Nebraska & Black Hills

After leaving Iowa, I travled north and west to South Dakota, stopping in Nebraska along the way. I was surprised at the highway system in Nebraska as it was really bumpy for most of the trip - especially in the Omaha area where anything over 55 mph threw things around inside the HH as if the road was angry being put to work.

 

At any rate, I eventually arrived in the Rapid City, SD area where I stayed at the campground at Ellsworth AFB.  The park had recently undergone an upgrade and the site was not only level and clean, but had a great view of the surrounding countryside.  Having it close enough to the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, and all the rest was an added bonus.  And, as usual, the cost of staying at a Military CG has it's own advantage.

 

My only negative observation, and one I revisted throughout SD and later WY and MT, is that there are a million and one hills everywhere...drove me and the Hula Hut nuts with the transmission kicking in and out of overdrive so much, but, what cha gonna do, eh?

 

Before I get into specifics, let me just be clear on this....the Black Hills were awesome, just amazing, and I was more than disappointed that I didn't have the bike with me for this portion of the trip - more on that later.

 



GEO Center of the United States - (well, not really, but close)

My first day running around the Black Hills included a trip to what was supposed to be the location of the GEO Center of the US.  It turns out that it's close - actually it's located in a farmers field about 3/4 of a mile from the marker - but it was an interesting place none-the-less.  It's located in the small town of Belle Fourche, SD.  Worth the trip, just to say you've been there, but there's not much else to see around there.

My next stop was Sturgis, yeah, had to do it, bike or not.  Since this was my first visit there (and no, it was not bike week) I was really interested to see how the place looked, and how the people acted while there was no real "weirdness" going on...wrong assumption.

Although the drive is beautiful out there, and man, there were bikers everywhere, the area of Sturgis was really somewhat disappointing.  Perhaps it is because of my upbringing in Florida (where fleeching tourists is an art), but I was really disappointed in the commerical aspect of the place.  I'm not sure I was expecting that part, and it was everywhere you looked for 50 miles around Sturgis, it seemed like every business was there to seperate bikers from their money in some respect or another.

One other aspect of Sturgis that I wasn't prepared for was somewhat funny - it seemed like I never ran across a biker that didn't qualify for AARP for the whole week I was in the area.  At first I thought it was just my imagination - yet, even when I was trying to find younger bikers, they were few and far between!  The funniest aspect was seeing bars, resturants, and biker places with "Welcome Seniors" and "Sturgis Bike Rally" signs hanging side by side.     The irony of the whole thing?  If I had had my bike with me, I would have been one of those seniors out there on the road!        Oh my.

One of the places I was really looking forward to seeing was Deadwood, SD.  I'm not sure I can explani the reasoning other then to say I just like historical places where history took a decisive turn at some point.  Deadwood has that with the history of George Custer discovering gold, the indians being pushed out by people swarming in from everywhere, and all the drama that evolved.  The HBO series from a few years ago didn't do it total justice, but it made it entertaining.  The drive to get there is spectacular and the town itself is nestled in this small valley with a river running close by and surrounded by shear mountains and narrow passes.  Beautiful country.

All over town are signs linking it's past to significant events.  How accurate are they?  Who knows, but it makes a nice touch.

There's much more to produce for this part of the trip...but I'm already tardy with posting this, so I'll post this section and start working on the remainder shortly.

Reflections on Vetrans Day Weekend

A friend of mine and I were speaking the other day about life.  On occasion it doesn't quite live up to expectations.  But, ultimately, there is one thing that is certain.

Death.  That thing we all know is coming, somehow, sometime, somewhere.  For some, death came too soon, too violently, too far from home.

Some, myself included, have avoided it on occasion.  But, it was a close thing.  The reason, through luck or divine intervention remains a mystery.  I can say this - without a lot of emotional attachment - it's not as mysterious as it once was to me.  I do however, have some lingering questions...the list keeps growing, but I can wait.  For awhile.

We started on this macabre subject quite by accident.  We were discussing the upcoming Veterans Day and the various people we have known over the years in uniform.  Just as importantly, we began talking about those friends of ours who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and for who we pause, or should pause, on Veterans Day to remember.  In my mind, its far more important to remember the fallen than it is to remember the ones who have survived.

