It’s two weeks this noon since we drove back into town from our whirlwind USA trip. Since that time we have concentrated almost all our efforts on finding new digs. This is a task that requires a lot of thought and concentration. We wanna get it right. We don’t want an apartment. We don’t want a roommate right now. We don’t want to be ‘property poor’ right now. We don’t see ourselves staying in the city right now either; at least not permanently

It’s been wonderful living here this year; taking daily walks around the city, especially down to the Castro five minutes away. But the district is changing. Truth is, usually wherever I go, it’s usually a place that is in transition. Rodtney has been here twenty one years. He’s ready for a change. Truth is, we’ve bee traveling a lot all year: Southern California (we were there just this week); The US, and Northern California which we both like a lot. We’re not going to leave this area - at least not until we return from Europe next summer.

So where? Well, this is where this story takes place. Last week we traveled twice to Russian River. We almost took a place there - right on the River - until we saw the high water mark two thirds of the way up the side of the house. It’s just not safe to live on the river because of the floods. But we want to live beside or on the water. So we’re looking at houseboats and mobile homes and RV’s and such. And we’ve found some very interesting prospects in each category. So much so that it’s kind of up to Spirit to work it out for us. Doesn’t it always?

On Thursday we went up to Lake Berryessa to look at a mobile home on the lake shore. Its an older model; 14’ X 50’ with a ‘tip out’ and a huge deck with stairs down to the beach. The view is spectacular over the mountains to the east. The park is the furthest north and the biggest with a restaurant and motel as well. Price: $9,500 furnished. We like it. The space rent is about $300., and its at the end of the lane - private. So we’re putting it in the mix.

We were up in the Delta yesterday after driving out to Byron 60 miles East of the City, out next to the huge power generating windmill farms, to look at five acres of used homes. Turn’d out to be kind of the world’s first RV junk yard. We stopped at Italian Slough to watch the ‘River Rats’ (people who are river enthusiasts) launch their boats and ski away into the 1,000 miles of waterways which can take you to Stockton, Sacramento and down to the San Francisco Bay. We’re talking about an eighty mile run here - one way. The temperatures are in the three digits this time of year - except in the water which is warm. This while the temperatures in the city are holding at 65 to 75 degrees. But you pay the price of much less sun and plenty of fog everyday.

We try to return a different way that we go each time we’re out. So last night we decided to go on up road back to Bethel Island and pick up a clip board rodtney had left on Thursday when we were there to make an offer on a houseboat - a Delta Van Cruiser. Ross had had a time share on one back in ’83 and loved it. It’s fast enough to ski behind and with an 8’ beam she can be trailered. Plus the cabin is secure for inclement weather. Just the right combination for our lifestyle. But a little cramped for full-time live aboard.

As we passed through Oakley just off the island, we feel a compelling pull to turn around and go into an RV dealer we’d passed a number of times. We drove right in and all the way to the back. Bingo! We found two park models we liked - and a big Class A motorhome. No one was around. But then we spotted IT… an old Spartan, circa 1950. You’ve seen one somewhere. They are all aluminum, like an Airstream but older and lower. Actually they were only made in 1950 & ’51 by the Spartan Aircraft company in Oklahoma The story goes that J. Paul Getty had a bunch of aluminum left over from WWII and didn’t know what to do with it. There was a housing shortage and so this was the solution. This was a luxury park model coach designed for full-time living. This one is 35 feet long and the interior is solid birch wood and in excellent condition.

There’s a living room in the front; center kitchen and dinette (which makes into a bed); bathroom and rear bedroom. The rear door is on the opposite side which is very unusual. It was love at first sight for all three of us: Ross, ross and the trailer coach.

But just in case, we’re going to Redwood City today to look at another houseboat and also the living situations there. This is a place we’ve passed over many times. For some reason we haven’t look’d down the peninsula at all. But we did have fun last week walking the docks in Marin County to the north looking at water homes. Frankly, just too expensive starting with about $600. a month for mooring. We learned all about building a floating home from the barge up - financing - restrictions. Something we might do in the future. The lifestyle is not a problem. It’s compelling. But we both like fresh water better than salt water; lakes better than oceans. We ‘play out’ all options that come our way. The ‘research’ usually pays off down the road somewhere.

There aren’t that many lakes in California that lend themselves to living - where there’s access to civilization - especially leatherfolk. In Southern California there’s Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear (where I once built a cabin and lived for five years). Up here there’s Berryessa; Clear Lake, and Lake Tahoe - the cream de la cream for our consideration. It’s a question of how often, how much, we want to travel into San Francisco. At this point we aren’t interested in maintaining two homes. Perhaps later on.

So today we begin making offers. We hope to settle on something before then end of the month. So we call the RV lot in the Delta to discuss terms. They say come on up. Off we go. It’s 60 miles. Deal. We’ll find out the first of the week. Then it’s off down the East side of the bay and across the Bridge into Redwood City. The little marina is great with a load of houseboats. We find the one that we’re looking for: 29’ with a flybridge and a walk around deck - BMW power. It’s a possibility except that it’s far to wide to trailer. Still, we like the layout with a bedroom down in the hull below the main cabin. The boat was actually built in Byron where we were the day before. Looks like we’re zeroing in… This too, goes in the mix.

The trip back is nice. The sun is going down; the fog rolling in, traffic is awful on 101. So we head off on and onto Camino Real and eventually up to Fwy 280 and into the city over Twin Peaks. This is a fantastic way to enter San Francisco with a full view over the city and the bay. We’re home at within three minutes of six thirty when we promised to be there to meet a guest from Palm Springs who is up for the week. It works out and we meet for dinner - Chinese in the back of the Metro which is a gay bar on the corner of Noe & Market.

Master Warren want’s to see the Leather Bars so we take a driving tour South of Market to show him. Then we stop at The Loading Dock on Mission between 12th and Van Ness. This is the ONLY true Leather Bar in San Francisco these days and it’s pack - dress code enforced (We’d stopped by the flat to pick up our jackets). This place never fails to be the purveyor of foreplay for us and many others. Boi usually gets comments, or his Master gets comments, on how well he’s trained. It’s a turn on for us and so it turns into a late night for us at home.

Sunday, August 10th, 1997

We’re up and off to church at East Bay - in dress leather with white shirts. Boi uses his chair and lock to hold his leather tie in place. We’re known, loved and respected at the church - and there’s plenty of ‘family’ in attendance. The choir is so hot the place is rockin’ so hard we though the roof might fall in - but Spirit wouldn’t allow that to happen. This is a Success Blessed Church. Just look around and you can tell.

We head straight home for breakfast afterwards and then a nap. It’s the Sabbath and we need to rest. Boi does get up and onto the computer later on but Dad is down for the count. We’re preparing for ‘knowing’ the details of our move.

Monday, August 11th 1997 Working at home today - until late afternoon when we need to go to the bank, pick up the mail and enjoy the sunshine while we walk down the Castro. We decide to stop at Pasqua’s for a cup of coffee since Dad is having caffeine withdrawal having run out at home. We sit in the window and watch the ‘traffic’ This is the unofficial Leather hang-out in the Castro these days outside of Daddy’s Bar. In a few minutes in walks Alan Selby and we invite him to join us. It’s a great chat. We haven’t seen one another since he judged the contest we were in in Denver on June 28th.

