It's been almost seven months since I was on a long road trip and some how I don't remember the saddle being so painful. I mean it's awesome to be on the road and I've missed it, but somehow I don't remember the cramping and literal pain in the ass from the last long trip. About four hours into this trip down to California I couldn't sit still. The heel of my driving foot went numb and my butt fluctuated between tingly numbness and no feeling at all. I don’t remember that problem from before, but then maybe it’s like what they say will happen when you work out—your body cramps, aches, and fights everything you want to do to it, but if you keep going eventually your body will give up and everything becomes easy. You push through - or at least I hear that’s what happens. So maybe driving is like that, if you have to keep going you eventually be comfortable..or numb. The second day of driving was much much better, even though it was through the rain and fog.
I made it to Santa Clara, CA on Wed. night where I’m staying for the next week or so (and given that I had no internet, I leave tomorrow). My first day, I didn’t do much because my car got locked in my friend’s garage and I had no access. So I took a walk around the neighborhood, down to Santa Clara University and the old mission and pretended I could blend in and still pass as an undergraduate. I sat outside the student union building in the sun and dutifully edited a section of my book—Fat Chance—like I a final paper I needed to finish. I’m not sure I really fooled anyone, but it was fun to pretend. 
But I am liking the days of writing in the sun. Yesterday, I took myself to Vasona Lake Park in Los Gatos and did some writing in a big grass field by the lake. Here’s proof that I actually did do work on this trip. I spent all day there and am now sporting some rather red legs—sunscreen does work but only when you remember to put it on. I seemed to have missed a few places.
