What about your mind does it shine?

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It's been a while, partly because I've been super busy being a real student and all, but mostly because I'm sort of a slacker. Wait, do those two go together? OK, I'm blaming it on being busy, because that sounds better.

* * *

Anyway, so I'm on a bike kick lately, and this week I took the Mule Hill Trail in Escondido. It actually starts at the same trailhead as the Bernardo Mountain hike I do so often, but instead of heading northwest, you head south-ish. Or something. I'm bad with directions.

It starts off as a wide enough road for vehicles (although they aren't allowed) and mainly flat. There are some historical signs along the way, too - apparently there were some battles in this area. If I knew more about history, I'd tell you about it, but since I don't, here's an interesting article, if you're so inclined.



Then it kind of winds by all these strawberry fields (and I always get that Beatles song stuck in my head as I'm passing, too) that smell so good I could just die - even when the strawberries have been picked and they're digging up the old plants, like they were this time, it still smells like strawberries. And the fields have these mansions overlooking them, which seems unfair when you consider the migrant workers who are picking the strawberries, but I like to think the mansion owners are hospitable and bring the workers lemonade on hot afternoons and pay them well and have parties for them. But, I'm sort of a daydreamer like that.

After that, it sort of heads out through some flatlands and over a creek. Then you make this stiff turn to the...east, maybe? It was kind of early when I was there, which is why it looks all shady - it was actually a beautiful day. But then again, aren't all days beautiful in California?



Then at about four miles in, it turns into a "real trail," by which I mean, it curves and is narrower - less of a road and more of, well, a trail. It's really pretty the whole way - one of the cooler trails I've taken in southern California, which is sort of surprising since it's not as remote as lots of the others I've tried. The trail starts looking like this, but I didn't take pictures of some of the best parts, because I was busy, you know, riding my bike and stuff.



And here's my trusty steed (oh yes, I've named it - Rocinante - you know, like Don Quixote's horse?) near the picnic area at about five miles, where the trail gets kind of rough. I turned around here this time like a big wuss, but next time I'm going to keep going past here. But a 10-mile trip was good for me this time - it was a nice jaunt without exhausting me! And when I do go again, I'll take better pictures, because these certainly don't do it justice.




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Gone

Well look at all those fancy clothes
but these could keep us warm just like those
and what about your soul? is it cold?
is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold?
and cars and phones and diamond rings
bling bling
those are only removable things
and what about your mind does it shine or
are there things that concern you
more than your time

gone, going, gone
everything
gone
give a damn
gone, be the birds when they don't wanna sing
gone people
all awkward with their things
gone.

look at you out to make a deal
you try to be appealing,
but you lose your appeal
and what about those shoes you're in today
they'll do no good
on the bridges you've burnt along the way, oh
you were willing to sell anything
gone with your hurt
leave your footprints
and we'll shame them with our words
gone people
all careless and consumed
gone
gone going gone
everything gone,
give a damn
gone, be the birds when they don't wanna sing
gone people
all awkward with their things
gone.