Mini Road Trip

This morning I packed a bag,
grabbed the cue case,
and headed north.

Perfectly timed it to avoid the worst of the traffic
and slipped thru LaLaLand like poop thru a goose.
Onward, non-stop thru Santa Barbara,
a brief glimpse of the Pacific at Ventura,
and quick pit-stop/refuel at the Solvang turnoff,
pressing onward, ever onward
for the great central coast of California
where the road almost disappears
to only one lane in each direction,
and then gets even more narrow,
twisting impossibly into mountain/sea switchbacks.

Past the tiny town of Harmony, population 18.
Past San Simeon, where the
richest man of his time
built a castle beyond imagining.
He could have built it anywhere in the world,
and he chose here, south of Big Sur.

And here is one of my favorite places on earth.
Ragged Point.
My room is just a few feet from the edge of the cliff,
dropping 200' to the sea and the rocks,
and oblivion.

I have flown this coast many times
in my open cockpit biplane.
This place always brings a deep breath,
an easy smile, an open spirit, and peace.
Stress simply evaporates.

There are no phones in the rooms here.
But there is a wireless internet connection.
Go figure.

The first order of business is yoga.
Six hours of high speed driving
demands bodily dekinkification.

Then walk the cliff,
soak up the sunset.

Tonight I'll have a good meal,
meditate on the challenge ahead,
get plenty of sleep, to the sounds of the surf,
then a good breakfast,
and continue north,
for the tournament of the year.

I have prepared well.

Life is good.

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