Michigan to Mississippi

(Oct 30th - PM - I've spent the last 7 or 8 days parked at the south end of the Natchez Trace Parkway, near Vicksburg, MS. The really great part about this area was that not only was there no electricity, there was also no cell service nor internet access!!! For some silly reason I decided it was time to leave MS and head west. I'm somewhere in Louisiana and will attempt to get the blog updated with happenings from the past month.)

Well, after two months and the weather cooling down, it was time to leave Michigan and make my way to the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival. So I headed south through Ohio and Kentucky, into Tennessee. I picked up the Natchez Trace Parkway just south of Nashville. The Trace is a National Park System road which is 440 miles of uninterrupted road, with no buildings along its meticulously groomed shoulders and no commercial traffic allowed. This means no stops and no trucks to share the road with. Since I was traveling on week days, for the most part I was the only vehicle on the road.

I parked at the Meriwether Lewis site that has picnic and camping areas amidst the historic markers, one of which being this ‘broken shaft’ to commemorate Lewis’s untimely death at a young age. Lon’s History Lesson – one theory in Lewis’s death is that due to depression, he committed suicide. However, he had two gunshot wounds, one in the chest and one in the head. The intriguing thing about this theory was the fact that he would have been using a muzzle loader, which takes a quite a bit of effort to reload! Other theories learn toward a jilted lover or perhaps an angry husband.

Anyway, I met a lot of great people at the camping area. Vicki was the first, and had the most unique story I had ever heard. She was making quilts while she was traveling, to give to her grandchildren. The interesting thing was that she had written letters to many, many famous people (artists, sports stars, politicians, actors, etc, etc) and requested that they signed the enclosed material swatches, that she’d put into a quilt. Many not only sent them back signed, but also sent letters, cards and other memorabilia, addressed to Vicki and signed in their own hand. She had a couple books with all the letters and signatures that she shared with me. It was quite amazing. Folks like George Forman and Don Rickles. It was cute watching her eyes glisten as she showed me both McCain and Obama, and said “so, I’ll have a President soon”. (8-) I’m sorry to say that I was walking Coffey when I met her and didn’t have my camera with me.

I met Darryl when he pulled in on his Goldwing and set up near me. He was traveling between NASCAR races. The next morning over coffee, he suggested I join him on a ride across Tennessee countryside to Lynchburg, to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery. I’ll admit at first I wasn’t too interested in the tour, but the ride sounded good. Well, I was wrong! The tour was incredibly interesting, even if you don’t drink Jack Daniels! I learned so much about all that goes into making the varying versions of Jack, including that they make their own charcoal to filter the liquor in the process! Another interesting tidbit is that the distillery is located in a “dry” country (since its still on the original site, from before prohibition), so at the end of the tour, they offer you a glass of ice cold lemonade. Also, roughly 65% of the cost of a bottle is TAXES!

As usual, meeting people was another fun aspect of this journey. There were many full-timers as well as the occasional weekend visitor. JoAnn was another lady staying in the park for an extended period of time, and she and Darryl and I managed to share many meals (pot luck style, over the fire) and campfire visits. Here’s a picture of them on the night that a couple from Brussels (in the middle) joined us for some interesting political and cultural discussions!

I also stayed at a couple other pull-outs and campgrounds on my way to Helena for the fest. This was what I woke up to one morning in Alabama. As a matter of fact, it was a Sunday morning, so Coffey and I took a cup of coffee and my Bible and sat under these trees and had ‘church’.

Life is Good,

God is Great.

Lon

Catching up, keeping up

Well, I've posted all I've written lately. There is WAY more to go to get caught up with where I am today, but you'll have to come back to check it out.

As a teaser, I'll post some pictures from my trip south, the King Bisuit, some side trips in the Delta and a few of the people that have made me feel welcome. You'll have to stop back to get the stories behind the pictures.

As far as I know, I'll be heading to the Rocky Springs campground, on the Natchez Trace Parkway, just south of Vicksburg, MS (for Oct 24th weekend). Course, like everything else, that is subject to change and I don't know where I'm going from there.

Life is Good, Travelin is better.
Lon

Call me a redneck, country boy or white trash

After spending too much time in “the city”, it was good to be back home in the farming communities of Michigan, where I could once again relive some of the fun of my childhood. The draw back of flat, straight roads (not much fun on the bikes) was made up for by such activities as standing in pole barns watching guys prepare cars and livers for the upcoming demolition derby.

I’ve already told you about the Cheeseburger days and other activities, so lets do a run down of the rest of my Michigan stay (since I’ve been gone for almost a month now).

The above mentioned demolition derby was great. As mentioned, it starts months, days, or in this particular case, hours before the event, when folks gather to try to get a car running well enough to take into a field and smash it against other cars. I was fortunate enough to have an inside tract with an actual demolition derby driver!

From best I can tell, his qualifications were that 1) he had a car he wanted to smash, 2) he had friends that would bring beer over to encourage him to smash his car, III) they brought paint. And after the derby itself, you get to see really cool peaces of equipment getting used!

Also on the list of activities was the season finally at the Owendale Speedway! This is a ¼ mile clay, oval stock car racing track! I made a couple calls and got Todd to bring his son, and Chris to bring his boys (things like this are always more fun with kids involved!), as well as a couple coolers of beverages and we enjoyed the evening of dirt and noise (yeah, it’s a guy thing). Lots of action, much fender bumping and even a multiple roll over (no one was hurt). I can’t believe I forgot my camera, so I had to try to get shots with my phone, and alas, no shots of the guys.

