A Special Message From Sedona

Dear Friends, Family, and Dedicated Readers,

This is the final blog post of The Littlest Fusco as my time in Sedona has given me new insight and clear direction for my life. I have consulted with my new found team of spiritual advisors, shamen, healers, and a couple of lesbians that seem to know a lot about crystals. Their consensus is that I sell the Audi (sorry Lance), my ipod, my Mac, and liquidate the rest of my holdings so that I can acquire the appropriate teachings (and respective crystals and vortex visits) to find inner peace and the spiritual energy to face the world and the many other dimensions in which our energy exists.



My attempt at living a secular life with all the comforts that Toronto could provide was, from what they tell me, a horribly mistaken path. My education and good Catholic upbringing, according to them, didn't prepare me for how the universe really works. I have also given them power of attorney as they made it seem like a reasonable request. I'm off for my robe fitting and some meditation, so I'll see you all on the next level.

Farewell,

Matthew

Day 24 - The Grand Canyon

Days on the road: 24.
Miles today: 0 - as someone else drove.
Miles to date: 5289.

Sedona's proximity to the Grand Canyon, made it a prefect jumping off point for a few days. Since I had racked up a chunk of mileage, I decided to take a bit of a break from the road and I traded the driver's seat in the little blue Audi for a captain's chair in the Pink Jeep Tours fancy pants tour vehicle:


Our tour guide took me and my 8 newest pals (from Tokyo, San Diego, Boston, and 2 locals) up through Flagstaff and to the South Rim of the canyon. Our guide chatted relentlessly, but proved informative and fairly non-threatening. It would be obvious to speak of the vastness of the canyon, but the most striking or humanizing aspect of my visit was the utter lack of depth perception / scale interpretation when looking over the rim and down at the Colorado river. A bridge 400 feet in length appears as but a speck. Trees of 100 feet in height look like mere saplings. Way points that look like an easy hike end up taking a full day to get to.


The lure of water / gold / farmland / mineral riches has proven just too tempting to too many civilizations. That this place has become an attraction is perhaps indicative of how little influence and control over this world we really have. Our hiking trails, mule paths, and visitor's centres are and will continue to be a mere temporary blight on this place as time tics on.

Day 23 - Tombstone to Sedona, AZ

Days on the road: 23.
Miles today: 312.
Miles to date: 5289.

My day started off with a border patrol check as I was leaving Tombstone. A few miles up the road was a WWII-esque checkpoint with spot lights, a small hut, and many border patrol SUVs. I slowed the little blue Audi as mandated by much signage and pulled to a stop beside the guard hut. The Border Patrol Agent recognized immediately that I was "Whitey/The Man" and wished me a good day without even asking to see my papers or search my vehicle. I just don't see what these "illegals" are complaining about, it was a perfectly pleasant run-in with Johnny Law.

Speaking of Johnny Law, the Tucson-Phoenix corridor is chock-a-block with highway patrol rollers and when combined with the blue-hair/AARP crowd, you can imagine that my pace was rather slower than average. When compared to the open Texas roads and generous limits, my leisurely drive through Arizona was positively parade-like.

Once North of Phoenix, the drive turned into another winner as I climbed into the mountains and started to glimpse the oh-so-red rock:


As many of you know, May 5th is Cinco de Mayo, an important day for my people. And to celebrate Cinco de Fusco, I spent the afternoon lounging by the pool and later found really good sushi in the middle of the desert. Perhaps not the most logical of moves, but it paid off in freshness, vegetables, and fish. I'm quite sure it will combat some of the damage done in Texas.

Sedona is nicknamed "Slow-down-a", so I thought I should ease into a more relaxed pace and some more pool lounging is in the cards. I'm also seriously considering listening to the Sedonians that want to tell me all about the crystals and their healing powers....

Day 22 - Santa Fe, NM to Tombstone, AZ

Days on the road: 22.
Miles today: 496.
Miles to date: 4977.


So I'm running out of ways to describe the vast expanse that is the American Southwest. Although I would classify myself as a rather urban fellow and lover of cities, I'm starting to see some appeal in the solitude offered by these lands. Today's long run took me through some more spectacular scenery and ultimately put me very close to the Mexican border in the least immigrant friendly state in the land. I'm hoping that Arizona authorities are only profiling Mexican aliens and that I don't become the lone Canadian example of this new legislation.


Today saw me blast through the Magdalena mountains, glimpse the Very Large Array Telescope (Americans are so literal) which appears to be some elaborate way to get really good TV reception, cross the continental divide, catch 4 disguised Audi sedans undergoing desert testing, cruise through Apache National Forest, cross into Arizona, and finally make it into Tombstone, AZ.


The highlight of the day occurred whilst I was barreling through Old Horse Springs, NM. Everyone, and I mean everyone - drivers coming the other way, old man leaning against a fence, pedestrians, and mechanic at work - insisted at waving to me in a most friendly way. I got so caught up in the feeling of community, I even waved back.

Tombstone seems to be filled with wannabe cowboys that rank lower on the evolutionary scale than rednecks. I was hoping for a little more from this place so famous that Val Kilmer played Doc Holliday in a cinematic tribute. Sadly, it feels rather a cartoonish shell that doesn't much appeal to me. Perhaps I'm just a little crusty from the long day at the wheel, but I'm underwhelmed. There is history here, it just doesn't fell as though it has been treated with respect. Think more Lundy's Lane than the Smithsonian.