Thankfully my list of fallen friends is far shorter than some.  I take a moment, a bottle, and a quiet spot, pause to remember my brothers, and somehow they remain alive.  Young men, primarily in their early 20's, full of life, full of hope, full of the future.  They will remain young forever. 

I can't dwell on or separate those we lost and never found, those who died defending the bodies of brothers already fallen moments before, or those recovered who died in the arms of those that brought them out. In the end, the dead are simply gone.  The circumstance matter only in the details of their honorable service to our great nation.  But, we MUST remember them.

Among them were leaders who could have shaped the world, future Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, or perhaps truck drivers, plumbers, or farmers.  Who knows?  Based on their backgrounds, they could have been whatever they chose to be. . . and they would have been successful too.

So, I ask you to join me on this upcoming Veterans Day to pause from your BBQ, your family gathering, or your well earned rest, and remember that there are names, faces, families, and lost futures behind this important moment that we all celebrate.  

My Thoughts on the Election

The Election

I’ve been quiet.  Until now.

First - Get out and VOTE!

I don’t much care who you vote for – that’s a personal decision.  I’ve been described as a conservative liberal, or a liberal conservative.  The reality is that I vote for who I think has the closest values to my own, and I really don’t care what party that person is associated with.  And, by the way, I don’t really care about their gender, color, or religion either.  I only care about what America stands for, who she stands with, and how we apply those values.

Here’s my opinion on a few things that help me decide...

I do believe in the Constitution.  Most of it anyway.  The parts I have trouble with, I’ve learned to live with.  That’s part of being an American.

I believe in Capital punishment.  Although I think the list of crimes is far too short, and I think we should ‘fast track” those people on their way to the next phase in the grand journey.

The Second Amendment.  Read it, it’s simple, but I don’t want my neighbor to have a .50 caliber M2 Machine Gun on his front porch.  Other than that, leave me alone and don’t bother me when the zombies come.

I believe that ALL men are created equal.  Equality means that you gain what you work for and that the Government does NOT have an obligation to take care of you.

I believe that women have the right to choose what they do with their own bodies, and that includes abortion rights.  No religion, Government, nor individual has the right to make that decision for them.  For you guys, do you really believe you’d allow the Government or someone to make a decision like that for you?  Get real.

I believe that women are as capable as men.  But that doesn’t mean I think they should serve in a combat related arms in the defense of this country.  Call me sexist or perhaps just old fashion.  Stick with being President when your time comes.

Rape is a crime.  It’s NOT assault, or criminal mischief.  If found guilty, a rapist should be locked up for life with other rapists.  No pardon, no parole.

Child Molesters, if found guilty, should be executed.

I believe that Lawful Permanent Residents (Green card holders) have entered into a contract with our United States.  If you break our laws you’ve broken that contract and you should be deported.  Regardless of age and regardless of how many family members you have to take with you.  For those “others illegally present” (a thoughtful phrase from the Immigration Reform Act), if found, you should be arrested, prosecuted, and if found guilty, should be permanently barred from re-entering the country after serving a term in Federal prison.

I believe in what the Unions once stood for….but that doesn’t mean that Union members should get breaks that the average person does not get, and the Union is NOT always right.

I hate racists.  All of them, regardless of color or gender.  There’s just no excuse for ignorance.

I believe in the simple explanation of Sheep, Sheep Dogs, and the Wolves.  Everyone falls into one of those categories.  You are what you are, be happy with that, but don’t pass judgment on those of us that choose to fight the wolves.  Even those of us lying on the porch, head resting on our paws, watching the younger Sheep Dogs doing all the work these days.   We are what we are.  Be happy we’re here.

I was Baptized in my youth.  Twice.  My Mother was convinced it didn’t “take” the first time.  As I have gotten older, I think she was right.  I was in trouble in Sunday school while learning the 10 Commandments because I was disappointed to learn there was no asterisk (*) on anything that indicated “except under the following circumstances”  My point is that no one, every time, will get it right, each and every time.   Be flexible.

