DAY FOUR

Fr 5/8/15

Random Thoughts-

The weather in Phoenix has been incredible. In fact, It has been cooler in Arizona than it was back in Springfield.

Because of the arrangement of the motel buildings, the parking closest to my room is on a blind side. The neighborhood looks secure, but thieves have transportation, and a darkened parking lot, with no windows that look out on the lot would be a nice area to work. I've been parking in the front of the motel right across from the main lobby in a very well lighted area.

Fr 5/8/15
Up at 515am. I don't think that the AC kicked on even once last night. It's actually 'sweater weather' when the sun goes down. Last night I began a Luc Besson film from 1994 that I had seen before called 'Leon- The Professional'- Jean Reno and Natalie Portman. I switched on the True Crime channel, but will give the film another shot tonight. This morning I listened to 'Butthead Of The Week', and left for LA Fitness (but forgot the fucking towel!), and was on the machines by 8am.

I did 45" on one of the Matrix Cross Trainers (Reverse), and then did an outdoor run. 55th up to Union Hills and over to 59th and back to Bell Rd. Although the run is along busy roads, the sidewalks are nice, and counter clockwise puts me against the traffic. It's just about 45" at my pace.

Today, however, the laxative kicked in for a second time, and I barely made it back to LA Fitness for the explosion of the bowels. No impact on the rest of the workout. 45" Armchair bike. 30" Walk on Tread. 4.2 pace. 14" Cross (Reverse) on the main floor. Three Hour Total Workout. Steamroom still down, but I did a ten minute dip in the whirlpool and then a lap in the pool.

Mastered the art of setting the cruise control in the parking lot. And, when I exited the building, it was actually raining!!  I headed east on Bell to Rt 17 South to Tucson, but I stopped for a hot dog, cheetos, and a large Big Gulp for the ride. This is the only cash that I've spent so far.

On Route 17 by 1220 pm and I had no problem with the route. It's fairly obvious and well marked. However. when I left the Phoenix metropolitan area, I was amazed at the traffic. I thought it would be like taking a ride on Rt 55 from Springfield to St. Louis, but there was much, much more traffic. Absolutely surreal- driving in a desert landscape with no roads or towns for miles and miles, yet you're traveling along ln bumper to bumper traffic. And, although it's 75 mph,  assholes insisted on gliding along in the left hand lane going 68 mph. Many times I wished that I had a firearm. What the fuck were they thinking?

Thirty miles north of Tucson I noticed a huge backlog of traffic in the northbound lanes near Red Rock and I knew that I probably be stuck in that mess on the way back. And, I was right. It held me up for about fifteen (agonizing) minutes, and I never could tell what it was that they had done, or even where they had been working.

Got to Tucson just after 2pm, and I drove through the center of town on Broadway. On the other side of town I stopped and filled up the Camry because the gas was much cheaper than the Phoenix area. Twenty or thirty cents cheaper. Took a leak, headed the other way on Broadway, and back on Rt. 17 heading north. The entire encounter didn't last more than forty minutes. Took a couple of disjointed photo shots from inside the car.

Back to the south Phoenix area by 4pm just in time to take advantage of the Friday evening gridlock. This time of day probably added thirty to forty minutes on to the trip, but the route was clear and obvious and I never doubted where I was headed.

5pm in the Walmart Superstore parking lot on Bell Rd where I got a twelve of Bud Light and a twelve  of Natural Light. They didn't have a case (24 cans) of Natural Light.  I also bought tee shirts, underwear, and socks, salad, tortillas, and chips. This should be the last that I have to spent on food and booze, and I will only be taking new clothing back to Springfield. Of course, there will be more of a tab at McD's.

Back to the room by 530pm.