Bessie and Me: Shifting Gears

There is no depth to sorrow, only a free fall into a deep, dark abyss If you are lucky, you find something to grab onto on your way down Faith Your remaining child Friends A partner A substance A job…anything to break the fall into the blackness, something to comfort you besides the grief. Sorrow is deceiving, the blackness can be soft, an anesthetic from the pain A giant Memory Foam to wallow upon until you lose all sense of self and only feel the sorrow, only relate to blackness That’s when we realize the grieving has turned to a way of life, not a way out of the sorrow There are always the memories…that turn dusty from age When called forth however, the tears fall afresh, clearing away the dust where the heartache is genuine all over again. We cling to those memories however, exposing our soul to them Desperately trying to make them sharper around the edges, forcing them to come into focus, if only for a moment. The memories briefly cast out the dark...

Got caught smack dab in the middle of 'Trivia Night' at The Blue Otter on Lake Chatuge when we walked in seeking dinner. Chose the place because the parking lot was packed....it wasn't the food or the service, it was DJ Dans Trivia Night! The Blue Otter sits on beautiful Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee Georgia - where we have been looking for property to buy - and includes a very busy marina. It was apparent that the locals were crazy about DJ Dan....tables were reserved for 'Trivia Teams,' and DJ Dan made sure we felt obligated to play, despite our protestations that we were just there for dinner! I relented, listened to his game rules and told him our team name was 'Wild Hogs.' I know, I know. We endured the bad service, I enjoyed my shrimp tacos, we played along w DJ Dan....and ducked out after the second bonus round. I seriously questioned Dans sources in the Literature category. The day started slow....waiting on the realtor, who never actually showed up. Pau...

Normally I don't listen to music when I'm traveling on the bike...I prefer the rush of the wind and the opportunity to unravel the thoughts in my head. But today I agreed to run back through the dreaded Pennsylvania, I figured if I was going to beat and slam, I might as well rock and roll as well. So I hooked up my iPhone, stuck in the earbuds, chose Rolling Stones Radio on Pandora....and kept on truckin. Weirdest moment ? I'm listening to Zepplins 'Goin to California,' and decided I needed to go around this huge dump truck I was approaching. I signaled to Paul behind me to change lanes, and as I was moving out around....I read the trucks mud flaps ( yes, really), 'JOHN BONHAM Heavy Equipment!' No lie....and if you don't get the connection between the song I was listening to and the mud flaps....John Bonham was Zepplins drummer who died in 1980 ....which basically was the demise of the group. Now, what are the chances of that connection?? Spooky. We actu...

" I have travelled the globe. I have seen the Canadian Rockies, the American Rockies, the Andes and the Alps, the highlands of Scotland, but for simple beauty, Cape Breton out rivals them all"  ~ Alexander Graham Bell Last nights bed at the Mermaid Best Western rivaled a Mideviel torture rack...I seriously doubt Mermaids sleep in such deprivation. We we just down the street from the Nova Star terminal and a Tim Hortons....which was good because Mermaids serve really tacking breakfast as well...with instant coffee...ewwwww. After a hefty amount of caffeine and some ibuprofen for good measure, we headed to the terminal. I travelled on ferrys all over British Columbia -some small, some really small, and a few fairly large-so I was not expecting a mini cruise ship which is what the Nova Star ferry that runs between ortolans and Yarmouth is! Three decks for vehicles -there were about a dozen bikes-and you can book a cabin if you are on the Portland to Yarmouth trip overnight. It i...

Thursday, July 9th I let the chilly morning wind take my tears as we headed north on the western shore of the trail this morning. My youngest daughter turns 23 today, she was 16 the last time I celebrated her birthday with her. I remind myself that her absence is her decision, it is her journey and I continue to travel on my journey as well. We leave Cheticamp ...and yes, there was coffee!....and enter the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. There is a heart stopping view around every curve...I have to remind myself to focus on riding. We pull over for photos at nearly every pull out. I brought my GoPro video camera but I forgot the bottom part of the mount for my handlebar ...so here is a link to a spectacular video: https://youtu.be/VhB3l1gCz2E Breakfast stop at the Midpoint Motel; service was slow but the food was worth the wait. No one is in a real hurry up here, we ain't either. And there was Cheez Whiz along w the assorted little tubs of jelly...never saw that on the table, ...

