To Awaken Quite Alone

In perusing a list of notable quotes (link no longer active), my attention was caught by Dame Freya Stark's: To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the most pleasant sensations in the world.

I just ordered her biography by Jane Fletcher Geniesse, so can't yet commend it. But isn't it interesting that the first overlander to the Mideast was a woman?

Born in 1893, she died in 1993....an even hunnert years!

Road Trip

Every few years Ms. Cook (see: Vince's Birthday)takes a couple of weeks off and we meetup somewhere. She's grown tired of flying so we decided to do a road trip... to the redwoods in northern California. 

We stopped at the Sinclair station in Bluff, Utah where she imagined lovers meeting in the parking lot able to have all their needs met from a vending machine.

         Climax Control Lotion
         
          Swedish Massage Oil

            Erotic Condom

               Oriental Exciter


A complete kit for only $3.00! ( 4 x $0.75)

At the main overlook on the Dugway, she found this sticker of Mokimunk. (There was sunshine and clouds and the view was spectacular!)

In Sierraville, Nevada she spied Godzilla's Pomeranian.

I'm so used to wandering that my navigating skills have atrophied. But it's been "all good" as we've stumbled upon some great places we'd have missed. (I missed the turn in Hanksville and it wasn't until I saw the mileage-to-Torrey sign that I had a clue. Highway 24 West from Hanksville, UT looked veeeerrry in-ter-esting -- even in the dark.) 


Robbers Roost, in Green River, Utah, has high marks on Tripadvisor. At only $43.00 it was a bargain.

Besides the spectacular scenery, a highpoint has been the Churchill County Museum in Fallon, Nevada. They have an amazing Native American collection (after 40 years in the SW my opinion isn't the least humble) and several unusual vehicles including a bonafide, steam-powered steamroller, a 1930s school bus, which, according to Gwen, our tour guide, was driven, by default, by the eldest child. She began driving tractor at age four and said in those days ten-year-olds were quite capable. There's also a 1920s Paige touring car...

         and this incredible music box (video below).

          (Assistance from staff is required to operate.)

Seafaring Gypsy - Theliveaboard

La Bonita - in the center with her blue sail-cover..somewhere in California

I saw mention of Theliveaboard a.k.a. Cynthia Shelton, in Lattitude 38, a free magazine the Bodega Bay harbor-master gave me. I enjoyed her video -- Landlubber to Liveaboard -- about how she got where she is and tho't you might too. Once downloaded, I used Quicktime to run it.


Here's a link to Dock Dorks, her comic book.


And her main website
http://www.cynxing.com/
where you can hire her to talk about her process.