Well folks, I've had a strange combination of bad and good luck.
I reached Iowa City only to find that my friend Becky had died a few days before. Her cell still worked but I could only leave a message. I went to a place where she used to work and that's when I heard she had died. So, I'm bummed, walking around town and heading back to my car which I'd parked behind this bar that I used to frequent. When I got back to my car I couldn't find my keys. Even worse, since hearing of my friends death I was walking around in a funk, not paying much attention to where I was walking so retracing my steps was a guess at best and turned up nothing. I decided my next step would be to down a few black russians an share my bad luck with the bar tender. I was on the phone to my wife asking her to Fedex my spare when one of the bar patrons came in an dropped my keys in front of me! After offering to grovel at his feet in thanks, I left the bar and started to head back to my hotel. Took a turn onto a street I knew from years before to see what changes happened after 30 years..... Keep in mind everything was covered in snow and the weather sucked. Anyway I took another turn on what looked like a street only to find....are you ready?....I'd just pulled onto the railroad tracks!!!!and gotten stuck!!! I know what you guys are thinking, what kind of a dolt does that! Ok, it wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done but it really wasn't easy to see they were tracks. I tried to arrange a tow from USAA but since it was Christmas they called the police who had the only tow service open that day, they said the tow would arrive in 15 minutes. While I was on the phone I heard the horn of a train coming down the tracks and thought, this is great, I'm going to be on the next round of the smoking gun worlds dumbest drivers...Fortunately, the train was on a parallel track and the track I was on wasn't used (probably why it was so hard to see). The cop didn't give me any guff and was sympathetic and the tow went as planned but in the process of trying to get off the track I blew the side of my tire out so I had to extend my stay another day to get it fixed....
The drive up to Twin Falls was rather harrowing. I don't mind driving in snow or ice but when a +45mph cross wind is blowing snow across the road to the point it disappears I get a bit perturbed..... I made it to Twin Falls without having to use my snow cables which was good. I didn't relish getting out of my car to put on the cables....
I met up with Hawkmoon that evening. We sat around trading guitar storys for a bit, Hawk was politely impressed with my playing (I could barely make my fingers move after that drive). Today we're going to meet up for lunch and go to shoot some stick (billiards). Tomorrow I'll head out for Walla Walla if the passes permit. |
