Tuesday, September 10, 2013
I traveled east to North Carolina.
On the airplanes I recollected when it was fun to fly, way back when, back when it wasn't an over-sized bus.
Vest and tie.
I walked to the cell phone pick-up lot and Forrest and Travis were waiting and I was so excited to see them. Soon we were heading south to Georgia.
Friends of Travis and Forrest stayed in the tent next door and were very nice to chat with.
Forrest.
Large billboards promoted religious messages.
Leaves,
It was still hot and moist and I was drenched.
I told him I had never had such a handsome barber.
On the airplanes I recollected when it was fun to fly, way back when, back when it wasn't an over-sized bus.
Flying.
I dressed up. I only carry a carry-on, so I put on my bulkiest clothing. I sit back and watch as everyone's IQ drops by 20 points once they arrive at the airport.
I walked to the cell phone pick-up lot and Forrest and Travis were waiting and I was so excited to see them. Soon we were heading south to Georgia.
Travis.
We were going to a gay campground, The River's Edge, for a couple of days. It was a magical place with lots of mosquitos and gay men. I felt socially awkward because I had never been to a gay campground before.
Forrest slept in.
At the pool, I wasn't supposed to take pictures, which I was not aware of until the second day. I drank drinks and played a couple of games of pool volleyball. There was a cute redhead DJ, lots of fruity drinks, and people just having a good time.
Travis and his kitty shirt.
For various reasons I felt socially awkward. On Saturday night I donned glow sticks and we wandered around visiting folks.
Glowing.
This proved to be a theme for the entire trip- wandering around in the woods at night.
Travis showing me his guns.
Justin and Casey.
We rarely wore shirts because it was so humid, the moment you put one on it became covered in sweat. An unfortunate side picture and poor posture revealed that I really need to stop eating cookies.
Unfortunate.
I conked out early and lay in the tent making pretty pictures with the glow stick.
Pretty.
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On Sunday we headed back to North Carolina. It was a long trip but we had fun talking and looking out the windows.
Large billboards promoted religious messages.
One of many.
Forrest and Travis live on the grounds of a former boarding school. It would be a great setting for a horror movie, but was also so pretty.
Boarding school building.
On Monday Travis had to work so Forrest and I drove to Boone for lunch. On Tuesday, they both worked so I read a couple of books and got lost in the woods looking for the cemetery.
Pretty flowers.
That night we went on a hike and I took many pictures looking upward.
It was still hot and moist and I was drenched.
Forrest and Travis.
The following morning was awful. A good friend of Forrest died in a motorcycle accident on Tuesday. I met Carl twice, we went to the the Avett Brother's concert in 2009 and when I was in NC in 2011 he was there as well. What can you say or do when someone young and full of life dies?
Travis and I went to the ABC liquor store and I bought an expensive bottle of tequila and we drank many shots "to friends." And headed out to walk in the woods.
Sparkler.
Hiking and drinking and talking. Colin, who lives next door to Forrest and Travis, was with us and I got to know him well over the course of a week.
The guys.
I had an alcohol-fueled meltdown and Forrest listened to me. Afterward we climbed through a culvert.
1:30 AM
Travis and I stumbled back home and on the way I had another melt down. A lot of things that have happened over the last couple of months tumbled out of my mouth and so on.
The next day Forrest and I drove to Asheville to meet up with Matt. We went to a really good Indian food restaurant.
Matt and Forrest.
Afterward we wandered around Asheville, described by one Republican politician as a "cesspool" because it is a fairly progressive, liberal, and hipster place. The downtown is almost all small businesses, little evidence for the big box garbage that dominates and humiliates our cities.
The next morning we wandered around looking for coffee and food. Then we drove back to North Carolina. A lot of music was played on the porch.
Matt says I am not tone deaf.
As the light faded the solar lights came on.
Dark.
I made mashed taters, cheesy cauliflower, a mozzarella-basil-heirloom tomato salad and then a lemon meringue pie. The food was good.
The company was better.
A fourth night hike, I came back and went to bed and the next morning decided I needed a haircut. Matt played the part of a barber.
Before.
After.
And then all vacations have to end and Forrest drove me to Charlotte and we had supper at Miguel's near the airport. And then it was time to say good bye to my best friend and climb aboard the aluminum tube and return to life in Tucson.
So long.
