Wandering Retirees

The ride west is finally here. Can’t tell you how excited we are!

The preparations are done and I’m on the way west. Connie (read COO and Chief Quartermaster) has done her usual spectacular job. She has booked us at multiple cost effective and comfortable lodgings, and laid out the options for places that look interesting in Colorado (hundreds) and prepared us with an array of tools and apps for every occasion to keep the journey fun. We’re using TripIt and Scenic for routes and lodging; Recreation.gov for visits (and reservations!) at National Parks; COTrip for state specific visits, two (or three) weather apps that will help with daily planning, and JetPack to use as a platform for our blog. By comparison, left to my own devices I’d make a couple of hotel reservations and leave the rest to luck wherever and whenever we pull into town.

Her way is better and I’m happy to ride her coattails. I’d probably have us sleeping beside the road some nights.

Just as a note, the America the Beautiful Park Pass is a wonderful asset if you’re going to visit the National Parks. The cost of one card will gain you access to every park across the country. Individual day passes can get pretty expensive really fast. And since I’m a senior, my pass is a lifetime admission ticket for the rest of my lifetime for one a cost of about $80. A bargain if there ever was one.

I’m riding solo out to Estes Park, CO, giving me some time to be with myself. Connie is really generous that way. She will fly out to join me on Tuesday next to begin our exploration together. I’m enjoying my time now, but miss her already. We’re going to have so much fun!

Today, I headed out a bit before 9AM and arrived at my lodging at 7 PM, covering 413 miles in a round about way. That was about 8 hours on the bike, so my training of the buttocks is well begun. (If you’ve ever been on a motorcycle for more than a couple hours you know exactly what I mean.). I stopped several times to get a drink of water and allow feeling to return to my extremities. Lunch was in Bethel, PA in a Pizzeria/Café that beckoned patrons to have a seat and stay a while. Later I stopped in Grantsville, PA to get some water and dance around a bit. (Think blood flow.). Both are small towns with small town folks who are “Salt of the Earth”. Everywhere I stopped there was at least one person who took the time to welcome me to their place. In Grantsville, I was invited to visit the town park where there were swings and lots of shade to ease my weariness for a bit. Who does that?! Her name is Sandy and she didn’t know me from Adam, but saw I was resting with a cold bottle of water and approached me to offer some hospitality. Clearly she was proud of her small town. Clearly she could have gone about her business without a word. But she didn’t. She made a kind expression to this stranger. That just impressed and humbled me to no end. I had to ride by her town park: it was an inviting couple of acres with swings and a jungle gym, a ball field and a lot of shade trees. Had I had time it would have been a pleasure to stay a while.

As you may know, we have young grandchildren. As doting grandparents, how could we resist fitting them in somehow? I’m carrying a toy bumblebee that will appear mysteriously in pictures of our trip. It’s the kids’ job to find him (her?). It’s early so the job will be easy. Later it might be a little more challenging. Here’s a sample from today’s ride.

After checking into my nights accommodations, I met a mother-daughter duo who are on the way from Tucson, AZ to Allentown, PA. The daughter, Jeanne, will be staying the summer with her grandmother who is in failing health, in part to give mom a break. They are both graphic artists who can work remotely to keep home and hearth going. But how wonderful is that! What family will do!

If you’ve followed our blog in the past, you’ll recognize my tendency to lift up the kindness of the folks we’ve met. In our fractious society it’s amazing and encouraging to be reminded that so many Americans naturally reveal their innate generosity and friendliness to complete strangers. And others show their loving commitment to family. These are things we all instinctively recognize and value. Politics and social mores notwithstanding, so many of us share these fundamental values. I am filled to overflowing.

Tomorrow it’s on to Terre Haute, IN. I can’t wait to see what the new day brings.