What's so Happy about it?

Wow!  It's been a long time since I posted anything here.  There are so many issues -- Obamacare, Gov't Shutdown, Debt Ceiling, Gay Marriage, School Shootings -- on which I would love to offer commentary.  Either I've been overwhelmed by it all or I've become somewhat burned out from blogging.  I've decided to wade back in with a topic on which I've held a long-time opinion and which everyone can relate to.

It's that time of year again, an important season for retailers who are ready to sell anything and everything to reflect the spirit of the season.  It's a time for parties and for dressing up, a time for meeting neighbors.  But looking past the decorations and costumes, the traditions and parties, I have to ask the question: What's so happy about Halloween?

I don't participate in Halloween but I'm not militant about it.  If someone else wants to celebrate it (and apparently most do), that's one's own business.  I don't believe it's particularly dangerous to get involved in Halloween but I have my reasons for resisting it's attractions.  I never had my children participate in Halloween activities, although as adults they can now make their own choices.  They stayed home from school on Halloween party day and we made a point to have some other activity planned to get us out of the house the evening of October 31st.  I never thought they would suffer from having missed out on these activities, and they never complained.  I tried each year to explain in simple terms the reasoning behind my actions.  

Whenever I mention my opposition to this celebration, I hear about all the fun and innocent parties 'for the kids', the cute Cinderella costumes, the harmless fun of giving candy to all the neighborhood youngsters.  True, true and true.  So why do I take a stand against Halloween participation?  Here are my two simple reasons, the ones I tried to repeat for my kids as they were growing up, the ones I beg anyone to respond to in order to offer me clarification on some point I may be missing.  The first is totally practical; the second is based on my spiritual beliefs.

#1  What does Halloween stand for?  If it's a holiday, what's is being celebrated?  Every other holiday I can think of celebrates or commemorates something, someone or some event.  What is being celebrated on October 31st?  The most obvious guess is the one that no one wants to admit, and I'll get to it later.  So, basically, I just can't bring myself to get caught up in celebrating a non-holiday that has no meaning for me whatsoever.

#2  Defenders try to make this season seem harmless, citing the aforementioned Cinderella and Super Hero costumes, the Football Players and Ninja Warriors, the fun parties, pumpkin carving and neighborhood activities.  But is that Halloween?  If one thinks of the basic, most prevalent images for Halloween, one must admit that they speak strongly of fear, death and evil.  Cinderella doesn't represent Halloween -- Ghosts, witches, skeletons, bats, monsters, spiders and tombstones do.  Fear, Death, Evil.  Why would I celebrate such things?  You may say you 'don't believe in witches or ghosts', but then again why celebrate them?  Here is my position:  I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus; Jesus who, according to my beliefs and the Bible, came to earth to bring peace, life and righteousness.  These three concepts that characterize the reign of Jesus over a Christian's life are in direct opposition to the representative images of Halloween.  That is why I cannot participate in any Halloween activities.

Once again, these are just my thoughts; I'd like to hear yours.  Thanks for reading.  I'll try to be more timely in presenting subsequent posts.

O, To Be Stuck In The Middle

I am a middle child, third in a line of five sons.  Not the oldest, nor the youngest; comfortably cushioned in between, sometimes feeling lost and forgotten in the shuffle of life.  It's not a bad place to be; it's average, neither the top nor bottom of the pile, not the fastest nor the slowest, the first nor the last.  It's the middle.  One of our favorite shows is called "The Middle," about a very middle class family that humorously struggles with the gritty parts of life that most of us experience at one time or other.  This post came about quite unexpectedly and spontaneously today as a result of a fortuitous alignment of events.

Update - I made it home from my awesome motorcycle trip to Florida.  15 days - 3395 miles - a few pictures - many small towns and lots of memories.  Yes, I would do it again!

After my trip, I knew I should get back to writing about the issues that concern me but still couldn't decide where to start.  I've read several books in the meantime about various concerns but couldn't focus on any particular one.  "Too Big To Fall" is about America's failing infrastructure.  "Catastrophic Care" explains what's terribly wrong with our healthcare system and, specifically, how we pay for it.  "The Big Short" describes how a few Wall Street insiders managed to dupe an entire financial industry (and by extension the public) into betting on bundles of highly risky mortgages while those insiders raked in billions for themselves.  All of these issues need to be addressed and corrected if America is to have much of a future.  However, it is the book I am currently reading that has prompted me to write today.

I also happened to catch part of President Obama's speech today from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, which spoke to the exact issues that I had been getting fired up about in the reading of this book.  These are the events that aligned properly for me today, and it is what got me thinking about the middle, as in "class".  Here is the issue: America's middle class is disappearing, or at least dwindling, at an alarming rate and our policymakers seem not to notice, nor care.  Furthermore, it is the spending of a large and thriving middle class that drives the economic engine of America, buying our manufactured goods and services, not the spending of the wealthy few.

For the past 30 years we have heard:

• The market will take care of itself.
• Make the rich richer and they will create jobs (trickle-down economics).
• The government is too big; it should leave us alone.
• Everyone should be able to own a home.
• Everyone should be able to go to college.

