Well the sun went down in honey

And the moon came up in wine, the Stars were dancing dizzy and the band kept us so busy, we forgot about the time.....yes , there is a Dead lyric for everything

3 days in the saddle, you my body hurt

And I tried to wash off some of that dusty dirt..... I have a newfound appreciation for the lyrics to all those cowboy dirges that mister Weir has been singing all these years....." Clouds so low, the eagles fill the sky.....this rode from Raton into Arizona is vast and unforgiving....you could probably hide here for 100 years and nobody would know....here are a few shots of new Mexico and Arizona.....I walked around Albuquerque and bought a bottle of local wine..... haven't seen any grapes though.... maybe it's cactus juice.

The Ranch store has it all

yer darn tooting it does.....why just look at the sign... whether you need a PLOW or a COFFIN you can get one in Raton, New Mexico.....I even found the White House saloon....sadly it was closed.....no rattlesnakes MN thank God...but this is a scene out of the 1800's or the Gold RUsh days.... thankfully these scenes from Americana remain unchanged.

The road to Acapulco is very hard indeed, and it isn't any better if you haven't any weed.

Well....I'm not quite like the New Riders heading to Acapulco in a pickup truck with Henry at the wheel.....but I did leave Denver at 5:00 a.m. on a greyhound bus headed to Raton, New Mexico to make my connection with the Amtrak Southwest Chief....still very much in awe of this country... I have seen the pictures, but they do not do reality justice.....this is Pikes Peak in Colorado springs.

Things to do in Denver

So day two brought a bus tour to Red Rocks amphitheatre and the foothills of the Rockies..... breathtaking.....ours is a blessed land..... America has so much fertile land and beauty...and I had the best burger of my life in the Chophouse &. Brewery... across FM Coors Field.... bartender told me she worked the Broncos team private party after they won the Super bowl....so I asked if the Avalanche had a team party there after they won the Stanley Cup....she didn't know...she was only 3years old when they won....boy do I feel old....but alas I must be fair to my readers of this blog.....all 3 of you.... although I may have added one or two with this travel journal.....for you new readers.... anything sexist, racist or politically incorrect was written by Valerie or Gravey..... but I digress....the Thorny side to this Denver Rose , and it pains me to admit....but the homeless hobos are loosing their fucking minds with this legal...POTENT marijuana.....every street corner has wackos screaming at the sky, or curled up sleeping in urine or vomit....they can't handle it....the bartender in Grimaldi's tonight (Courtney) told me drug overdoses are skyrocketing and EMS calls to deal with people freaking out are taxing the system beyond its means.......it was very strange to walk down the street and smell really fine weed being smoked practically EVERYWHERE..... can't wait to come back when I'm retired or hit the lotto.

Denver

I always had an inkling to visit Denver....from my teenage years reading Kerouac and on the road....his tales of Larimer Street and the search for Neal Cassadys dad....the railway station, the freight train bums coming from SF or headed to NYC....and then the Grateful Dead establishing a home away from home in the Red Rocks amphitheatre....all the tapes, the stories.....I feared slightly as the train pulled in that this gem in the foothills of the Rockies may not live up to my expectations......no worries.... Denver blew me away....what an amazing city.... according to my Fitbit I logged 29,000 steps.....and I ain't done.....I visited a bar where Kerouac and Cassidy used to hang out...I went to Coors Field, had a bison burger, drank Breckenridge and wynkoop beer... gazed at the Rockie Mountains and took it all in....met some cool people, restored some of my faith in this nation.... overall....a total success...God is Almighty....to see these Mountains reminds you how powerful our Lord is.

Da Curtis

Strange little hotel in downtown Denver, not sure who this lady is on the wall ....Audrey Hepburn maybe ? ...room overlooks the pool bar...nice.

