Hello All,
This is the first entry in my forthcoming adventure. I guess the title tells all; TC sees America. How I decided to take this adventure is a combination of past experience and what seems to be, “divine intervention”. The past experience was with my old friend and Harley riding buddy, Mike Grosswald. We have ridden our Harleys from coast to coast on the east to west trip in 2003 from Florida to California, from Florida to Maine in 2007, from Florida to Missouri, with the main objective to ride the mountains of Arkansas this year, 2009. I have had the privilege to see so many cities and small towns all over this beautiful country. As most of you may or may not know, I am the consummate patriot. I love this country and am proud to be a Navy veteran. To paraphrase my journal in 2003, with reference to riding across the great plains of Illinois, “just open me up and you’ll find red, white and blue”. Perhaps hokey, but I think, clearly gets the point across. With that said, my thoughts were to see the rest of the U. S. that I had so far missed. It was a plan for the future; after retirement, or somewhere down the road, and of course to do it on my Harley.
The divine intervention seems to have come in the form of employment. I accepted a position with SCI Corporation as I thought it would be a good fit. I was in the monument business for 20 years and SCI was in the funeral, cemetery, cremation and monument business. I was sent to school in the Tampa area and had also completed about 100 on line courses. I was a Family Service Counselor, licensed with the state of Florida. As it turned out, the fit was not right at all. Seeing casketed individuals was really quite depressing. Working with at need families was something I initially thought I would enjoy, as I would be helping them in their time of need, but honestly, it became depressing as well. I began to dislike my job and started to think of my own mortality. Not something you want to do every day, I can assure you. It seems I found myself using the phrase most of us use all the time, perhaps without full meaning behind it, “Life is Short”. I was in fact, seeing that all the time. There were other contributing factors as well, but, working in such an atmosphere lead me to where I am going. The Harley trip seemed like a “now” trip. I just turned 62 years old and started my early social security benefits, did I just say that? My lease was going to be up shortly, and what the heck, it all seemed to fit. There were just two factors that would have me wait until at least mid or late February or early March. Daniel and Ashley were getting married early February and there would be cold weather where I was going that time of year. As my intention was to see the National Parks and to tent camp, I would want to wait at least until then. So the plan took roots.
I diligently did my research; the kind of tent, cooking equipment, etc., and all the stuff that makes up a trip like this fun. So, having successfully prepared and purchased all my equipment, I was anxious, antsy, and just plain ready to test it out. That’s exactly what I did, in the form of a “shakedown cruise” (Navy term), to Ocala National Forest.
I packed up, prepared, and hit the road, only to find a very heavy Harley. ( say that three times fast, very heavy Harley) Did get to Juniper Springs campground without any incident, but barely and set up camp. The camping part was great. I have always loved the out of doors and camping, but honestly, I was beat. My next site camping companions, Charlie and Sherry Clotis were kind enough to invite me over for coffee and a very interesting conversation about Harleys, they ride as well, hunting, music, and life and spirituality in general. Charlie is a preacher, who has had a very interesting past. Interesting, may be slightly mild in his case. He was a hard drinking, woman chasing, drug using, bad biker, who almost “bought the farm”, when he totaled his bike. That and his good fortune to meet the love of his life, Sherry, saved him and brought him into the ministry. While enjoying the coffee and the conversation, I observed all the conveniences they enjoyed, two burner stove, lantern, chairs, coffee pot, and lots of supplies. Certainly more than I could muster up on the Harley, which got me to thinking about my own forthcoming trip. Charlie mentioned as well that riding alone in the mountains all day, then setting up camp, would be as he put it, for hard core bikers. Now I am no wimp by any means, but did I actually want to do that? So it seems my plans suddenly took on a different dimension. I lay awake most of the night in my virgin tent and just thought of the differences between the two. I would still see the states that I have missed, just not on two wheels.
So, that’s the way it would be. I would now take my Jeep and too enjoy all the more convenient and nice amenities that truck camping offers. It seems that divine intervention has taken the lead two to one. I guess as the Rolling Stones song says; “ You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you might find, you get what you need”. My situation with work, retirement, and meeting Charlie and Sherry, seems to have given me what I needed. No, it will not be on the Harley, but it still will be.
If all goes as planned I will be visiting at length, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois (again), Indiana, Kansas, Colorado, California (again) Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada (again), Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and North and South Dakota. I am not sure how long I will be on the road, but however long it takes, so be it, no matter. In the meantime, I have taken to updating my fishing, hiking equipment. I purchased a mountain bike and rack for the Jeep, a portable and car chargeable DVD player. I have a small table,folding chair and so much more that would not be possible on the Harley.
So, that is my story and I am sticking to it, and my first entry in my up coming and continuing blog; tcseesamerica.blogspot.com. You are welcome to read it at your leisure and pleasure and comment if you wish.
Until the next time, I remain, anxious, antsy and just plain ready.
TC