Some of the above are right-wing ideologies, and some come from the left.  All have contributed to an eroded middle class.  We have all grown up with the American dream of having a better standard of life than our parents, and they than their parents, etc.  For a century or more that has largely been the case.  However, over the past 40 years or so, the middle class has been falling behind in purchasing power, losing out to the elite as a disproportionate  degree of the nation's wealth has been accumulating at the top.  We have managed to keep up for a generation by depending on two incomes for most families, working longer hours, draining our homes of equity and finally taking on debt to attain the lifestyle which we felt we deserved as "middle class families."  But the bottom has dropped out of that scheme: families have lost one or both incomes; homes have lost value, i.e. no more equity to draw upon; good jobs have been automated or moved overseas; employers and governments at all levels have cut back and left Americans largely to pay the balance.

Today President Obama spoke to the heart of these issues, and while so far they may just be words there is hope that Washington may come to recognize the peril of a lost middle class in time to do something substantive about it.  He spoke of the key cornerstones of the middle class life as:

• a good honest and dependable job,
• a good education,
• a decent home,
• a secure retirement,
• good affordable health care,
• equal opportunity for advancement.

He spoke well, with enthusiasm and sincerity.  He dedicated every remaining minute of his presidency to reviving the middle class.  It's good to be in the middle; it's the American dream.  At least that's what we've always believed.  Maybe hope is not lost, if only we can bring Washington out from under their dome and back into the middle of America.

God bless the president, the U.S.A. and all of us in the middle.

Day 14 - Nearly home

Today turned out to be a long day even though I only made about 170 miles. For starters, since I knew I didn't plan on driving a great distance, I allowed myself to sleep in a bit. After talking with some bikers from Indiana over breakfast, I got on the road about 10:00.  I then took a small detour to enjoy the horse farm area around Lexington. The family will recognize one of our past vacation spots here. 

I talked with a father taking a picture of his daughter in front of the sign and told him we visited the park when our kids were her age. They came from Ireland just to attend a special program here later in the week and were enjoying the beautiful countryside. 

I followed US 25 north as it paralleled I-75 all the way to the Ohio River. I took my time and encountered little traffic, taking in several more small towns along the way. The sun was shining most of the way, so it was a hot ride, especially whenever I stopped whether at a stop light or for gas. As I approached the end of this road in Covington I felt a drop.  That's when I noticed the sky had suddenly become much more cloudy. As soon as it actually began to rain on me, I cut into a parking lot hoping for shelter.  There happened to be a bank where I could duck under a covered ATM area.  I waited it out and continued on over the river when the rain ended. I have now driven across four bridges between Cincinnati  and Covington. Cincinnati was very slow going. Originally I planned to take the interstate at this point, but I noticed I could take another federal highway at least for a while. US 127 runs northwest out of town through many suburban communities. There were some nice areas and some less nice ones.  But there was lots of stop and go, and that also made this a long day. I made it to I-70 and took that a little way toward Dayton, and tonight I find myself in Brookville, OH, just west of Dayton. Tomorrow I will take I-75 the rest of the way home, mow the lawn if it needs it and give my motorcycle a very needed bath.

I met a guy here at the hotel from Lake Orion, MI, also a biker, who couldn't believe I rode to Miami and back. So maybe it was a crazy idea from the start. I'll have to think about whether I'd want to do a similar trip again. I do know I've enjoyed every day of this one, the Lord has blessed with safety and my bike has performed flawlessly. I've enjoyed having a pretty loose schedule with the ability to change plans if I felt inclined. This trip was defined by the objective of riding the entire length of two major highways. Maybe it would be better to define a trip to include more sightseeing of some sort. 

Well tomorrow is not expected to be a very interesting ride, as I'll just be zipping up 75.  So this should be my last post.  If anyone has read these daily accounts of my trip, I hope you've enjoyed them. Remember the title of my blog says that each of us is unique.  This has been a special time for me and has already given me a very unique summer vacation. 

Day 13 - No Rain

Having completed the entire length of US 441, today I began riding north on US 25.  Much of it was just like yesterday's ride, taking me through the Tennessee and Kentucky mountains. This was indeed very much like the road I remember from childhood trips to Florida as it often followed the river and the RR tracks through the valleys and gorges. I missed a turn once and went about ten miles in the wrong direction, but that just meant more mountain riding. 

I guess there was nothing especially remarkable about today's ride because I didn't take any photos. I made it to Lexington, KY, and tomorrow I expect to be in Dayton, OH.  I should be home by Thursday. I think the exciting part of my trip is behind me now; the rest is just making my way back home. 

Day 12 - Monday, July 15

The forecast looked good, but I woke to cloudy skies - then it poured during breakfast. I was glad to be at the Hampton Inn where my motorcycle was under cover and I could enjoy a nice breakfast while I waited things out. Once again I began my day with the rain suit on, but it never rained real hard after that. Nevertheless the clouds threatened all morning as I rode north toward the mountains. About 1:00 I reached the southern entry to the Smoky Mountains in Cherokee, NC. I removed the rain gear for lunch and didn't need to put it on again. 

