Getting back home, one mile at a time. March 08 April 16, 2008

Your typical roadside Velociraptor encounter

Time was limited in Arizona to shoot with Spira, and we had to leave earlier than expected. Flying last minute the week of spring break was out of the question, so we left at dawn planning to catch a train in Albuquerque. The morning rush hour and time-zone switch put us there too late, and backup plan #2 meant I would ride the rest of the way to Denver and figure it out there.

if you speed in new mexico, this guy eats your soul … or was this one a herbivore?

noon moon

revisiting an abandoned car we stopped at in 05′

texture tube

Since we already had 2 Jeremy’s in one car, we decided why not meet up with Jeremy Gallegos in Albuquerque. We had all been on tour out west in 05′ (with yet another Jeromy then). We met up at a new skate plaza built within the year. The construction was amazing, the location horrid. We heard all about how people are always getting beat up there, and at night its strictly drugs. Sure enough an hour later some commotion stirred up and revealed a kid about 10 years old getting chased down the street by a mob of kids. Apparently he had tried to stab another skater. Police had installed an emergency call box at the park, but the “Help” button had been completely ripped out.

I don’t want to come off too negative, as I actually had a great time skating this place. The skate plaza’s are a new kind of park being built that combine ramps with common street elements for a hybrid style, legal place to roll around. It’s unfortunate that you have to risk your safety to enjoy it.

Jeremy Gallegos at about 9:30

14 foots deep, enjoy

the street skating / park skating hybrid

Jeremy Gallegos

Jeremy Spira

Jeremy sitting next to Jeremy, photo by jeremy

With plenty of open road still ahead, we made a short stop downtown, got some famous green chile for dinner, and got back on the highway. We got pulled over once, and Jeremy had to do all the DUI tests. He passed fine and got off with a warning about the speed. His apartment has one of the sweetest pull out beds’ on earth, and after putting up a rideshare request on craigslist, sleeping couldn’t have been better.

you know that feeling when you’re getting pulled over?

this bed made the trip worth it

I had never tried the craigslist rideshare, aka virtual hitchhiking, but was open to any alternative to Greyhound. To my surprise by the time I woke up I had several replies, and arranged to be picked up that evening. In the meantime we grubbed at Jeremy’s fiance’s health food store, and attempted to get some flicks to make up for lost time in Arizona. The very first spot turned into a 7 foot drop to the elbow, and the skate day came to a quick close.

practicing the aisle walk for this summer

a tree grows in denver, too

When I met up with the craigslist couple, I was really hoping for the non-psychopathic type. Everything went smoothly, on time, and we had some great conversation to boot. The couple was headed home from a cross country trip and wanted people to help pitch in for gas and help with the driving. After trying this firsthand, I think it’s worth giving it a shot if you’re trying to get somewhere cheap, or wanting to save some money and carpool on your own road trip. Sometime around 5am I finally got dropped off at my doorstep in Lawrence, looking forward to a few weeks of spring time and a change of pace. Nothing beats that first nights’ sleep back in your own bed.

worth a try right?

only …. 13 hours to go?