Right away he invites us to do a demo at the Fantasy and Fetish Ball the night before Mr. Drummer Contest on September 27th. We say, "Sure, it’ll be fun." While we’re sitting there we are all cruising a Black guy outside at the curb. He comes inside and we introduce ourselves but he doesn’t give us his name. Alan leaves to go across the street and we get up to go. Ross dispatches his boi to find out the brother’s name who is sitting at the next table. Master walks outside to wait for his boy who comes shortly. "Social Fau paux of the year," he says… "It’s Mr. Ebony in Leather"… and we were ALL at the contest. But we’re off the hook a little bit - he is in his work drag. Still….. So Master dispatches the boy back in to invite him to the M.A.s.T. pot-luck on Thursday. He accepts. Whew. We catch up w/Alan across the street and let him know our plight. He goes back in to Pasqua’s to talk to Davien. All’s well.

We get in the truck and drive down to Bayview where we park and walk the docks. We discover now one but two neat restaurants on the water with moorings in front where we fantasize tying up with our boat in the near future. It’s neat. It’s all happening. Cool!

Back home again for supper. We’re working the late shift tonight. Tomorrow we’ll go to Sacramento. rodtney’s folks are returning from Myrtle Beach, S.C where we were a month ago.

Wednesday, August 13th San Francisco

Yep, we did go to Sacramento - finally. It was perfect. When we drove up in front of rodtney’s folks’ home his sister was sitting in the open garage with her baby. Our Pacer waited proudly at the curb and we parked behind to exchange our stuff.

"Mom & Dad should be here any moment - between six and seven’, she said. Almost instantly, cars and bicycles began arriving from all directions. I’m in the street with the doors open on the car & truck. Here comes the big Buick Roadmaster. Sure enough, they’re home. All the way from the family reunion in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina. I don’t know which reunion was bigger, the one there, or the one here right now - all the kids and their families to welcome Mom and Dad, Granddad and Grandma. I open the door and rodt helps his mom with her packages. The car is full with two coolers in the back seat - one is full of frozen fresh fish from the Atlantic Ocean. They’ve driven over 3,000 miles in just four days with a say stop-over in Arizona to see two other sons who are doing just fine.

We help with the unpacking and do the ritual of exchanging the vehicles and after about two hours we’re headed home at dusk. Not to far west on 80, rodt runs over a pick-up truck tail gate in the road. Not to much farther along, the right front tire blows. It got cut up back there….. No problem really, we’re prepared and the tire is changed in a few minutes. But tomorrow we’ll have to buy a new one. Damn - 11,500 miles across country and no problem until we get back in our own car and bam. Road hazards. We’ve been so blessed not to have had any problems on the road whatsoever. A grand testament to the highway system of America.

We go straight home. We’re wrecked - personally drained. So we cook spaghetti; watch the Jay Leno monologue and crash. Enough for one day. Oh, on the way up to Sacramento we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and look’d for trailer space up along the bay. Applied at one place; but another said the only way we’d ever get in is to buy someone’s home and move it out. That’s how it is around here. All this beautiful scenery and no place to live. We’ll keep on and it’ll come. When I found the last house in Pasadena it took thirty days and 1,000 miles of driving. About the same thing is happening. I think we’ve driving that already. In fact; we just figures out that we’ve averaged 230 miles a day for the last 50 days. How’s that for mobility! Actually, if you haven’t figured it out already, we love it and we do it will together.

Had a horrendous struggle yesterday with the insurance company. They sent our mail to the wrong address and then canceled us when it was returned. We ended up having to re-write the policy before we could go on the road. Of course it cost money too. But a refund is on the way from the old policy hopefully. Mercury is going retrograde, it you understand that sort of thing. We got hit immediately, so maybe it’ll be someone else’s turn today. (Does the flat tire count?)

We haven’t heard from our offers. But now we’ve found a camper truck to look at to pull our trailer with when it happens. You know. We haven’t said anything much about moods since all this started. Mostly we keep ourselves and each other up by being in Spirit. Sometimes there are down moments; but not for long. Dreary weather does it for me. Lack of food for rodtney. So we’re careful. You know how you can freak out just before something happens. So we’re learning to read these situations and turn them positive.

Right now the sun is out here in the City. So Ross is gonna get himself out there. Vitamin D is the best for staying optimistic. The sunny part of the day here is short so the running schedule must shift to accommodate. Kenny G., is on the box; Castro Breakfast fresh ground coffee is hot, rodtney just appeared beside his Dad on his knees. We had a good night; a good rest and a great "good morning time" earlier. He’s allow’d to go back to sleep. Ross get’s up and does the e-mail. Then we have a big breakfast together.

More later…

Monday, August 18th, 1997

The days race by.... we’re not getting the Delta Van Cruiser just now. Too small and too much cash up front. Today we’ll know about the Spartan - and on from there.

It’s been a full moon Aquarius weekend. For the second Saturday night in a row we hosted Master Warren from Palm Springs out to The Loading Dock. Every time we go there it’s fantastic foreplay for a late night at home. This was no exception. The place was packed as usual. You simply don’t go there without your character turned way up high.

Didn’t go to church. Drove Warren to SFX. The sun was bright and warm. boi slept in. Dad completed work on putting 1,000 pictures in five albums. We have a nice history of our first year together to share. Feels good. Real good. Looks pretty good too. Once it’s scann’d and on the web, perhaps we’ll publish.

Went for a nice walk around the neighborhood on Saturday afternoon. Thursday night was the M.A.s.T. pot-luck and we spent all day getting ready. Dad shampoo’d the carpets and boi shopped and cooked along with the usual chores. Sixteen show’d up including Mr. ‘S’, Alan Selby, and a guest appearance by Mr. Ebony in Leather, Davien whom we took home to Oakland after everyone left. We stay’s at his place late into the night which resulted in us sleeping in ‘til noon on Friday. This is a rare occurrence for this Master. Must have needed it though. If you’re not catching up, you’re preparing for what’s coming. So life is good.

Oh, we went back over to Oakland to look at a 66 Ford Camper Special truck with an Alaskan Camper on it as a possible tow vehicle for our trailer. It was old but strong. Ross had built a similar rig from the ground up - brand new, in 1965. So it was de-ja-vu. Decided to wait until we’re sure we’re taking the coach... so it’s on hold.

Two more weeks until the first. We better know where we’re headed by then.......

Tuesday, August 19th
San Francisco

It’s raining. Feels nice. Feels strange. Melancholy. Just took a nap. rodtney’s doing one now. That’s what it does to us. So we’ll beat it by going out for a walk to get the mail or something.

WOW! We’ve got a HOME - our very first together. It’s a 1950 Spartan 35 foot Trailer Coach - Park Model. For us and to us it’s fantastic. They only made these in 1950 & ’51 - and they’re going up in value. (In fact we heard a rumor today that NBC is looking to buy some up for location trailers. So the Master called Burbank and left word. Who knows?

Anyway, the exterior is aluminum complete with insulated underbelly - low slung like long skirts with wheels hidden underneath. The front door on the right and the rear bedroom door is on the left - both with port-holes to let the moon in. The front windows curve around the sides - real aerodynamic like the Airstreams which will be nice when we go on the road.