The road over the mountains into Gatlinburg is 35 miles of winding curves and rising and dipping hills. It really gets fun when the hills and curves happen together, which is most of the time. I stopped several times to take in the awesome views. Looking down at the misty valleys makes one feel on top of the whole world. This overlook happens to be right on the NC/TN line where the Appalachian Trail cross the highway. 

Gatlinburg was surprisingly uncrowded, I thought, for mid-July. The next 50 miles were not fun as it became quite hot and I had to contend with the traffic of Pigeon Forge and Knoxville. Near the end of my day I was treated to another stretch of beautiful, park-like riding through shaded hills and twisty turns. I've developed a fondness for picturesque churches wherever I go. This one leaped out of the shadows at me as I rounded a bend. 

Finally, a few miles before my destination for the night, my road crossed over the Norris Dam, built in 1936 and one of many in the Tennessee River Valley system. 

I stopped for the night at Lake City, TN - Another $35 room and a Mexican restaurant, neither with WiFi. It was a pretty good day, especially as it ended in sunshine. 

Days 10 & 11 It'a a rainy night in Georgia

The only days I've had completely without rain were the two days and three nights in Hollywood Beach.  Today I tried to resist getting out the gear, hoping I could endure a few light showers.  Within 20 miles of my destination it just started coming down too hard and I had to succumb. I didn't post a report yesterday because I couldn't get an Internet connection, so I'll try to recap two days of riding here. North of Orlando, US 441 is a very nice road to enjoy. I especially liked the area around Leesburg, FL, which has many lakes and is centrally located in the state. All the way into Georgia the road varies from rural to suburban to small town Main Street, and from divided highway to 2-lane pavement. US 441 often shares its roadway with other highways:

One of those routes should look familiar to Michiganders. 

Saturday night I made it to Douglas, GA, because it was big enough to have a Hampton Inn and a Holiday Inn Express, and I was ready to treat myself to a decent hotel for the night.  When I arrived, however, I still opted for the local, cheapo, $35 bed-in-a-box motel because it was nearest to the only restaurant around and it was raining. Neither the motel nor the restaurant had WiFi.  The lodging was clean but really bare bones; the eatery was nice with Christian praise music playing and a waitress named Shandy, plus a free scoop of ice cream with every meal.  I had this Ribeye Steak, medium done:

Looking ahead to my ride over the Smoky Mountains, I wanted to get far enough on Sunday to be able to easily get all the way through to Gatlinburg and beyond on Monday. I also wanted to aim for a town that would have a decent hotel once again. This time I'm using it, as I arrived at the Hampton Inn at Cornelia, GA around 5pm. Strong WiFi, lots of coffee, great room, plus the kind lady let me leave my motorcycle under the entry portico, out of tonight's rain. Gatlinburg is 120 miles from here; Lake City, 185. I'd like to make it to Lake City if I can, but I want to enjoy the mountains, too. That'll be my birthday present to myself. If the weather forecast looks bad I may stay put and wait for a better day. 

I don't know if I'll want dinner tonight, as I had a pretty nice lunch. Since I felt I had plenty of time to reach my destination today, I opted not to by-pass most of the towns and took the business routes instead. I found some really lovely towns in Dublin, Milledgeville, Eatonton, and especially Madison, GA, which I reached just about lunch time. Madison was founded in 1803 and named for James Madison.  It's a very lovely, quaint old town that appears prosperous and well kept up and is where I found a wonderful Chop House that served a unique Grilled Peach Salad. Mine came with a cup of French Onion soup and a glass of Chardonnay, all enjoyed in a nice patio eating area. I wanted to photograph the entire town; these few shots do it no justice whatsoever. 

Old Chamber of Commerce building. 

County Court House. 

This tree has been here a while. 

Some of you may wonder how I pass my time all day riding alone with no music for entertainment. Well since I'm one who can't do two things at once, it could be dangerous for me to do anything other than drive, but I do have time to think.  I try to think about the Bible verses I read in the morning.  I also have plenty of time to write or arrange music in my head, by singing it over and over.  I also like to find humorous or interesting signs along the way, like the street I saw called "Ice Cream Lane." Here's a building I found amusing. 

I've seen a lot of things I've enjoyed like that, but I can't remember them, nor can I stop to get a picture of them all.  I think my favorite one of all, however, was the billboard that screams at you:  "YOUR WIFE IS REALLY HOT!!!", then adds, "It's time to fix your air conditioner."

OK, it's time to call it a night.  I'll wake up in the morning another year older, ready to ride the mountains.  Actually age is one of the reasons I decided to do this trip this year at all.  If I keep waiting, I may not be able.  I share the sentiments of my father-in-law when he told me, " When the day comes when I can't ride my motorcycle anymore, well . . . ."

Day 9 - Heading Home

This is the day I start riding north. I was concerned that the day would be filled with more rain.  However, not only did I wake up to find dry pavement, but this was the view on the beach at about 7am:

Here's a picture of the fine old hotel I stayed at:

I got an early start and was really excited about driving under sunshine. US 441 runs straight north about ten miles from the Atlantic coast and then heads west over toward Lake Okeechobee.  This lake is surrounded by a levee that rises above the highway, so it's hard to actually see it from the road.  I did get a great view, however, when the road took a high bridge over a canal.  This is one big lake!  It may as well be the ocean, since you cannot see the other side.  I do believe it is very shallow though. 

