This Is My Weird Life, I Only Get One

Right off the bat, I have to give credit to Lara for the title of this post. Thanks La for the inspiration. I always love your quotes. This one is right up there with “Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you can always live in your mom’s basement.”

Unfortunately, MY parents don’t have a basement but I guess if I miss the moon I can still hit the stars, err uhh, something like that. And then there is Acey’s bit of inspiration.

Acey says “YOLO,” You Only Live Once. And Nana says, “Plans are made to be changed.” With all that, since I departed from the Rev South Crew, life has been nothing short of one stellar adventure after the next.

Saying goodbye to these two (good looking) dudes was tear-filled, for me at least. Good thing I had that BOB trailer filled with mascara and blow driers, as one guy assumed along the way that’s what it was for. Ha. The good bye wouldn’t be proper without mascara running, right? Ok, not the case.

Anyway, sadly I will no longer get to wake up in a tent wedged in between them, and maybe not AS sadly, but I will also no longer need to frantically grab for the zipper to let the fumes that built up during the night, out. But after goodbye, I departed for the NOLS Baja branch. The best part of the NOLS branch was meeting the Canadian couple, Yelle and Deb, who were wintering in the warm land of Baja.

Their friends back on Vancouver Island worried about them, dodging bullets and whatnot in Mexico, but they reassured their comrads that the scariest part about Mexico, was having to drive through the States to get there! Another ha. Yelle and Deb, with out a doubt, have become life long friends, I’m looking forward to visiting BC and getting a top-notch sailing lesson from the two.

Bus after bus I made it to San Diego, with out any problems from the Mexican Transportation System. But sure enough I couldn’t get on a Greyhound in the States with out breaking down my bike and boxing it up and paying an extra fee. Maybe some of Davin’s stubborn-ness rubbed off on me because I said to heck with that and got on my bike, deciding to ride home.

Well the ride was a little lonely with out the guys and I only made it to Oceanside, about 40 miles. I went into Starbucks to Skype my dad and still looking like a bike tourist, I attracted the attention of everyone in the entire place. It was like walking into a family reunion! Everyone wanted to know where I was coming from and where I was going. I even got a free drink! Along with the drink, I got a ride to my Dad’s doorstep. Another dear friend was made, thank you again Daren. Looking forward to seeing you and meeting your family in the Great Salt Lake.

The two weeks I spent in Huntington Beach were singlehandedly the best two weeks I have ever spent with my Dad. I got to tag along to work, back breaking demolition stuff. Got to try my hand at the sledgehammer and got to discover that I’m not cut out for busting hunks of concrete off of rebar. But I am pretty good at digging holes, lifting buckets of broken tile and taking 10 a.m. hunger breaks. One worker guy told me to keep my gloves on, as to not spoil my soft hands. A big, ha. Well, the pops even let me drive his 1947 Chevy truck AND although I didn’t get to experience all 10 gears of his 359 Peterbuilt Dumptruck, I did get to put the thing in first and ALSO, reverse. Picture a big silly grin on my face, ‘cause it’s there.

One of the many sweets that were made while at home, chocolate moose.

Echo Rock. Paul, Sean and Alex.

The Mr. Paul Carlson made his second annual trip out to Joshua Tree National Park and after a hard days work, dad and I also made it out for climb and camp. Dad was equip with full camo and his staple sombrero. It was great to see Paul and it was great to listen to a little campfire music. The song of the evening goes to the guy who graced us with his original, Prescott Women and PBR.

Doesn’t this look like Horsetooth?


We made it back out to Joshua Tree with the whole family, Acey and Asa weren’t present, but Mickey and Daniel filled in nicely. Jude and Ally even made it out. Dogs like it.

After that fun and games, dad and I prepped an entire week for the neighborhood garage sale. We BY FAR had the most elaborate display. Not only did we have all our crap out there, but we had a whole dumptruck load of Dale’s stuff too. I even dumpstered donuts for our garage sale attendees, and they actually ate them!

Garage sailors are funny people. Always talking you down. One guy asked me how much for the Atari, seventy-five bucks I said. Whoa, that’s a little steep, don’t you think? Was the response. Yeah well, I don’t want to sell it, that’s why. I said the same thing about an old yellow leather jacket, but unlike the Atari, the jacket was sold.


Leaving Huntington Beach was harder then I thought. I didn’t want to leave my family, wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Tiffany and there was still more music to be played and sung with Philip Anthony. But when Andrea answered my Craigslist rideshare ad, it seemed like destiny.

Andrea offered to take me all the way to Nevada City, where my truck has been residing. She told me she had a 1984 VW Vanagon and I couldn’t have said yes sooner. It was screaming adventure. Despite the new-rebuilt engine, the VW pulled though and broke down, as expected. The other rideshare guy, David was trying to get up to Mammoth, so I stuck my thumb out for him and within ten minutes, a truck pulled over. Andrea thought I should go along, but I wasn’t about to leave her on her own. It was all part of the adventure. We turned out to be each other’s guardian angels. And thanks to AAA we stayed slope side in the Mammoth Mountain Lodge AND enjoyed dinner and breakfast cost free, it’s called “Trip Interruption.”

Andrea and I said goodbye and I said hello to Brent, Davin’s dad. They are prepping for Shawn and Kate’s wedding so for now I’m riding horses with Cyndra, Davin’s mom and working on their vegetable garden. The next adventure has begun, and we’re off to a good start. This is my weird life, and I only get one.