Inside, the layout is pretty conventional: Living room in the front; then the kitchen on the left and a dinette across on the right. Behind this is an all aluminum bathroom on the left and the bedroom behind in the back.

The entire interior is maple colored wood finely finished. All of the lighting is recessed. The switches are the same dome light switches used in 40’s cars. The windows open by sliding; except in the bedroom where they roll down with cranks just like a car. And there’s a new modern roof air conditioner with heat strip.

The kitchen has a double stainless steel sink. There’s a four burner gas stove with over & broiler and the original General Motors Frigidair refrigerator. The dinette folds into an extra bed. No living room furniture which is fine with us ‘cause we’ll find period stuff. We’ve dedicated ourselves to living Spartan in our Spartan. The excess will be kept outside in some sort of storage which we’re designing in our heads already.

If you’re gonna live in a trailer/mobile home; why not follow tradition. This was the top of the line in it’s time - and in many ways it still is. Rodtney says the first thing he’s doing is going over all the wood with a bucket of Murphey’s soap, not that it’s dirty; it’s ‘hungry’ for an oil massage.

When we first saw this unit a couple of weeks ago it said, "I’m yours - ‘cause you’ll take care of me". We will for sure - and it’ll suit us nicely. And the cost is a lot easier for us than buying a late model unit that you have to pay someone to move. We can tow this ourselves - and we will from time to time. So now that’s one of our prime tasks - to find a tow vehicle - some kind of camper unit or Van what we can use for our overnight trips into the city or up into the mountains. And we’re still getting our boat too. Then we’ll have maximum flexibility - all for the same price as a flat in the city!

The other task, of course, is finding the right location to live in. Been at this ever since Kenneth call’d yesterday and told us we had a deal. We’re meditating on just the right relationship. Won’t go into all the details yet. They’ll unfold soon enough. But we’re investigating all-round the Bay Area; up in the Delta and at Lake Berryessa. We’ve also talk’d to a real-estate friend up in Lake Tahoe; but we feel that move may have to wait for at least a year or so. We don’t need the snow full-time yet. But you never know. The main thing is that we’re on the same page about the kind of lifestyle we want to manage. So it’ll all fall into place quickly. Stay tuned and watch us ‘move’. It’s really important to know when to work and when to wait; and to say NO to everything that doesn’t fit the picture of where we’re headed. So right now we’re into staying on purpose.

Also talk’d to the Harbor Master today about houseboat moorings. Really the only way to get a slip here is to buy a unit and replace it. There is about one vacancy a year. That’s it. And you have to have a cement hull to get any sort of financing. The hulls cost about $1,7,000. raw. Slips are from $300. to $700./mo. Plus utilities and maintenance. Remember this is Salt Water, which means very high maintenance. There are a few barges with trailers on them. That’s an interesting combination. Why not? The one thing we know for certain: We’ll never live in an apartment again. No way.

Friday, August 22nd 1997 San Francisco - Evening

The weatherman is talking about El Nino, the warming of the ocean that may bring rains and flooding this winter. So that makes the Russian River and maybe the Delta look risky. We need to find higher ground. We also like the trees., woods and nature. There are Redwoods at the River. The Delta is pretty flat - mostly farmland. And it gets very hot as well.

So we’re drawn to Lake Berryessa; just as we were in the beginning - even before we met. Rodtney had been to the Area for a Crystal Healing Weekend and Ross had visited one day on a back roads trip from Plymouth to Gurneville (from ‘Boot Camp’ to Leather Week) We discovered we’re both attracted to the lake. rodt says it’s an energy vortex.

Last winter when the lake was flooding we went up one weekday and fell in love with the place together. We began looking at places and found a fantastic one right on the water. But then we discovered the Bureau of Land Management didn’t allow full-time living in that area. We also decided to explore the area and eventually ‘See America First’. So now we’ve gone full circle and tomorrow we’ll hear if we may have a space waiting to put our coach. We think so.

We’ve been doing pendulum readings over all of these areas and this is the one that say, "Yes!"… It feels right. Berryessa is not far north of Napa above Fairfield about half way from San Francisco to Sacramento - 70 miles - about a hour and a half or two leisurely through the wine country and across the Striates. It’s a jumping off place for all points North and East - like Shasta or Tahoe. Few folks realize that fully a third of California is above the Bay Area. It’s our next region to explore. We’re still planning to drive to Portland in October after the move. That’s a strong day’s drive.

Yesterday we were going to drive up to the Delta and then we decided not to. We went to the Gay Beach (which is actually a park call’d Deloris Park with grass and a spectacular view of the city and the Bay to the North and East. We saw ourselves coming back into town once a week for a day or so to take care of our business and then returning to our retreat. We’re looking forward to hibernating in the woods with our computers for the next six months. There’s so much to write about and construct on the web. It’ll be good. Preparation for Europe next August. Yep, we’re visualizing. And we’re truly Success Blessed!

So now it’s time to begin packing. Time too, for another garage sale. We’ve been keeping stuff in storage in hopes of landing a loft. Now rodtney has a barn fetish; and Ross is having visions of a big log cabaña for our coach. Won’t this be fun - how it all turns out. Ya know, long before rodtney and leaving Pasadena Ross was having visions of a life such as we’re evolving into. The missing ingrediment of course, was finding each other. Now all the rest can happen. Eventually we’ll be right on the lake with a dock and all that - can you say Tahoe? Or maybe a different lake every season… A summer up in 1,000 islands in Canada would be grand. We liked the Tennessee River, and Lake Lanier in Atlanta, and the Potomac - and the Hudson River Valley for sure… ‘Life’s a Beach’…

If all this sounds like fantasy, well……. Watch it turn into reality. This is how it’s done. But it’s a whole lot more complicated when you carefully consider all the variables - like city access; income generation, and whether you want guests to come to you…. Kinda like a blender, you put in all the fixin’s and shake. Up comes your life. At our stage, it’s kinda like puttin’ in all the things we’ve enjoy’d doing in the past along with some of the unrealized dreams that have been saved up along the way. It’s time. If not now, when? The one thing that was sacrificed leaving Michigan all those years ago was lakeshore living. Never really liked the ocean all that much - fresh water is somehow less forbidding.

They say we always return to where we came from. Well maybe; at least the North looks kinda nice right now compared with the deserts of the Southland. Big Bear Lake(7,000 feet above L.A.) was great. Built a cabin and lived there for five years. But got bored and came back into the city and created a whole new life. Also to ‘import’ my culture. Now we have that culture in each other. We’ll still drive in for church. Hey, Big Bear might be nice one year - that’s worth consideration. We’ll check it out when we go down for November. Four season living is nice. So as far as California goes, Big Bear/Arrowhead in the South and Tahoe in the North are optimum. But once you’re in Southern California it’s 300 miles in any direction to get out across the deserts. That’s not the case up North.

There’s no question that the Castro is Mecca for gay living. But once you’re open, out and comfortable, it really doesn’t matter anymore - you simply get on with life. But, as gay people, we’ve work’d most of our lives to attain the same freedoms that everyone else has enjoy’d and taken for granted - at least middle class white folks. The beautiful thing we experienced on our trip was that we could be ourselves wherever we were. It didn’t have to be a concern. "Life is good - all the time." Peace.

