Disconnected

It is painful being so out of touch with the world.
I've spent the last two decades of my life being wired in, and while truth about enzyte this road trip was a welcome break from the high anxiety of serious IT work, I find myself like a junkie entering rehab and wishing desperately for my next fix.

I have no personal computer anymore.
I bought a Toshiba Satellite laptop for the journey back to Houston (another story altogether as to why I never made it there, and yet another one about how I lost it in Oklahoma City) and I miss it dearly.
So it's been library computers and such every so often; which will explain my lack of usual drivel.

My next objective (after paying the rent) is to acquire a laptop and reconnect myself with the world I've missed.

Only then will I fix the brakes on the GoKart*.
Karma works both ways don't ya know.

*Read back to earlier posts. Those freakin' brakes went out in Seymour, Indiana and I've been travelling since then, through 15 states and into/over/and through the Rocky Mountains without those front disk brakes....muhhahahahhah!
Out of my way Grandma!!!

Signing off from the Cache Valley, Utah**
**in which Ella ["The Cutest Dog In The Whole Wide World] now has Popeye the Sailor Man pull-up diapers on and I'm still embarrassed about it...
.
- Laurence Martin

posted by Laurence Martin @ 6:47 PM
2 comments

Tuesday, October 28
UFO's and Cattle Mutilations and Halloween

Hello to all the 2.37 readers out there...
To the folks that are looking for aliens via the title - I'm sorry but inconclusive evidence abounds.
That, and the fact that this dude (who shall remain nameless, although his name was Bob Johnson BTW) said if I told anyone of black helicopters and such, I would be in big trouble.

I personally think it was just a bunch of hot-dogging helo pilots having fun flying and buzzing up and down the canyons, but one never knows. Especially when their passengers are wearing tin-foil hats and pocket protectors and carrying Superman lunchboxes.

On another note, I'm settling in nicely here in Logan, Utah. I'm no longer camping in a tent up in the mountains thank God. On the other hand, employment opportunities here suck in my field. I'm working through a temp agency for $8.50/hour and I'm about ready to move to greener fields.
Imagine working an assembly line that makes famous-maker treadmills (think Nordic) screwing in plastic tracks and tension parts, and working 12 hour days for eight bucks an hour, and then you will realize why I haven't posted anything for awhile.

On the other hand, my back yard contains the Wasatch National Forest within walking distance, and my front yard view looks over the Cache Valley with the mountains in the east that give birth to the Rocky Mountains. I take Ella ("The Cutest Dog in the Whole Wide World") and myself out for walks and we both love the scenery. Ella especially loves the horse poop that abounds, it must be quite tasty to her. Everyone here seems to have a horse pasture adjoining their property which is cool. Ella still doesn't know quite what to do with these equestriennes, but she wags her tail at them all the same.

I must mention that Ella has come of age and has gone into heat. I was told that female dogs will have "periods" as human females do, but little did I know the extent of it. We've resorted to buying her Pampers Pull-ups to keep her from laying a trail of blood all over.
So if you see me walking a white Alaskan Husky down the road somewhere in Utah with diapers on, you'll know that's me. Just wave "Hi" and laugh later please. It's embarrassing enough.

Signing off for now and wish me luck,
- Laurence (walking the "Diaper Dog") Martin

posted by Laurence Martin @ 4:24 PM
0 comments

Thursday, October 16
Still Alive

Well, I didn't freeze to death as most of you hoped for. I'm still alive and kicking here in Utah.
Good news! We found a basement apartment in the nick of time: The next day we awoke to sub-freezing temperatures and about 3 inches of snow. We are now settled in, have a TV and a couch, grub, and even some toilet paper!
[Cue theme song: "Movin' On Up!".]

I even got anti-freeze into the GoKart and new wiper blades to boot; and get this...
A full tank of gas!
Wow, I feel so blessed.

When I have more time I will fill in the details, I'm off to get an Official Burger King Double Meat Whopper and an ice-cold Coca-Cola.

Signing off from the Cache Valley, Utah
Laurence Martin

posted by Laurence Martin @ 4:41 PM
4 comments

Wednesday, October 8
Brrr...Damn It's Cold Here

What can I say?
To someone used to the Gulf Coast of Texas, the fall weather here is...
is...
Freakin' cold at night!
Low 30's lately. In a tent. In the Cache Mountains.