I know for a fact that War is never nice, and it’s not like you see in movies or on TV.  It should not be entered into lightly, but once engaged, you never, ever, quit, until the other side are either dead or submit to your national will.  Anything less is an insult to the men and woman who have died or bled for this great Nation.

I believe that if you think “so-and-so” lied to get us into a war in Iraq (which I didn’t support by the way), you’re not informed and should read the history of abuse in Iraq leading up to 2003.  I was there, and even I am at a loss for words on what I saw in person.  I believe that the majority of people in that country are better off today as a result, and I shed my blood and left it in the sand for my belief.

I believe that religion is whatever you hold dear to your soul as true belief.  No book, individual, or Government should tell you what religion to follow.  No one religion is the “true” religion in my view.  We’ll all know who’s right when we take that last great journey after this one.  Do we need to discuss “tolerance?”

I believe that who you have sex with, or how many partners at a time, and when, is not anyone else’s business.  And, yes, I have no problem with the idea of two people of the same gender being in a relationship.

Adultery is a word not a crime.  When was the last time you were a virgin?  Don’t ask me for my personal view on this one unless you really want to know.

Marriage, in almost all cultures, is a union of individuals.  Rules or understandings within that union are not anyone else’s business. (See “Adultery” if you still have questions about where I stand on this one)

I believe Global Warming is an outrageous fraud supported by global leaders who make an awful lot of money on the fears of gullible people who mean well and want to feel like they are doing something for the common good.  How about just being nice to everyone you come into contact with and show a little compassion that way instead?

Lastly, I’m very disappointed in so many of you who have taken an extreme position during this run up to the election.  Many of my oldest friends (on both side of the spectrum) have used some of the foulest arguments, the most bizarre stories, and some of the most inflammatory descriptions I have ever seen in an election.     Yes, it’s important, but where is your common courtesy?

Agree or disagree. . .it’s my opinion.  Just vote, and let’s get on with being Americans united as we should be every day.

Iron Warriors - Iowa

The guys in Des Moines really reached out and treated this traveler with style.  Special thanks to "Bug" who made all the arrangements, and a special shout out to Dick who patched me into his special "WWDD" club.   The rules are simple.  What would Dick Do?  It would take too long to explain here.  Trust me.

The Texas Chapter meets the Iowa Chapter!

Famous Dick....yeah, I said it.  WWDD?

Dick was trying to explain why this patch has to be stapled, not sewed, in place.  The reason ?  That's what Dick would Do!

Oh...yeah.



Babes....why is it always babes?

Everyone who knows me, knows I'm just a sucker for blondes, and I'm even worse where redheads are concerned.

So I suppose it's cosmic justice that my heart has been stolen once again by a couple of blonde haired babes in Iowa of all places. . . .

Thank gawd they're not mine, I'd be locking them up for about the next 20 years or so.  Can you imagine, an Olympic hopeful and a future rocker?  I won't admit which one has my hand-me-down harmonica to drive her Daddy nuts.   hehehehe



High Trestle Bridge

I finally went to that little out of way local site called the High Trestle Bridge in Madrid Iowa about 18 miles from my campsite at Saylorville Lake.  Well worth the effort to say the least.

The bridge is an old railroad bridge that dates back further then I can recall.  Yet I remember that it is 2500 + feet long, 13 stories over the Des Moines river and was turned over to private interests just within the last 10 years.  It's part of a 20+ mile long bike path that runs between several of the small towns in the area.

Upon arrival I was the only car in the parking lot, about 3/4 mile from where the map said the bridge was located.  Yet you can't see it from the lot.  Great 8 foot wide concrete path, smooth seams, and golf course trimmed grass along the margins for a space of about 12 feet on each side.  In other words, the perfect place for a Segway.

The bridge is located alongside the original bridge build at the turn of the century and the original bridge abutment is still in place on the riverbank.  When the railroad decided to build a new bridge several miles upstream from the original, they pulled off the cross members and supports and re-cycled them on the new bridge.  Only the original pilings remained behind due to their weight and the fact that they were built 60 feet into the ground on bedrock.  Almost impossible to remove without tons of dynamite.  As a result, the RR decided to abandon the property and eventually sold it to a private interest.  They, in turn, raised funds to build the new decking and made it part of the bike path.

