Dallas Alice

This year I have been in Tucson, Tehachapi, and I am aboot a hour out of Tonapah. I guess I need to go to Tucumcari…

Highway 120 east out of Lee Vining could be the perfect road to ride. Gentle curves, some roller coaster hills,  7000 ft. passes, all the while riding through fragrant stands of fir and pine.

Cresting a pass into an alpine meadow the road is lined with wildflowers. Purple, yellow, white  The scent is magnificent and so strong with the bike parked you can almost hear it…

 

 Alpine Wild Flowers

 Almost to Nevada the ghost town of Benton has plenty of iron that used to run on this road, or helped built it.

A Plug For Sparking

The Sierra Nevada is in my rear view mirror now.   Highway 6 into the Nevada dessert, and there is nowhere but Tonopah to go.

Just the sound of my bike the sage scent of the dessert and the memory of  Alice. Dallas Alice.

She was a pal when I lived high above sea level at the lake on the bend of California and Nevada.

We actually saw Little Feat together at one of the Stateline clubs. That is where she got the name.

On The Road To Tonapah 

Some other of our pals that also saw that show lived together in a house that was under scrutiny by the local jesus freaks. They were either intent on saving the occupants from known homosexual, activity that happened there. The un wed heterosexual activity that accrued there, the rumor of pot smoking, the playing of loud music, and the almost constant motorcycle repair of 1970's English bikes.  Or they wanted some of the action. I never knew.

 

Warm Springs Nevada

 

 I just knew that one of the residents was fed up by being bothered by bible thumpers, when he was trying to have a little fun, and he said he  was going to put a stop to their visits without harming them. Cool.

The Extraterrestrial Highway

Early one morning at this residence, after one of the  notorious all night party’s, it was probably 3:00 in the pm, but I found myself still in  bed with Alice, the house quiet.

When the knock came at the front door Sam hollered from his bedroom “I got it” As he walked past the room we were in, we both noticed that he had neglected to put on any clothes. He was aboot as naked as a human can get. Who could he be expecting?  I wondered, but he had seen them coming. The sun reflecting from their  plastic chrome crucifixes shown in his window and gave them away.

 

Please Buy Something From Us And We Might Let You Use The Toilet

 

He opened the door all the way and stood naked in the Sierra sunlight. “Come on in” he said “Would you like a drink, some hashie?”

Their feet kicked up gravel from the walkway as they beat a hasty retreat. They never came back, as far as I know.

I got through Tonopah today, I will get to Tucumcari someday. I will always remember the lake, and will never forget Alice…Dalllas Alice…

Union Pacific At Caliente Nevada