The sun also rises

Interesting evening.....strange occurrences in the pitch black Nebraska sky..... lighting ? Aliens ? Nuclear testing ? Not really sure....two million tiny white lights in the sky too..... could they be stars ? ...... anyway the night refused to pass, it went on for eternity...... finally and thankfully as we rolled into Colorado the sin began to peak over the horizon behind us......it's gonna be a great day.

Hot. As hell

First major bump in the road.... Rolling across Nebraska and my sleeper car seems to have a malfunctioning air conditioner.....it's bloody hot in here..... waiting on a conductor.... drinking wine and sweating bullets.

Sunday afternoon in Chicago

So I had a few hours to kill in the Windy city and I made a bee line to Paddy O'Fegans......had a nice lunch and a few cocktails..... Nice tribute to the military on the wall.....all sorts of photos of local folks in their uniforms or in action.....then I walked along the river , stopped by Old Saint Patrick's cathedral and walked around the Sears Tower.....back on the iron horse now....next stop is Denver.

South Bend

Just like that.....the darkness, gloom and despair of Ohio fades away and the sun drenched fields of Indiana emerge.....a little slice of Americana here......you can almost hear the faint chords jack & Diane in the background.

Holy Toledo

As the late great Billy King (radio voice of the Oakland Raiders) would say......Ohio has seen better days my friend.....as my train limps through a depressing foggy sundry morn.... the Lord's day , but it would seem that even Jesus has turned his back on Toledo these days....you can learn a lot about a city by looking at its train station........ actually, that's bullshit , but it sounds profound......if you want to learn about a city....you have explore the gin mills, local pubs and honkey tonks...... sadly....or perhaps luckily......we but a short sojourn in Toledo..... barely time to stretch ones legs.....I'll sit this one out.....3 hours out FM Chicago...my kinda town.

Penelope pitstop....circa Albany

Oh sweet mother of Jesus..... Albany was the first location that the conductor GEORGE told me we would have enough of a layover to stretch our legs.......he saw I brought 18 pints in a cooler so he really meant stretch your liver.....and in Albany there ain't much....even on Travers DAY......but I found this gem across the street....June's place.....and as luck would have it.....June was tending bar.....along with 87 fruit flies......not quite the salty dog, but it is a converted firehouse.....I ordered a PBR because I didn't want to appear to be an aristocrat.....but I still got snide look's and dirty stares.......June was lovely though....45 going on 60 or somewhere in between.....but pleasant.....I rifled down 2 PBR's and left a $3 tip..... everyone was glued to the TV......no.....not a real TV.....but a quick draw machine.....there were no real TVs......but a radio was on the bar listening to the GIANTS pre game....... well hello and goodbye to Albany.....as the summer dies quietly on the other side of this hill , June fights on .....she probably was a looker in the first Clinton administration.....she still ain't half bad........ever wonder what happens in the small corners of the world that don't touch NYC ?

Genesis

And so it begins.....one man's journey from coast to coast and back again....stay tuned right here for all the lunacy that Facebook won't tolerate or deserve to be shared.

As heads is tail's

just call me Lucifer, cause I'm in need of some restraint........... Poor Doc Gooden.....at one time he could've been the Champion of the World........now he resorts to lashing out at Darryl Strawberry....his direct quote.." Strawberry is trying to create distractions cause he's lying to everyone and cheating on his wife...he's LUCIFER , that's who he is "......... I remember the 86 parade down the canyon of heroes....I remember hearing that Strawberry was AWOL.....it was actually DOC that was in a crack den and missed the parade, but back then nobody would believe it........ My personal favorite memory of Doc was a Friday night in September of 84 ( September 8th 1984... I had to look it up )the Cubs were in first place, leading the Mets by 6 or 7 games....this was opening night of a 3 game series and Shea was literally standing room only.......right from the start you could tell that Doc was on fire.... mowing the cubbies down to the delight of the long starved faithful..... myself, Eddie Griffin, Donnie Hoff, Tom Daley, Jimmy Holland were definitely there....not quite sure who else..... and the offense supplied runs right away..... George Foster and Darryl homered....and soon a quiet buzz started in the upper tier.....is tonight the night ?......in the 5th inning Keith Moreland ( I had to look that up) hit a high chop down the third base line....Ray Knight charged in , fielded on a short hop and never threw to first base......base hit.....and what proved to be the only Cubs hit....Doc threw a complete game shutout , striking out 11 Cubs..and in the afterglow of a pennant race in September of 1984 the world appeared to be Dwight Goodens oyster..he gave us real hope for once....real belief that a dynasty was forming....and I can't speak for all Mets fans , but I loved him....and Darryl , Darling, Keith , Wally, Mookie ....Kid Carter every member of that 86 team.....and I was happy when he pitched his no hitter for the Yankees and helped them to the 96 World Series.... I feel bad for him now.... I hope somehow he puts it together..... when I think of Doc it's always September of 1984.