Tuesday, August 28, 1997
Almost Midnight

We’ve own’d our coach for a week and a day tonight. But of course it’s still sitting in the back of the lot. Still, it’s taking on a life of it’s own. Remember, rodtney heard it speak to us that first evening; "I’m yours ‘cause you’ll take care of me."

We h a v e begun to pack, separating the stuff that goes with us, that which gets stored and that which we no longer need to hold onto. Dad is taking care of all the paperwork and business stuff; boi is upgrading LeatherWeb, so we’ll be off to a fresh start when we’re situated. It’s all part of staking out new turf.

And speaking of turf. We’ve been grounded for a few days cause were low on cash ‘til the first of the month after buying our home. So we’ve been on the phone shopping for sites - found a whole bunch of them in an RV magazine we picked up at one of the parks. It’s not all that easy. There are length restrictions, age restrictions; credit checks, length of stay restrictions and pet considerations - bobby ross, our cat is going with us of course. But we have a list of places to visit later in the week. Hopefully we’ll decide; or the correct place will find us by this weekend. It’s all about the right relationship with the right owner/manager (We’re even having thoughts of taking over a park one day ourselves - suppose that’s a natural progression - maybe a gay friendly place… but wherever we go it’ll be gay friendly when we get there ‘cause that’s a part of our ‘mission’.)

On Saturday Ross went to the library to research the Spartan Trailer Coach Company. Bingo - found a story in the April 1949 issue of Aircraft Engineering News about the Spartan Aircraft Company which was owned by J. Paul Getty, who pushed forward the production of trailers when there was no more war to use the planes. It was too soon for a new executive plane and this kept about 1,000 people on their jobs. The Spartan is all aluminum - basically it’s an aircraft fuselage without the wings and engine - all built to mill-spec. That’s why they’ve lasted 50 years.

Kept on doing research and today was on the telephone with a gentleman in Elkhart, Indiana who runs the Mobile Home Museum there. Wa-la. He says he’s got a Spartan on display there. It’s a 1954, 41 footer with two bedrooms (the one in the center has bunk beds)… So we talked for awhile about the history. There were six models in three classes depending on the length: The Mansion, The Manor, and the Imperial Manor - which he has. Ours is the Manor. One reason for the names was the cost: about $8,000, which was more than a house in those days (Our family’s house cost $4,800. In 1948.)

Turns out too, that the Spartan had kind of a cult following here in California. A lot of the movie people bought them and parked them in the mountains for hide-aways. So we truly do have a classic home on wheels. Speaking of wheels, towing is going to be an adventure. The units are heavy - especially on the tongue. We’ve started to search out a ‘dolly’ to restore of replicate. Dolly’s were used back in those days to help carry the weight so that you only had to tow and not carry the load. Problem was the tires didn’t hold up. But now that shouldn’t be a problem. So this’ll be another adventure along with finding/building the right tow vehicle.

Found an article in the August 2nd issue of Saturday Evening Post titled: "Don’t call him Trailer Trash"! We’ll have to report on that when we’ve read it… In any case, in today’s dollars, the replacement cost of our Birch Lined home would be more than $80.000.! …. And that ain’t trash.

So….. guess we’re movin’ right along. Don’t be surprised if this diary soon finds the ‘trailer’ speaking it’s ‘First Mind’.

Peace.

Monday, September 1st, 1997
Labor Day Evening.

Almost a week has past: We used our time last week ‘getting ready’ for what’s to come. Money was almost empty so it motivated us to steady work at home. It paid off. A whole lot of stuff got done that had piled up; things like housekeeping on the hard drive not done for the last three months while we were gone.

But on Friday we took off for Lake Berryessa and the Delta again. We thought for sure this would be it. It was and it isn’t. We found a nice site actually and were pretty much ready to take it. One row back from the lakeside with a great 270 degree view of the water through the trees. And it has a big deck too. Then came the bad news: Legally, you can’t live full time at Berryessa; so says the Bureau of Land Management. Some folks are doing it; but we’re not exactly privy to the way it’s accomplished - yet. Then there was a matter of huge deposit and fees for guests and a boat dock and on and on. It all started to look pretty expensive.

So we got the application (which requires another credit check, etc. etc., and headed back via the Delta. It was tight - barely enough gas for the extra 50 miles. But we made it to Sherman Island on in the San Juaquin river. Way out on a levee across wetlands over a dirt road was Eddies RV Park and Harbor. Way, way from anywhere and anyone. But it’s a nice oasis with big trees and a strong breeze. Yet and still, if the river rises a few feet, the park across the road will be under water for sure, ‘cause it’s lower than the river.

So we came home broke, dejected and hungry. Time to re-group. Stay’d home again on Saturday and Sunday - except to go to church which was wonderful. Really great! It was the first Sunday for three services. We made the first at 08:00hrs. Guest preacher Dr. Barbara King from the Chapel on the Hill in Atlanta was there. We had visited her church when we were in Atlanta on July 6th.. Truly a service to remember. Dr. King is about six foot eight and sings with a deep deep voice. She brought along her body guard and her pianist who was awesome! Yes, we had Church.

And afterwards we got a lot of attention from friends old and new. Ross got a big hug from the choir director who said, "You were good last Sunday (in the pulpit). We have to get you up there more often".(Ross gave the call/response Statement Of Purpose last Sunday on command of Reverend Elouise.)

When we got home we had company from L.A. Dr. Elkin. So we decided to postpone our trip to Marin to look at another park until today. Work’d out fine. We hit the road early and check’d out places all along 101. The one we actually have a reservation at look’d pretty good. But it’s a whole corporate procedure to get in - and it’s not definite - and we can only stay seven months, which might be ok. So we stopped at Denny’s for breakfast - something we did not do even once on our recent road trip. It was just fine. We decided to go the rest of the way up to the Russian River - another 35 miles or so. We wanted to check out a park we’d seen on the river there.

When we asked about space, the manager pull’d out a picture and show’d us the office under water except for part of the roof. Nope! Everyone moves out at the end of October. It’s so hard to imagine the water being that high. The road at that point is about 30 feet above the park which is about 30 feet above the river. Still..... pictures don’t lie.

Ross was ready to give up and head back to the delta to our last Resort: Tower Park.... rodtney said, let’s drive the rest of the way into Guerneville and look around. We did. And eventually we drove up a canyon we’d overlooked and boom, there it was: a small park in the redwoods walking distance from the center of town. The (new" owner was not there. So we took the number and drove around some more. After awhile we call’d and he actually answered. We chatted and asked if we could return.

We did. Lo and behold: A gay couple own it. Space is coming available. We think we’re in. At least we’re proceeding "as if" we’re already there. It’ll be just fine for at least the winter and who knows, maybe longer. We’ve got no more than thirty days to move and we’d like to be out in fifteen. So now we’re concentrating on packing and how to move our coach from the Delta to the River. It’s a whole new excitement. As we drove into town the long way ‘round across the Bay Bridge it was like not coming home this time. It was coming for a visit into town.