To make it interesting they invited artists to develop a theme.  What they came up with is unique as you can see in the pictures.  If the video comes out, you'll see what I mean.

Before any of you think I studied up on this bridge just so I could bore you to tears let me explain how this came about.  While standing on the old (original) bridge abutment, I started chatting with an older gentleman who arrived by bike.  He spoke, pretty much, for over an hour non-stop about the history of the bridge, the history of the area, the river, the bridge builders, the coal mining operations (13 mines at one point in time), and his grandfathers part in moving coal along the Des Moines riverbank by wooden wagon pulled by mules.   Imagine that.

The man, whose named was Ron Johnson, turned out to be one of the volunteer guides along the path with a special interest in the bridge.  He comes out every night to educate the public about it's history and special meaning and impact on the community.  How lucky was I to spark up a conversation with just the right guy?

The pictures below will give you just a small idea of the size and scope of this project; what a great place to visit on a full-moon night, during a holiday evening...

Brief overview of the Bridge.

Much more impressive in person.

The only way to travel on a 20 + mile bike path!

At Dusk, this solar powed light show starts.  The lights span the river and signify the transition a person going from the surface below ground in a coal mine.  It's pretty cool as it's the only lights around for miles in any direction.



Iowa Part One

I should start with a shutter of remembrance of the drive out of the Chicago suburbs after departing Elkhart.  But, "it is what it is" has become my mantra on this little road trip so I will leave that for another time perhaps.  Let's just say the traffic is not anywhere near normal.

I drove as far as the west side of Iowa CIty the first day and stayed overnight in a nice little shady RV park off the interstate.  After getting the Hula Hut settled in, I drove out for the mandatory exploration, a quick bite to eat, and a side trip to Riverside, Iowa, the future birthplace of Captain James T Kirk of Star Trek fame.  Can you imagine a small Iowa city whose fame is based on a fictional character who hasn't even been fictionally born yet?  Yet the town has banners and sites set up all along the main street (which runs about 400 yards total) and seems to be just the right setting for something out of a Hollywood script.  It's funny how life imitates art sometimes.

My timing could (or maybe not) have been better.  The town was virtually shut down in preparation for it's annual TrekFest which happens the last Saturday of each June.  All the store fronts, streets, even the little Star Trek Museum were shut down while workman scrubbed, painted, and cleaned in all directions.  It was, to use a term, odd.  Despite my disappointment of not being able to get a picture of me and the Segway happily rolling through the (one room) museum, it was worth the drive out to see what it actually looks like in person.  "Roadside America" comes through once again  for it's odd entertainment value.

The drive from Iowa City over to Grimes Iowa, was a pleasant 2.5 hours with little traffic, although I had forgotten that Iowa is not, in fact, the flat farm country that everyone seems to imagine it to be.  The hills, with grades matching parts of the Carolina's were unexpected.

Upon arrival at the National Park Service (NPS) Camp Ground at Saylorville lake, another unexpected surprise awaited me.   While I was checking into the registration office a law enforcement Park Ranger came into the office and asked if I was driving the RV with the OIF sticker?  Yes, and with that he asked how long was I staying, ect, ect...one thing led to another and it turned out he is also a OIF vet and told me he thought he had a camp site that I might enjoy. (There's a side story here that involves a displaced "California Hippie" and a whole other conversation, but I'll save that for when I can plant my tongue firmly in cheek)

Oh my gosh was he ever right.  My campsite in this out of the way place, is right below the dam on the spill way and literally looks down what becomes the Des Moines River basin.  All my neighbors are, essentially, behind me and the only thing that blocks my view are the fisherman lining the banks, and the wildlife that roams through during the early mornings and late evening at dusk.  To top it off, the camp site was 50% off using my NPS access card - wow, really? - something that my budget appreciates to no end.  What a way to spend the 13 nights I expect to be here, and my special thanks to that Ranger who helped out a buddy without even knowing who I was (which to put a point on it, is "nobody special").

