Lost on the way to the End of the World

[backdrifter]

Beautiful, thanks so much! What a great adventure, thanks for bringing us along!

I only asked if anyone has told you that you're crazy because in reading through the ride report, I didn't see anyone else react to some of the activities in the photos! I think if you quickly scanned through the report, you could miss the fact that you are in some very precarious places in some of them. For instance, in the first photo, I just figured you were out on a balcony. And it wasn't until the second time I went through the report that I saw you up on the wires in this photo:



Very cool. I showed my wife and she nearly wet herself. Then this morning she sent me this link and asked if it was my buddy from Advrider:

http://weather.aol.com/2013/01/08/ma...6pLid%3D254532

I told her that coaster doesn't even begin to compare with the things that you climb. Hell, I'D climb the one in the article, and I'm a total panzy!

When and if you pass through the St. Louis area, shoot me a PM. I'll buy you beers in exchange for some stories!

[woodly1069]

Damn dude are you part monkey or something? This is GREAT! Love that you came thru the "Ville" and climbed all over the dormant coasters! Your writing is fantastic and I will be watching! Enjoy the ride

[woodly1069]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that the photos are amazing! Ride on...

[El Explorador]

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

And I'll definitely remember the offer if I end up deciding to come back backdrifter. There's still a ton of cool stuff to see in the States, and there the guards don't use shotguns!

[El Explorador]

The sepia almost-light of cloudy dawn pulls me down from my dreams, but not to the ground.
Carefully, I exit my shelter, remembering my lullaby – Don’t get out of your hammock and die, don’t get out of your hammock and die...

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Yesterday began with a delicious coffee and conversations with perfect strangers on sex and religion, attended by Jason the barista whose name I still remember because you really can’t pay people to be that friendly – they just have to be raised that way. Definitely a New Orleans thing.

Enchanted by the city’s oddball offerings, I roamed down Royal street, letting the window displays draw me into worlds of ancient treasures and immaculately maintained priceless miscellanea. Maybe immaculately maintained is a bit of an overstatement – I saw the owner’s son ignoring his (desperate) caretakers to clamber on a gorgeously crafted pool table and shoot the balls around. The price tag was a mere $137,000.00.

This kid isn’t going to be worrying about paying for college.

My meanderings through art galleries that ranged from Dali and Dr. Seuss to street art and performers were spiced figuratively by a nun in full habit being led away in handcuffs, and literally as well by ghost pepper sauce. I don’t know what the deal was with the nun, but the ghost pepper sauce was my punishment for insinuating to the owner of the Pepper Palace that after trying all his sauces, tasty as they may be, they were rather on the mild side. A crafty smile (from him) and some tears (from me) later, I vowed never to underestimate Western spiciness again.

Nursing my pride and scalded tongue on a lemongrass and coconut popsicle, I wandered around and absorbed the city’s atmosphere.










The streetnames read like poetry – Esplanade, Decatur, Dumaine, Dauphin, Canal, Calliope... Okay, well maybe not Tchoupitoulas (ten points if you can pronounce it right). I found myself at a camera store and met Oswaldo Escudero, whose enthusiasm for my journey and photography seemed to overwhelm even my own. I deferred an invitation to dinner; he loaned me his phone to arrange my rendezvous with the lady who taught me how to identify a genuine Jivaro shrunken head. After the sort of conversation you can only have with other explorers we touristed around, she daintily perched atop the luggage strapped to my motorcycle, illuminating the interesting tidbits you’d expect an anthropologist to know about a city. Eris is the ancient roman god of Chaos.


I learned to ask to hear “St. James Infirmary Blues” if I want to look like I know what I’m doing at a jazz club, explored the empty but not lonely edges of the bayou, and then with the rich songs of the city echoing in my ears I made my way back to Jazzland in the dark for the coup-de-grace.

Headlight unplugged for stealthiness, I failed to notice a log hidden in the grass on my way in and had a lovely time wrestling Lost up and over in the slippery dark. My efforts were rewarded, however, as the swampland’s nocturnal symphony scored our trespass into a remote corner of the park where Lost would rest the night. As for myself, I’d spied on my previous visit a nice little platform near the summit of the rollercoaster. An ideal spot for a kip, and an excellent place from which to survey my kingdom by moonlight.

Of course, once again, things were different at the top.

Without descending for more rope, my hammock only fit swaying over what I estimated to be a good hundred foot drop. Well, double and triple check those knots, and off to sleep reminding myself not to absently wake and roll out into thin air.

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Traffic is light at this bleary hour; I watch the early risers on their morning commute as the wind whistles through the latticework and wooden slats. The highway is far away enough I won’t be easily noticed, but close enough for me to watch the trickle of commuters with steady jobs and stable plans and wonder.

Time to pack up and get back to ground level. I’ve enjoyed my time here immensely; need to pick a better spot. The time to leave has not yet come.