Almost sunset. There were just a few clouds; each with a silver lining. Looking upward from inside the span towards the South tower we see only blue sky and bright white puffs spread across the sky. Just us, the bridge cables, the tower and the sky looking like a mural. A renewal and a re-entry at the same time.

Now the fun can begin - moving - settling into a new location. We’ve said we didn’t care where we lived so long as we are together. But that’s not entirely true. We are moving from human nature to physical nature. But it looks better than expected. The park and the town, Guerneville are both gay friendly. We even saw a trailer with a leather flag flying. Cool. Guess we’ll have to get one.

In the beginning of this adventure I said it would take thirty days and 1,000 miles to accomplish. It has exceeded that. But hey: Task Accomplished.

Wednedsay, September 10th, 1997

……well it’s done in faith; but we haven’t heard yet. That will come about the 15th. Someone has to move out so we can move in. Meanwhile we’re packing. The bed is down and we’re sleeping on the floor. But the big news is the garage sale we had on Saturday & Sunday. A week ago today rodtney got up and said Spirit told him to go out and wash the Pacer. "It’s time to sell Betsy". So he did. We ended up working on her all afternoon - went out and got a For Sale sign and put it in the window.

Just as the sun came out and we were getting started with the garage sale a woman, Elaine, came by and said, "I want that Pacer". Turns out she’d had one before and it had left her prematurely. We made a ‘no hassle’ deal - and then we realized we had no car since the other one is in storage over in the Delta. Not to fear. At the beginning of the week Dad had read the throw away papers as he always does, and he’d found a Van. We had gone to look at it actually. But we didn’t have enough money just then so we ‘passed’.

So we call’d the Van man and he still had it. He lives near Elaine so Dad asked her to drop him off. Bingo, when the Ben Franklin’s from Betsy ‘X’ were laid out on the kitchen table, it was another ‘no hassle’ deal. In just a few minutes, Dad was driving up in front of the garage sale with "Mr. Van". It was big hug and Thank Spirit time! This is how we’re Success Blessed…. All the Time.

It’s a Dodge window van. The bumpers were rusty, the paint oxidized and the carpets stained….. but not any longer. After about 15 hours of elbow grease, it’s shiny, fresh again. Ready for a hitch. It’s ¾ ton so it’ll pull Spartan Sparticus just fine. Gonna take the hitch that’s already on the back and put it on the front so we can push our coach into it’s location. It’ll be practice for when we’re called on later in the winter to help people move out of the flooding river.

Adjusting to the van is fun. We’ve put the camping gear in already…. making it into our short -run home, like when we come into the city from the river which is 70 miles out. Now we can stay overnight; make lunch and change gear. Thinkin’ ‘bout puttin boi’s cage in the back as well. We’re itching to take our first trip. That’s gonna be out to check on Mr. Spartan which is waiting’out in the Delta. Haven’t heard from them so we’re gonna call this mornin’. So now we have our home; a location staked out, and a van to move with. Task Accomplished.

Thursday, September 11, 1997
More to report from the Adventurers.

Yep, yesterday was another adventure. Rodtney decided it was time for us to go out and visit our new home…. to make ur mark…. to claim it with our vibes He call’d and they said ‘whenever’, and we were on our way about noon driving Mr. Van.

Everything went fine over the Bay Bridge. Then there was this horrendous vibration. Dad pull’d off and into an Arco Station. We couldn’t find anything after checking the u-joints and the wheels so we pull’d back on the freeway. The truck was pulling to the right and it seem’d to be dragging. About 15 miles further the vibration got bad again so we pull’d onto the shoulder. This time we saw smoke. The right front brake was locked up. We used some bottled water to cool off the pads. A freeway tow truck offered to tow us. We said no and drove down the ramp into Concord and into another gas station.

Now it was time to go a little deeper. So we found the jack and pull’d the wheel off. Yep, the caliper was frozen up. What to do? Well Dad had packed the tools. Best tool of all, a big big hammer which we used to finally brake the caliper lose. But the bleed screw was rusted inso we couldn’t take the thing apart all the way. Decision time: Now that the wheel was free and it froze up every time the piston opened, the only thing to do is to not use the front brake. We would drive using the hand brake which operates the rear’s only.

After getting some gas (It’s $1.44 in the city and only $1.37 here). we climbed back on Rt. 242 and headed for the Delta. It took forever to find the on ramp since there was a detour. Anyway, it was only two stops actually before we reach’d Mr. Sparticus. No Problem. So we spend the afternoon and evening until after dark working on our new home. Turns out they had just serviced it during the past three days and it was standing proudly in the middle of the back lot. While rodtney began the task of oiling down the entire wood interior (it’s birch), the Master check’d on the hook-ups. First the hitch height: The back of the van only dropped one inch with the tongue sitting on the bumper (there’s no hitch there yet - this was design time). The overload springs on the truck were working, but not flattened. Perfect, actually. After writing down the measurements and subtracting for the load it was determined that a ball 19 inches off the ground with the vehicle unloaded would be perfect without having to worry about an equalizer hitch.

But the lights have to be wired up and an electric brake controller installed in the cab to control the trailer brakes - the thing weighs in at about 8,000 pounds - probably 1,000 on the hitch. Cool. Next came the sewer hose, the water hose, the electrical line and the telephone/tv cable lines. Not only did we find them all in the trailer, we also found eight leveling jacks and even wood blocks to run the wheels up on - and there’s a level installed inside the front window. This unit is ready to ride.

rodtney went inside to check in with the owner who is so laid back. He said, "oh, pick it up whenever…". When we couldn’t see anymore we loaded up and headed back. Stopped at the deli for food to eat on the hour plus drive back - our first meal in our van-mobile. Didn’t use the brakes until we were off the freeway in the city. The brake hasn’t lock’d up… but it’s gonna hafta be repaired. Gotta call for parts now….

Tuesday, September 16th, 1997

Fitting out Mr. Van Dodge - a tangent:

Spent the night in Sacramento. Had to. The drive shaft is out of the Van. Had to. Bent. How? Dun-no. Musta been that way when we got it and it’s gotten worse. But it’s bent. Vibrated all the way up here. We actually came up to see the folks. Then decided to look in the yellow pages for a trailer hitch - used. Found "Dodge Only". Oh boy… just what we needed. Yep. Got it. And a head light door too. (That’s the chrome around the head light.)

Decided to go to Pick Your Part for the drive shaft. Got too late ‘cause rodtney ran us out of gas. Bad boi; really bad boi. We’ll deal wit dat later. We were on our way to a trailer repair place to pick up a brake controller. Trailers have electric brakes and we’d been looking for this for a week. They cost about $90. Got this one for $30. And we’re going back to get the hitches put on. That’s right hitches. The big one on the back and another on the right front. That’s so we can ‘push’ the trailer around into tight spaces. It’s off center so the driver can see around the trailer where the guide man is standing out in back. It’s a ‘control thing. Movin’ around a 35 foot house can get tricky when there’s trees and rocks and things. It’s a man thang too.

