the wood has been victimized by thieves over the years, huge logs are still readily available to touch and admire. Great views are wonderful to behold, but getting your hands on the history is a different, exciting beast altogether. I highly recommend the park as a great alternative to high-priced gimmicky tours. For 10 bucks, petrified wood is the real deal. Flagstaff had plenty of snow when I rolled up later that night, exhausted from hiking all over looking at wood.

Monday December 6 - I had a delicious breakfast that morning and used the map I got in the hotel lobby to find a disc golf course nearby. The 18 holes were quite picturesque and the course offered something I'd never experienced before: snow! Each hole had some snowbanks and the trees buttressed holes quite nicely. I was only one out there and the solitude was reassuring. The Grand Canyon was the big ticket item on the plans and I didn't waste any more time in Flagstaff than I could. What an awesome place, the Grand Canyon is. Wow. I hiked along the rim for hours, venturing down the Bright Angel trail for about a mile before the blisters on my feet and the lack of hydration in my system caught up with me. Experiencing such a landmark, even though alone, gave me great perspective as to the significance of myself as well as the canyon. Mainly, the insignificance of it all arose deep within me. I pondered a lot looking out at that huge hole. And just as soon as I got into my car, I was over it. I drove back towards 40 in silence, peace, at rest, accomplishing what I set out to do. I had a monster with me to keep me awake as I drove on in the night towards SF. I knew I didn't have the capacity to make it all the way home, I didn't have the stamina to drive 12 hours. I blew past Kingman, Needles, Barstow, Boron, the Mojave National Preserve, like it was all happening outside of myself as I drove along the road. I saw it all happening from above, bright lights off in the distance, beckoning to me a horizon which replicated itself constantly. When alcohol and caffeine had done their job of making it this far, Bakersfield seemed as good a place as any to turn in for the night. My eyes in a glaze, my stare used to the constant oncoming lights, the sterility of a stopped car in a parking lot unnerved me. And then I was tired, and the comfort in the back seat was unlike anything else.

Tuesday December 7 - What is there to say? I had driven along 5 north and south hundreds of times, dreading the blandness of it all. But this time it didn't matter. In fact, dare I say it, it was rather enjoyable. I had quiet when I wanted to think, my old familiar sport talk radio stations when I wanted to hear them again, knowing I was only a few hours from finishing the greatest thing I'd done with my life up until this point. The kind of thing I will look back forever from my life and enjoy, relish, miss. Each passing city brought the old familiarity back, except it was tainted somehow by the 'new' which I had been surrounded by for months. The new washed over everything, giving it a new coat of paint, which I can admire, wholly for what it is.

12:30 pm Tuesday December 7 2010 - I arrived back in front of the house I had left 82 days earlier. So much had happened since that moment when I set out, unaware of what lay ahead, hungry for the new, the different, the unexpected. I wanted to know what I didn't know. Along the way I found what I was looking for.

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Okay okay, I know you've all been anxiously waiting for me to update my last leg of the trip through the southwest so don't let me hold you any longer. Lets start from where we left off.

November 26 Friday - Josh's family sent me away with a large goodie-bag filled with muffins, cookies, granola bars, apples and oranges. I snacked life a king while I made my way through Nashville and on to Memphis. Mike V met up with me near his house accompanied by his rommmate (and girlfriend). We walked to a local sushi bar where I ate a very tasty chicken pho bowl. After that we all made our way to a bar that I can't remember the name of (something about lonely...) We all split a pitcher and hung out before they all went back to Carlos' girlfriend's house and I found a nice parking spot next to a school to spend the night.

Saturday - Having the entire day to myself, I decided to go to downtown Memphis to check out the National Civil Rights Museum as well as all of the blues cafes. Touring the museum was a thrill: they did a good job of recreating the timeline of the numerous protests and moments in history which shaped this country. The Martin Luther King jr exhibit was especially insightful into the assassination and recreation of the way it all went down. It was quite moving and I'm glad I stopped by. I toured the blues cafes and many shops filled with Elvis memorabilia (his house was too fucking expensive to visit) and jazz music. After stopping by a piggly wiggly to buy some beer I went back to my favorite parking spot to go to sleep.

Sunday - I woke up early due to the 40* weather and decided to go onto Arkansas without further notice. I crossed the Mississippi and stopped by a welcome center to find the nearest disc golf course. As luck would have it there was a fine 36-hole course in North Little Rock which just happened to be on the way to my next stop. I met these 3 cool guys (one of whom was having a birthday that night) at the first tee and we played both courses together. They were all locals and traded stories about the perils of college life. After leaving Burns Park, I made my way to Fort Smith in order to spend the night.

Monday / Thursday - As has been my custom, I had a wonderful Hampton Inn continental breakfast to start my day. James called me back that morning and I was off to Fayetteville to meet up with my friend I hadn't seen in ages. I played the local disc gold course in town while I waited for him to get off work. That night (abnd for the next 3 days) we played magic and video games together. It had been ages since I was able to play with him and we made the most of the couple days. I visited the Arkansas Razorbacks campus while I was there and enjoyed the scenery. Damn, there were lots of pretty girls, I mean, total babes. Very nice. It was nice to relax for a couple days at his house since it would be the last place I would be able to use a bed for a week. On the last night James and I rode our bikes around a park in the freezing weather but it was still enjoyable as it reminded me of what we used to do in high school before we drove. And for a brief second while hanging out in his room, I forgot that I was in Arkansas, I was just in my buddy's room. James' dad also made me some homemade clif bar type chewy things for me to snack on for the rest of my trip. I drove to Oklahoma City Thursday and spent the night after a big dinner thanks to Waffle House (first time for everything).

I shall finish the next entry tomorrow since the computer I am logged onto in the library here in Flagstaff has 5 minutes left on the time. Be back soon!