Well I drove 200 miles before having to don the rain suit.  I really thought this would be the first day without it. As I approached Orlando I met the wet weather, but it was not a hard rain this time. I made it through Orlando and stopped for the night in Apopka, 258 miles for the day. I'm not far from Sanford where the Zimmerman jury began deliberation today. I should make it somewhere near the Georgia line tomorrow. Part of my route will follow US 27, which was my route going south.  I wonder if I'll recognize anything. 

Here's a little summary of my trip south over 6 days:

Total miles:      1631

Avg miles per day:     271

Total gas purchased:   40.4 gal. 

Average mpg:       40.37

Total cost for gas, food & lodging:   $659.76

Average cost per day:   $109.96

Days 7 & 8 - Relaxing in the sun

It's already Thursday evening now, and I'm due to head home tomorrow. These two days in Hollywood have indeed been relaxing, and there's been no rain although it always seems to be a threat. I've spent time by the pool, walked down the beach, bought my coffee & pastry at the same shop each morning and had dinner in the same patio restaurant every night. As I said before, I have everything I need right here. Laundry facilities are right down the hall, so I took care of that chore this morning. Plus I've made some changes to my plans. I've been keeping an eye on tropical storm Chantal, which has been downgraded but is due to bring rain to the area Friday morning. I thought about leaving here today to try to stay ahead of it, but I realized I really needed this day to rest.  Now it looks like if I depart late in the morning I may be lucky enough to ride behind the storm.  I don't know if that will mean less rain or not. As always, I'll just have to see how it goes. I did, however, decide to complete my first objective today rather than tomorrow, and I'm glad I did, as it took a good part of the day to drive into Miami and back again.  I finished the final length of US 27 and started the first part of my return route which also begins in Miami. I had to take this shot for the record.

Speaking of my return route, I've made some changes to that plan. So my original idea was to ride US 27 from Fort Wayne, IN to Miami, then take US 41 from Miami to Copper Harbor, MI. As soon as I arrived here I knew that I was not going to ride to the U.P.  That's just too far to ride, especially alone. So I've found another road I can ride from end to end: US 441. This road also begins in Miami (I rode the first portion today) and ends in Tennessee as it meets US 25W in Lake City. Then I'll follow US 25 till it ends at Cincinnati.  I think this is the highway that my parents and grandparents used to take to Florida before I-75 was built.  It runs very close to I-75 all the while I'll be on it.  When it ends, I'll probably hop on I-75 the rest of the way home. I am excited to take 441, though, because that is the main road through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park into Gatlinburg.  And that means great mountain riding.  I may even detour onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for a few miles, just because it's there. 

I need to see my dentist again as soon as I get home. I had some work done about 2 months ago, and after a few weeks that tooth became sensitive to cold.  I returned and he fixed that just before my trip. Now the same tooth seems to be sensitive to pressure, as in chewing.  It also sometimes just feels like an old fashioned toothache, the likes of which I've never felt before. I hope it doesn't progress too rapidly over the next week. 

I got up with the early risers one morning to try for a sunrise picture, but it was too cloudy to witness that event. 

Day 6 - Arrived!

Well after all the rain it was great to open my door at the Day's Inn this morning to see this!

I rode in sunshine till 1pm when I felt the gray clouds were just getting too close. Sure enough within minutes of putting on the rain suit I was in another deluge.  But I'm tired of talking about rain.  I made it to my destination, and sooner than I had expected to.  A good portion of today's ride was on open road with little traffic to contend with. I called the hotel in the morning to confirm my reservation and of course they didn't have it.  Another call, however, straightened that out and everything was good when I arrived. I'm in an old hotel from the 1920's right on the beach in Hollywood, FL.  It has a great pool and there's a long boardwalk (more like a brick walk) along the beach with shops, bars and restaurants. 

After six days of riding I discovered I was indeed very tired. I checked in, showered, had a leisurely dinner while relaxing, and went to bed intending to sleep as long as I wanted. I really don't want to get on the motorcycle for the next two days.  There's nothing I want to go into town for, as I have everything I need right here.

I still haven't quite accomplished my goal of riding the entire length of this road:

The end of the road is in Miami and Hollywood is 20 miles north.  Since weather was threatening and it was near the end of the day, I decided to turn off at the Hollywood exit.  I'll complete the road Friday when I begin my trip home.  Here is the sunset from my window.

Day 5

I left Columbus this morning hopeful that I might drive all day without rain.  The roads were a bit damp but it wasn't raining.  Soon the sun began to come through and I was able to ride in my cool Honda t-shirt. 

For quite a while I was on a divided or limited access highway with very little other traffic.  I felt like I had the southern half of Georgia all to myself.  At some point in my trip I had to decide whether taking the Business or Alternate routes would violate my goal of riding the entire length of the road.  I decided it would still count, as I wanted to take several Bus 27 spurs so as to go through some of the towns I would otherwise have missed.  I enjoyed doing this and always found something different to appreciate. Here are a few typical southern shots from one such town.  

