Communion

This past week in Yuma was rough.

I did get to talk to a friend, that is, I gave a nurse to nurse report on a patient that was being transferred.  I find it interesting how small my community truly is.  I came to Yuma, and met a friend that I worked with before.  I can call another hospital and talk to someone I know.  There is a unseen, not well understood by most, family...

I decided to take an extra day to rest and recuperate before I ventured home.  Woke up with overcast skies, light rain, and cooler temperatures.

My only regret, I did not get to the restaurant and have breakfast at all this trip.  No tortillas, no tocino...

When one is on the road, there are only two people to talk to, oneself and God.  It is truly an amazing experience... just when you think you are talking to yourself, you realize that the answer to your question is totally not your own!

So I leaned, and took an exit.

I stopped at a gas station, used the facilities, and bought a cup of coffee.  Now, this is a special occurrence in and of itself, as I rarely buy coffee.  As I walked out, I noticed a food truck/trailer.

I was hungry, so I asked if they had a breakfast type burrito... Chorizo and eggs?  Found out that this little place had made over 100 burritos this morning, and were all out!  So I settled for two tacos.  It cost me $4.00.  Most importantly, I could have more if I wanted...

As I took my plate, there were two men having there breakfast at a table.  They pulled out a chair and asked me to join them.  I set my plate down and offered to share some salsa that I had, so I went to my bike and retrieved it.

Now the salsa is a whole different story.  Something to share later...

However, we ate, we talked, and we shared.  Tamales and tacos for breakfast!  One of my new acquaintances had three more tacos, I asked for two more...

We spent almost an hour talking, eating, and connecting.  And the extra tacos, didn't cost anything.

As I left, I returned my plate to the window and left a tip.  Maggie, the proprietor was befuddled!  She said she never gets tips!  She actually said, "I feel like a dancer."  I reassured her.  I told her that I bought two tacos for $4.00, had two more, so $8.00 total. 

If you ever find yourself traveling on I-8, and are approaching Welton... pull off, go to the Chevron, and look for Maggie's trailer.  If it's not there, go into the Chevron and ask where she is.  Then go and find her!  When you get there/find her, tell her this:

"I biker told me about your tacos, and he said, 'I should leave a tip'."


Life is to be lived!  Enjoy the experience!  Commune...

A single teardrop...

Over the years, working both as a Paramedic and Nurse, I have seen, experienced, and done a lot.  There are many ups and downs in this chosen field... I guess that is why, after a total of 27 years of doing it, I am still here and committed to continuing in it.

The other night, I cared for a patient that suffered a trauma.  Struck by a car.  Multiple injuries, all life threatening by definition... life ending by experience.

An enormous amount of resources were put into motion to treat and provide care for this patient.  I will not get into the details; however, I am amazed, proud, and appreciative of how well my peers worked together!  Everything that needed to happen, happened.  It was all quick, completed, and done.

As we were returning to the ED from CT...

I noticed a single teardrop fall from my patient's eye.

I caught it with my finger, layed my hand upon there forehead, closed there eyes, and silently prayed...


Peace.

Conservation of inertia...

On Saturday, I braved a cold morning for Arizona!  It was 27 degrees when I awoke... upper 30's when I left, and mid to upper 40's when I arrived at my destination.  Luckily, it broached the 50 degree mark, and I was able to take off my jacket as the day progressed.

I did not ride that day.  I rode in a truck.  So I had the availability of an enclosed space and avoided the windchill effect.  This day, offered me a special opportunity to experience something that few will ever know.  I also tested and proved something for myself.

As a car or truck travels down the road, it for the most part, must stay centered in it's travel lane.  The beauty of a bike, is that each lane, can be split into 3!  So, I can ride to the right, the left, or the center of a single lane.  For the most part, I will ride to the right or left.  There are many factors, yet my ability to see ahead is the primary determinate.

So when I ride to the left in the right lane, and either pass or find myself in the right of the left lane... I tend to stay close to the lane dividing marks.  I look at it as conservation of inertia!  Maintaining forward momentum is easy.  Turning, even a lane shift of a few feet, burns off inertia and ultimately causes loss of momentum.

That explains why it is so hard for people to make changes in there course!

One of the best examples of this is when I take an exit...  I have to make the decision, look, calculate, identify hazards, push, lean, turn, engage the clutch, and slow...  timed right, braking is actually done at the very last few feet!  Then it get's interesting!!!  Right hand braking, ready to throttle up if necessary; right foot braking.  Left hand holding the clutch, ready to release; left foot shifting gears down... ready to step down and steady on the eventual stop.  All at the same time, prepared to just go if necessary!

