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.


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Oakland CA to Hurricane Utah.

And then, 12 hours later we emerged from a time warp, having driven nearly a quarter across the continent, 4 big states later we entered a mars like planet. Plateaus flat like plates painted splatter tomato red by a spiritual goddess from above. They drop down a jagged cliff to a rolling rocky vastness. Lands untouched by time. Blues and browns highlighted these walls of great history. They tell an ancient tale of a time when the earth was quiet. Land wasn't laidened with black tar, trucks loaded with the necessialties that drive a wasteful society didn't swarm corriaders connecting inhabitors of desert  towns. We passed snake like railways, built at a time when telephones were only of the rich and famous, carving out tunnels in rocks, up and over mountains. 

It was quite the commotion, with mini forest green Honda filled with two rambling over caffeinated excited youngesters. Guzzling diet coke by the gallon, napping like narcoleptic babies, and doing sprints behind gas guzzling oil refuel lots, we were hushed by trunked Ralph after the comradaries got out of hand. Throwing carrots at 18 wheelers was just too entertaining for our excited minds, but his wails from the back sank our hearts. Action boy and Bianchi got their first taste of the heat buckled atop 4 wheeled green, and by golly was it freaking hot. Ditching the down jackets, Ralph was happy to hear we had extra room to resupply with some fresh Colarado carrots. 

And there we lay, the night before it was all about to start. Eyes worn from too many cars, too much AC, podcasts of fractals and man eating sharks, and a day of mesmerizing Dr. Seuss hair ball tree like forms, our Bay Area skin experienced its first true days of summer. We strolled down the oven baked streets in search of a carbo loaded snack in a town of little character except the magmatic scenery behind it, knowing Zion was just around the corner. 

And P.S., sorry for all the typos and spelling errors in advance, this is all typed via iPhone and uploaded 3G.