Visiting Eric

It has been almost a year since I've been up here last. Time goes by so fast, I cant believe that much time has already gone by. Eric lives in Crescent city, he is incarcerated (in jail) and has been for a while. I've been up to see him a total of 3-4 times. It is never easy to make it up here, since it is a long drive, and can get kind of expensive with the gas, and hotel, and food, etc, but always so worth it. I got a letter from him not to long ago, and he said his grandma had passed away. He was super close with his grandma, and I know how much it must pain him and how hard I imagine it would be to mourn while in jail. I was planning on making a trip at some point in August, but after I got this letter I thought it woudl be better to take the trip sooner rather than later, and decidd to come the weekend after I got back from my bike ride. I drove up last night, and am sitting in my hotel room typing this up before I go. It is always an intense experience going in to visit him. Checking in, going through all the security, and gates, and then going in to sit down and talk to him on the phone, and look at him through the glass. Every time I have been up to see him, since the first time I have met him, he has always been a source of inspiration. He always seems to have high spirits, and laughs a lot, and is insightful, and the conversations are always good, and we laugh, and talk. I hope today his heart is not to heavy and he is ok. At the very least, I hope that a visit from a friend will help to take his mind off of his loss for a couple of hours while we visit.