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I know, I know. It has taken me a few days to get this post created. For a month, I had been inhabiting a world filled with moments of excitement, reflection and some anxiety. Once home, I found that it was over. I guess I've been mentally resisting this final post for the trip, but here it is:
One of the big events for this weekend was the birthday party planned for Noah (age 3 on 10/28) and me (age 66 on 10/24). We went out to a very fine Greek restaurant in Cherry Hill with the big family which included: Meredith, Meghan, Noah, Peggy & Dennis Pitzer (Meghan's Mom and Dad), Beth, Mary-Kay (my sister...in Philadelphia to produce and direct a play), and me. What fun!
After the restaurant, it was back to the house for cake and presents:
An Elmo hat was required at this event. Noah and I managed to get our candles extinguished. My wish was fulfilled, FWIW.
Next day was Halloween. I didn't engage in the TorTing, but Noah did. Noah was no fading violet regarding the requisite question, and soon had a haul of refined carbs. Here he is in action:
He really liked these blowup friends:
Well, Monday morning 11/1 arrived, and after saying goodbye to Cherry Hill, it was time to head home again. The temperature was 45F at my starting point, rose to about 53F somewhere in CT, and then was back to 45F by the time I arrived home 321 miles later. I chose the Tappan Zee Bridge route, and then went up the Merritt Parkway to I-91 to I-84 to I-90. I had to stop in Stamford, CT at a Walgreens to get those nearly-useless foot warmers as my feet were getting cold. Otherwise, thanks to Gerbing's clothing, I was toasty.
I was glad to be home, but sad that the adventure was at an end. I was trying to explain to someone the dichotomy of the sense of grief I felt at the end that I was not out on the road, atop the BMW, contrasted with the feeling of relief that I was not doing that very thing. How odd. Candidly, it has taken me a few days to gain any sense of perspective about this. I think my head is back in Brookline now, but I did take the bike out today (Sunday) for a few miles to see if I still liked it. I did. I'm already thinking about the next trip.
One final bit of information. While I was traveling, Karin Heymer of Canyon, TX (see reference below) made contact with the managing editor of "The Canyon News," a twice-weekly newspaper in Canyon, TX to interview me about my journey. James Barrington and I had a nice chat, and a few days later (on my birthday 10/24 no less) I was a front page item on the Canyon News.
I'm sure you can't read the article here, but the URL for these two pages is here, and I believe you'll be able to read it:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jgamelpi/CanyonNews10242010#
There are so many people who helped me with this, and I do know how to begin to thank everyone:
Karin Heymer - She took my first 'phone call at the Registrar's Office at WTAMU in 2003 and took enough interest in my project to send me all kinds of information, and truly was the catalyst for it all. The photographs of my father in his early 20's from the WTSC yearbooks have been very important. If it weren't for Karin, I'd have never have seen them.
My wife Beth - Who has put up with my sometimes-crazy ideas for 42 years, and was tolerant of and encouraging of this one.
Family members who put up with me for a night or two, fed me and actually seemed to enjoy my incessant stories - Meredith, Meghan, & Noah, Carola & Stu Cohn, Jane, Jared, Ethan & Rob Trescott, Rita & Dan Cohn, Alissa, Matt & Elena Thornton, and finally MM&N again.
Yankee Beemers members who gave me advice and help throughout: Roy Bertalotto, Mike Valentin (Texas), and Sandy Becker (North Carolina)...as well as all those who told me about the wonders of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Steve Munden - my Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor at the Central Mass. Safety Council who helped me understand the stuff I never learned about motorcycle-riding 40 years ago, who helped me try to master cornering techniques, who monitored this blog, and as a result gave me a few mid-course corrections which saved my life a couple of times, I'm sure.
Martin Hensel, my Ducati/BMW riding pal who helped me understand what was possible and encouraged me to go for it.
It has certainly been a long, but not strange trip. I'm sad that it's over, but am already thinking about the next one...
John, aka Dad
