I smiled broadly, as I thought about not making that turn towards home-base… Was it really because our girl had taken a stand and refused my efforts to make that directional change…? Nah, can’t blame that on her, of course, because, as everybody knows, she is magically responsive to all riding desires… Nope, that was strictly a cockpit thing for sure…
I have this strong bias, see... I'm becoming more and more averse to staying home. I tend to blame it on that danged ol' recliner of mine; but, truth be told, I just don't want to waste away idly watching the boob-tube and fretting about all the exaggerated and distorted information being dispensed through that medium... "Since I gave up hope, I feel much better!"
That saying was prominently displayed, back in the day, on the refrigerator door of my brother and sister-in-law, and I've often thought about its message. It is not my destiny or mission to straighten-out all the knuckleheads in the world, to reform the government or other institutions, nor to bring peace and salvation to all people in other lands...
My destiny is to 'captain' the one vessel placed in my charge, myself, and to do a good job with that, causing no injury or harm to others, and contributing where I can. I'm not equipped for anything beyond that anyway, so I've resigned myself to accepting my challenge and avoiding obsessing about things over which I have no chance of improving. I do feel much better!
It's not that I no longer care, because I very much still do. It's more that I've wearied of tilting at windmills, and that I've found far more frustration and anxiety in that futile effort than any measure of success. No, peace with the world and myself has become my new goal...
We continued north along US HWY 19, a road I've traveled countless times over the years... Was I actually responding to some subliminal impulse to return to BBQ Bill's in Chiefland, where I'd enjoyed the fare there many, many times in years past? They also serve a fine breakfast, too, so... one for the 'WIN' column which ever I wound up with! Well, whatever the source of that notion, it sounded like a pretty doggone good idea at the time!
I pulled-in to a parking space right up front... a good omen for sure! I was promptly seated inside, and it was then I learned I was fifteen minutes too late for breakfast... a somewhat less than good omen. Oh well, I reckon I can just make-do with some of the better pig parts offered in that area! "Pork sandwich on garlic toast, and sweet tea to drink," I replied to the inquiry from the nice lady taking my order... It was fab, as usual!
Back at it still heading north... not much choice down in the peninsula of Florida... It was warming up, naturally, and my leathers were no longer necessary. I hadn't worn my chaps at all that day, and, fact is, the chaps hadn't been necessary at all, and a lighter jacket would have done the job, too, for the entire ride...
Leathers, however, are more than merely garments... They are a symbolic statement acknowledging the change of seasons... I was eager for summer to ease its too firm grip on me and to lessen the energy-sapping and enthusiasm-draining aspects of its very nature. Wearing leathers had made me feel good, and it had given me encouragement that things were really improving weather-wise...
It continued to warm throughout the day, and the chaps, already packed, were soon joined by the leather jacket in becoming just so much more cargo... Another reason for wearing the denim jacket nowadays is that pesky storage issue when not being worn... leather is bulky!
I stopped at an auto parts store and purchased another long bungee cord. I asked the guy at the counter to remove it from all of the plastic used in packaging, informing him I had an immediate application for it! He just smiled and added, "I figured that...", as he complied.
Not having any particular destination to reach, it only made sense to find a room once the joy of the ride had begun to wane… I found one in Chipley, FL. Nothing special, but food nearby and a decent room, so… A good place to take stock and see if I could find any inspiration for what might come next. Hmmm… That just might do!
Yep, I needed to kill several days riding around, but I couldn’t wander too far, because the Veterans Day Ride would soon be happening in central Tennessee… Gordon had invited me up to his place for the ride over that Friday, and Wimp always needed another body for his Wednesday night darts event… Funny, come to think of it, he’s never invited me for any of his corn-holing affairs… Anyway, see how that goes…?
There I was stuck trying to fill my time in between scheduled events! Planning can be such a bother!!! Well, I’d allowed myself to get trapped into this predicament, so nothing to do now but make the most of it… How about Avery Island?
I’d been through New Iberia a couple of times in years past, but I’d never actually ridden out to the Tabasco Sauce plant… Is this, perhaps, the time to rectify that rather glaring little oversight? I think it could be…
OK, now with purpose and a darned ‘plan’ driving me forward, ALI undertook to transport me to southern Louisiana… Yep, it continued to be warm, and I continued to long for that illusive, apparently delayed autumnal temperature plunge… Is there, per chance, something to all this climate change rhetoric after all?
Can’t get a straight answer from TV, unfortunately, as advocates for both sides of the issue obfuscate and confuse matters with their own brands of outrageous claims… It only makes common sense that human activity is having some impact… But, is that a ‘needle in the haystack’ or ‘the tip of an iceberg’? Good decisions aren't based upon how we want to think things are, they must be based on solid knowledge of how things truly are.
No doubt, the truth lies somewhere in between those two polar extremes, but just where? The costs of ignoring one point of view could be catastrophic and threaten all of mankind and the entire planet, even life itself, while the ‘costs’ of ignoring the other could be equally catastrophic in terms of economic impact and its effects on social and political outcomes and stability.
Shortages, social breakdowns, and political unrest, possibly even collapse, are very real possibilities from either extreme. Flip through the channels and you’ll get extremes of both points of view convincingly conveyed! It seems to this concerned observer, sadly, that nobody is offering a sensible or effective solution… or even an accurate, unbiased assessment of the issue… Oh well… But, I digress…
It was warm and getting warmer… for whatever reason. I was over-dressed, so adjustments had become glaringly necessary… As is often the case, I‘d 'toughed it out’ longer than I should have, so I was feeling the effects of being too warm, and warmer than I needed to be, for longer than I needed to be… Nothing like shooting oneself in the foot! Hurts even worse because we can’t blame anybody else, either… not even George Bush or Obama.
Well, once enthusiasm evaporates and the joy of riding dissipates, there is little else to do but seek shelter… Another motel and another routine evening doing… usual stuff… But, no TV! No sir, part of my stress reduction plan calls for ignoring that source of intellectual pollution as much as possible!!!
DDT