So last night we used the daylight to adjust the rear brakes and the parking brake. Took the instrument panel out and replaced some bulbs. Figured out where to mount the brake controller today. And designed some mirror extensions for the doors. Gotta slide the mirrors outward about six inches so we can see around the dight foot wide trailer all the way to the back. As you can tell, I’ve done all this before. But it was a long time ago. I actually migrated to California in 1960 pulling a trailer behind my Chevie Nomad with a Harley Sportster sitting in the living room; a boat on the roof and it’s motor in the wagon bed. A real neat rig. I was on the way to San Jose. But arrived in the dead of winter on Hollywood with 78 cents and a can of tuna fish - the transmission was out, the generator was out, and I was out in the cold. Typical Hollywood story. Roll’d the bike out; met some dudes, found a place to park the rig and got a job lead - all in less than a week….. Stay’d thirty five years! Then I over-shot San Jose and landed in San Francisco.

So here we all are in Sacramento this morning. Ready to finish our tasks and head out for the Delta to visit Spartin M. Sparticus. (The ‘M’ is for Manor, don’t you see. Of course.) Gotta see how it’ll ‘fit’ on the Mr. Van… A week from today we’ll be on the road to Guernville. Gypsies.. 21st Century gypsies. Well maybe not yet; ‘ cause we guess 21st century gypsies will be piloting old space ships and living on platforms. But we can fake it. And there’s nothing like terra firma in the Redwoods.

In all the hubbub of The Folsom Street Fair and closing out the Buena Vista Flat this diary got shuffled aside in favor of keeping up with the day to day stuff: Calendars and e-mail and paying bills. You know, the routine. Anyway, now it’s October 22nd; a Wednesday which according to this man’s routine, is a ‘me’ day. It means just what it says, taking care of ‘me’ stuff. So here I am back at this ‘cause it’s closest to my heart.

The classic music station is on (unusual for me); boi is making coffee. Bobbie cat is back from a three hour prowl in the woods and I’ve got a idea to share here which will put closure on this chapter and open another at the same time.

This section was going to be an aside titled, "Fitting Out Mr. Van". But now I realize it’s part of a much bigger life-long relationship with vehicles of all types. The truth is that I learned to love and rub on cars long before I learned to love a lover. It goes way back to when my father used to take me on his lap and let me drive (steer) down the gravel country lanes of rural Michigan.

So I’ve decided to write about these relationships separately. Cars have been such a major presence throughout my life that this deserves a work of it’s own. In the meantime you’ll know the idea was spawned here.

Mr. Van Dodge is a friendly vehicle. It’s versatile enough for most of our needs right now. In fact, it’s turn’d out to be exactly what we need during this time of transition. Moving. Towing Spartan Sparticus. Carrying passengers. Resting, sleeping, eating - truly a "Utilitarian Vessel".

Every week I’ve done something to restore the 20 year old ban to it’s luster. Tramping through the junk yards to find the missing chrome strips. Putting on original hub caps. White walls. Carpeting. Cosmetic stuff that makes it look good. Polish, Buff, Rub. Lube, Oil Filter - do it myself and check things out. The new drive shaft works great! The trailer hitch is perfect. Wire up the lights.

The steering went out. Yep, scary as hell and dangerous. Ripped out the steering dampner. Found the problem after taking off the steering wheel and all the guts inside. Sent rodtney to NAPA (National Auto Parts Association) parts house on his roller blades through downtown Guerneville. Yep, he got it. Dad fix’d it. "On The Road Again"

Turns out there’s a ready made new business for us here: Moving, Spotting, Placing trailers. We’ve done two moves the first week since I made up a little flyer. "You chose your lifestyle and then you support it"...

Getting paid to travel is just fine with us. Last Saturday we pick’d up a unit down in Half Moon Bay. A piece of cake. The lites didn’t work; but I fix’m em. We had a blow out on the way back - our second on the Van. So at least we’re paying for the maintenance.

Life goes on. A friend of ours call’d contemplating suicide again. He didn’t want all the hastle of getting old etc, etc. rodtney piped up and said, "Hey, it’s the hassle that makes life worthwhile." Well, that say’s it all doesn’t it? It makes this a good ‘out-point’.

Peace, Phil.

October 15, 1997
Wednesday is mid-week ‘Me Day’...

...that’s the day used for taking care of personal business for both of us. So like rodtney goes to the doctor today, for instance. That means we’re headed for the City (San Francisco) later this morning by way of Bodega Bay if we have time. It’s 04:45. Woke up and got up - at least for awhile. Been tryin’ to figure out how to put an interesting closure to this chapter, "Finding New Digs".

It’s been a month, just about, since the last entry. The first thing that happened this morning is that I can’t find the disk that the diary stuff is on, so I gotta pick it up from memory. We’ll see if I’m right; I think it was September 13th or thereabouts. That’s a month.... the things that can happen in a month.

Actually, the next ‘chapter’ is already done and out. It’s about getting settled in here in the woods at Russian River for the winter. So this is about what’s happened in-between getting here. This account took a turn during the first part September when we got Mr. Van Dodge. We bought the coach in August and knew we had to have something to pull it with. So that’s it’s own story and quite a story it is. It’s a whole lot different when you’re imagining how things are going to be and how they actually turn out of course. This was the period when we knew what we were going to live in; we had been blessed with the tow vehicle which we ‘hoped’ would do the job, and now we were concentrating on securing the space to settle into.

On one of our scouting trips, we had found Deer Park and made up our minds that this was the place for us. But there weren’t any actual spaces available. The owner, who is a wonderful gay bear, said he thought he’s have a temporary place opening up mid-month and a permanent one near the end of the month. We were facing our appointed time to vacate our flat on September 30th - and the Folsom Street Fair/Leather Week was the last weekend of the month - and we were expecting a house full of guests. What to do? Well, according to our Science of Mind philosophy, we simply needed to "Let Go, Let God". We did, and It did. We’ve begun to call it, "Just In Time Delivery.... God Is Our Supply."

On the 13th we learned that there would be room on the 22nd. That’s cutting it close. Real close. So we ‘Proceeded As-If’’, and continued to get ready. We were having garage sales every weekend, to raise the money to move and to get rid of as much stuff as possible. Living in a Spartan means spartan living. We figured we needed to move the coach into place before Folsom; return to the City for the festivities, finish packing an make our exodus at the very last minute. We knew we’d also have to stuff as much last minute left-overs into our storage locker which was already full.

On the appointed day, the 22nd, we took off for the Delta to hook up. It took hours to pack up the van as tightly as possible - full to the roof. If we’d had a roof rack, that would have been full too. And we still needed to put 1,000 pounds on the hitch and pull the four ton trailer seventy five miles. Excitement of the scary kind... When we arrived at the yard, Spartan Sparticus was sitting right in the middle of the lot; like waiting for the connection. So as rodtney went to sign papers; Dad went to work with the wiring. We wanted to get to our home before dark. That didn’t happen.

As the sun was setting; we got the lights working. Looking good. But no brakes. Trailers have electric brakes and these just weren’t going to work. There was no one around to help us figure out if it was the brakes or the wiring. The sun was going down and we meditated for a minute. I decided to risk it. The journey is basically across flat land. I figured I could do it since we had ‘practice traveled’ the route a couple of weeks before hand. I figured if we could get it going, we could get it stopped. So as dusk, we pull’d out, proud as peacocks with our rig lit up like a Christmas tree. The first thing we had to do was make a U-turn through a parking lot and get on the freeway going West. No problem.