A couple weeks later had me parked at the city park in Elkton, MI for the “Born to Be Wild” days, aka Hog Wild bike rally.

Jim rode up on Friday, in the rain and it pretty much didn’t stop the entire weekend. Kevin pulled in on Saturday and as things would have it, we were surrounded by other friends from past lives, so despite the weather, a LOT of fun was had (or so they told me). Due to the rain, this is where I lived for the rest of the next week till it was dry enough to move the house.

Michigan also included a trip down to visit Kevin and Sharon and family and see the sweet shop they are opening in Metamora, MI (www.chocolateinked.com). I’m sorry I didn’t get any pictures when I passed thru again as they were opening. I’ll be back, and thanks for the great time spent with you and the kids.

Can you believe that after all these years, my brother Dale and I hadn’t been on a bike trip together? Well, that was remedied by a trip north to get the hunting cabin ready for deer season. We had great weather and with Dale’s knowledge of the area, some GREAT riding. We even met up with the Liberty Riders Motorcycle Club from Mio and joined them for a bit and a tour of the club “compound”. Of course it wasn’t all fun, as we worked with Dad and Gary to cut wood and ready the cabin for hunting season.

My last hurrah while in MI was Bay City’s 10^th Annual Wine Walk! Before my smart-alec friends say anything, take a look at this picture and tell me that YOU would have declined the offer to go along! LOL The rest of the pictures will be kept under password protection, and only shared on a need to know basis.

Well, the weather starting to cool off, and the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival quickly approaching, it was time for me to pack up and start my southward, snow bird journey. It wasn’t without sadness of leaving family, friends and some very special newly acquired friends that I made my way out of the state. But, God willing, I’ll be back next summer (if not before) to pick up where we left off!

Olympian Party Efforts in Chicago

As luck would have it, while I was in Michigan, Al, Micheline and Gabby planned a party to celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary, 50th Bday (Al’s) and the Olympics! That's Al above, posing with Michael Phelps, his main competition. And since I was only two states away, I hopped on the Valk and ran over to Chicago for the weekend. Tami even came in for the weekend and I got to play tour guide.

And furthering the luck, there was a Cubs home game on Friday, and after accosting a few street scalpers (honest, this guy wasn’t selling anything other than tickets to the game! I think maybe this was the universal sign for ‘hold the mustard’.), we were handed two free tickets!











The party on Saturday was a huge success, complete with opening ceremonies, many competitions which were rewarded with authentic Olympic medals, and of course silliness.
Since I had traveled the farthest, I got to carry the torch to set off the entertainment and fireworks show (since I was 'performing' I don't have any pictures of that!). You’ll probably recognize some of these guys from Stupid Bowl and other blog entries.

Thanks to our gracious hosts.

Of course getting to ride there an back (yep, the 300 miles took about 12 hours) on the bike was great. Followed the shores of Lake Michigan in both Indiana and Michigan, once again realizing the beauty of the states, if you stay out of the cities.

Blues Travelin

Went down to the delta,

To listen to some blues.

Can’t seem to leave here,

Need to find myself a muse.

Stranded at the Crossroads

That sweet soulful beat.

Knowin I should move along,

But the music’s got my feet.

Went down to the delta

Found myself the blues.

The world, it keeps callin,

Please don’t make me choose.

I’m here in the delta,

Most leave for higher ground.

I think I’ve found my home site,

Great feelings all around.

Yep, I’m still in Mississippi. Clarksdale, MS to be exact. I realize its been a bit since I’ve last written, and many of you may be looking here for stories that involve you (most likely cringing in fear that I’ll include an encounter or picture of you), but, I’m sorry to say you’ll have to keep waiting.

Ya see, this is the first time I’ve had real electricity since leaving Michigan in September. Apart from an occasional run of the generator (to make morning coffee), I’ve been living ‘off the grid’ as much as possible. So, as you can imagine, any contact with computers has been a very low priority.

So, you’re just going to have to wait a bit longer to hear about the trip to Chicago for the birthday/anniversary and Olympics party; the demolition derby in Elkton; the stock car races in Owendale; the rained out Born to Be Wild Days (bike rally); and the 10^th Anniversary Bay City Wine Walk (no, I’m not gay , but when you’re invited to spend an evening walking around town with some very attractive ladies, tasting wine, you don’t say no, even if you don’t like wine).

You’re also going to have to wait to hear about the trip thru Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi on my way to Helena, AR for the Blues and Heritage Fest (aka King Biscuit Blues Fest). As a matter of fact, unless something changes by the end of this evening, you’re even going to have to wait to hear about the festival itself.

See, all of those events, experiences and the people I encountered along the way really deserve an entire entry of their own. But, since I finally have electricity, rather than sit at a computer and write, I’m gonna sit in front of the fan and have another beer.

So, if you are anywhere near Clarksdale, MS, or within 2 or three hundred miles from here, give me a call. Since I’ve scored a parking spot near downtown (can you say ‘Center of the Blues’?) and snuck an extension cord into a nearby shed, I think I’ll be here for a while.

Where I’m livin.

Where I’ll be Thursday night.

(Update - I wrote this a few days ago, but my uplink was so slow I couldn't post anything. Hopefully I'll be able to post a bunch of stuff I've written in the past couple days.)

Lon