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A Special Place

Now safe and sound and off my bike and out of the car I am able to start to put it all back together and relive the experience. The bike trip was smooth roads, good music on my iPod, lots of BBQ, good conversations, friendly people, a slip & fall and loads of memories to put into the mental scrapbook.
I was glad to make it home and catch up with family and friends again. I learned a valuable lesson living in Virginia. Family and friends are more important and will always be there whenever you may need them, whether it is helping you pick yourself and your bike up off the streets of Memphis or calling you to make sure you made it home safe.

Thanks all...

Nashville to Natchez and back again 1200 miles

An absolutely wonderful trip. So many good times and great adventure. Check back for pictures tomorrow.

Some final thoughts that were on my mind...

This trip of course was not exactly what I had planned. The riding was actually so much better. I only had the idea that it would be a beautiful ride. I had no idea how perfect it would be for riding a motorcycle. Nothing could be better. It was scenic, safe and smooth.

Brad rain out of gas, had to make at least 2 minor repairs and 1 major (major in the sense that it could have eliminated him from riding any further) and got banged up a little. I burned a hole in my favorite vest and burnt my finger pretty bad. I like fire. Things like this are not surprising me anymore.

The Natchez Trace likely started as a trail for animals. Then it was likely then used by Native Americans to travel to different hunting areas. One of the big reasons I wanted to go was to soak up some Native American culture. The maps of the Trace identify so many spots that seemed to be significant Native American landmarks. This part was a huge disappointment. The stops we made were busts. One that I really wanted to see was the Chickasaw village. It was a small piece of land with some markers about were some Chickasaw dwellings used to be. The map showed a progression of: This is were the Chickasaw were and then we forced them back, then this is where the Chickasaw were and we forced them back more.......on and on until we forced them out of this area all together shipped to Oklahoma............................

And now there is nothing left. Same with the Choctaw of the region.

And we visited a Mound. An area that may have supported a special dwelling. The sign had other words, but what I read is: "Here was a special place, we dug it up, moved it, excavated and eliminated others near it. Aren't we great for leaving some dirt here?"

So disappointing. So sad.

I didn't get nearly enough time to just sit. We traveled at a much slower pace than last year, and that was a big improvement. It is just hard to fit in a lot of miles and a lot of down time in just a matter of a few days. I had some things I needed to sort out in my head and didn't get enough time to do all of that.

For such a very long time, when Brad had hard days in the months preceding the trip, I would just say, text or email one word: Natchez. As if that was a word of magic that would heal anything he needing healing. Something to look forward too, something that would produce answers to the questions he had. By the time we left, the shoe was almost completely on the other foot, or at least we both had shoes on. And on the trip he was totally collected, together and seemed at peace almost throughout. As much as having our phones made it possible to blog and keep in contact with friends and family, they also produced reminders of the challenges that were waiting back at home. I have been sick and out of work for a week recently. Brad had been hard at work at his new job. And we both had things in our lives that we counted on heavily change. Things change. O says that is the only thing we can count on. It is so true. And so I will be back at home ushering in the next change.

"You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round...

The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours....

Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves."

Black Elk (1863-1950) Oglala Sioux Holy Man

How odd...

So we are getting gas & a guy just pulled up and got out of his car and he had a black shirt and it just had a picture of a big white toilet on it. I wonder what that is supposed to mean? If his shirt just said "shit" of something, maybe I would get it. Ah, who knows.

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There's something warm about the rain

I love the rain. I always have. The sound of it when falling asleep. The way it made cars sound like spaceships as they zoomed by my parents bay window in the family room. How good it feels on a hot day.

But when riding motorcycles, it scares the hell out of me. I never ride when it is wet unless I absolutely have too. Yesterday was on of those times. When we packed up at sams town in tunica Mississippi, it was raining lightly. We perpard for a wet day. Bundled up and covered our gear the best we could. Soon after we pulled out, the rain basically stopped. Lucky. But when we hit Memphis the ground was still wet. Hence the spill and required repair below. I have deemed ygr events of yesterday, THE MEMPHIS MIRACLE. Because brad wasn't hurt much and because we found a part that repaired the bike. It happened so quickly. A guy stopped and told is about a kawasaki dealer up Elvis Presley Blvd. I had already called the 2 local Yamaha dealers and ran into deadends. We were making plans for me to drive to Nashville alone and being the trailer back to Memphis.

We have thought we might as well give it a chance and it worked. The kawasaki dealer was in a really rough part of town. The guy at the counter had a pompadour (spelled wrong?) he was dressed up and had a great southern accent. He looked at the broken pieces I brought with me, listened to my troubles and went in the back to look around. He came back with a Suzuki part from the 80's for all of 8 dollars. That is like going into a ford dealer for a special part for your chevy. An incredible long shot. It looked like all the holes would line up perfectly. When brad put it on it worked like a charm.

Amazing. No injury, $8 and only a chunk of lost time.

It has been raining hard all morning, driving north, I am glad we are in a car for this.




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Such is life

While repairing my motorbike yesterday after my spill in Memphis, Tim mentioned to me that I seem to have a lot of grey hairs. Now some would be offended by this remark but who cares really. This is what happens right. Though I might have a few more now after the trip.

Another rainy day down here...