Wandering through the ruins of Jazzland as the rising sun cuts deep shadows and saturates my surroundings, I am spellbound by the mystery and quiet. Artists call this the magic hour for good reason; I spend it treading between broken glass and through overgrown archways.



Eventually I choose new throne from which to rule my adopted domain.



The Ferris wheel provides me the same advantage over any other wannabe kings-of-the-castle the roller coaster did: Inaccessible to all but the most intrepid climbers, it doesn’t offer a route for a stealthy invasion, while providing me with plenty of cover. As an added bonus, it has a handy niche I can stash my backpack and gear in (locked up in the pacsafe just in case, of course). Also, getting there is fun as hell every time.





After a breakfast of boiled rice and veggies spiced with chile de coban and vegetable spice mix, I become acutely aware that it is time to take a shower.
Let’s see what the city can provide for me.

In town I make my way to a Marriott, in full pants and button up shirt to camouflage my scruffiness. There is a Temple convention in town, and the sea of pajama-like uniforms and fez hats makes me feel like I’m infiltrating a (very friendly) cult as I wander through the hotel and eventually find the saltwater pool.

After a few minutes of talking to no-one on a phone that isn’t on, someone comes by and I follow them in through the keycard-access door. I change into my bathing suit, grab a towel and go for a refreshing dip. Surreptitious application of soap stashed in my boardies has me feeling like I can properly integrate into society again in no time, and a quick shave in the bathroom later I’m back on the streets munching on a complimentary granny smith from the gym.

I head to a building with a sort of pillared cupola I spied from the rooftop pool; it appears to contain a bank of sorts. Well don’t I feel lucky to see that not only is the building under construction, but they have left the door wide open and there isn’t a person to be seen around.

I nod and respond aiite and que tal as I wander up past the workers. I’m well dressed and have a big camera; clearly I have some sort of official business that brings me here. At least that’s the story I’m trying to exude as I confidently (but not really) make my way upward, switching from one side of the building to the other as the staircases end or are blocked. It’s a good thing my shirt is black because I am soaked, this staircase is an oven. I make it to the top undisturbed, where a curved ladder leads to the very peak of the cupola. From my perch among the city’s peaks, I watch a parade march through the streets with supreme satisfaction at my life in general.






Somehow I get lost on the way down and end up uncomfortably close to the actual bank, but manage to squeeze out in the middle of the construction site and casually hop the fence back over to the street to mosey on over to the next interesting building. The alarm system defeats me this time, but I’m still tickled by how as I just stand there thinking of how to finagle my way in, a fellow who’d been standing in the street swipes his card and ushers me in.

I grab some drinks with Eris, my friend from the previous night, and promise to take her for a photo shoot in Jazzland if she lets me record some of her singing. Eventually it’s time for all good couchsurfers to go to the park, and I clamber to my perch overflowing with contentment, savouring the fresh memories of the day’s adventures.

Just as it has been every day since I began this voyage, today was the best day of my life.

And tomorrow is going to be even better.

[woodly1069]

Damn dude you really should write a book!

[WhorehayTheBarbarian]

Absolutelly fantastic pictures and report.

I hope the loss of your gadgets doesnt set back your trip too far. A real adventure you are on and we are looking foreward to more updates.

[_cy_]

nice pic's .. very different

[El Explorador]

Thanks dudes!

No worries Barbarian, losing my tech only slowed down the writing and the photography. In the end, I just work on that for posterity. The adventure continues strong - I made it all the way to Guatemala so far! Yeah, I know, Guatemala in 5 months isn't exactly great progress but I'm going for quality not quantity.

[backdrifter]

Just amazing. I'm in for the long haul on this one. Speaking of... If you're all the way in Guatemala now, then you owe us quite a few updates since your report still shows you in New Orleans!

I remember reading on the first page that you chose a hammock over a tent, but it hadn't donned on me why that was until your last update. Is that your standard operating procedure - try to find a safe high spot to call home for the night?

Keep it up, I'm starting to feel addicted!

[WhorehayTheBarbarian]

Originally Posted by El Explorador

Thanks dudes!

No worries Barbarian, losing my tech only slowed down the writing and the photography. In the end, I just work on that for posterity. The adventure continues strong - I made it all the way to Guatemala so far! Yeah, I know, Guatemala in 5 months isn't exactly great progress but I'm going for quality not quantity.

5 months sounds just about right if you ask me... Why be in a hurry? You may miss something or someone...

[RhinoVonHawkrider]

This is Fcuking epic.

And yes U need to post more, would once a week kill ya, I'm all

Feliz 2013 - Stay Safe

[MiguelVR]

Brilliant! Your report is magnificent as well as your climbing abilties.
Thanks for the link to your flickr account. Excellent pics, but without your writing they are incomplete.
Ride and climb safe.

[0theories]

I don't read too many reports while on the road, bu I can make an exception

Get into some hostels an start writing using their gear!

[El Explorador]

You're too kind!

At grannies in Guatemala City at the moment so I've had plenty of time to write. Just a lil photo editing to do and I should have posts banked for a while. The adventure has been gnarly.