A New Beginning All Over Again

I'm not sure if anyone is even reading anymore, we kind of let this thing drift off, and I'm sorry. Our grand adventure to backpack around the world has been put on hold. Chase found some incredible opportunities that could not be passed up, and after traveling alone for a few months I decided to discontinue my rambling as well, at least for now. I feel now more than ever the desire and the need to start maximizing my potential, and the life of the tramp had become distinctly unsatisfying. I made it safe to California, though it turned out not to be quite the lucrative venture I had anticipated. It was, however, quite a finish to an amazing summer. From Gunnison and Durango, I headed up to Grand Junction, where I caught my last real golden ticket of the summer. After two beautiful Crested Buttians got me to I-70, i only waited twenty or so minutes before I was picked up by Bill. Bill was a 77 year old Virginian who was making his annual pilgrimage cross-country to see his family in Nappa county. We traveled together for two days through the barren, desolate wastelands of Utah and Nevada, cruising at high speeds down "America's loneliest highway," Route 50. After he dropped me off outside Sacramento, I was picked up almost immediately by a very friendly Californian who got me the rest of the way to highway 101 while we talked about Carl Jung and true love. I spent the next three weeks bouncing up and down that highway like a pinball on crack. I went as far north as Arcada, and as far south as Santa Cruz, and couldn't for the life of me find what I was looking for. I think that was because I didn't really know what I was looking for. It sounds kind of silly, but I guess I was looking for the American Dream; this great golden opportunity that would drop wealth and security in my lap and get me to that point that I should always have been at, if only I'd just had the money. Fat chance, I know, but I was so sure it was out there waiting for me. California is a strange place though, and I found myself out of place even on the road. Everywhere I went, hordes of street kids occupied town parks and highway sides. There was even a line at the on-ramp in Garberville, with some 5 different groups of kids waiting to hitch, while dozens more hung out in the shade and waited for the heat of the day to pass. It was strange, because all my rides were great, but anytime I would get where I was going, I would feel strange and need to move on. I felt almost no connection to these kids that were doing the same thing as I was, only somehow completely different. Then one night, after pursuing a tip for some work from a friend to Lake Port, CA, I met Molly McCloud. She actually stopped me while I was walking up the road looking for a place to sleep, and after a few minutes conversation, she offered me a place to stay. I think we both fell in love, briefly, with the idea of each other, and we had a very strange, very interesting couple of days together. She ended up being the last straw though. After several weeks of confusion and chaos, the emotional roller coaster she ran me through left me completely burnt out. From Lake Port, I bolted straight for Colorado. I am now in Gunnison, CO, my home. I have decided to return to Western State College to finish my degree and get it behind me. After two years now of drifting somewhat aimlessly, I am very excited to be putting my talents and efforts towards some more intellectual pursuits, concentrating and focusing inwards once more. I would like to thank everyone very sincerely for taking such wonderful care of me and providing me my path. I am currently working on a novel of my travels and experiences, and I hope to see that project finished in the not too distant future. Many of you will be in this book, and I thank you for all your inspirations. I also have some very interesting plans for this site in the future, so don't forget about it completely. I would love to keep in touch with everyone that cares too, my e-mail address is james.holzer@yahoo.com. I have a facebook and myspace at the same name, and if you e-mail me, i will give you my cell phone, which is turned back on again. Though my travels have taken a temporary break, my journey continues to take me places I could never have imagined, and I am constantly held in awe at the splendor that is life. And it is a fleeting thing, life, so make sure to cherish it always, and take advantage of every single moment. Thank you for sharing my journey with me, see you next time.
- James Holzer, The Gonzo Nomad.