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Category Archives: Rides Roads and Ronman

Phantom Hitchhiker of North Alabama 4

The fourth time I spotted the Phantom Hitchhiker I was once again headed north at the 354 mile marker. Once again it was a Friday night / early Saturday morning. For whatever reason that seems to be the only night I spot him.  The last time was unnerving for me. The way he stood and watched me drive past really got to me.

Having spotted this Phantom Hitchhiker several times I’ve started looking around for him when I approach this exit. This particular time I spotted him on the overpass. He was standing directly over the lane I was driving in. He leaned over the guard rail and peered down at me from above. Talk about getting your attention.

There is one other thing that’s come to mind about this Phantom Hitchhiker. Just south of this exit is another exit. Sometimes I stop for a break at a little market there. I’ve been known to take a nap behind this store. Well back last fall one morning I stopped to take a nap and there was someone sitting at the picnic tables between the store and the motel behind it.

I remember thinking it was odd seeing this person sitting there at this time of morning. After taking my nap I noticed the person at the table was staring at me. I believe this was the Phantom Hitchhiker. They were wearing a black hoodie and jeans. I don’t remember them having a backpack. But they were facing me and I didn’t really pay that close attention to them. Strange how they starred at me though.

Until I see this Phantom Hitchhiker again there won’t be anymore posts about him. I may never see him again. We just never know what I’ll see on the road.

Ride Safe,

Ronman

The Phantom Hitchhiker of North Alabama Part 2

Seeing someone hitchhiking always makes me pay attention. You never know what they will do. I’m always expecting them to just step out in front of me.  That’s why I always move over and give them as much room as I can. You never know when you’ll need that extra second or two that extra space gives you.

My first encounter with this hitchhiker had me thinking I was simply a bit more tired than I had thought. I doubt anyone would ever have heard about the hitchhiker until this second encounter.  As I traveled south on I-65 I couldn’t help but think about what I had seen just hours earlier. It’s not every day that someone vanishes right before your very eyes.

That Friday night I couldn’t help but look across the median as I passed the spot where I had seen the hitchhiker. I chuckled to myself as I thought about how my mind had played tricks on me.  No way could I have actually seen someone vanish. There was plenty of light at this exit. There is only one scrawny tree. No deep ditches. Nowhere for someone to hide.

About twenty-five miles south of that spot my skin started to crawl. What? It can’t be? Right before my eyes I see the same hitchhiker. This time walking south. Same black hooded jacket. Same brown backpack. Same jeans.  One thing sticks out in my mind. He had his left sleeve pulled up. His left arm was exposed and was so pale it was almost glowing.  Sort of the way my legs glowed this past summer when I was at the beach. One person who knows me experienced this in person. I think they’re traumatized.

This time I never saw the hitchhiker’s face. This time he didn’t vanish. This time I knew I had really seen him. This time freaked me out! I told someone after this time. In fact I told several people. They think I’ve lost my mind. Hell they probably already think I don’t have a mind.

I’ve asked other drivers. I’ve searched online. I’ve yet to find anyone else who has seen this hitchhiker.  I know what I saw. Soon you’ll read about the other times I’ve seen this hitchhiker.  That’s right. There is more to come.

 

Ride Safe,

Ronman

You Can Never Have Too Many Navigational Aids

Those of you who know me will get a kick out of this. What’s the one thing that I always have with me? Well I know I always have several things with me. But if you’ve ever been on any sort of trip with me no matter if it’s on the scooter or driving the truck camper what do I always have?

If you answered maps you would be correct. That’s right maps with an s as in plural. You see I usually take along several maps. I’ll have a large atlas or even a small atlas. Then I’ll also have the state gazetteer map for the states I’ll be traveling through. Now I’ve even stepped into modern times and purchased GPSrs. Yes that is an s on the end of that. I have two GPSr units. One for Geocaching and one for driving. The new GPSr has all sorts of info loaded onto it. Stuff like fuel stops, places to eat and lodging.

With all the money I’ve spent on things to help me find my way you’d think I could do just one simple thing. REMEMBER TO TAKE THEM WITH ME!!!!!!!!! That’s right, I forgot to take them with me this past weekend. No maps. No GPSrs, no nothing. I had one small map with me. The one map with the least details of any map I own. Nothing but the major roadways on there.

Oh wait. I need to clarify something. I did take one GPSr with me. I took the new Zumo that has all the handy-dandy info on fuel lodging and places to eat. Yes I did take it. There’s only on small problem. Yours truly had recently bought a larger sd card so that I could update said Zumo with all sorts of new info for the entire country. In preparing for this grand idea yours truly also deleted all the info from the previous mapping software stored on said Zumo.

So let me review all this. I have tons of handy maps and GPSrs to choose from. I take one of each luckily. The one map that only has the major highways and the one GPSr that I’ve recently deleted all the information from. So basically I have some slick toilet paper and a paper weight for said slick paper.

No problem. I’ve been all over Tennessee at some point or other. Granted I haven’t covered every square mile of our wonderful state. I do have most of it in my memory. Now I’m no spring chicken anymore. Sometimes it’s a tab bit foggy in the ol’ database upstairs. But surely I can pull something out of my ass and find that short cut I’m looking for.