Notice the town square with the gazebo, Spanish moss, war memorials and courthouse with the clock tower that rang out 12 bells just for me.  I've passed through several states now, and the state lines haven't always been indicated like on the Interstates. 

However, this one was special because it's the last state on my map.

This was a long day; I drove 359 miles to get to Ocala, FL.  Perhaps I allowed myself too many leisurely rest stops because it was nearly dark when I arrived about 8:45.  Tomorrow, another long day to Miami, then two days of rest.

Day 4 - Visiting Relatives

Another day in and out of rain, but I'm right on schedule due to my determination to drive through the precipitation. I drove through some nice forests and several towns, but the highlight of this day, even more than the delicious WH pecan waffle I had for breakfast, was getting to visit my daughter's in-laws in Columbus.  She married a great guy from a wonderful family and I enjoyed seeing them again. We went out for a good BBQ dinner, then they gave me a nice guided tour of Columbus.  It was great to visit and of course I forgot to take a single picture. I do, however, have this one of myself after I let it slip that my birthday would be next week.  After dinner a chorus line of servers appeared at our table to perform their birthday embarrassment song for me (which I enjoyed) and deliver this mountain of lemon meringue pie.  It was delicious.  

I said good bye with an invitation to call again if I ever pass this way on another trip. I hope I will. The next two days will be the longest of this trip, as I need make over 300 miles each day to arrive in Miami on Tuesday.

Day 3 - Rain, rain, rain

When I started out this morning I whispered the same prayer that I made the morning I started: "Lord, keep me upright," recognizing the double meaning as soon as I said it. 

I hate to dwell on the rain during my trip, but it did dominate the last two days.  Today I rode in rain all day long, with only brief moments when it let up a bit. During one of those interludes I was thinking of where to take a photo to typify today's ride when a broad, sweeping, downhill curve opened up before me.  And when a little church appeared around the bend, I knew I had to take the shot. 

I did have an hour or so of beautiful mountain roads and passed several motorcyclists going north.  It was good to know I wasn't the only crazy rider out today. Around noon the rain really came down hard and looked liked it wasn't going to quit.  Just then I passed a Sonic Drive-in and noticed the covered parking spaces.  I decided it was lunch time.   

Just south of Chattanooga I went through a very beautiful Civil War battlefield site in the Chickamauga Military Park.  There were many monuments and canons on display throughout the park.  I felt a call to stop and give this lovely park it's due attention, but that would take several hours which weren't in my plan. 

Tonight I'm in Summerville, GA, it's 10pm right now and it still is raining.  I'm hopeful that it will let up during the night.  With my rain suit I really don't mind riding in wet weather, but enough is enough. 

Rain? No Problem.

Like the day before, I only saw the sun for a few brief minutes in an otherwise gloomy day.  Unlike yesterday the clouds delivered rather than just threatened. I rode the entire day in my rain suit so when the showers came, I was ready.

I crossed the mighty Ohio River from Cincinnati after circling the riverfront stadiums a few times (I'll explain later). Most of the rest of today's ride to Lexington and on to Somerset, KY was on a nice hilly, winding highway that alternated from a 2-lane to 4-lane to divided hwy to limited access roadway, nearly all with a limit of 55. I rode through a couple of major college campuses: Miami U, in Oxford, OH, and U of Kentucky in Lexington. In the morning I saw many more cornfields, but as I approached Lexington I rode through thoroughbred horse farm country. Then there were a few Black Angus cattle farms. All of this would have been much more pleasant without the rain. 

So I had originally figured I wouldn't get lost if I just followed one road. I've discovered that depends on all the proper signs being in place, which they sometimes are not, especially in bigger cities.  That's how I came to spend an extra hour or so in downtown Cincinnati trying to find my route. It sure helps to have a smart phone handy at those times. 

Tomorrow's ride should be a lot of fun as I ride though Tennessee mountains toward Chattanooga. Uh-oh, I just checked the weather -- rain all night and all day tomorrow.  I'll have a decision to make in the morning. 

Day One - Happy 4th!

We got home late from fireworks at Greenfield Village and I didn't sleep very well, but I managed to leave home by 9:00 this morning. My first goal is to drive the entire length of US 27, so I had to get to Fort Wayne, where it starts.  The entire day was cloudy and around 4:00 I put on my rain suit to endure a brief rain shower.  Otherwise the day was dry.  I rode first to Toledo, then west to Fort Wayne and south from there.  Western Ohio and pretty much all of Indiana are pretty flat and filled with farms and small towns. Despite passing a sign pointing down a side road indicating the "highest point in Indiana", it looked pretty much flat to me. I saw a lot of standing water in the fields but most of the corn was still more than knee high. I saw several Amish families out for a holiday buggy ride. I don't know how they live that way; I was glad to have a throttle in my hand. 

