I'd made the foolish mistake of venturing into the desert further than I should on a day when I should not and past the point I should never have gone. The result was delirium and that touch of clarity which is always the consequence of realized error and a bit of rest and reflection upon the near miss of a well-lived life. #GoingAlone

This chapter is the core and centerpiece of Going Alone, as it describes the route and adventure of The Anxiety Hike, where the places and characters of my book are described and met.

This is my first attempt at an after midnight book reading... I read aloud an entire chapter of Going Alone from beneath Route 66 in the middle of the desert. While reading, I was bombarded with flying ants and other nighttime insects which were attracted to my light. One particularly large and colorful desert grasshopper made repeated attempts at scaring the heck out of me by flying into me from the dark. The reading went well, despite some wind noise from the blustery desert night. I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't wondering what might be out there in the dark under the bridge with me watching me while I read. It's interesting what the mind can do despite the reality we've nothing much to really fear. #GoingAlone