Rotating my odometer.

It never fails.. I am seldom able to hit the road at the pre determined time. Yesterday was no different. My plan was to be on the road at 9am. I am yet to reach the point of personal growth that I can for-see the future. Even the weather bitch had it in for me. Clear blue sky's was the liars forecast for the day. She has lied to me so many times that I have gotten into the habit of seeking out a second opinion. After looking at the radar maps, I was confident that the she-bitch had finally got it right.... Wrong. All my gear for an 18day journey is packed and sitting on the patio. I head back into the house to get that other thing that I forgot and I'm thinking about Charlie The Nomad and the 5 things he takes on the road that he really doesn't need. (He once told me that he limits himself to taking only 5 items other than what makes the bike run.) Then I hear it. Rain is beating on the metal roof of my house. Damn. At 11am I am finally pulling out of my driveway.. I had made it. I was on my way with the wind in my hair and the sun in my face.... for all of seven miles. Up ahead, on the shoulder of the road sat one of my garbage trucks.. As I should do I pull over to check on the situation.. After fixing a blown air line I was back in the wind and one of my money makers was back to work..

My wife lives 14 miles north of Interstate 40. As I pull onto the interstate and settle into 5th gear it occurs to me once again, my journey has begun... It's a mind set that I enjoy dwelling on. You have heard it a hundred times.. "It's the journey, not the destination." I enjoy getting into that frame of mind.. It never fails. When I pass a bike on a trailer I know that I am blessed. My journey has already started and for whatever reason, that trailer hauler will miss the journey. He will only know of the destination.

Speaking of destinations... I sometimes wander when I ride but this trip I have a set of destinations.. my first stop on this journey is Hammond, Louisiana to spend some time with a friend. More about Mr. Charles Eldridge, Later. The Lonestar Rally in Galveston, tx is in my plan. as is Arizona, California and hopefully an endurance run to Key West. then back home to Tennessee. Total mileage will be around 6500miles.

It is my hope to write about this trip every day and if I can find internet service, I want to share these writings with you. I'm 400miles into this journey. As the sun set and the temperature dropped into the 50's, I found myself in Meridian, Miss. Dinner, drinks with a clown on Halloween night and then a $40 hotel room I find myself in a content frame of mind.... Until we meet again, PEACE&GREASE.