Friday I drove from Houston to Denver, or I got to Colorado yesterday... What a strange experience it is, to climb inside a brand new rental car, like ammo in a giant-sized railgun called Interstate 25... I drove all day on Friday, only stopping for some Chipotle in the food desert of Texas... My goal was to never speed but never stop until I was out of there... Hurray for cruise control...
Once in Nevada, I pulled into a rest stop and tried to sleep a little... It was 33 degrees outside, so I just idled the engine for some heat... It was 80 degrees when I left Houston, so I forgot where I packed my hats to keep my skull warm... Oops... Anyway, at 5am I was ready for more, so I began to putter north towards CO...
In Trinidad I got a coffee at the Safeway Starvebucks... I can't say for certain if germs on my barista's hands are what gave me a stomach bug all day, or if it was poor diet, lack of rest and water, increase in elevation and even a little hangover... Nevertheless, 20 miles north of Trinidad I had to pull over and hurl out the coffee I just drank... I couldn't keep anything down, and driving with strong nausea, I discovered, is worse than finding fireants in your pants... Each time I pulled over, I am lucky I didn't get into an accident, and didn't get messed with by cops...
(Photograph Unavailable Due To Excessive Vomiting)
By 9:30am I was in Pueblo, and feeling no better... I found a shady place to park at a gas station and wnet to sleep for an hour or so... As much as it is possible to toss and turn and open the car door and puke, then back to nap, that was me... By 11am or so I felt good enough to drive again, but noticed I was so dehydrated from all my liquids coming back up... By the time I got to Colorado Springs, I had to pull over again... There was a funny named gas station, KUM-AND-GO, with a spot in the shade... Two hours later I decided to try some chicken soup from the grocery store... Nope, that wouldn't stay down, either...
(Photograph Unavailable Due To Excessive Vomiting)
I think I finally arrived in Denver at 4:30pm, and went to my dispensary immediately... My med card has expired by 2 weeks, so I lost the free weed waiting for me there... But I did get a great ounce of White 99 for $120 on the recreational cannabis side... That one clocks in at 26% THC, so no complaints! And you know what? I began to feel better, as if my body knew it would be okay... Water and OJ from the grocery store had me buzzing again... I never did eat a real meal yesterday, but let's just call it involuntary fasting and move on...
My new neighborhood is pretty chill... Englewood is a city within a city, like a hat on a hat... They have 3 medical marijuana dispensaries, but no rec is allowed... I find it very ironic that 2 years ago I was paid to canvas the Englewood neighborhood for the legalization of Rec... Just another way of my dots connecting... I really like it here...
Like on the way to drop off the rental car (my yuppie hearse) I saw a neighbor with some amazing yard art... I pulled over and talked to the guy since he was out in his yard... He said he made it all, from salvage, no less... He has a giant windchime, or two actually, and a wagon wheel fence that he welded together... My kind of barrio...
Lastly, my own backyard has an extremely noble tree in it... As soon as I saw it I was like, HELLO! Here is a photo so you can introduce yourself... I may call it Groot, but don't want to offend...
Shoutout to Rocky Mountain Steemit, just for being you!! Also, I want to offer a public but very personal thank you to @globocop for donating funds for me to get into a place in Denver... Rent is through the roof, and I am but a poor aspy artist... Thanks again, I will pay forward!!! The place I rented has 4 teenagers, one is trans... So I have empathic work cut out for me, right at home!
Okay, vote as you will, resteem if necessary, and for godsakes call your mom if you have one...