Change of plans, Four Corners was closed for remodeling. Bummer. It still didn’t stop us from taking pictures of the disappointment.

During the travels we stopped at several trading posts because I wanted a turquoise ring, a Navajo turquoise ring made in the 40’s. I had on my first cross country trip found a beautiful turquoise ring at an antiques shop in Salt Lake City. I wore this ring constantly and it was referred to as my “Elizabeth Taylor” ring by the Boss Lady herself, Chi Chi LaRue. I loved this ring and on cross country trip #4 my truck was broken into when I reached San Francisco from Ohio. Bummer. I’m still not over it.

The posts were a waste of time. They all carried the same generic crap that the tourists devour. I wasn’t going to find my treasure at a trading post, I needed an antique shop. When I woke up in Cortez, CO and noticed the flyers advertising some right down the street from a local coffee shop I began to feel it calling to me. When I got a kick-ass cup of coffee I felt like this would be my time. It wasn’t. There was no antique shop, just a “For Rent” sign. Bummer.

We drove right to Durango, CO and I noticed an antique shop. We stopped in this cool little town got PD and walked over. I asked the woman promptly for the section where the Navajo rings were, preferably 40’s. There were none and when I started to walk out she told me to take a look in the back. There he was, all alone in a case, begging to be noticed. It was exactly what I wanted and for $20? This was God.

The rest of the day took us through the Rockies to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. I wrote this while in Glenwood Springs watching “The Shining”.

I’m so happy I got the ring.

We had an early start in Needles, CA where I had terrible luck getting a decent cup of coffee. I finally found one… in Kingman, AZ. The girl who sold me my crack asked almost immediately where I was from.

The goal today was to cruise to Monument Valley and Valley of the Gods in Utah. It was drier than an 85-year-old pussy and I couldn’t apply the Burt’s Bees fast enough for the drive east.

Any fans of Warner Bros cartoons will understand that I had my eye out for the Roadrunner all day long.

PD’s obedience and completely relaxed attitude was amazing; whenever we got out to take pictures he would stick close by and never goof off.

Cortez, CO was our final destination. It’s relatively close to Durango and The 4 Corners which is where we start day three.

Thanks again Will for being so fucking rude thus enabling me to re-establish my blog.

I’ve been in NYC since the 17th and in the last few days Spring has sprung and has me longing for the seasonal bliss one encounters after a long, annoying desolate Eastern winter (had I been in the desolate Eastern winter).

Last night I had the privilege to hang out with my boys from Rufskin who were throwing a party at G Lounge in NYC’s Chelsea gay-bor-hood. It’s what these guys are about that I hope myself to be someday soon: they are unaffected, creative, successful, chill, sweet and generous. Since I’ve been away I’ve stuck to my standard meals at their standard times. This is included but not limited to:

1. Egg and cheese on an authentic NYC whole wheat bagel, an apple and Starbuck’s coffee.*
2. Tuna salad wrap and a cookie
3. protein bar
4. copious amounts of dark beer, Jack Daniels and pizza.

*There is nowhere else that I have had a bagel like the ones on NYC’s Upper West Side. They are truly unmatched in texture and density. I heart NY bagels!

Of the many times I have visited the Pacific Northwest I had never ventured out into the surrounding countryside. That sort of exploring is not easy to achieve when you’re flown in for a seedy, late-night dance gig and whisked away right afterward. From previous visits to Seattle and Portland I knew both cities have a green attitude and encourage bicycle travel, which I have come to miss lately in my mobile world. This time my visit was focused on experiencing the real Seattle with my tour guide Sam.

As you may have guessed because it’s so damn obvious – I loved Seattle and it could be one of my new favorite all around cities. There was water everywhere you looked and the best part of it was that you could, at any place really, pull over, get the dog and go for a swim, hike or just sit there and wonder why you didn’t live there.

Every single time I’ve been to Seattle or Portland the weather was sun-shiny gorgeous – even in winter. Then someone informed me that non-sunny days far outnumber the sunny ones, that moist is the word du jour and I couldn’t count on my freakish luck to provide fair weather as a resident. Crap.

Here are some lovely photos I took with my phone.

We finished this video a while back and then forgot to post it. I had a great time in Fort Lauderdale with Miss Chi Chi LaRue. See for yourself.