Gloomy Sunday
Thus far, the trip has been nice. Not what I've wanted, because I want More (and I need all the love that I can't get to...) always, but it has been what it has been. I guess the fact that I can't get anyone to get up and off their arses before noon which consequently cuts into the time we might have at the National Parks we set out to see. I guess complacency is what's been getting to me and the fact that I actually let the fact that the world perhaps doesn't thirst for the juice out of every moment quite like I do.
Ended up getting more or less arrested on day one of the trip. Probably the most fun I've had since I was able to whine and English-speak my way out of a ticket back in Paris. Our first stop'off was Royal Gorge. Ok, cool. Not until you get there and find out that these fuckers want to charge you 24 bloody dollars to walk across a goddamned bridge. Because I'm a stubborn prick of a 'man' of principles, I refused to pay such a fee. Besides, the money wasn't going toward anything I agreed with. It was private property--i.e. some cocksucker who just wants to milk circumstance and flashy notoriety...anyway...so I try sneaking in, realizing that this wasn't as plausible as I would like it to be, give up and elect to hop the fence and hike around, trying to get a good look at the canyon at least.
Of course, I get a little too close to the establishment and some chubby rent-a-ranger (not even a real cop) spots me and starts yelling at me to get up there. I know I don't want to do that and start to ask him who owns the rocks I was climbing around on. I was at those points where I didn't care at all. He calls over his equally chubby rentable colleague and they start yellin' at me, fussing and getting pretty pissed off. Because I'm with Ash and Megu, I decide not to evade them, despite how easy it would be and end up standing on a rock with them below; and me after 10 minutes of playing with the rent-a-rangers, I decide to let myself in their custody under the condition that I not be touched. Of course, the guy breaks his word when he grabs my wallet out of my arsepocket because I told him I didn't have ID. They yell and get all mad at m and, I just act really friendly and confused with them. The guys act as if I was actually doing something wrong, which is pretty funny, get a photocopy of my id and tell me that I am banished from Royal Gorge and my return would result in me going to jail. They escort me off the property by handcuffing me and taking me in their little jeep. In telling me to get in the car, and I ask them where we were going. They refused to answer and I tried to explain that I didn't want to get in a car with an unknown destination.I finally just get in.That car ride was one of the funnest rides I've ever had. These guys were mad as balls at me and I was as friendly as possible with them. We're driving back and I'm asking all these questions about how they must love their job, how cool the work they do is and Colorado history. I finally get the guy to actually talk to me and it's just funny. I get out 4 miles down the road and shake their hands, look them in the eye and Thank them for such a wonderful experience with all the sincerity I could muster. All in all, it was something that was really quite fun. I mean, it was worth it just to see how seriously these guys took the circumstance and a little flattering that they regarded me as an actual threat and something that needed to be dealt with. I feel like I'm making a difference.
Today was a real kicker in the tow, I suppose. Megu has been having back problems apparently, which I have difficulty understanding because diagnostically it doesn't make any sense at all. I ended up going to Zion alone, because Ash elected to stay at the hotel room for some reason. Anyway, got there and tried to tackle one of the longest hikes in a short period of time. Did an 14km, 800 meter ascent in 3 hours (ETA was 5), so felt pretty good about that. Zion by far takes the cake out of the National Parks that I've seen. The sandcliffs here are absolutely stunning and it really doesn't feel real. Love that feeling. Took the hike and ended up talking to this French dude the whole walk down. Ended up being a cool guy who lived outside of Fountainbleu and had worked in Grenoble and Denver of all places. He was a Mountain guide more or less whose name happened to be Marc. It was just really nice to be able to express myself in French again and enjoy the function of a good conversation in French including the perspectives and mannerisms of an authentic French mec. Reminded me a wee bit of Dominique.I guess that's been the cool highlight thus far.
I've come to realize that I'm pretty much on my own here. Ash isn't really himself around Megu, which sucks, but is no reason to have a fit about. Megu doesn't really interact with me and spends most of the time spacing. So I realize that if I want to have fun, I'm just going to have to go off and do shit on my own. I'm not pissed, but yeah, I'm bummed. I'm on this trip to spend my last real chunk of time with Ash before he moves away and took a big piece out of my pocket and paychecks for this. Instead, he is there about 15% of the time and I am lucky if I can get him to do anything. Basically, I feel like the little kid who is excited and eager to play with his parents on vacation and do things while he has lazy, fat parents who want to sit their arses in the hotel room when some of the world's most beautiful formations rest within reach.
