THINGS- ROADS-A COUPLE VIEWS OF MY FAVORITES

                                                       

WHEN I WAS IN MY PRIME AND FAR MORE CAREFREE (RECKLESS?)THAN I AM TODAY, MY MIND WOULD COME UP WITH IDEAS AND VISIONS THAT I WOULD ACT ON WITHOUT MUCH CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE CONSEQUENCES.. A PERSONALITY TRAIT THAT WAS A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION TO THOSE CLOSEST TO ME AND THE UNDERLYING REASON FOR TERMINATION FROM NINE JOBS IN ONE YEAR.. A RECURRING THEME WAS TO VISIT MY FELLOW MARINES WHO WERE STILL STATIONED AT CAMP LEJEUNE, THE MARINE BASE IN NORTH CAROLINA.. I LOVED RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE DOWN THE LATE NIGHT HIGHWAY, THE RELATIVE SOLITUDE...RUMBLING PAST THE SLEEPING CITIES, CROSSING EMPTY BRIDGES, CRUISING FOR MILES ALONG LATE NIGHT TRUCKERS, EVEN STATE TROOPERS SEEMED MORE FORGIVING, MORE TOLERANT DURING THOSE DARK LONELY HOURS..

THE FREEDOM AND EXHILARATION I THRIVED ON BACK THEN WAS TEMPERED BY THE GROWING REALIZATION THAT MY LIFE STYLE DIDN’T REALLY WORK, I KNEW CHANGE WOULD HAVE TO COME. AND SO, RELUCTANTLY I SURRENDERED BIT BY BIT TO LIFE’S RESPONSIBILITIES..SOMETIMES GRACEFULLY AND OTHER TIMES ONLY AFTER GREAT INNER STRUGGLES AS WELL AS SOCIAL AND FINACIAL PRESSURES..THE FOLLOWING YEAR I ONLY LOST SEVEN JOBS (A SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION).

I STILL ENJOY RACKING UP HIGHWAY MILES BUT NO LONGER DO I FIND MYSELF ROLLING DOWN THAT LONELY INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.. (AND I HAVEN'T BEEN TERMINATED IN OVER 30 YEARS)

SHARING SOME PHOTOS WITH YOU OF A FEW OF MY FAMILIAR HAUNTS..THESE ROADS ARE LIKE OLD FRIENDS TO ME..AFTER A TRYING DAY, CRUISING THESE COUNTRY ROADS GIVES ME A SENSE OF PEACE, A COMFORT THAT SOOTHS MY MIND AND SOUL..SOMETIMES I CAN ALMOST SEE MY TROUBLES FADING AWAY IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR..

(A CHANCE FOR YOU TO MEET  A COUPLE FRIENDS THAT PULLED OVER WHEN THEY SAW ME TAKING PHOTOS-AS ALWAYS CLICK TO ENLARGE)

BURLINGTON CT.--ABOUT THREE MINUTES FROM HOME

ROUTE 4--RIDING OUT TO LITCHFIELD

ROUTE 72--AND HERE COMES A HOMETOWN FRIEND

TAKING A QUICK BREAK

BIKER-JOHN WEST---TOGETHER WE'VE PUT MANY MILES BEHIND US.

ANOTHER GOOD FRIEND FROM BACK IN TOWN--PHIL SAUCIER. AND HIS WOMAN, KAREN HABERERN

HEADING BACK HOME

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                    UNTIL NEXT WEEK --STAY WELL--STAY SAFE--ENJOY THE RIDE
                                                                          JIM