Berkeley
Land of Free Speech - Home to Wavy Gravy

The day ended with a nifty sunset witnessed from above Baker Beach in the Golden Gate as we watched the horizon slowly roll away looking intently for the green flash.

Since this is a BookVentureTour about a Jail book, the ride east on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard provided an appropriate cruise past ominous San Quentin prison, home to the hardiest of criminals. We didn't stop for a visit continuing to hit the road jack not looking back chanting a hardy-har-har to the dudes that are in there. The San Rafael bridge crossing over the north end of San Francisco Bay to Berkeley is an example of an engineer run amuk, amouk, or perhaps drunk. It has a dip and a couple of curves. We felt right at home on this wild contraption with a view of San Francisco looking like the city OZ in the distance on the right.

The Bus exited onto Fourth Street past the slacker clubs and warehouses where Green Day and North Face were founded. We passed Golden Gate Fields where Seabiscut raced. The Cal football team had just defeated Stanford to win The BIG GAME retaining the prized Axe for another year. If this were one of the large midwest schools, the students would have been drunkenly rioting turning over cars and emptying trash cans. But this is Berkeley where the students are concerned about headier matters in the universe, like the Intrepid Traveler and his band of Merry Pranksters coming to town on the Bus to read at Cody's Books on Telegraph Avenue. On the street, we were greeted by a horde of the great unwashed. Inside Cody's, it was much more civilized as we found our way through the bookstore maze into the second floor offices serving as another Green Room. The Prankster entourage has a pleasant way of disrupting the quietness of an area designated for reading.

Wavy and Jahanara were seated in the front row. Wendell Barry appeared much to the amazement and delight of Ed and Babbs and George. The room was abuzz with anticipation as the Pranksters spilled the necessary elements onto the tiny staging area in the small room. Tonight would not be a large production as we needed to tighten it up and stick close together because there just wasn't very much room to maneuver. Cody's is a cozy bookstore. We were shoulder to shoulder, joined at the hip feeling cool and ready to let 'em have it. Capn' Skypilot instructed the Band of Merryness to pick up the pace, we were not going to hold back since this was the last gig on the ten day Tour. "Okay... here's what we're gonna do."

Once again, Ed McClanahan, shown at left with Wendell Berry, graciously introduced the troupe and the readers acknowledging special friends, fellow Pranksters and family members. We had our deliveries down now which were presented without intrepidation and documented here and now at IntrepidTrips dot Calm. It is not easy being this tired and satiated trying to remember what transpired. Improvisation really helps along with a good dose of bullshit. The Berkeley gig was a great evening of readings and skitches that worked on a couple of levels. The SpitFurther readings were performed with great aplomb from Wavy, Wendell, David, Eileen, Roseanne and Chef Juke. The audiences have been attentive and appreciative always staying around to chit and chat requesting autographs. We ran a little long on the tooth tonight causing the Cody's employees consternation that we weren't downstairs signing autographs but rather hanging upstairs schmoozing with our friends and special guests. The scene outside adjacent to the Bus was a hub of activity since the Bookstore closed leaving us to fend for ourselves on Telegraph.

David Stanford and Eileen Babbs...