The land of Cotton

In case you missed it, the University of Mississippi has prohibited the school band from playing "Dixie" at halftime.....a silly tradition that only dates back to 1948.....yes...that's right....68 years of tradition.....fathers, sons. Grandfather's and great grandsons all sipped sweat tea and listened to the band honor the Southern Heritage at the School that carries the nickname "Ole Miss Rebels"...... quietly a few years ago they retired the Mascot GENERAL REBEL....an old Confederate GENERAL with a grey beard who carried a cane ( me sans the cane...for now) because they said he looked like a plantation owner.....and now they have criminalized a fucking song.....the truth shall set you free ? ....not in Mississippi.....those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.......what about those that whitewash history and hide it in the closet ? What happens to those bastards ??. If I were a season ticket holder I would start a new tradition....as soon as the band takes the field the entire stadium should sing an Acapella version of Dixie.... Old times there apparently will soon be forgotten......shame Mississippi.

Taught to resist

Story on the news about a Newark youth that was just shootin hoops by his garage when the Police pulled up.... naturally stymie ran down the alley and a chase ensued......mammy went on the tv news to complain because the Police drew their weapons..... wouldn't everyone ? Police said he fit the description of a bank robbery suspect that was apprehended 2 blacks away later that same day..... nobody was hurt thankfully.....channels 2,5 and 7 each reported the story......all showered stymie with empathy....how frightened this young man must've been...... agreed......one question.....why was his first instinct to run ? ? And no....I am not suggesting he had done anything wrong..... I am pointing a guilty finger at the parents.....they taught this young man to distrust Police and when on doubt.....RUN........that's a good way to get shot. If Eric Garner had put his hands behind his back he would be alive....same with the cat in Louisiana or any other Police shooting ..... If you listen to Police and comply with their instructions....your life expectancy increases.......hands up baby.... listen to the man

Turkey or Notre Dame ?

who goes under the microscope this Sunday afternoon as I quaff a few pints in the yard to slake my thirst ? I turn to my wise canine friend Matteau , but he thinks we are talking sandwiches and votes emphatically for Turkey. Alas we discuss the fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Golden Dome , the shining light at the top of the hill, the school that wouldn't lower their academic standards for Urban Meyer and yet welcomed the murderous lech Brian Kelley with open arms......last night was ugly in South Bend.....4 scholar athletes from the football program arrested when a routine traffic stop turned up marijuana and firearms.......not to be outshined by his mates.....a fifth player under mister Kelley's guidance got into a physical altercation with an Indiana State Police Officer and was arrested for assaulting the officer. Let's lead a cheer for filthy criminals.....rah rah ree.

I can feel it coming

Maybe not in the air tonight , but sadly someday soon.....our enemies and our questionable allies are testing out military and soon , one of them will strike..... We have a lame duck pussy in the blackhaus .....he's more concerned about cementing his legacy.....as if he will be remembered for anything other than a total failure.....he won't fight back.....his father was a Shiite moslem....he is in bed with Iran and Russia.....I fear a major attack on our forces is coming..... possibly even an attack here at home on a major scale......and I fear our forces are Ill prepared, weary and broken down......a recipe for disaster.......let's hope I am wrong.