But as we began to flow up and down the grades along the Sacramento River, we were aware of the load. The van is three-speed automatic and we found ourselves driving about 50 mph in second gear all of the time except going down hill. And we could virtually watch the gas gauge going down. That was to be expected. Seven miles per gallon is about average for RV towing. When we got on 101 going North, our confidence was building. Cruising at 55 was feeling comfortable - when it would go 55. Some of the grades slow’d us to 45 or a less. Still, all systems were go. No overheating. Before long, we were turning off on River Road for the fifteen mile run to Guerneville. I was carefully calculating the rolling stops so that I could save on the transmission. Looks like we’re gonna make it. Thank Spirit! It was pitch dark. No traffic. Eventually, there were three or four cars behind us. I pull’d over and let them pass even though we were holding the limit. Boom, 25 mile per hour on the sign. We’re gonna make it. We turn’d right to go the last half-mile to our camp. Outside, I pull’d over and we hugged under the moon. We made it home. Arm in arm we walk’d up the trail and found our spot next to a grove of huge redwoods. I sized up the situation.

Back in the van I swung wide; hit the gas and flew up the hill past our space and stopped. Now the ‘spotting’ began. I wanted to get it in perfectly the first time. We dug a trench for the wheels on the high side and I began to roll back in. The hill was steep enough that when I put on the brakes, the front wheels began to slide, so I kept on coming. Bingo. We’re in -just a foot and a half from a tree on the side. Rodtney was learning how to direct with hand signals. We didn’t want to wake up the neighbors, who all seem’d to be sleeping. It’s so quiet here you can hear a pin drop at night.

I pull’d ahead a few feet and I show’d rodtney how to build a ramp for the tandem wheels on the low side so as to level up. Then I shot back and stopped dead center. Done! We’ll level up tomorrow. And unpack the van which had enough plants on board to landscape the entire plot. I plugged up the power. Home! Time for bed. Is that daylight I see? We slept until eleven and work’d steady all day.. Our neighbor two doors down invited us to cocktails and pot-luck at four. We made if by 18:30 hours. Here we were, 75 miles North of San Francisco being welcom’d by our tribe. "Oh, What A Feeling! - Home Sweet Home".

BACK TO FINDING NEW DIGS:

September 24, 1997; Wednesday.

After a day and a half of set-up, we were packing for our last return and the Leather Weekend. No Problem. It’s about an hour and fifteen minutes to the Golden Gate Bridge (which now costs three dollars inbound). We were back in the Castro before dark. We call’d the voice mail and learned our new digital camera was not in as promised. So that became the first order of the next day. There is so much to do. Our bedroom looks like a disaster area. Then we discovered the disaster.

Our housemate/landlord had decided to speed up our departure and had pack’d and moved us virtually OUT! - into the basement/garage. We were furious! He wasn’t there. To regain our sanity we went to work putting everything back exactly as it had been. We still had a week of living to do there. Our bed was in the garage so we slept on the living room couch together. In the morning when Bill arrived, about 07:30, we were up and in his face. Very loudly. Later, rodtney was to tell me that Bill had asked if I had a gun. Yep, he was scared. And he needed to be. We felt as violated as if we had been robbed. And this guy’s a lawyer. He has absolutely no sense of compassion - almost psychotic in our experience. But he got the message. We were not to be bothered again until we left. At one point, he asked me if he could take a piss.

September 25, 1997; Thursday.

After hours on the phone, we finally got the Sony dealer to loan us his demo camera until our’s arrived. No zoom, but it’ll do. So we took some time out to walk the Castro and try it out. At Pasqua’s we met George Wong; our close friend from L.A., sitting in the window. We sat and talked and took pictures. Happy moments. We decided to go to the Bagdad Café for dinner. Sunday, at Folsom, would be our 1st anniversary, and we plann’d to return to the Bagdad to celebrate our first meal together after the Fair last year. It was a great to relax after the move and ‘being moved without our consent’. The minute we got home we loaded the pictures onto the computer from the floppy in the camera. Wow!

September 26, 1997; Friday.

Another day of packing and getting ready for our last sale day Saturday. It was the night of the Fantasy and Fetish Ball. We just couldn’t do it. We’ll have to do it vicariously through our friends. It was great - non stop ‘scenes’ of every sort. With Audrey Joseph producing, who’d expect less. Actually we had been invited to do a demo; but we decided to wait until next year. Enough is enough for now. For us, these events are seeing the party-goers. But we figured we’d see everyone on Sunday at the Fair. And I think we did. But that’ll be a separate story.

September 27, 1997; Saturday.

Our guests begin to arrive about 10am. Jose, Roger, Bert and Mark had been driving all night from L.A. I was just leaving to go the ‘Bone Yard’ (Auto Wrecker), to get some parts for the Van. I’d set up the garage sale about eight and rodtney was in full form. he’s sooooo good with people - even better than his Dad. Let’s see: Roger and bert can use the living room. Jose’ can use our room. We’ll sleep in the basement. Roger and Bert like the idea of sleeping in the Basement, so we take the living room. Everyone ends up taking turns napping on the back deck. slave Mark will bed down in the dining room Innovation works best.

The sale went pretty well. We still had the bed - which we needed. The guests hit the streets in full gear. We stay’d one jump ahead of all of it. This was the big dance night at the Pleasuredome - the Rubber Ball and we weren’t about to miss this one. All you single folk; head out for the bars; we’re going dancing! And dance we did - in our rubber - sweat and all. Just great! We got up on stage to take advantage of the fans that were set up for the go-go boys. We were boys a-go-go too. Keeping the balance; we didn’t stay out too late because we were going to eight o’clock church services in the morning. And we made it too.... in our Leathers of course.

After leaving Oakland we headed back across the Bay Bridge to a brunch being given at the home of our new landlords, John and John who were among the first to be registered as domestic partners in San Francisco. A great victorian on Portaro Hill was the location; and the place was full of wonderful men; including two of our new camp mates up at the River. From here we dashed back home to change for the fair. It was already 90 degrees. Boi had laid out Dad’s leather jump suit and his Master had selected a harness, jock and horse hair tail for his slaveboi.... lace up boots for both. We headed out with our digital camera still ‘on-loan’.

We took about 150 pictures that day. You’ll see many of them here. We arrived at the stage at 7th street next to Mr. ‘S; just in time for the titleholder parade. Kodak moments are now Sony moments for us. Check out all the hues. This is life as it truly can be - and is for us 24-7/ 3-6-5. We ran into almost everyone we knew out of town; but miss’d a few locals. We got photographed a few times ourselves. I always like to see those shots - especially the candid ones. You can read about the fair elsewhere on LeatherWeb. This is still about our New Digs. We were beginning to feel like tourists ourselves. Not hard for me; but it’s been 21 years here for boi rodt.

Afterwards everyone but us tramp’d the City for "Last Night In Town" (which is how Ross & ross met last year). Irwin and Roland; Kent Arnold’s boy and The Hun’s boy stopp’d by to change gear for the evening. We got some nice pictures for you here. Then, we rested and dressed for our anniversary dinner - which was absolutely great! We sat and drank lemonade from cross’d straws in a single glass just as we had done last year. We renew’d our romantic vows and went home to bed. Only two more days left.