,LOur room last night overlooked a meadow that led to the water then the endless horizon. I was awakened this morning with the pink and gold light streaming in the open window. I jumped out of bed grabbed my camera and my phone, walked around back and watched the sunrise....they don't call it The Sunrise Coast for nothin'! When there is no coffee until 7a and we are up at 5; makes for a rough start. We packed the bikes - moving like Zombies - layered up, because not only is it chilly, there is a front chasing us, the air is heavy with the smell of rain. We say 'adieu' to the sleepy little hamlet of Tatamagouche, fire up the Hogs ( late sleepers hate us) and head East. Two more villages and nothing open for coffee....it is now at the point of desperation for caffeine. Somewhere around Marshville, I spy a wide spot in the road w gas pumps...coffee?! It's one of those run down fuel stops, privately owned, that also serves as a feed store, hardware store, DVD rental, co...

We left Cobleskill NY early Friday morning; the air was chilly and slightly overcast, but we planned to 'stay ahead of the rain.' As we rounded the curve of the on ramp, two white tailed deer, who had been munching the sweet grass along the asphalt, left up and over to the pine woods that line the interstate here. Those two were alive, several more we saw that morning didn't make it from the asphalt to the woods. It seemed we had the whole road to ourselves that morning, strong contrast to the previous few days as we jockeyed for position all day with dense traffic. A quick skirt around Albany and we picked up Route 7.... Secondary roads...FINALLY! "Life is too short for traffic." First order of business was breakfast and not a chain restaurant. The lttle town we were slowing for looked a little deserted....but up on the right, I spy a gravel parking lot chock full of cars at a run down little place called Duncan's Dairy Bar. I pulled into the crowded parking ...

CAUTION: THIS BLOG ENTRY CONTAINS FOUL LANGUAGE WHICH REFLECTS THE MOOD OF THE AUTHOR AT THIS TIME. Nine hours to travel 360 miles on bone-jarring, bladder-busting, frame-twisting, rim-bending, mother-fucking Pennsylvania roads. Paul was in charge of getting us from Florida to Maine and when I saw he was going up thru PA, I indicated it was a bad idea ( having been thru PA in two different road trips on the bike), but I reluctantly agreed. And yes, it became one of those ugly arguments between couples that ended in ' I told you so. I fucking TOLD you so'. I absolutely loathe this kind of two wheeled travel; sun up to sundown haul ass travel and the only thing you see are the gas stations and the rest stops. After tomorrow, we will slow our pace and alter our mode of travel. Five hours from Paul's son's house in Maine; should have been there this afternoon, will make it before noon tomorrow. The only fun we had today was going off road from the cluster fuck that was 81N....

You know I'm tired when I jump on the back of Paul's bike to find dinner...after half the day in the rain, and wrestling Bessie in an 8 mile back up in NB81...I was whipped. He likes it when I do that anyway😌. The day started early with cool, damp weather. The goal was to ride north of Charlotte before stopping for breakfast. Once we got to Rock Hill, the traffic quadrupled...it was insane! 580 around Charlotte was somewhat better...interstate travel sucks. Just as we got into Virginia - and just after the photo at the welcome center - it started to rain around 1130a. Did we have our rain gear on? No....I just like to ride around w a $300 rain suit in my saddlebag while getting wet.  Pulled into our favorite place - Walmart - to don rain gear. It basically drizzled all day, just enough to sting your knuckles at 70mph, not the drenching rain that fills your boots! Exited near Roanoke for lunch....tried a 'Red Robin' restaurant...gourmet burgers. Translation: overpriced ...

