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December 18, 2019

Into the Great Wide Open

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I can't describe my trip yesterday from Twin Falls, ID to Tonopah, NV...I just can't.

I'm a lucky man that I've seen many things in my life that words, photos, and even video just can't do justice. On that list is Crater Lake in Oregon, The Grand Place in Brussels, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul...and now the drive south on 93 from Twin Falls to Tonopah.

I will throw some words out that give some ideas on parts of the experience, but it's not the experience. Just as the Tao tells us that talking about life isn't living it. I can try to explain the vastness of the open space, lightly covered with snow, sagebrush popping through for MILES on either side of me, only stopped by the mountains WAY off in the distance. The blue sky, white clouds above me. The mostly perfectly straight runway of pavement taking me south, splitting the view in two.

I just kept looking at it, my head turning from side to side, and as far ahead as I could see. When I came upon a semi that blocked my view, I mustered the courage to pass on a two-lane road in an old Rambler sporting only six cylinders. It was worth the risk to be out in front, to see it all.

There was a mystical moment for me as I was in an incredibly vast area and Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open" came on. It was PERFECT. So perfect, I played the song four more times. PERFECT I tell you, with the view, the tunes, a cigar, water, a half tank of gas, some meat sticks, and no cell service...like, what else is there?

As I drove the thought of creationism vs. Big Bang theory popped into my head. My answer to that is that I don't care. All I cared about in that moment is that this IS. That mountain IS and that field IS and that snow IS and I AM and we ARE. Why and how is for another day, perhaps. For today, it was about the IS.

Want truth? What I've seen on this trip is true. It exists. There's no debate. I can drive it again and it's there. It will probably be there long after I'm gone. How it got there is theory.

So tomorrow I strike out again on Kooky's Road Trip, heading from Phoenix north to Route 66 and head east to make my way home. I'm going to soak in every mile and LIVE life more than TALKING about it.

Author

Russell Viers

I'm just a guy who finds the world an interesting place and likes to capture certain moments with a camera. They aren't for sale, or anything. I just like them. Well, usually. I've taken a lot of photos I don't like, as well.

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