I reached my destination for the night, Richmond, IN, around 5pm.  I drove around the town but it was really empty, hopefully just because of the holiday. Checked in to the local Super 8 and had dinner nearby.  I'll try to make up for last night's restless sleep and get an early start tomorrow. All in all, a pretty good day.  I made my quota of miles and took enough breaks to avoid excessive fatigue. The clouds made it feel like a gloomy day but also staved off the heat. 

My Upcoming Summer Vacation

Call me nuts - and you may be right - but I'm looking forward to my approximately 3-week solo vacation on my motorcycle.  I'll explain how this trip came to be, but let me just say right away that I plan to ride from my home in Michigan to Miami, FL and back.  That'll be a LOT of riding.

A few years ago I was pondering where I might go for an extended motorcycle adventure.  The destination wasn't really important, as any motorcyclist will tell you that the ride itself is what it's all about.  I decided that the easiest way to not get lost would be to follow a single road till it ends; that led to the idea of tracking the full length of a road from one end to the other.  There are highways that cross the country and then there are roads that can be traveled in a couple of hours.  I could probably find a road to fit any schedule.  As I looked at the US highway system, I discovered there are several major roadways that begin in Michigan and go west or south.  An obvious trip would be to go west, as our children all live on the west coast.  However, we will likely fly there sometime during the year.  Then I thought of our time share membership which allows us to stay at any of our resorts around the country.  By using a time share resort I could reduce my financial cost of lodging.  Thus the combination of finding a resort with availability and a city where the highway ends led me to Miami.

US 27 - Fort Wayne to Miami

My trip south will be via US27, which actually begins in Fort Wayne, IN, so I'll begin my trip by riding to Fort Wayne.  Driving 300 miles a day I expect to reach Miami in six days.  I do have a hotel reservation in Miami so I need to stick to this schedule.  That could be a problem if I encounter any serious weather conditions or, God forbid, any other difficulties.  Assuming I reach Miami as planned, I will have three nights and two days to relax on the beach (and off the motorcycle) before starting the return trip.  I'll try to recount my daily journal here in this Blog for anyone who may be interested, like the IRS or the NSA.

I don't know yet just what these roads will be like, but the idea is to avoid the interstates.  I hope to have a lot of 2-lanes and to see quite a bit of small-town America.  What I fear is that these highways have been improved to divided highways that now bypass many towns.  We'll see.

US 41 - Miami to Copper Harbor

After two days of rest, I'll begin the much longer trip home.  Without any reservations or deadlines, this part could be much more leisurely done.  As I said, it's a much longer trip.  US41 runs from Miami all the way to the northernmost tip of Upper Michigan, way further than just driving back home.  In fact, if I make it to the end of this road at Copper Harbor, MI, it will still take me 2 or 3 days to get back home from there.  

Now regarding the length of this insane trip, I know I may very well not be able to complete it.  US41 runs through Chicago and up the left side of Lake Michigan.  If I'm not inclined to finish that road, I can turn right before Chicago and just come home.  Even on the ride south, I may get tired and turn around at any time.  I do realize a ride like this will be very strenuous and tiring due to seat fatigue, heat, possible rain and wind, traffic, mountain riding and always listening for 'banjo music.'  On the other hand, people have been making trips like this for a hundred years, from when roads were much more rustic and facilities fewer and more far between.  I think their cell phones and GPS trackers were more primitive as well.  Plus their machines were not as awesome as mine.

I drive a 1998 'retro' Honda Shadow ACE Tourer 1100 cc V-twin motorcycle that is running great.  I get about 40 mpg and can go 120 miles between fill-ups.  It currently has 41000 miles on the odometer.  I've had this bike for 11 years and I still receive compliments wherever I go.  

Departing on July 4th, I'll spend my birthday
somewhere in Mid-America with this beauty.

As always, thanks for reading my thoughts.  If you're interested in my trip, you can follow it here.  God bless you, and God bless the good old USA.

Voter Registration

There are so many social and political issues I want to discuss here that I decided to just address them as they pop up in the news.  So this week the Supreme Court struck down an Arizona law requiring voters to show proper identification when registering to vote.  I don't understand the problem with such a law; this has been made into a purely political issue.

Let's look at the arguments and counter-arguments.  Identity programs are conceived to prevent voter fraud in order to protect the sanctity of the vote.  Opponents claim that documented cases of actual voter fraud are rare.  Actual cases may be rare, but the potential for much greater fraud will always exist if the system is not protected.  Furthermore opponents claim that voter ID laws discriminate against certain classes of people who may not have picture IDs or be able to register in person.  The counter-argument here is that this also is most likely a rare occurrence. I suspect that anyone who wants to be able to vote anywhere in America in the 21st century can get to the local municipal clerk one time to get registered and to obtain a proper photo ID.  

It certainly seems that we need a way to prove who is a citizen of the USA.  One of the most precious rights of a citizen is the right to vote.  Without voter ID laws, voters would be on the honor system to vote properly.  Even if the occurrence of fraud is low, some election results are too close to tolerate any fraud, especially local elections that are often decided by a margin of only a few hundred votes or less.