Half way through the 501 miles today, I'm thinking three short days at home was not quite enough to repair the jet lag and find my center after our trip to Hawaii. Ugh. Final thoughts on said trip....been there, done that, bought at least three t-shirts each. Always grateful for the chance to travel, but would not return to Hawaii...overpriced, over-hyped, and we have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world right here in Florida. On the return trip home, Paul and I started our day in Honolulu with coffee on the beach just as the sun was coming up, we hopped on a plane at noon to head west, saw the sun set from First Class as we approached Catalina Island and LAX. Hopped on another plane, saw the sun rise from First Class as we approached Orlando....all within 20 hours. In between, my toughest decision was whether I wanted stir fry beef or potato gnocchi for dinner. Then I had to decide which KIND of dinner roll I wanted to accompany dinner. THEN after dinner, the flight att...

"Let's swim out to the break wall, " she said...it I'll be fun! I damn near ended my stay on Waikiki by drowning, poor Paul. It was any easy swim for us out to the break wall, fairly deep, but we watch KIDS do it for the past two weeks! Just as I reached the wall, gripped the top of it to pull myself up, a giant wave hit me square in the face, salt water down my throat, up my nose, in my eyes ...knocked me under, I'm choking, can't breathe, can't swim, can't find bottom. Paul got knocked under too, I can't even find breath to scream...well, since I'm writing this I obviously survived. In all my ocean/water adventures over the world I've never had such a near drowning experience.  Paul was finished w his job yesterday, so today was a touring day. The hike up Diamond Head is .7 miles of fairly rugged terrain, but it is an easy switchback trail...until you get to the final ascent. We encountered an energetic hiker w a Go Pro camera on his helm...

My day started w an eight mile hike around the base of Diamond Head...we plan to hike up to the crater before we leave.  Stopped to chat with a guy on a Harley along my hike ( seriously, some of my best stories start with that line...). I'm fascinated with the concept of owning a bike and only being able to go around in a circle! The circumference of Oahu is only 230 - some miles...I mean how boring would that get? He's never ridden anywhere else in the world on his bike...sad.  Stopped and talked to a surfer who was waxing his surfboard and his feet, yes, his feet. I asked him if he did this every day...and yes, almost every day. He told me the surf wasn't very high today though. Did a little shopping - okay, a lot of shopping - for souvenirs and gifts. Found a couple of shops for unique hand made jewelry. I also collect skulls and when I find both in one...Bingo!  Picked up,a,Koa wood carved motorcycle with a freaky tiki God like rider...ape hangers and all. Another set...

After a breakfast of Kona coffee and my mango creme malasadas, First order of business today was a mani/pedi, of which I paid twice what I pay back home....but I never complain too much about the cost of pampering myself. The girls at Crystal Nail Salon treated me like a princess and even painted plumeria flowers on my nails! On my walk about this morning, I took a different direction to see what I could see...more statues in lush green parks, more expensive shops -all of which I can patronize if I so choose in Orlando - more crazy street people and a different view of the beach. I headed back to the hotel to visit the fitness center and my 8am yoga class with Lauren.  I decided to have sushi for lunch, Paul is not a fan. The California roll and Inari were yummy!  Spent the rest of my day reading - out of the sun - until Paul returned. Looking forward to a drive up to the North Shore. The drive from Waikiki past Pearl City is just stop and go on the H1, traffic here is unbelie...

The most difficult thing I did today was two loads of laundry in the hotel laundromat...adjacent to the pool. All day in my bathing suit, the sun, a cool refreshing beverage, and a book. Finished the biography of Cornelia Fort that I purchased at the Pacific Aviation Museum the other day. Cornelia Fort (1919-1943) was one of the first female Army pilots, but prior to her assignment to the WAFS, she was in the air over Pearl Harbor ( as a flight instructor) on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked. She dodged the bullets from a Japanese plane intent on destroying the airstrip, taking the controls from her student pilot and landing them safely while Pearl Harbor was under siege. There is an exhibit at the museum featuring the women pilots who ferried planes from factory to airfields during WW2. Cornelia is a fascinating female figure of history and I've thoroughly enjoyed Rob Simbecks bio, 'Daughter of the Air.' The search for a decent meal under a $100 dollars consumes...