When Sal hears that his old pal Chad King is now working at a museum and studying anthropology and American Indians, he does not waste any time tracking him down. Sal finds out that Chad is estranged from both Carlo Marx and Dean Moriarty. There is tension between them and Sal's other pals. Sal wishes to observe the progress of the conflict between the two groups.

Sal goes on to detail Dean's formative years. Dean's mother passed away while he was young, and his father was an alcoholic. In his youth, Dean lived a life of crime and was given free reign over Denver's streets. Dean grew up on Larimer Street, Denver's Bowery, where he would beg for money and give it to his father so that he could purchase liquor. Sal claims that when Dean was older, he set a record for stealing cars and went to a reform school.

Sal spends a couple nights at Chad's residence. Chad's father is a fascinating old man who had a classic Western upbringing on the North Dakota prairies. He had a career teaching, in business, and as an entrepreneur. When Sal is sleeping, he stumbles into another of Mr. King's inventions: a rudimentary air conditioner. Sal likes paying Chad a visit, but he can not wait to catch up with Dean.

When Sal's friend Tim Gray moves in with his parents, he moves into the flat. Another acquaintance, Roland Major, already resides there. Sal calls it a swanky apartment, and he and Roland both have their own private bedrooms. Roland, like Sal, aspires to be a writer, but he has little use for what he labels "artsy types." When Roland talks about art and literature, he tends to sound quite lofty and superior. The man makes Sal laugh.

Sal meets Carlo Marx, a night clerk at a retail store. Carlo informs Sal that the untamed Dean Moriarty is currently residing in Colorado. Dean divides his time between Camille and Marylou, the two women with whom he is now connected. Because of his hectic social life, he has to stick to a strict routine. They are still very good friends, and Carlo says they are "embarked on a tremendous season together." They take benzedrine and sit on a bed, cross-legged, facing each other, in an effort to have an open and frank conversation. Dean, on the other hand, is a big fan of midget car races.

When Sal goes out, he meets up with another pal named Ray Rawlins in one of the pubs on Colfax Avenue. Sal is disappointed to learn that he is the only one of his friends without a girlfriend.

Sal and Carlo end up hanging out and paying a visit to roommates Dean and Camille in the rooming home they both live in. After telling Camille he would be back in two hours, Dean left with Sal and Carlo. Dean promises Sal he can find him a job at the Carmargo markets as they stroll the Denver streets together. Before heading to Sal's place, they pay a visit to Rita and Mary Bettencourt, two sisters who work as waitresses. The party heads to Roland Major's place, but he still will not let them in. Everybody heads back downtown to their regular haunts, where Sal promptly blows his whole paycheck. When he gets back to his flat, he walks right back into bed.

In Chapter 8, Sal mentions his traveling pal Eddie, who is also in Colorado. Sal sets up a meeting between Eddie, who is job hunting, and an employer. When Dean shows up to Sal's place,...