I have several reasons to visit the Des Moines area (Saylorville is just to the north of downtown by about 20 miles).  Among those reasons are a visit to several local area museums and tourist sites, a couple-friend of mine who live in the area and I haven't seen in several years, and the local chapter of the Iron Warriors who I've never had the opportunity to meet in person.  This stop has been high on my list of expectations and if this first week has been any indication it's been well worth the journey.

The week has been filled with catching up with my friends and their kids (who despite having grown like weeds since I last saw them, still treated ole Uncle Dan to a dose of the family life - and pulled on my heart strings shamelessly), to jet skiing on the lake, to a night out on the town, sitting around a camp fire under a sky blanketed with stars, to a visit to the birth place of John Wayne, and a little tucked-out-of-sight Military Museum in the hills surrounding Saylorville Lake.  All that, and a few of the Bridges of Madison County (yes, from the movie) in real life.

On that subject, the county of Madison was really not anything I expected.  It's about 35 minutes from my campsite and I arrived before anything was open in the town, so I spent some time roaming the streets on my Segway around the County Courthouse (built in 1836) and had breakfast at the same little diner shown in the movie.  The breakfast was superb and cheap, and the only complaint I could find was that the service kept being interrupted by members of the staff who wanted to chat about the Segway, that in turn, encouraged the normal breakfast crowd to ask their own questions and one thing led to another.....it was a great experience among a bunch of down to earth people.

In addition to the mandatory visit to the John Wayne statue (located on John Wayne street naturally), the visit to his tiny four room home (*), and the county square, there was an Art Festival weekend taking place which I was drawn to without much effort.  Small town America is unlike what I'm used to and I found that people are truly friendly to an out of towner just passing through.  The entire Art Festival could have fit into the backyard of Stephanie's house in Hollywood, yet, between visiting with strangers and poking through "art" of all types and sizes, I spent almost an hour at the place.

So, the week has been joyful and I have another week to look forward to filled with the upcoming 4th of July parade in downtown Urbandale, a bike night with my Iron Warrior friends, more camp fires (in fact I'm sitting at my picnic table with a fire blazing as I type), and a couple of mundane tasks like cleaning and laundry that I just can't ignore. 

I suspect I'll stumble across other excitement during the week as well, or at least I hope so - and who knows, maybe my friend Crissie will come up with another "idea of the week" and send me to another unknown-to-me spot of interest.

I'm adding some new photos to give you a dose of this place, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I am enjoying the experience.

More later!

(*)  Just for the record, I did NOT ride my Segway anywhere near the John Wayne birthplace or museum, much less near the statue of the Duke.  I kept hearing a deep voice in my head saying "no way pilgrim, you tough it out, man up, and walk" - or something along those lines.   No way was I going to have the spirit of the Duke coming after me!

Future Birthplace of James T Kirk

The view from my campsite at Saylorville Lake

That white spot in the lower left corner?  Thats the Hula Hut!

The Duke & his Birth Home/ Museum

The Bridges of Madison County are out in the middle of nowhere!

But well worth the effort.

Madison County Court House built in the 1800's



Iowa - who knew?

OK, I admit, I've been poking around, not getting anywhere fast, and just kind of enjoying not having an agenda.

With lots of time on my hands I've spent some time trolling the net looking for various things to explore or keep me busy.  (Idle hands and all that)

One of my favorite haunts on the net has turned out to be the Roadside America website.  It's full of fun and unusal places to visit. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

That said, while I was traveling between Elkhart and Iowa I decided to stop and visit the site of Captain James T Kirk's (future) birthplace in Riverside, Iowa.   Who knew?

My timing kind of sucked, because the entire town is shut down in prepartion for this weekend (the last Saturday of each June) TrekFest.  Apparently the entire town is run amok with people in all kinds of Star Trek regalia.

So, my entire trip took 20 minutes, three photo's, and back on the road.

Perhaps the next stop will bear more fruit?

Main street in Riverside...quite the hopping place!

I tried to get close enough to get me, Bandersnatch, and the Segway into the photo...alas, there were workman everywhere prepping the place for the weekend.  No one was willing to help out a traveler in real need of some entertainment!

