When I woke up in Death Valley my body was freezing. The night before I had warmed up on chili and some descent beer, but apparently it did not get me through the night. It took nearly an hour to defrost my feet and there was no way I was going to jump in a camp shower. I drove for miles until I came across the Eureka Sand Dunes. This area is famous for the filming of Star Wars. However my reason for wanting to come here was different. Jim Morrison (from "the doors") spent a great deal of his younger life, after he dropped out of film school, in this desert writing some of his most famous poetry before his music turned to crazy. His poetry had meaning that he claimed he could only find in the desert with a shaman guide and on a heavy dose of hallucinogens. No one is really sure where Jim's shaman was, but I like to think it was spirit guide that followed him in his dreams (and hallucinations for that matter) to help him change the way people viewed art and music forever. Jim's problem was he could never slow down. He brought the Doors out to the dunes to eat some peyote and become one like a brotherhood. Apparently it must have worked since their music finally came together and they very quickly had a huge scene all over California as well as all over America and beyond. The original poetry Jim wrote was spoken with a calming voice with the background music to just make it sound better. His thoughts were deep and the poetry provides an analogy on life and love. These dunes are where Jim spent months on end solo just to flee society as he viewed it. Just a mad world of money being shuffled around with one path in life that everyone is expected to follow. He had different ideas (hence the name - the doors). Thus became the revolution of the 60s and 70s Even the Beatles idolized the doors intuitive ideas and music. People wanted change and I wish I could convey the same message to society today. This was a time of war as we are in now. There are two breeds of people, those that follow a path to impress others and those who live life the way want to become happier people or at least to gain the true vision of our existence on this planet. I believe Jim tried to open the world up but died at 28 because the wealth and love he was provided was to much for a fragile spirit. So anyways thats what I did... No I did not eat peyote but I wandered the dunes for hours listening to the poetry of Morrison. Maybe I was not tripping, but I began to feel high on life. The feeling of the sand and the vast openness of the area just led me farther into the desert until I finally ran out of water and headed back to my car. From there I decided to head to Nevada for gas and to visit a ghost town. The town was booming once during the gold streak in the 1800s, but now it is in shambles. There is minor protection for the archeological structures here and some lifeless people have vandalized the area. It is a harsh reminder of what this place used to be though and it validates the need for money in human beings. I left somewhat disgusted and went to get cheaper gas in Beatty, NV in which I was issued a citation for 35 in a 30. Now I was just angry and my trip was not getting better... However, I then knew it was time for a change of plans... I keep talking about escaping society, but maybe I need to throw myself right into it. One sharp turn East and I was on my way to Vegas.... The rest of this blog is something I want to keep personal so it will be on my laptop until I finish the book... U can see it then.... I can however tell you that it I found what I was looking for... Not in Vegas, not in Tiajuanna, but deffinately in San Diego and yes it involves being social.