It gets very busy for a biker when a stop occurs.  I guess that is how others feel, just changing lanes!  For me, changing lanes is easy... it's for the most part all throttle to scoot... occasionally a braking and downshift... however, a lot easier for me to go from 80mph to 90+mph, and swerve through a space that most would gasp at...

So, a little lean.  At 80mph, that means a lane change within 500ft.  A sudden, swerve, and I am there in less than 30ft...  I better get better at looking ahead!

I guess that explains why it is so hard for people to make changes in there course...

It is all about conservation of inertia.

Sea Gulls, friends, and graffiti...

Yesterday, my nap turned into a full blown sleep!  I woke up late in the afternoon and ended up extending my stay for one more night.  This morning I rode home.

It is curious, yet I fully understand.  I had to stay, for if I didn't, today's events never would have happened...

As I rode out of Yuma, I came to a stop at a traffic light.  That is when I saw out of the corner of my eye a bird swoop in for a landing.  As I watched it circle once, then alight next to another bird, I realized it was a Sea Gull.  Two of them, perched together.  They were probably mates, although I could not tell which was which.  It made me think though.  Were they both blown off course, or was one and the other just followed?  I wonder if seeing a Sea Gull in Yuma is uncommon?  If it is, then I was blessed.  If it isn't, then I was still blessed!

I fell in behind two riders on the way home.  They got off the road just a few minutes later.  I had a stop planned that would be 20+ miles out of the way, so I ended up getting off the road myself later, to top off on fuel.  I used this break to attend to a few other things, and the riders I had followed, came in.  We greeted and talked for almost an hour!  They were from Colorado, on a long ride... heading back.

It's amazing that three people, myself a stranger, can come together and because we have a common bond, become friends.  I have always known that if I saw a biker on the side of the road, I would stop to make sure they were alright.  This morning, my experience solidified it!

My stop was a place I have never been to.  Although, I always wanted to.  So I did!  I took an exit and headed in a generally northwesterly direction, to Painted Rock.  I passed the solar energy plant, a cattle farm (not sure if it is for milk or beef), and took a leisurely, fun ride to a petroglyph site.  This road was built for riding!  Curves, dips, and straight a ways!  There is something about leaning, turning, slowing, and accelerating... 

There was a special feeling here.  I was taking pictures with my cellphone, yet I was aware and reverent to the knowledge that these petroglyphs are thousands of years old!

And then there was the graffiti...

It may not be apparent in the pics, yet there is a definite color difference!  One can tell what is new versus what is old.  If you consider late 1800's to 1900's new...

I am saddened that this place has been corrupted.  Although, if I can get this close to take pictures, I sort of understand the attraction.  Luckily, I left no trace... even picked up a stray cigarette butt and disposed of it appropriately!

Thank you!

Over the hump!

Three more rides!  Just six work weeks left...


My laundry is done.  I'm mostly packed.  It's almost time for a nap!

And you though Dr. Seuss was good...


This assignment has been different in many ways:

A lot more riding                     ;)      + +
Fewer adventures                     :(      -
Spent less/saved more             :)     +
Met/made new friends             :)     +
Lost a friend though                :'(      - -
Busier at work                          :(      -
Effected more lives                 :)     +
Laughed a lot more                  ;)     + +
Sent fewer letters                    :(       -
Learned a few things               :)      +
Taught others some things      :)      +

So far, I would say it has been more positive!  And that is good.

There are many more things I could weigh; however, I feel that they will not change the outcome, or my feelings so far.  Some things, still burden me... yet, they are balanced out, if not overcome, by the things that have lightened and enlightened me.


Peace.

Every day, I learn something new...

I have been doing what I do, for quite awhile... and before that, I was still sorta doing what I do now.  Add them together, and I have been doing this for a very long time!

Over the years, medically speaking, there have been many advancements, changes, new drugs, and an assortment of new tests, procedures, technology, etc...  So much so, that if one doesn't take the time to independently research, study, and learn, one will easily be left behind!  Yet there are some things that never change.

I have been working these past three nights, and have learned that I did not know the true definition of "busy," "chaotic," and "really?!"

Last night, I was reminded (that is re-learned) to trust those "gut feelings" that something is not right.  I won't ever know if I saved a life... no one truly ever does.  Yet I do know, that I impacted several lives by changing the course of treatment for one of my patients.

I guess I am a dinosaur that missed my appointment with extinction...

Happy New Year!

Tonight at midnight I lit some fireworks.  Had the admiration and attention of some of my neighbors.  Good thing they were the "legal" kind

So as midnight rolls over again, to my West Coast friends...

Happy New Year!