Intro

Welcome to a story, or stories I should say. A compilation of adventure tales. An ongoing itch to see, smell, and touch the world, or at least the deserted roads and rarely trampled mountains of America. Characters within the descriptive paragraphs of these stories carve out the coming and going companions in life; vital life people and pieces that parallel a universe for moments, days, years. And then spear off, leaving granules of magnificent memories of magical places. They leave a lasting trace, a gained sense of courage to stand tall on oxygen deprived mountains and shout absurdities like: I love you Ralph! Ralph is a teenage reindeer stuffed of the finest synthetic polyester fiber poof; he says made in Indonesia but really tells me he is from the North Pole. Delivered through a chimney one December night 20 years ago, we instantly became cuddle buddies upon that morning's sunrise. He is the instigator. The inspiration. And the imagination. He breathes creativity. Laughter. His is a dear companion. And yes, at 4lbs he tags along atop a pack or strapped to a rack. In delirium of 107 degree heat, the small possession of material belongings gain a persona. Innate objects become friends of the road and trails. And as for the humans who accompany, their presence reads priceless. Without O'Reilly, a 29 year old New Hampshirian with superior taste buds, the mathematical six foot four inch tall German, or handful of organic peanut butter and 99 cent jam eating munchkins, there would be a lot less excitement. The encounters we make with our specie, encapsulating the world with their awkward ways and over consumerist love, somehow we have managed to become overly adored creatures. Their generous hearts restore a faith that goodness prevails in the upheaval of a sometimes lost humanity. As for myself, I'm just the navigator, paddling up the stream of life munching on Clif Bars, with an iPhone documenting the frailties and goodies underneath all the simplified complexities in the world we reside. So again, I welcome you to get lost and dream a little through this typed text and your imagination. My name is Kristen Gentilucci. I live in Berkeley California and I love dogs.


Friday, August 3, 2012

Day 46. Land of Enchantment and Aliens

DAY OFF # 2
Roswell New Mexico

In July 1947, something happened northwest of Roswell, New Mexico, during a severe thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon? What happened? The Roswell UFO incident was a report of an object that crashed, allegedly an extra-terrestrial spacecraft and its alien occupants. Since the late 1970s the incident has been the subject of intense controversy and of conspiracy theories as to the true nature of the object that crashed. The United States Armed Forces maintains that what was recovered was debris from an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon but many UFO proponents maintain that an alien craft was found and its occupants were captured, and that the military then engaged in a cover-up.


And that's where it all started. People really believing Aliens have come to their town, no I'm not kidding, and they have beautified their city with proof of this magnificent UFO landing, that changed life, only in Roswell, as we know it. Should I mention that the hallucinogenic referred to as Shrooms are also legal here for consumption, maybe just a coincidence perhaps? A tourist trap for us, we decided on our day off to skip the UFO museum full of plastic aliens, as well as the gift shops that lined Main Street and head to the salt lake 15 miles out of town, a bottomless lake 90 ft deep that reflected our silhouettes. Locals warned us, there was nothing to see out there in the State Park, but we all flocked to escape Disneyland alien world for some fresh air, a salt swimming hole, hiking trails, and some of the most picturesque landscapes we've seen.


Turn on the facet and the water here even tastes like its been diced with a pinch of salt. Perfect for 105 degree days where pit stains start within 1 minute of stepping outside any A/C facility. And then it all begins again tomorrow, 4:30am, 91 miles and headwinds, but we here there are hills in the distance! New Mexico is absolutely a beautiful place, they call it the Land of Enchantment as their motto, and it suits this place very very accurately.