Location: Tucson, AZ
Thursday 19, 2009

Hung at the hostel till late in the eve last night working and having great conversations with people from all over. It's funny how you only realize how lonely you were when you find yourself back in the world engaging with like-minded folks. When I chat with Liz she comments on how it's nice to hear me happy on the road.. and it makes me realize.

Well it makes me realize a lot of things about being lost and found and all around, finding yourself and then finding what you lost in all that being found. It's funny, but it works out nice in just the right way, I find myself echoing the feelings that although there's still more road ahead and a beautiful journey I'm still ready to find myself back in a home, grounded and surrounded with loving people.

As it was getting late last night and the conversation was petering out, these this young guitar flingin' trio of self-described anarchist's (although they claim they're pretty relaxed about the whole thing compared to some) looking for a place to squat for the night. I've been around Tucson and I know a few good places so I invited them all to load up in Veronica for a ride across town. I ended up dropping them at the dry river bed where I've been walking the dog. It's a good place to lay your head in the dirt and call it home, and that's just what these guys did. I felt bad in the luxury of my van as I sped off wishing them a good nights sleep.

It's interesting, there's a pretty big Anarchist movement down here in the southwest, with places like Dry River and the Phoenix Anarchist Coalition. I always thought of anarchists as total lovers of chaos and disorder and even with these young guys, I was like, be careful what you wish for... since it's easy to stand against the man, while in reality, it's the man that provides us with food, clothing, some change in our pockets and shelter (regardless if it comes from a corp or a dumpster dive).. but still I say... it's nice to see people standing up for something! Especially young people, when everywhere else in this world it seems we've lost our idealistic youth to apathy and couch-surfing muscular atrophy.

And by the way, I was wrong on my thoughts of Anarchist as total lovers of chaos and disorder! Since although it is often implied it doesn't have to be that way...

1 a : absence of government b : a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority c : a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government
2 a : absence or denial of any authority or established order b : absence of order: disorder

It's nice to see, regardless of if 'I' may think there's a few crossed wires and inconsistencies in the rationale. I've never really subscribed to any group or political philosophy. When asked I usually just reply that I'm a man.. plain and simple, since I find personally that we get ourselves into trouble when we create any nature of sides, dichotomy of 'us' and 'them'...

But then again, maybe I just haven't gotten angry enough and maybe I'm actually wrong in being a fence-sitter. Maybe throughout my twenties when friends invited me to go protest and fight 'the man' I should have gone... or not.

Alas through this inspired, politically-minded-trio of train-riding-vagabonds I guess I'm supporting, and on some level, reliving my youth. I think it's beautiful to see people who are thinking for themselves and finding their own way regardless of what that road entails and where it takes them.

This morning I picked them up out of the river bed, we ate some breakfast at Carls Jr. where they got tossed 7 free breakfast burgers from the staff who wanted to help them out. Man, it literally pays to be young when drifting, since it evokes everyone's parental instinct.

After some breaking of fast we headed off to the park where I recorded some of their musical stylings before dropping them off near some train tracks upon which they will find themselves heading in all directions. Steel wheels and cold nights of sleepless boxcar bliss.

Here's some music straight from them to you, recorded in a park this morning :-)

EliBlake.mp3
Anna.mp3

I'm so glad I have Veronica, Moses, and some rubber wheels under my feet! I admire these guys, but train riding and runnin' from the law ain't my bag any more... gettin' old.. the moderate voice in me speaks to that I guess. ;-)

peace,d