I've never been into drugs but I know what it's like to be strung out from the road.  Hundreds of miles alone and straight ahead put you into a strange state of mind.   That's where I'm at right now.  My job is great and I wouldn't trade it but days like today sure make it seem like work.  Temperatures of just under a hundred don't help matters much when I'm unloading 50 pound bags of shoes from my van.   I've been trying to lose weight and eat better and that's making it tougher to find food.  I brought a lot of food and a cooler and have been doing the grocery store deal, but once a day I crave hot food and southern Kentucky doesn't have much in the way of vegan or low-impact vegetarian food.   I asked the folks at one of my shops if they knew of any "hippy" restaurants that might have good vegetarian food and they looked at me like I was an alien, sitting behind the wheel of a German space ship.

     I did get to ride the new park in Bowling Green, Kentucky last night and it is pretty awesome.  Three different big bowls and lots of weird street obstacles.  I skated almost as much as I rode and met some cool dudes there as well.  Super fun and the highlight so far.  I've seen some pretty random stuff on this trip as well.  On day one, on a winding country road in Southern Indiana, I had to hit the brakes to avoid a low-flying hawk who was struggling to take off with a rabbit snared in it's talons.  It was pretty wild.  I've seen two too many dogs cruising around on the highways and off ramps as well. I hate that.   One was right before I stopped here to get gas...

Yes, that says possum junction.

Later, I put away a few of these:

I felt like a macho man pounding 7 ounce High Lifes.  Contact from my friends when I'm on the road keeps me sane.  Here's an awesome shot of Benny Baker jumping over his old man, wearing a shirt he tie-dyed himself (future Deliverance contributing artist!).  Kelly's worried the kid might go hippy on him.  

  As much as I'm not a hippy, I have a lot of hippy practices.  I ain't scared of tie-dye either.  There is something liberating about wearing clothes that bother other people.   Born to Lose, baby.

Sean Newton sent me a pic of his new paint job.  Looks tight.

Today is the 30th anniversary of Elvis' death.  I remember it very well.  I was at my friend Brian's house, riding bikes on the litttle practice track we had recently built.  My other buddy Larry had gone home for dinner and came back to ride more.  He had big news.  His uncle Steve had crashed his motorcycle and Elvis had died.  I was an Elvis fan as a kid.  My mom let me order an Elvis double record set from a TV ad (the only thing I ever ordered from a TV ad, even to this day).  It took a long time to arrive at my house (we probably had to mail them a check or something), but when it showed up, I was stoked.  I remember sitting at the kitchen table, by myself, listening to my new Elvis record on a little portable record player and singing along.   Good times.  I was pretty bummed when I found out that Elvis had died and remember being surprised that Elvis had died and my real hero, Evel Knievel, was still alive (and still is!).  

    August 15th these days means something more to me.  It's my beautiful wife Gail's birthday.  Happy  birthday to the person who means more to me than anything in the world.   I told you being on the road this week was a tough one....