Friday, April 14, 2006

The Dish, Stanford

Rolling hills behind the campus. Several very large satellite dishes at the top. Green and lush, after the plentiful rains this winter brought. The path around The Dish is some 4 miles long. Difficult because of the seemingly endless climb, and then the almost precipitous down to the entrance.

It is cloudy and cool this spring morning. A light drizzle as I run on Stanford Avenue to warm up, then set off uphill. First really difficult run since the accident. In the past, I have challenged myself to run the dish without slowing to a walk. Mind over matter – the trick is to focus on little achievements. Get to that trail marker just 50 yards away, then think of stopping to catch your breath. Keep going. Trick the sniveling organism.

I soon see the Stanford Campus laid out below. Lights blazing over the games fields. Red tiles. Did Leland ever walk up here, contemplating where the main quad should be? Did he vision 21st century achievement stemming from his university, feeding the creativity of The Valley? Low clouds over the East Bay, but it is clear to the North, and I can see the tall buildings of the San Francisco Business District, in the far distance.

As I turn to the West, Portola Valley is below me. I hear the rush of traffic on 280. A visiting poet said The Valley is a Wasteland. Endless stretch of homes and offices. I wish I had him with me today. That sound is a river of creativity, bringing driven souls to the center of my universe. To create the next iPod, to dream up The Next Big Thing. Infinitesimally small companies daring to dream. Products and concepts conceived from coffee and guts. This is not a wasteland – it is the fountain of youth!

I chug on, as I run past the big dish at the top. Hulking over the path, clouds swirling behind, like The Beast, with a rose clutched to his hand. A pleasant old woman runs past, smiling hello. I pick up speed as I crest the top, and exult in the thrill. I can run again! I see Dumbarton in the distance. Soon. I will run over that bridge. I will run and breathe and think and rejoice. And I’ll see my product at Fry’s.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You sound HAPPY, Nomad!!!

And, who knows, you might still have that " product at Fry's " !

All the Best.

Tue Apr 18, 06:42:00 AM PDT  

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