VIVA ZAPATA. UPON ENTERING PHOENIX, I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH GANG TERRITORY BECAUSE I WAS WEARING THE RIGHT COLORS. LAUREN WAS ALL WORRIED THAT I WAS BECOMING A BIT CRISPY FROM SO MANY HOURS IN THE SUN. THIS IS HOW I LOOK MOVING DOWN THE ROAD. I AM SMILING. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN TUCSON AND PHOENIX, MY SUNBLOCK CHAPSTICK HAD ALL THE MOISTURE SUCKED OUT OF IT, SO WHEN I WENT TO USE IT, IT TURNED INTO LARGE CHUNKS OF DRY CRAP.




ABOUT 58 MILES OUT OF PHOENIX, I ENCOUNTERED MY FIRST SAGUARO CACTUS. THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST.


SOON, EVEN MORE OF THE SAGUARO COULD BE SEEN ON THE HILL SIDES.


SAGUARO IS A SPANISH WORD, FIRST USED BY DE SOTO IN THE NEW WORLD TO DESCRIBE THESE
PLANTS OF THE CACTUS FAMILY. SAGUARO LITTERALY MEANS FRENCH SURRENDER, SO THIS ONE
GAVE HIMSELF UP TO ME, AND I AM ONLY A MOTORCYCLE GUY. HUNDREDS COULD BE SEEN IN THE
HILLS AROUND PHOENIX SURRENDERING, ALWAYS SURRENDERING.



THIS VIEW FROM SOUTH MOUNTAIN GIVES A SPECTACULAR VISTA OF THE PHOENIX AREA.


CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN CAN BE SEEN IN THE FAR DISTANCE OUT  NEAR SCOTTSDALE, WHERE MY NIECE DANA LIVES. IF YOU SQUINT REAL HARD, YOU STILL CAN'T SEE HER. CAMELBACK IS CALLED THAT BECAUSE OF THE FACT
THAT IT RESEMBLES A TWO HUMPED DROMEDARY.


MY COUSIN TIM HAS BEEN TAKING MANDOLIN LESSONS FROM CHRIS STRONE, PICTURED HERE, PERFORMING AT T
THE COFFEE PLANTATION. NOTE THE ARRAY OF INSTRUMENTS. BY DIGITALLY LOOPING VARIOUS CHORDS AND
ACCOMPANIMENT ON THESE INSTRUMENTS, HE CAN ACTUALLY BUILD A VERY FULL SOUNDING BAND AROUND HIS
SOLO PERFORMANCE. WE WENT TO THIS PERFORMANCE ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 14, IN PHOENIX


THIS IS AN INTERESTING COLLECTION OF INSTRUMENTS, RARELY, IF EVER HEARD TOGETHER. I AM PLAYING
DJEMBE AN AFRICAN HAND DRUM, CHRIS IS PLAYING BASS GUITAR, AND ON THE RIGHT OF THE PICTURE IS
RAI SINGH, PLAYING DIDJERIDU. THIS MARKS THE FIRST TIME SINCE JUNE 1ST THAT I HAVE PLAYED ANY
PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT.

 

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