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Nashville

Back to Nashville safe and sound. So many times today I didn't think we were going to make it. At least not on time. Tired hungry. Amazed.
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Bikes loaded

No more riding in the rain, no more semi's, no more windy highway riding.
Shoulder is sore but I am doing ok. The clutch lever I put on that Tim picked up at the kawasaki dealer worked perfectly. I have a broken taillight & one of my side covers flew off on the highway. I think that's it for damage. No more time to blog, time to eat.

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Bike is repaired

And we are in @ graceland.

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So......

The answer is, how much do I want to worry my family & friends. A lot since I am putting this up.
I just had to pick myself & my bike up off the street in Memphis.
I am ok, but I might be a little sore tomorrow. I broke the clutch lever on my bike and while I was typing this Tim sent me a message that he got the part from a place a mile up the road that some dude who stopped to ask if we were ok told is about.
I'm sure none of this will please my already worrying mother but it is what it is & if we do these things in life we should know the risks.
Plus I have this police show right next to me to watch. Donlt worry, I took a picture.

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Set back

Rain. Bike down. No one is hurt.
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Memphis blues

Woke up to a but of cloud today. Seems to be raining a little also. We seemed to have forgotten our rain gear because the weather guy said it would be smooth sailing.

Having a hard time getting up from my comfy hotel bed but need to get on the road & grab some breakfast and hopefully visit Elvis. Guess the bike will get a little washing, and so will we I guess.

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Hell of a deal

Got a great deal on a room here at Sam's town casino in tunica. Took $22 to the casino floor and left with 0. Lost is all on roulette, wuch is pretty rare for me. I think its the first time I didn't come out ahead. I don't really mind though, we had a good time. It was us and a lot of old people.

Had a long day riding and we are heading back to Nashville in the morning and I am hoping that we can swing by graceland. How can you go through Memphis and not see graceland.

Done for the day. My bike really needed the extra rest & I guess I did also.

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It's a new dawn, it's a new day

One of the reasons I was so looking forward to this trip is the sun. This winter in particular I noticed that in addition to the cold, Michigan has far too many grey days. Sometimes it seems endless. I wait for the sun for longer days. I wait for the sun to be able to run outdoors. I wait for the sun to be able to ride the motorcycle. And like the animals and earth I wait for the sun to renew myself and start again. I know that may sound a little 'out there' to some, but it is a reality. Plants and animals go through this every year. Leaves falling, plants dying. Animals hibernate. It is an endless cycle. I feel very much in tune with it this year. Shake off the winter coat, the weight of grey days. Look up to the sky and see the sun. Sometimes I feel like the sun is like a battery charger. I feel ready to scale new heights and a few old ones.

Today we hit everything very well. At times it looked bleak but everything came through ok. We saw both alleged 'Crossroads'. Rosedale and clarksdale. Despite brads mechanical problems we covered roughly 300 miles. He can now sing his own verse of the song: "I went down to the crossroads.....ran out of gas...."

Now we are at some absurd Las Vegas style resort. So strange. There are a number of large casinos in this area just south of Memphis but still in Mississippi. No offense to anyone, but the average person here is collecting social security.

Gambling or not, it was so worth it to take a hot, clean shower. Nothing feels better than actually feeling clean after a shower instead of after a camping shower where you are not quite sure if you are cleaner than when you started.....

Brad and I were talking about how much we appreciate all of our fancy camping gear. A few essentials that I am glad I had this trip: jailhouse sliders and a super absorbant camp towel. They are 'must haves.'

I am off to find the buffett and bet on 11.




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It was about time

Riding the edge of a knife too long down here i finally got cut. The bike has been getting bad has mileage and we have been taking the long way everywhere & it caught up to is and I ran out about 1 mile from town. Oops. These things happen from time to time. At least someone stopped to help. Well, Tim is back...

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A big change

So now we are back to the semi's, resturants, traffic and stop lights. There are parts of this that I missed. I think we have more interaction with local people. And I finally got me some hash browns at a waffle house. Now we are officially in search of the crossroads. I feel like I am often at the crossroads. Contemplating direction, decisions. Every choice you make, you take one path and leave many other in traveled. Brad and I take trips like this, and backpacking too, as an attempt to strip away some of the daily grind and get to the core of ourselves. Riding the bike especially takes me to this place. I have to admit I have shed tears inside my helmet. Always always always years of joy. Yesterday it was gratitude for my dad. All through my life what he taught me about tools and machines has proven useful no one would accuse me of being a mechanic or woodworker, but compared to many, I know a fair amount. I have appreciated this when I know a way to apply leverage to a stick bolt, how to use a wrench in the optimal manner or how to start a vehicle on the cellinoid with a screwdriver.

I will call him to say thank you. And he will be embarassed. And he will know how much I love him.




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Waffle house

Had to do a little bike repair this morning because my okuha looked like they were set ablaze and out back in my bike. Friendly people at the dealer & got out of there pretty quick with tims help.
Just grabbing a quick bite and catching up on work email. That Andrew...
We are trying to make it to tunica, ms by tonight to are the 3rd largest gaming area in the country. See, I have this system...

Cheers!

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No worries

Was an uneventful night last night. No animals to wake me up, though Tim thinks he saw a deer.
We have met a lot of people on our trip so far and I am sure we will meet planty more. They have all been friendly and just want to know where we are from or what part of Michigan do we live or even what we do for a living. This is good for someone like me who avoided people so much in my past but now I have really been able to find pleasure in fiscussibh those small things with strangers. I met a hit yesterday who owned a Yamaha dealer for years and said he would never ride anything else but bought a Harley a few years ago and loved it. You never know what the future holds.

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