written by Wiley Rogers /// photographed by Zack Marker
University avenue is a long thread of cars with a lot of nasty knots. At sunset, facing west I can barely see out of the windshield.
Diesel is leaking on our engine block and the carbon monoxide detector is beeping on the overpass. Zack is in the Gem Bubble seat and I'm not worried about any cops on the Gilman frontage road. We pass a drift wood cross sculpture and piles plastic sorted around tents that line the underpass. Zack lines up a passing Winnebago in the star canon sights.
The security guard recognizes the bus is kicking us out and lets us get fresh looks of Splendor's recent transformations. The sun is hugging Mt. Tamalpais. Horse track hay trucks bounce light. She's looking different. Good. Welcome the change and movement.
This is a stable landing strip. Bus shows typically co-exist peacefully with Horse Track security guards. I don't recognize him in the white pick up truck. He wants us to leave and I can tell he's serious; he's not lazy and indifferent, he really cares about securing the horse track. The horse track parking lot is one of the few expansive off the radar open spaces in the East Bay. People learn how to drive and make out and smoke weed and drag race and live in cars and walk dogs.
Zack and I get the looks we need. Decided not to open the stage can opener. Didn't want to deal with the bolts and bottle jacks. Splendor is looking good though. Fresh Space Vibe.