Elkhart Indiana

One of the driving forces for route planning during the initial phase of this trip was knowing that I had to take the Hula Hut back to where she had been born for some needed factory repairs.  I had no idea where Elkhart, Indiana was located, much less anything about the place.  After being there a week, exploring everyday for 6-9 hours (while the Hut was inside the shop), gave me an opportunity to get a new view on all things "Yankee" and a better appreciation for my neighbors to the North.

I admit, I really enjoyed the time. 

A rare opportunity presented itself while I was visiting the area.  One of the other survivors of our Iraq suicide bombing incident lives very close by Elkhart.  In addition to my previous visit with Donovan, I knew in my heart I wanted to visit with my friend, Rebecca Payne, to see how she was doing, and get caught up since last we had last seen each other (like Donovan, we hadn’t seen each other since being at Walter Reed in early 2006) in Washington.  Our visit was emotional, yet we enjoyed every single minute of it.

Also within driving distance was an aviation museum called "Air Zoo" in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who my friend, Crissie Murphy (http://www.cmurphydesign.com/) recently told me about, and an added bonus was the fact that she has award winning aviation related art work displayed there, and further, that it was within 40 minutes drive time. The decision to visit was a no brainer.   (http://www.airzoo.org/)

The museum is smaller of course than Wright Patterson, but the same level of dedication and courtesy of the staff was impressive.  Upon my arrival I had asked where I could find the art work, and not only did the volunteer know exactly where the two pieces where located, but walked with me to make sure I found them.  Along the way, winding our way through aircraft of all shapes and sizes, I got a running commentary on the history of aircraft, the people behind them, and the back story on the museum and the work that they do within the community.

Because I was once again on the Segway, I got a lot of questions relating to these ease of use, cost, and what, if any, limitations they may have.  Interestingly, the manager approached about 1/2 way through my tour and asked if there was a Segway convention in town.  When I told her no and asked why the question, she informed me that mine was the second one in two days that had come into the museum for the tour.  (I guess I'll just have to settle for being number 2 this time!).

She did however, arrange for me to go to another building that was the original museum building, and where they do the extensive restoration work on aircraft, for a behind the ropes guided tour.  THAT part was simply breathtaking to experience.

Over the next few days I roamed all around the northern Indiana, southern Michigan area visiting little out of the way places.  Crissie again came up with a splendid suggestion for a car museum (website) and upon arrival; I found the place was hosting its annual tractor convention.  So in addition to seeing automobiles that would take hours to describe in artistic terms, I was entertained by tractors of all shapes, sizes, and colors.   As I said to a friend, I've never seen so many men in overalls gathered in one place in all my life!  (http://gilmorecarmuseum.org/)

I have another friend, Jim Wright, from down Texas way, who has an interest in trains, and all things related to trains.   I found out that Elkhart has a railroad museum and decided that I would swing by for a short visit, take some photos for Jim, and be on my way down the road to another location (the Super Hero's Museum of all things).  It didn't quite work out that way.

The museum itself sits on the edge of downtown, and at the head of a huge switching yard that is still active to this day.  It's quite impressive to a novice who knows little or nothing about these things, and I ended up wandering around for over 3 hours inside and outside the grounds, it was fascinating, educational, and well worth the time (website).

There is also the RV Museum in Elkhart (who knew?), but I have to admit I wasn't very turned on by the experience.  I'm in love with my Outlaw so why bother about all those thin skinned yesteryear models, eh?    My parking lot neighbors however, loved the place and went back three days in a row to make sure they didn't miss anything.  Yeah, well, they’re from Canada so I doubt they get out much!

Elkhart has some of the largest city parks I've seen in a long time.  They are literally everywhere you turn, with bike (Segway) trails, small streams and rivers, and paved and lighted pathways.  It was addictive and I rode a lot through various old town areas and downtown.

Once the Hula Hut was complete, I had planned to strike out for MN and WI but, with a last minute change of plans, I decided to spend the weekend in Elkhart to attend an annual Jazz Festival that was the talk of the town.  It was spectacular!  Open air Jazz on the city streets well into the night.  I even, much to my surprise, got up early on Sunday morning to attend a jazz themed church service on Main Street which I really enjoyed.  If church was like this when I was growing up I'd probably be more respectful.

