Throughout the day I've been crossing the borders of Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, ... I think I'm now back in Tennessee. The last named town that I passed was Waverley, ... which I think is in Tennessee. Somewhere on the road today I've lost another hour, I'm not sure where or when but it means that I'm now on 'Eastern Time', ... at least I'm still heading in the right direction.
I like this area, away form the Cities, away from the Interstates, the people here are friendly and the way of life is relaxed and charming. The men all have short names; Ted, Jed, Buck, .. and the girls all have hyphens; Anna-May, Mary-Lou, Sally-Ann. The houses have porches, porches with rocking chairs, rocking chairs that are frequently used. As I ride past these homes the people wave; children, parents, grandparents, .. I always wave back. If I stop, I'm offered homemade lemonade and a seat on the porch, .. it's difficult to make progress but the hospitality here is so genuine that it's impossible to refuse. At petrol stations and cafes, people come over to ask questions, they pay for my gas, they buy me breakfast, they wish me well.
America is on the move, when I stop I'm also meeting people who are travelling, .... generally couples, people of all ages. North, South, East and West, people leaving their homes and returning to parents, returning to family, ... escaping their once dream homes before the embarrassment of foreclosure. Along the road in trailers behind their cars, these people tow everything that they own. At the side of the road, everything is for sale: Houses, Boats, Cars, ATV's, .... 'Yard Sales' are happening everywhere. In Washington, fingers are being pointed towards the fat-cats on Wall Street, ... on Wall Street they point their fingers elsewhere, ..... nobody points towards the individual who thought it was a good idea to raise a $300,000 mortgage on a $30,000 salary. Perhaps personal responsibility will only become an issue after the elections, ... perhaps at this moment in time it's not a 'vote winner'. American's are hurting and it's easy to feel their pain, but if I had any cash, ..... I'd be buying shares in 'U-Haul'.
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2 comments:
Geoff,
This blog has been a fantastic read from start to finish, both you and Alan in your own ways have done fantastically well and you’re certainly a credit to the Digest.
Don’t worry about the future, you’ve done the right thing, yes you may be 'homeless' but I suspect in this current 'clime' there could be more but those won’t have the choice and you done it on your terms. And yes I do know, the commitment to any journey like yours that you have invested your soul in does change you... And from now you will be able to live a simpler, fuller, happier life without all the so-called trappings that we have foolishly come accustomed too. Who needs any more than yet another dream, a motorbike, map and a tent!
What you’ve done no-one can take away or fail to give you full respect.
Ride safe Amigo.
LFB
Thanks for the kind comments Steve, ... It aint over yet ;-)
All the best to you and LFB,.. keep us safe, .... Geoff
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