Over the weekend, Sonoma County

I spent the last two days amid incredible natural beauty of Sonoma County with my friend Scott. Saturday morning we drove across the Golden Gate and up the 101 to Guerneville, a very friendly resort town on the Russian River.

The first image is from a hike through Armstrong State Park. Before trekking off into the woods, Scott and I had a couple sandwiches from the Safeway deli back in Guerneville. We also opened a bag of Tuscan Three Cheese Kettle chips, the latest of my new favorite flavors, as I've been making my way through the entire line of ridiculously yummy gourmet potato chips. It's up there with the Spicy Thai and Honey Dijon. I would've taken more pics in the woods, but my camera was not dealing well with the low-light under the thick Redwood canopy. Also, it was a rather relaxing walk that became more about contemplating and experiencing the natural beauty around us, rather than trying to capture images of it; most of the time Scott and I didn't really talk, but every now and then would make a comment about this or that tree or view we saw or sound we heard. The space of the forest had a very solemn effect, and encouraged the sort of introspective, whispered conversation appropriate to a cathedral.

The next day we drove back from Guerneville along the coast, pulling off at one of many amazing vistas of the Pacific Ocean; I can't quite remember the name, but I feel like it was something about a schoolhouse. Anyway, I snapped a few more photos before my camera went dead, including that last one of Scott wearing a fleece and looking out to sea which to me is very Nautica.

So long Big Easy

Okay, so I made the move. After a four-day journey through the American Southwest, I've finally arrived in my new hometown. I got into SF last night around 11:30, only to realize that I had no idea how to get to Dominic's place in the Haight. After a few abortive attempts, I ended up near the Castro, and was able to navigate over a few hills and find the right neighborhood.

I ended up parking over night on Haight Street, and got up early this morning to move my car-the first in probably many times I will have to do this until I find an apartment that has parking. Today I am going to be running around, sorting out various moving requirements, but hopefully later on I'll post pictures from my trip, as well as some of the things I encounter over the next few days I adjust to my new surroundings.

The Infamous Suncoast Resort

Late night, drunken desperation in downtown St. Pete drove us to stop in at the bizarre Suncoast Resort--a one-stop, gay mega-mulitplex that has a couple bars, a restaurant, a store and plenty of rooms to cruise. Needlesstosay, this is one of the scariest places I've ever been, but hey, it's vacation, and no one knows me around here anyway, right? Fortunately, we all came to our senses and left before there were any regretful moments.

Tuning in from Tokyo

This is my friend Carl. Here, he is sitting on the subway. I am not sure where he is going, but he is somewhere in Japan, most likely Tokyo. He has been living there for the past two years, but won't be for too much longer.

In a few weeks, he will be returning to the US, whereupon we will embark on another (for we've had so many) adventure--beginning in the bowels of that Sodom known as the Big Apple, we will make our way southward through Our Nation's Capital, followed by brief stops in various tidewater burgs, and a slightly longer stop in Tampa to pick up a couple more friends (Rich & James, and they are a couple), until finally we break on through to the sunshine and white sands of the greater Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. It is here, among the suntanned natives, that we will ring in the New Year, and most likely get completely shitcan'd.

Foggy heads (mostly) cleared, we will back to the road on New Year's Day for Tampa. A few more days relaxing at the beach, then we will say good-bye to our friends and return to my home city, that Gomorrah known as the Big Easy. Bourbon Street will be assaulted anew. Memories and lovers will be made and forgotten, and finally, after the final Hurricane, Hand Grenade, or Huge Ass Beer, Carl will fly back to DC, leaving my home far cleaner than he found it, and me, alone to contemplate how INSANE things get when me and this guy get together. I can't wait!