The next few stops, now that the Hula Hut is sporting a new top and improved attitude, is westbound...Iowa City and Riverside, Iowa (the future birth site of James T Kirk), Des Moines (and a little place south of there, the birthplace of John Wayne), and to take part in the annual 4th of July celebration as only a small town can throw.

I'll add more as the story, and the journey, continues. . .

An example of Crissie's award winning work at the Air Zoo.

Least you forget, the Mini (Bandersnatch) and the (as yet unnamed) Segway are on vacation too.

Yes, I took advantage of the Segway and rode around the various buildings and grounds.

The colors and detail on some of these cars was breathtaking

One of my favorites!

Jim would be able to tell us what kind of locomotive this is...me?  I don't have a clue.

I did, occasionally, get caught up in rush hour traffic traveling through the back roads of Indiana.

Downtown Elkhart version of a traffic jam.

Elkhart's riverwalk

Sunday morning church service...jazz fest style!

Dayton Ohio and Wright Patterson AFB

On my trip to Indiana, the route took me close enough to Wright-Pat to make a stop and visit the US Air Force Museum.  It was more than worth the time and effort to do so as not only is the place huge - you literally can't see it all in a day - the people that volunteer there was super and the exhibits first class.  I highly recommend it to anyone who has any interest in aviation.  Down the street is the Wright Brothers park and former aviation field and it too is a great little spot for a history buff.

As a side note, I rode my Segway in the museum.  I was surprised to learn, from several of the staff, that it was apparently the first time anyone had seen a Segway indoors and I have to admit, they made a real effort to make me feel welcome as I was riding slowly through the place for almost 5 hours.

Among the exhibits are two things within the GWOT exhibits that really touched me, one is a combination visual and display of the fight and heroics on "Roberts Ridge" and the other is the last USAF Pave Low helicopter to serve on active duty.  They sit side by side and seem to capture the essence of what the USAF is all about. . . not the high speed, high altitude fighter jock of movies, but the real world, down to earth, day to day operations of our Brothers in blue - the guys who take us in, pull us out, or come to get our butts when it all goes to hell.

(*)  As warning to others, let me confess why there are no photos for this postng.  I was happily snapping pictures for the 1st two hours wandering through the museum with an on again, off again, escort.   I never bothered to check how the photos were coming out and it wasn't until far into it that I noticed I had no flash card in my camera!   argggggggggg.....

Asheville & Spartanburg

I had family in Asheville once upon a time and have spent considerable amount of time in and around the mountains there.  Yet, each time I return I am reminded anew how much there is left to see.  On this trip, I spent some time in quite reflection at the graveside of my relatives before setting off.  I found it strangely comforting.

The ride to Mt Mitchell, highest point east of the Mississippi, was incredible.  Although the temperature was a moderate 74 degrees in Asheville, the further I climbed up the Blue Ridge trail to the mountaintop the more fog, rain, and drop in temperature.  By the time I reached the parking lot on the top, than rode the Segway up to the top of the overlook, the temp had dropped to 51 degrees.  Doesn't matter; the 360 degree view was worth the effort.

I have to add a note about the following.  This is the first time I can recall that I've not been on 2 wheels while on the parkway.  I miss not having the bike on this trip, and the Segway, although a great alternative to walking just doesn't cut it on something like that for obvious reasons.  Yet, my little Mini Cooper Turbo 6 speed, gave me enough thrills with its low stance, awesome cornering, and mountain climbing boost, that it was almost, almost, as good as being on two wheels.  :-)  I hate to admit, I might have been just a tab above the posted speed limit of 45 MPH on occasion.

Spartanburg is home to my OIF buddy Donovan, and his wife, Cassandra, and the kids.  We haven't seen each other since early 2007 and it was incredible to take the time to get caught up and find out how each other has been coping with this "after-the-Army" retirement gig.  He and the family look great!  I missed seeing his Mom, but I hear she's doing well.

Just one of the many views along the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way to Mount Mitchell.

Foggy & chilly, but enjoyable indeed!

My brother from another mother...Donovan looks great!

One of my neighbors at the RV park caught me in an unguarded moment one morning..killing time.

Spring Travel 2012

I woke up this morning thinking, wow this trip is taking a long time.   Then I realized I've been on the road less than two weeks.  And, with weeks more to come.

