Highway One

Driving California Highway 1, known to some as the Pacific Coast Highway, always makes one think about a variety of issues, matters, thoughts, philosophies, political events, and life decisions. I am never empty of thought when I take the Pacifica CA-Highway 1 South exit off of Interstate 280., preferably with a hot coffee in hand from It's a Grind or Martha Bros. The caffeine gives an extra mental spark when coinciding with the Pacific and fog off the coastline. My Sony CD-player from late-'99 is playing a Don Henley or Bob Seger classic as a drive my Toyota Avalon assisted by a tape adapter of course. Though my drive is consistently 15-20 minutes longer than the typical 101 to 85 to 17 drive, my drive down the One is one of my sanctuaries.

The other day I drove down the One with my cup of coffee in hand, thinking about how close I was to leaving for Prague and reminiscing about how special it is and how lucky I am to have the friends and family I have. During the course of the last few months, they have been incredibly supportive about my departure, a bit subdued and saddened to see me leave but also excited and happy for my new adventure, one in which others have traveled in a similar manner over the years. It is those folks like Nick, Patty, Bob, Jake's brother, Marc's two buddies, and the thrill of seeing and living in another culture that has driven me to depart and see where the road, rail, and air takes me.

Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" is pumping in the speakers through Devil's Slide now and I am thinking about how cool it is and how sweet a gesture it is that Nick is going to let me take and read his copy of "The Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons as my farewell gift. It is on this particular drive as well as numerous others where I think about how Nick was a person who taught me the value of staying in touch with friends and nurturing those special friendships. There have been times where I have taken friendships for granted or did not spend enough time nurturing them whether it be phone calls, going to lunch, having a beer on the town, or just hanging out watching a ballgame. Though I did not visit Costa Rica during his Peace Corps time, and could and should have in hindsight, I hope to see Nick and other friends of mine after I get settled into a teaching job in Prague. I think it would be a delight to have the opportunity to spend time with my closest friends and family in Europe over a Pilsner or black coffee.

Highway One makes me think about the other achievements I'd like to tackle: Halfdome, a bike ride down the One from San Francisco to Santa Cruz and eventually to Los Angeles via the AIDS ride or with other ambitious friends who just want to take the trek. Then of course there are thoughts of the basic things I'd like to obtain, like NBA League Pass, a little bit of square footage rather than a studio, a quiet place to lay on the couch and read, a healthy food store close by, and it does not even need to be in San Francisco. I would not have seriously pondered that thought six months ago, but now with my testing of a real winter in Prague perhaps I can even contemplate cold-weather cities like Chicago, D.C., Brooklyn, or Philadelphia in addition to Seattle, Oakland, Denver, and Portland. But time will tell and first things first, I need to get to Prague and test the waters. 7 days and counting.