Conclusion:  All voters should be required to show proof of citizenship to become registered. At the poll every voter should show a valid picture ID to ensure the person voting is in fact the one previously registered. I will go one step further in saying this should be a federal law, uniformly applied throughout the states.  These are my thoughts - thanks for reading. 

We Do Have issues

It's been a while since my last post and I promised to get back to some of our raging national concerns. For most of my life I've never thought much about social issues; I was just busy living my own life and trying to get along. However, since I retired in 2008, and since we finally got cable TV, I really began following the issues during the 2008 campaign season. With no incumbent running, both parties were flush with aspiring candidates; I found the campaign season fascinating and tried to follow what each candidate was actually saying. I started watching the news shows in the late evenings and that's when I discovered Fox News and MSNBC with their inevitable opposing views on everything. For a while it can be rather entertaining to listen to the views expressed by these networks. However, eventually one realizes that they are simply unofficial, or semi-official, mouthpieces for their respective parties and that they will never waver from their entrenched positions. Hence, you will not hear the "issues" actually discussed or debated there. Nevertheless, watching these evening political entertainment shows can be a starting point in understanding what the main issues are as well as the most extreme positions on each.

Don't confuse the idea of holding a position on any major issue with political party affiliation. There are, after all, 'Conservative Democrats' and 'Liberal Republicans' (at least there used to be.) There are also Christians in both parties. The major parties though often take opposite sides on issues simply to offer voters a choice. If you choose to affiliate with a political party, you do not need to agree with all their positions; and if your personal positions align somewhat with a party platform, it doesn't make you a democrat or a republican. It's your choice! That all being said, and before I even mention an issue, let me set the background from which I try to form my positions on the parade of issues we face. I am a Follower of Jesus (otherwise known as a Christian), male, college educated, married, 61 yrs old, retired yet working a 2nd career, father, lifelong Michigan resident and a born U.S. citizen and voter.

Well, I already shared a post here on gun control. I am for much more gun control than we will ever achieve for a host of reasons shared in the prior post.  I applaud the president for taking a stand in this matter and I believe that all the scary noise from gun rights advocates will eventually yield to the will of the people to get guns off our streets and out of our cities and schools.

Now on to the next issue -- Let's start by discussing so-called "Big Government," as this will lead into more specific issues that depend upon or are run by Big Gov.

I've shared before how our nation has matured from a collection of frontier colonies to the greatest nation on earth. Over the past two centuries the entire world has changed and much of this progress has been led by the USA.  It is simply inevitable that a strong nation requires a strong central government.  Many of the advantages and privileges we enjoy and often take for granted as Americans can only be provided efficiently by the federal government, such as good roads and highways, national defense and security, controlled immigration, support for advanced research and education, care for our least advantaged citizens, and more. 

Big government in itself is nothing to be feared; in fact it becomes a necessary component of a nation's progress. A strong government that usurps its power is another matter, and we must always keep a vigilant watch against it.  We already have strong mechanisms in place to prevent a takeover of power: regular elections, freedom of press and speech and religion, balanced representation in congress.  

So don't let those who rail against "Big Government" cause you to fear. Question the alternatives they offer; ask exactly what it is they don't like, and then test their claims for validity. As I said, there are certain services only a federal government can efficiently provide.  We need to ask ourselves whether, and how much, we want those services.

Thanks for reading my thoughts. 

Back to Politics, or Hope of the Rising Sun.

It seems we will never get a break from politics again, what with 24-hour news and political talk shows catering to both the right and left, and both parties already speculating on the next cycle of election positioning.  I've found myself paying much more attention, and with greater interest, to political events and issues the past few years.  We must face the fact that there are quite a few issues boiling within our society that sooner or later demand a political resolution, and I suspect there always have been.  Before I delve into any of these issues, for my own sake I want to take a short refresher course on what exactly politics means. From Mirriam-Webster the first and most basic definition is: "the art or science of government."  Whether considered an art or a science, I suspect politics becomes most complicated in the context of democratic governance.  A monarch, tyrant or dictator can avoid much of the political mess by simply declaring and imposing his or her will. But a stated government "of, by and for the people" such as ours must somehow deal with the full spectrum of opinions, beliefs, ideologies and traditions cherished by all its citizens.  This is an immense and never ending task; it requires careful thought, discussion, debate, negotiation, compromise and leadership. 

Decisions may be finally made in the great halls of our capitals, but issues almost always arise from the people - people holding everyday conversations, expressing opinions, writing articles, organizing meetings and rallies, speaking up and speaking out, gathering support and voting their consciences at every level.  So what is this "art or science of government?"  It is all of the above and much, much more.  It's a messy business, but it works to the extent that all participants are dedicated to making it work.  

I suggest we all read a good book about the founding fathers, about the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, about the Continental Congress or the Constitutional Convention.  See if any representative was so strong as to get everything he wanted in these great debates. This new government they created was not the brainchild of any one man; rather each shared his ideas and the whole became much greater than what any one man could produce.  What's more, these men then left this experimental system in the hands of successors, and thus it has endured for over 230 years -- always changing, adapting and accommodating the concerns and issues of the present generation. Today it is our torch to carry or our burden to bear.  Tomorrow it belongs to our heirs. Whatever is decided on the issues of today, let's be sure to hand over a great treasure of liberty, justice, opportunity and hope for all.