Perhaps it's all the stuff that's been cramped into that time frame that has me slow, sore, and reaching for the Advil.  Late nights and early mornings are not for us retired guys and I'm learning the wisdom of that adage that getting old is not for wimps.

From the beaches of Florida's Gulf Coast, the coastal plains of Savannah, the tourist packed Mecca of Virginia Beach, the piney woods of Fayetteville, and the mountain majesty of Asheville all in ten days.  Jeez.

Along the way my wayward friends have tortured me with handshakes and hugs, reunions with old friends, early morning off road bicycle tours, late night prop blast ceremonies, strippers and lap dances, far too much rich food and drink, zip lines (into a 66 degree ocean - what was I thinking?), and taunts of retirement.  My gosh how have I survived the madness?  Experience perhaps?

I'd like to think that this short period has been the "breaking in" period of the road trip and that things will become more sedate as I move away from the evil influences of my old military fraternity.  But I doubt it.  Some of my even more robust friends are further North and West on this journey.  OMG.

The good news is that I've actually gotten to do this.  It was put off far too long and the beauty of having a loose agenda is being able to do some things that have been on the shelf for a long time.  I've visited (finally) the new county hideaway of an old friend and seen and heard the joy in his voice, and pride he displays over his homestead. Made the time to visit two historical parks, a couple of museums, and rode my Segway through the bike trails of the piney woods.  Nothing however tops being able to reconnect with some people, friends, who I had touched while on my last duty assignment and finding that their lives have recovered fully, and I was welcomed into the circle of their community, retired or not.  It's difficult to describe how that makes you feel.

Moving on from here, Asheville at the moment, means a brief dinner reunion with one of the wounded from OIF and our joint stint as patients at Walter Reed.  I've not seen him since 2007 and we're both anxious to get caught up in person.  It should be one of the highlights of the trip.

In the short term, beyond that is Dayton, Ohio, and Elkhart, IN where the Hula Hut will have some factory repairs done while I explore parts of Ohio and Michigan for few days.

This quick update is just to let you know I'm still among the living (despite all the evil intent listed above) and that at some point I'll have to post a few (surviving) photos (a series of photos was deleted due to a security breach on my part, which is a story onto itself).  I can only blame it on innocent ignorance of Naval regulations and protocol.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

More soon.

 Where I'm going, Where I'm at, Where I've been...

MacDill AFB RV Park....not bad.

Sunsets in Florida.

Savannah, Hunter AAF RV Park

One of the numerous off road bike trails in Fayetteville / Ft Bragg.

Lakeside view, from the hilltop overlooking the lake from the Ft. Bragg RV park.

Phase one of the journey is almost over.  I'm wrapping up in Tampa and headed North on Sunday morning.  Next stop, Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah for an overnight stay, than arrive in Fayetteville on Monday for a week long stay.

The repairs to the Hula Hut were complete with no drama; the dash A/C simply needed a new temp control valve and it was done.  Sweet.

The Campground at MacDill was a little surprising.  This is the first time I've stayed at a military installation campground (although it won't be the last during this trip), and I have to say I was impressed with the cleanliness, the quiet, and the nice beach that was close to where I parked.  The rate wasn't bad either.  About 1/3 the cost for three nights what it usually cost me for one (1) night in a civilian campground.  Yeah, go figure.

On another positive note I ran into a bunch of people I did not expect to see who were in town for a Military Conference.  My old Sergeant Major was down from DC, and a whole bunch of SEALS, SF, and Ranger buddies were here taking part.  I walked into the conference center expecting to stay for just a few minutes and ended up there for 3 hours just getting caught up.  I'm so proud of having been a part of that group and it's comforting to know that the new generation of troops is continuing to support our Wounded, ill, and Injured Service Members.

The only (brief) downside to this phase of the trip was a day long storm yesterday which kind of put a damper on getting some of my local tasks out of the way.  In the end however, the sunset was well worth the wait and it's a fitting tribute to setting the tone for the rest of this journey.

I'm trying out a new motto - "no drama, take your time, and remember, it's not like you have a schedule to keep"

I'll keep you advised as I go on down the road!