Any excuse to riot.

So a black police officer attempts to stop a known felon with a loaded weapon in Milwaukee Saturday evening....but this young African American Dad ( news outlets proclaim that his Facebook page had pics of him doting over his toddler son) decided he ain't going to jail today... maybe he was rushing home to change diapers......sadly this young man lost his life.....one less wannabe doctor or lawyer in the great state of Wisconsin......end of story ? Hardly.......it's riot time.....why should Baltimore and Ferguson have all the fun.....6 businesses burnt to the ground.. as the white mayor was pleading with parents to get their children off the streets......2 black elected alderman were warning the rest of the city that they were next " we are one day away from torching this whole city " was the exact quote........ president Osama was briefed on the situation from his 3 week hideaway on Martha's vineyard.

Strange timing

So.....one day after our Iranian friend was executed.....wait.....you don't know who I am talking about ??....he was an Iranian spy for the United States.....and Hillary talked about him in emails on her private server that was hacked....well.... somehow his cover was blown and Iran executed him.... strange coincidence..... anyway....as he was dangling from a rope in town square Tehran......50 former National Security Officers signed an open letter to the country warning about how Donald Trump will be bad for national security.....no mention of the Hilary state Dept years or the plethora of sensitive information that was hacked from her private server.

Police and thieves in the street.

Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition (junior Murvin ) You would think that you'd be safe in a bodega in the Bronx at 1:00 A.M. on a Tuesday morning.......no such luck....seems our 30 year old suspect wandered in ( probably just looking for milk for his offsprings cereal in the morn ) and for some bizarre reason he started acted irrationally and demanded a cellphone ( maybe He just wanted to check with the baby momma's around town to see if they needed anything else) anyway he was asked to leave the establishment..... luckily for him , the competing bodega across the street was also open at 1:00 A.M.......hard working communities often need eggs, yogurt and FUNYUNS at all hours.....well our suspect went in , and sadly trouble ensued.....the other customers ( at 1:00 fuckin a.m.) quickly called 911....why ? I wonder....... certainly we don't need any honky police coming into the Hood to settle our disputes...... certainly the Black Lives matter movement has setup a toll Free number for people of color to call when in trouble.... certainly there must be an alternative to the murderous police by now......a clerk in the bodega ran into the street and flagged down a patrol car..... again i ask WHY ? Surely somewhere in this favored land on a mantle, over a fireplace in the den , there is a picture of our suspect in a maroon cap and gown graduating from middle school with dreams of becoming a doctor......why would anyone call the cops on this good egg ? Well the Police arrived and presumably gave our suspect the benefit of the doubt.... can't rush to judge....he's probably a good kid and the customers who called 911 where rebel Rouser's that overreacted.... shockingly our suspect grabbed a policeman's gun and shot and killed the store clerk..... The Police shot and wounded our suspect......just another graveyard shift in the sleepy Bronx....#justabodegaclerk. #hislifeDONTmatter .

Why ordinary Americans despise the establishment

Let's take that filthy communist, treasonous bitch Lynn Stewart.....in case you forgot , she is the vile pig lawyer that helped Abdel Rahman pass messages to his Al queda buddies from his federal lockup in Colorado.....she was tried and convicted and her fat ass was sent to prison , but a liberal judge granted her compassionate release because she had cancer and only 18 months to live.......that was 31 months ago.

Add it up......add it up

As the violent femmes once sang..... The day is in my sights... when I take a bow and say goodnight. Sooooooo.....an unmarked cargo plane carrying 400 million in Euros and Swiss francs from the United States govt flew to Iran after midnight, hours before the Iranians released 4 prisoners back in January.....the white House told nobody and now insists that this was not a ransom and instead was the first payment for the 1.7 BILLION nuclear arms deal.....and that it's coincidence that both events occurred on the same day.......if that's true, why the secrecy ?