September 29, 1997; Monday

In the morning we cook’d breakfast for the tribe, shipp’d them off to the South and clean’d the house. The rest of the day we mov’d everything we weren’t taking into our locker; or should we say ‘crammed’ it in. Yes! One more day.

September 30, 1997; Tuesday.

Our last day at Buena Vista. Dad is packing the Van; boi is packing the bedroom and kitchen. The basement and garage ‘staging area’ are full. No way is all this stuff going to fit. Then we discovered our four poster bed frame was missing from outside the basement door. Turns out the owner of the property had hired a contractor to move away some wood from the back yard. Evidently he took our bed and left the wood. Looks like we’re going to have to go to Small Claims Court to get a remedy. That’ll be another adventure. Spirit will prevail.

After packing all day it was getting dark. It look’d like we’d have to come back for a ‘last load’ which we didn’t want to do. When we leave, we don’t want to return. Ever. Done is done. About seven, rodtney’s father calls from Sacramento. The last time we were over there he had offered us his truck - the one we took on our cross-country trip; but we’d forgotten about that because we never imagin’d we’d need it. Mr. Jordan just volunteered, "I’m leaving now. I’ll be there at eight." By nine o’clock he arrived. The van doors were pushed shut. The springs were flat. By the time the truck was loaded, it too was crammed. Where are we going to put all this stuff?

The last thing in was the cat, bobbie ross, who sat in the front seat of the truck with rodt. Dad and Father drove the van. We headed out across the Golden Gate Bridge through Marin, after stopping at Jack In The Box. About half way, in Novato we stopp’d for gas. Now read this: the story ain’t over yet. This is the finale: When we pull’d back on 101, the truck began to ping real bad. And there was no power. We stopp’d to check the water to see if we’d overheated.. "How much was that gas", I asked. "It must be bad gas."

"A dollar thirty nine", says rodtney.

"My pump said a dollar thirty five", I said. "Oh man," I shouted, I put diesel in this rig! Now what?". Suddenly I saw us having to tow the van home; or drain the fuel right there. Once again; as we had done when we pick’d up the trailer; I meditated a moment and said, "Let’s go!" We clim’d aboard and after three stalls, I got the van moving ever so slowly. Eventually I got it up to 50. Just as before; when I pull’d off onto the River Road, I made certain not to have to come to a full stop. "We’re gonna make it", I said to my Father In Law. "There’s just enough gas mix’d in the diesel to keep it going.". Once again, Spirit brought us home. I’ll drain the tank tomorrow. "Let’s get some rest".

October 1, 1997; Wednesday.
Home Sweet Home

In the morning we unloaded the truck first so Mr. Jordan could get back to Sacramento. He was our very first ‘house guest’. We had brought a futon just for that purpose and it work’d well. There was no electricity when we arrived and the food was spoiled. We soon discovered there had been a melt-down where the power connects to the coach. Evidently someone had walked on the cord - or something. So I hot-wired it until we can get to the RV Supply for a new one. There’s no sewer hook up in this space; just water and power. We’re promised a full-hook up on in about a week. But the truth is, we like this spot; and so we decide to stay and get a portable holding tank for our waste. We’ll wheel it down an empty it ever couple of days. No big deal really. Just another ritual. And we can save money for Europe.

October 3rd, 1997; Friday
Back in the City.

All kinds of running; lose ends; business, shopping and errands. We finish about nine and are home by eleven thirty - tired. We spend Saturday getting settled in some more.

October 5th, 1997; Sunday
Back in the City

We decide to enjoy the morning at home with the sun shining down through the trees. It’s warm. We have breakfast and get to Oakland for Church at noon. Into the city for the Castro Fair this time. It’s always the week after Folsom. The Castro; 18th street and Market Street are closed down for the hundreds of thousands of folk. I haven’t been to one of these in twenty years. rodtney’s been every year for twenty years. I may not be back for another twenty. Bore-ing by comparison to Folsom. Too many sweaters and skirts for us. Not too many pictures taken here. But it’s fun; especially the country dancing on 18th street.

Next we’re off to a house party of some friends. It’s their anniversary. The food is Nigerian and the company is as diverse as only San Francisco or New York can be. Just fascinating - even for us. We meet the curators of the African American Museum at Fort Mason and are invited to talk about a web-site for them. That’s a cue; it’s time to get back to working full-time now that all this saga is over.

We arrive home about midnight I guess. Happy. In fact we’re very happy here. It feels so good to walk in the wilderness; or meander into town. We stay four days this time.

October 8th, 1997; Thursday
M.A.s.T. meeting.

Our trip in this time is to run errands; pick up the mail - and attend the monthly meeting of M.A.s.T.(Masters and slaves Together). It’s at Alan Selby’s and the time is quality. We share our rituals that make our relationships stay hot. "Life is good. All the time: 24-7/3-6-5."

So our ritual is established. But we’re not planning to go into town any time soon for awhile. It’s so nice here. We know we can go whenever - and we can sleep over in our Mr. Van Dodge anytime. For now we’re looking forward to exploring ‘Our New Digs’. We hope you’ve enjoy’d ‘traveling’ with us.. Drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you. Actually, we’re going to start a Gay RV’ers Home Page. It’s a lot of folks doin’ this full time these days.

REPORT:

Less than a month into fall and we're nested for the winter. From suburban (Pasadena) to urban (San Francisco) to rural (Guerneville) by way of 24 states and Canada; from a three bedroom home with land to a flat in the city to a home with wheels - all in less than a year, we're happy in Spirit. Life is good - all the time, 24-7/3-6-5. We are blessed - truly Success Blessed.

With our computer, phone or cell phone; cable or satellite; we can operate from wherever we're called. We're looking ahead more than a year - to Europe and perhaps around the country again with our home; and then some land on a lake. We still love the City and travel in frequently. But rodtney is especially happy just to be in retreat. This will be a base camp for us as we explore the beauty of the northern third of California from the coast to Nevada; San Francisco to Oregon.

During November we'll be traveling to Southern California; San Diego for Creating Change; Palm Springs for Sweatin' Bullets and our training workshop at Butchmann's Academy on the 21st to the 23rd. This will give us a break from the heavy rains and flooding El Nino is expected to bring in this area (We're situated on high ground; but we may lose our utilities and access for awhile so we're stocking up.

It's still real important to stay in touch though; to keep up with all the goin's on. So we hope to hear from you often. Write, call, e-mail; come visit. It's all good. It seems we've got more and more to do and hopefully the lack of interruption will help us keep a good rhythm. Almost every day we take time to hike or go down to the river about a half mile away. We look forward to canoeing often.

This is a long-time gay resort area and the park we're in is nearly all gay - a third are Leatherfolk. So this compensates for our trade-off of not being right on the water because of the flooding. Eventually we see ourselves going out in our boat every day from in front of our home. Waterskiing has been my sport of choice since I was 10 years old. It's time to revisit that love. We've already got our eyes on a proper boat.

So now you have our m.o. All sorts of projects are in the works; first and foremost the continuation of our web work. For us it's amazingly fulfilling. So look for us there. We're both taking pictures like crazy with our new digital camera. Let us know what you're thinking - and doing.

Peace and Blessings;
Love and Happiness,

Phil & rodtney