Day 21 - Santa Fe & Los Alamos

Days on the road: 21.
Miles today: 85.
Miles to date: 4481.


I woke early to find yesterday's awful weather long gone and the sun shining and the temperature rising. It made for good roaming weather, so I headed into the historic area of Santa Fe to check out the sites, architecture, and to attempt to learn a little. Let me say this: I have had my fill of turquoise jewelry, dream catchers and South Western art involving bucking broncos, deer, or the lonely existence of the cowboy. The only gallery that enticed me beyond a glance through the window and inside was a pop art gallery that seemed to be one of a kind. Some interesting stuff, and a friendly owner that shared my distaste (without any prompting from me) for the usual Southwest art.


And with all due respect to the city planners, the Santa Fe Pueblo Revival style has been taken too far when your IHOPs, McDonalds, and Home Depots must adopt it. At first, it was enchanting (just as their state motto says), but it started to wear on me by hour 32.


I did rather enjoy this fishy installation:



And I seem to be a sucker for repeated patterns:


After my fill of the historic area and the greater Santa Fe area, I took a S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G drive to Los Alamos to learn about the bomb - err...I mean the great innovations that these brave Americans made to stop the war. The top was down, the sun was shining, the views were spectacular, and I got to cross the Rio Grande.


Main drag of Los Alamos:

Nuclear Powered Buses???:
New state tomorrow...

Day 20 - Roswell to Santa Fe, NM

Days on the road: 20.
Miles today: 216.
Miles to date: 4396.


In my rush to get out of Roswell, I elected to jump on the highway without filling up. This added a rather unexpected element of drama to my Sunday morning as my fuel warning light went on about 25 miles outside of Roswell. I didn't expect this to be an issue as opportunities to stop for fuel had been plentiful to this point in my motoring adventure. Worryingly, my fuel range indicator started to drop faster than the miles it indicated were being covered. Then I saw the sign to the next town, Vaughan, at 58 miles away. The numbers didn't add up and it wasn't my lips that were puckered as I surrendered to the idea that I would be on the side of the road and out of gas. The range indicator ticked down from 35 miles to 25, skipped 20 and landed on 15 (that was concerning), fell to 10 and then settled on 0. Important background - this same range indicator left me stranded once in Toronto when registering 25 miles to empty.

While I was somewhat secure in the knowledge that my CAA membership would be honoured and provide relief, I now started to worry about whether there would be cell phone coverage in the middle of literally nowhere. My mobile phone was in the trunk and I didn't want to stop to get it out to check for coverage. The thought of American wireless provider TV commercials started to go through my mind and their images of what parts of the country they cover - I couldn't remember if I was in anybody's zone. I slowed my pace and continued the long uphill climb towards Santa Fe (elevation 7,000 ft), and the little blue Audi proved to be a most economical vehicle. I made Vaughan on fumes and pulled joyfully into the Conoco station. I mentioned to the clerk that I didn't think I was going to make it and he remarked, "That happens about 4 or 5 times a day. They should really put a "last gas" sign on the way out of Roswell".

They joy of making it to the gas station and refilling was the highlight of the morning and the best part of New Mexico to date. And this little mis-adventure has proven that my concerns about the Audi making it are completely unwarranted and that the weak link in the equation is the flesh and bones making the decisions (good and bad) behind the wheel. Unfortunately, the weather has forced me inside as the winds are very gusty and I've seen rain, hail, snow, and sunshine since pulling into Santa Fe. If things clear up a bit I'll get out and explore, but the 2nd best thing I've experienced in New Mexico is the movie Robocop dubbed into Spanish on the TV in my hotel room. Gripping and muy dramatico.

Day 19 - Ft. Davis, TX to Roswell, NM.

Days on the road: 19.
Miles today: 334.
Miles to date: 4180.


The morning started off chilly and wet and things cooled further as I headed North on the Texas Mountain Trail only to be faced with snow, yes snow, as I climbed into the mountains. Thankfully, things started to warm a bit and the white stuff cleared and I was fully able to capitalize on the generous Texas speed limits (80 mph).

Traffic on my non-interstate route was very thin with great gobs of time passing between seeing other vehicles:



But there was always something to look at out the windows - I believe this is the Sierra Diablo range:


As I swept towards Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I conveniently gained an hour by crossing into the Mountain Time Zone. My route also passed the Carlsbad Caverns, but seeing as the whole nature thing really doesn't do it for me, I played the foul weather card and kept motoring.

As I approached Roswell, I noticed the angular spikes of airplane tail pieces interrupt the horizon. I jumped off the highway and headed toward what I would soon learn is the Roswell International Air Center - a storage area for unwanted commercial aircraft located adjacent to the New Mexico Air Guard. Unfortunately, no tours on the weekend, but the proximity of the airport access roads allowed a good viewpoint to take a look at a great deal of aircraft types from airlines from all over the world.

Roswell's Main Street is littered with UFO museums and tourists traps. Let's just say this place has left me underwhelmed and I shall be heading out early tomorrow to get far, far away from here.