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...
Welcome back!! Rent is crazy all over this state!!
I think I need to double my rent budget to $1000 per month, if I hope to not get killed in Aurora or ride a light rail 3 hours a day...
$250 a week? come to oz, i got a room u can rent
They would have a tendency to kick me out after 90 days!
thats them. not me XD
At least!! It's crazy over there! Try looking into affordable housing units! There have got to be some
My autism will get me on a 2 year waiting list? But they don't seem to care if it's 2 years in a shelter, or on a yacht...
2 years is nothing... 10+ years here.. and thats in the 'low-wait' places u wouldnt want to licve in the frst place :P
I know it's the same over here. I'm on both HUD waiting list and affordable housing waiting lists. It's a pain but the sooner u get on them the better.
$1,000 a month is my entire budget. lol
Such a rich hippie town, LOL...
wow! What a trip! (Pun intended!) glad you made it safe and could get hydrated again! Good luck on your new endevour in CO! I’d love to visit CO someday. The closest I’ve gotten to it are just a couple layovers at Denver International 😂
As airports go, it is almost a tourist attraction, with its Devil-Horse Sculpture and the infamous illuminati murals... Rumors of underground tunnels and cities, even!
That's one heck of a drive bruv! Good thing you made it through. Best wishes with your endeavours in Denver!
Thank you so much! I was a hermit before, and now want to do life differently, have friends to hang out with and be creative around... I am so looking forward to the rest of this year...
I feel ye bruv, It's an artist tendency... Good to get out there, make connections, share life and your works. It's gonna be a good year! :D
That is SO amazing!! If you borrowed it, thanks for putting it here! If you made it, send me a print!!!
Thanks man, I appreciate it! I made this one a couple of years back. Are you on discord? That way we can DM
Yeah! I use the same name there, and have mostly been at MSP... I will look you up!
Good thing you had recreational to fall back on. Empathic work, that sounds draining. Rest up, get better. RESPECT
Moving in with a family means the only way it will work is if I adapt... I left my expectations in Texas, and am so overwhelmingly impressed at how life has foreseen all my aspy nuances...
Good job, you made it in one piece, and things worked out it seams. =)
Happy for you!
This is a new chapter! As I get settled in, I have no idea what direction my muse will take... Certainly, I don't feel isolated here anymore... Like last night I could have gone to a club, but was so wiped out, it wasn't an option... But to be invited to meet and hangout with fellow MSP Steemians on my first night back? Priceless!!
Damn, man! Rough trip. Way to hang in there and ride it out. Love the multi-colored cloud behind the tree watchin over your new abode!
That tree is my primary view, out my only window!! I am so happy about that! It has a LOT of character...
Thanks for this account of the journey you took... So glad to know you're safe'n sound now. :) It is well!
I can't wait for some Panama updates! Gonna go check your blog to see what's up...
What a wonderful traveling experience.... If am the one traveling to Denver...i Gonna speed up to the place.... I love speeding a car...but not overspeed
All those Texas cops would LOVE you!!
Glad your there safely!
It took the entire universe heaving to finally get me there!
Congrats! Injoy!
Thank you! Now we can get some living done!
Wow what an entertaining way to describe such an uncomfortable road trip driving while sick. Did you know that dehydration can make you sick, making you dehydrated? I wonder if maybe that could have been part of the problem?
I had an important appointment Valentine's day that was 6 hr round trip which I had to cancel after the first he on the road. I don't usually get so motion sick when I'm driving but it was really bad. It's like we had the same experience. I had to pull over several times and even sleep in the car for an HR. It's the worst feeling.
All that to say I feel your pain, know that feeling and how horrible it is going through it. Very Happy you arrived safely!!!
Now that you're at your new home, I hope you settle in well to get straight into all that new exciting life to experience!! Also, both the tree and lowrider are dope! Haha
Wow... I relate to what you're saying about sharing similar experiences... E.T. and Elliot all over again! But which is which, who am I and who are you? How can I 'Phone Home' if my heart is where I live? Alas, it is snowing outside so I must trudge through it to get to my therapist... But I am ALIVE, dagnammit!
Starting to really look forward to your poems... Send a raven!
I'm glad you made it to Denver! It sucks that you were sick half the way, but at least you made it.
I was begging the universe by the end of the illness... If I would have missed meeting my new housemate last night I would have had to wait until Tuesday... Yikes!
Hey man, sounds like a tiring but ultimately rewarding trip! Glad you arrived safely and have a good place to stay. Rest up and Steem on :)
The gas station where I parked was at the foot of the famous park, Garden Of The Gods... Before I got sick that was my plan B, LOL! To go hang out in nature and see what wonders I could see... So funny!
Thanks for looking out for me as I ventured! Feel free to drop songs in comments of mine, if you wish! Let's get you more eartime...
Thank you so much! I can imagine that. Food poisoning is NOT fun at all :(
Unfortunately I figured out right after uploading a track today that dsound is having some issues with IPFS... I hope they can sort it out. But right now my latest track is not fully playable... they're working on it... Once it's ok again, I might post something. Thank you again! <3
Quite the adventure. Travel sickness is the worst, I empathize. Glad you got yourself situated though. Best of luck with with the rest of your stay, I'm off to call my mom now.
Soul Turtle!! I thought of you yesterday, as I passed a local business with Turtle in its name... Thanks for keeping the compassion flowing in your corner of the world... You inspire me to get busy with my own!
Marijuana withdrawl? I would have went with bottled spring water when you were feeling nauseous and maybe even some cola syrup if it was real bad.
I had cannabis, but my body wouldn't accept liquids...
Maybe flu then or motion sickness. Bad time to be sick. I probably would have gotten a hotel and said f it. lol
glad you made it safely to your new noble tree home! good luck with them youngins