I think I fell into another dimension. I'm on a free wireless connection at Pennyrich International Cafe and Book Oasis Raton, NM. The town of Raton, NM on a free wireless connection is going to be one of the first communities to have a total presence in the virtual world. Don't worry the physical town will still exist. But the town will be completely wired... although it will be wireless. This is the future of the virtual world. Rich and Penny run this place where if you stumble in off I25 and they happen to be open they'll Penny will brew you up a cuppa for 54 cents. You can buy a book or card too... and... Rich runs what might look like a rinky dink computer repair shop... but as one of the folks involved with the creation of the predecessor of the internet (UU net for you folks who aren't in the know) he does a lot more than fix computers. There is a nifty "computer museum" on the premises. And for you techies... the connection here rocks.

Via http://www.dslreports.com/stest I got the following info.

2004-05-29 16:37:17 EST: 3774 / 2998
Your download speed : 3864656 bps, or 3774 kbps.
A 471.7 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 3070320 bps, or 2998 kbps.
test IP was to zianet.com via sprintlink.net

The background ambiance here is distinctly Christian so bag your profanity and have some respect if you do not share this belief. I have had a delightful time listening in on creation versus evolution arguments.

If you try to find this place it is in the same block as the Raton Theater but across the street.

I may post something about how small communities will lead the way in the next punctuated event that disturbs the evident equilibrium in how we've come to know the virtual world. That will be a significant change as until the "heartland" accepts something... it hasn't been truly integrated into the culture.

Rich is working on (his goal is) hooking up small town America under 25,000 -- just like Raton soon will be hooked up -- and the day will get here sooner than anyone thinks it will I suspect.

I should get back on the road... but this is such a trip! I love discovering the variations in the small town.

I may not post for a couple days... don't know when I will find more free internet access.

Hey all you later born Baby Boomers! An LBer Blog... sigh. I remember when an lb was something else. But time passes and I'm now finishing up on the first stopover of what I'm calling my "47" tour. Rather than have a midlife crisis I decided to take a solo road trip to celebrate my 47th birthday. Still cliche and somewhat predictable, but hey, I'm firmly in the middle of mid-life and I'm not ashamed of it. In fact I think it is rather cool. Beats the alternative as they say.

Anyway... I'll be blogging from coffee houses across the country that offer free wireless access. I'm in the Red Mountain Cafe in Las Cruces, New Mexico. 1120 Commerce Dr - (505) 522-7584. The site isn't up right now, but they assure me that it is usually up. I found 'em listed at Wi Fi Free Net It is amazing that even in the middle of the rural southwest I can find Wi Fi access. So if you are driving I10 or NM 25 area pop off the road and visit these good folks. I spent the night at the home of friends Kim and Ernie (also 47) and looked at fading photo albums from 20 - 25 years ago... when I was rail thin. Sigh. Good friends through the years... a very wonderful comfort and a blessing.

I need to get on the road... but I wanted to get the first blog of this journey up so I can let people know it exists. there will be more and more lengthy and probably off the wall posts when I'm not crashing with friends along the way and have the evenings to write.

I'm headed to Santa Fe now.