Signing of the Constitution, September 17, 1787

Ben Franklin's Comments on the Signing,
As Reported in the Notes of James Madison

Doctor Franklin, looking toward the President's chair, at the back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, observed to a few members near him, that painters had found it difficult to distinguish in their art a rising sun from a setting sun.  I have, said he, often in the course of this session, and the vissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the President, without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting; but at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.

Thanks for reading my thoughts.  Love America, and feel free to share your thoughts here and on successive posts.  I'll begin once again discussing specific issues here soon.

Life is good.

My dad was my first piano teacher; he taught me to drive a stick shift (in a Simca); he demonstrated generosity in every way, worked hard, served the church faithfully, loved his wife and family -- and his extended family just as much.  He took us in a station wagon to Florida, Washington D.C., Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, New England and Michigan's U.P., sleeping in tents, trailers and motels.  He never let us know when budgets were tight -- he sent me to Europe while in high school and to college the following year, never mentioning the cost.  He was a great fan of the Detroit Tigers, Bach, pipe organs, new cars and any church music.

My dad passed away February 1st, 10 days shy of his 90th birthday.  I helped him out of bed that morning, sat him in his favorite chair, and the Lord just called him home about an hour later.  Sure, I miss him; but it was his time to go home.  He looked forward to the experience of heaven.  He ran a good race and fought a good fight in this life.  Things had gotten difficult -- loss of eyesight, needing a walker to get around, oxygen depletion, but he always raised his hands in gratitude for his many blessings.

By changing the details,  the sentiments related above speak just as well of my Mom; she's 90 and learning to cope without a husband after 68 years.  Last Christmas we had 41 family members together representing 4 generations.  That is what life is about and God has been very good to this family.  I'll miss Dad for a long time to come, but I'll try to model the things he taught me and maybe pass a bit of him on to my own children, and to theirs as well.

Mom says a final good-bye.

Guns, Glorious Guns!

I know it's been a long time since my last post.  That's because I've tried addressing this issue several times, but each attempt becomes too long and wordy.  So, I finally decided to simply share my thoughts on various areas of the U.S. gun control issue.  Yes, I believe that the recent shootings in Connecticut, Texas, California, Colorado and others have brought this issue to a point where citizens will demand real action.

About me
I do not own a gun.  I have used a gun twice in my life.  I shot a .22 rifle as a teen at summer camp and an M16 in the U.S. Army.

Background checks
Like many Americans I assumed this was being done before any weapon could be bought at a store, gun show, private sale or anywhere else.  It should go without saying that no weapon should be sold to anyone with a violent, mentally unstable or criminal background, period. 

Hobbyists
Legitimate reasons to own a gun would include hunting, target shooting and collecting.  Of course all weapons should be registered.

Banned weapons
Items that need to be banned are all high power assault weapons, high capacity magazines, and any automatic firing weapon.  I may not be using the correct terms here, and the list is almost certainly not complete. 

Self Defense
My own non-scientific survey of things I recall hearing in the news tells me that there are relatively very few recorded instances of a gun owner successfully defending oneself vs. the number of deaths, accidental or otherwise, reported as a result of guns being available in the home.  It's been reported that people with a gun in the home are much more likely to be killed by a gun than those who have no guns in the home.

The 2nd Amendment
The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution is prefaced by the 18th-century need for public defense via state militias.  We have since created state police, local police, county sheriff and national guard forces along with several federal military branches to provide for our defense.  We no longer use militias composed of armed civilians.  There is no need for the civilian population to be armed, nor does the 2nd Amendment broadly confer a "right" for civilians to bear arms.

Responsibility
Criminal responsibility should be applied to any gun owner whose weapon is used in committing a crime, accidental or not, and with or without the owner's knowledge.

Entertainment
We need to create a shame in Hollywood against the heroic portrayal of violence in movies, much as has been done against smoking in movies and bullying in schools.  Of course this would also apply to video games, novels and TV.

Modern America
We are no longer a nation of explorers and cowboys taming the wild frontier.  We live in the 21st century and are a modern, civilized, world-class country.  We need to shed our Davy Crockett attitude and accept that our nation's children are ever so much more important than the self-deluding macho dreams of defending our turf from the boogeyman.

Bringing it home
I know it's easy for me as a non gun owner to call for a ban on civilian weapons.  I need to think in terms of someone calling for a ban on my favorite hobby of motorcycling.  How would I respond if motorcycles were shown to be inherently dangerous to society?  It would certainly be hard to give up my Honda.  

Conclusions
We will hear the usual counterarguments about how guns don't commit crimes, people do; about how society needs improved treatment of the mentally ill; about how banning guns from law-abiding citizens will insure that only criminals have guns.  All this is just smoke, designed to distract and obscure the real issues.  It's time for America to stand up and become the peaceful, civilized, moral leader the world expects us to be.

The case against guns is that they are primarily designed to kill.  And that should be the death sentence of private gun ownership in America.

Thanks for reading my thoughts.  They are only mine; I'd like to hear yours.