So yeah, it sucks. I feel like no one is really there like they once were. And, I need to not be such a little 7-year-old and realize that my family is splitting up permanently and it's time for me to get a wrinkld forehead, some heartburn meds and stop riding my bike around late at night. For the first time, well, ever...I feel socially on my own. It's just a question of adjustement, I suppose.
Ended up getting more or less arrested on day one of the trip. Probably the most fun I've had since I was able to whine and English-speak my way out of a ticket back in Paris. Our first stop'off was Royal Gorge. Ok, cool. Not until you get there and find out that these fuckers want to charge you 24 bloody dollars to walk across a goddamned bridge. Because I'm a stubborn prick of a 'man' of principles, I refused to pay such a fee. Besides, the money wasn't going toward anything I agreed with. It was private property--i.e. some cocksucker who just wants to milk circumstance and flashy notoriety...anyway...so I try sneaking in, realizing that this wasn't as plausible as I would like it to be, give up and elect to hop the fence and hike around, trying to get a good look at the canyon at least.
Of course, I get a little too close to the establishment and some chubby rent-a-ranger (not even a real cop) spots me and starts yelling at me to get up there. I know I don't want to do that and start to ask him who owns the rocks I was climbing around on. I was at those points where I didn't care at all. He calls over his equally chubby rentable colleague and they start yellin' at me, fussing and getting pretty pissed off. Because I'm with Ash and Megu, I decide not to evade them, despite how easy it would be and end up standing on a rock with them below; and me after 10 minutes of playing with the rent-a-rangers, I decide to let myself in their custody under the condition that I not be touched. Of course, the guy breaks his word when he grabs my wallet out of my arsepocket because I told him I didn't have ID. They yell and get all mad at m and, I just act really friendly and confused with them. The guys act as if I was actually doing something wrong, which is pretty funny, get a photocopy of my id and tell me that I am banished from Royal Gorge and my return would result in me going to jail. They escort me off the property by handcuffing me and taking me in their little jeep. In telling me to get in the car, and I ask them where we were going. They refused to answer and I tried to explain that I didn't want to get in a car with an unknown destination.I finally just get in.That car ride was one of the funnest rides I've ever had. These guys were mad as balls at me and I was as friendly as possible with them. We're driving back and I'm asking all these questions about how they must love their job, how cool the work they do is and Colorado history. I finally get the guy to actually talk to me and it's just funny. I get out 4 miles down the road and shake their hands, look them in the eye and Thank them for such a wonderful experience with all the sincerity I could muster. All in all, it was something that was really quite fun. I mean, it was worth it just to see how seriously these guys took the circumstance and a little flattering that they regarded me as an actual threat and something that needed to be dealt with. I feel like I'm making a difference.
Today was a real kicker in the tow, I suppose. Megu has been having back problems apparently, which I have difficulty understanding because diagnostically it doesn't make any sense at all. I ended up going to Zion alone, because Ash elected to stay at the hotel room for some reason. Anyway, got there and tried to tackle one of the longest hikes in a short period of time. Did an 14km, 800 meter ascent in 3 hours (ETA was 5), so felt pretty good about that. Zion by far takes the cake out of the National Parks that I've seen. The sandcliffs here are absolutely stunning and it really doesn't feel real. Love that feeling. Took the hike and ended up talking to this French dude the whole walk down. Ended up being a cool guy who lived outside of Fountainbleu and had worked in Grenoble and Denver of all places. He was a Mountain guide more or less whose name happened to be Marc. It was just really nice to be able to express myself in French again and enjoy the function of a good conversation in French including the perspectives and mannerisms of an authentic French mec. Reminded me a wee bit of Dominique.I guess that's been the cool highlight thus far.
I've come to realize that I'm pretty much on my own here. Ash isn't really himself around Megu, which sucks, but is no reason to have a fit about. Megu doesn't really interact with me and spends most of the time spacing. So I realize that if I want to have fun, I'm just going to have to go off and do shit on my own. I'm not pissed, but yeah, I'm bummed. I'm on this trip to spend my last real chunk of time with Ash before he moves away and took a big piece out of my pocket and paychecks for this. Instead, he is there about 15% of the time and I am lucky if I can get him to do anything. Basically, I feel like the little kid who is excited and eager to play with his parents on vacation and do things while he has lazy, fat parents who want to sit their arses in the hotel room when some of the world's most beautiful formations rest within reach.
So yeah, it sucks. I feel like no one is really there like they once were. And, I need to not be such a little 7-year-old and realize that my family is splitting up permanently and it's time for me to get a wrinkld forehead, some heartburn meds and stop riding my bike around late at night. For the first time, well, ever...I feel socially on my own. It's just a question of adjustement, I suppose.