Update for those 2.37 readers out there:
We are both working through a staffing agency at the moment to get some cash flow going.
We found an apartment for $400 per month, takes our dogs, and didn't want a deposit.
Prayers do come true.
Our first paycheck is a small one. Less than $300, so we are going to see if he will hold the apartment for $200 for one week until out next paycheck comes in.
If so, that means one more week of camping.

Here's the good part about that.
Beginning Thursday night, the weather is changing dramatically.
Strong canyon winds, 30-60% chance of rain Thursday and Friday night with rain changing to snow Friday night and temperatures going down to the 20's.
Holy Frozen Nuts, Batman!
I ain't gonna survive that crap. No way.

If you all don't hear from me after this weekend, have them look for my cold, frozen carcass up in Green River Canyon. Just please thaw me out before you bury me please.
Or you can just loan me $200 until next week, and we can get this apartment and be nice and toasty while the wind howls and the snow falls.
I prefer the later and would be grateful for the rest of my life. I might even offer interest on that loan. Considering how the credit industry is in a slump, it might be a safe bet for you.

Well, this library session is almost over, so I must depart. Please send some heat this way, I'm gonna need it.

From the Cache Valley, Utah,
- Laurence Martin

posted by Laurence Martin @ 1:15 PM
2 comments

Wednesday, October 1
Update

Yes, I'm still alive and living in Logan, Utah.
We are camping for free in the National Forest and work through a staffing agency, trying to save enough to get a place to live. The pay sucks but what ya' gonna do.

We got another dog (yeah I know). Her name is Luci Lou and she's a Sheepdog/Pit mix and about 8 weeks old. Ella Belle love here and they have turned out to be great playmates. They are inseparable, and Ella looks out for her all the time. Ella does have a bad habit of sneaking off with her toys and dog treats however.

Logan isn't a bad city, we like it here. But we are so sick of camping and having to travel 10 miles to a state park to shower. Plus it's starting to get cold here: upper 30's/lower 40's at night.
Hopefully with both of us working we can get into something in a week. It would be easier if we knew someone here to direct us to cheap housing, plus we have a strike against us because of the dogs.
But we will prevail as we always have done.
Well, my library session is over.

CIAO,
Laurence Martin
Logan, Utah

posted by Laurence Martin @ 3:34 PM
3 comments

Monday, September 15
Greetings from Logan, Utah

That's where we are right now. Camping in the National Forest by night and looking for work by day.
It's do or die time, and we are bound and determined to stay here. It's beautiful and the people are great.
Wish us luck in our job searches.
More to come later.

- Laurence Martin
Cache Valley Utah

posted by Laurence Martin @ 2:59 PM
0 comments

Friday, September 5
Where are you now?

If you read the comment from my friend about the last post, you 2.37 readers will understand the meaning of this title.
I've been away from all computers since then, but our travels led us back to Ogden Utah.
Brief synopsis: After camping in the Cache Mountain National Forest, we decided to try for Portland, Oregon. Alicia lived there for awhile a few years back and made decent money, so we thought that would be a groovy idea.
She's always wanted to go back and I've never been, so off we went to the Pacific Northwest.
We made it as far a Penndleton, Oregon (about 200 miles away) when stark reality set in.
We wouldn't be able to support ourselves the way we have been on this road-trip.
Oregon doesn't let you pump your own gas.

For that last statement to make sense, you will have to understand how we have been funding ourselves. First off...
No. We don't lie, steal, or cheat.

We use gas stations, truck stops along the interstates and highways and rely on the kindness of strangers.
And there are a lot of kind folks out there. Believe me I know first hand.

We tell the truth...
"We are going to So and So and we don't have enough gas to make it."
"We are trying to get this motel and we need 6 or 8 or 11 dollars more."
And so on.

There have been more times than I can count that people have filled the tank up, given us $20 when we only needed $5, and so on. It's restored my faith in people and I've promised every one of them I will pass their favor on to someone else.

That time has come. The road-trip needs to end as it is no longer fun.
So we returned to Ogden, Utah which we have loved since first arriving here about a month ago.
Alicia has some interviews set up, and I'm trying to find IT work in the area.
We are both basically homeless as we have no permanent address, and I lost my picture ID in Colorado, but we will prevail somehow.

Well my 30 minutes are up at this library session. I will follow up soon, hopefully with some good news