Well eventually I did find the road I was looking for. Only after taking several turns through some picturesque bottom land. Nothing like flooded timber to sooth your mind when you are kicking yourself in the ass for forgetting all your navigational tools. Well other than hills and hollers that is. I did see some beautiful countryside while I was on my back roads adventure.

All is well now. I did make it to where I wanted to go. I did return home safely. So no harm no foul. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. I even tried to call some folks so that they could laugh at me too. It’s pretty hard to do that when you are so far back in the sticks that a cell phone signal is something of myth. Hell I bet the folks that live around the places I drove through don’t get the Grand Ole Opry until about Wednesday night.

Ride Safe,

Ronman

New Year’s Eve 2011-2012

2011 has certainly been a harsh year.  I’ve learned a lot about myself and about other people as well. I can’t ever remember another year that I’ve been so happy to put behind me. It was nice to end the year doing some things I enjoy.  The weather here in Middle Tennessee was beautiful.  So I bet you can name at least one of the things I did on New Year’s Eve.  That’s right, a scooter ride.

I got in from work and took a short power nap to sort of recharge the batteries.  Then it was off to meet up with my normal riding partner Jody and three folks I’ve known for a while but hadn’t ridden with yet.  Lisa, Micky and Greg were all ready to enjoy some nice Tennessee back roads with us.  Our plan was simple. We were going to ride to eat lunch at a place Lisa, Micky and Greg knew about.  The prior evening we had all been at a party and planned our ride.

Ride planning for us consisted of talking about taking a ride.  We figured out who was in. Unfortunately one couple couldn’t join the rest of us due to work and a funeral. Once we decided a time and who was going it was then time to pick a route.  To accomplish this I was chosen to lead the ride.  So my question to them was simple. North South East or West?

First South was chosen. Boom I immediately had a destination in mind.  Moments later is was said another direction was wanted.  Not a problem. Another route was already working itself into my head.  With the information of the good eating establishment it was set. I think all five of us enjoyed both the ride and the company.

Once back from the ride it was time to grab the camper and join the rest of the group at the campground for our New Year’s Eve celebration.  Nothing like ringing in the New Year around a campfire.  I think everyone enjoyed plenty of great food. Certainly there were plenty of laughs from everyone.  It was fun passing high fives around to other folks.  It didn’t matter if you were next to someone or not. If you wanted to high-five them you just gave it to whoever was next to you and they would pass it on around until the intended party received it.

The nice thing about camping for New Year’s Eve is that you don’t have to worry about being on the roads with the drunks. You don’t have to worry about having a DD.  You can just enjoy the celebration and all you have to do is get inside your camper and go to bed.  So not only is it relaxing to enjoy the outdoors, but also its safe too.  Not to mention the kids are welcome as well.

We had one individual that it was their first time camping. They seemed to really enjoy it too.  What a memorable way to go on your first camping trip.  Start off the New Year with a new adventure. Hopefully it will be the first of many more camping trips to come for them.

How was your New Year’s Eve?  What did you do to celebrate? I trust it was safe and fun for all of you.

 

Ride Safe,

Ronman

December 7, 1941

*image taken from internet

I couldn’t agree more

Tell Me Where To Go

No really. I want to do a little something different. I want you to tell me where to go. No not like that!  I want you to think about some places for me to visit and post about here on Rides Roads and Ronman.  This doesn’t mean I’ve run out of ideas or places to go. That’s not the case at all.

Here’s what I had in mind. I was thinking what if you, the readers have places you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t made it to yet.  Now with that being said we’re gonna have to use some sense here.  The places you suggest need to be somewhat near me.  As much as I’d love to go to far away places and report back on them. I just don’t have the time to do all that.

If you don’t already know I live in Middle Tennessee.  I want to know places say within a day’s ride of Nashville.  I want to know day trips to fun or historic places.  I’m even open to some places that I could take an extended weekend trip to.

Okay now you have your assignment.  I can’t wait to see what you have to say.  Feel free to send your suggestions to my email at Ronman_Blog@yahoo.com or leave them in the comments section to this post.  If you do make a suggestion in the comments area please leave me your email address.  The reason for that is so I can contact you with any questions I may have concerning your suggestions.

This should be fun. I’m really looking forward to seeing where you tell me to go.

 

Ride Safe

 

Ronman

It’s That Time of Year Again

Here we are starting the final month of 2011. Where did the time go? In some ways this has been a very long year. In other ways it has flown by. What a whirlwind it’s been for me.  I started the year without a scooter. Oh the horror. Luckily I was able to correct that situation.  Once you’ve been infected with the scooter bug it’s terminal. You just can’t get along without one. Wouldn’t you agree?

I’ve enjoyed  some wonderful rides this year.  I’ve come full circle and am riding more solo journeys these days. The good side of that is that I take time for more photographs. That means I should have more fodder to post here on the blog. I hope y’all find this to be a good thing as well.  Think about it like this, the more photographs I post the fewer words I post.  Okay so that’s not really true. The more photographs I post the more photographs I have to write words about.

I know there have been some not so fun  posts this year. There have been some not so fun times in my life this year.  Fortunately I’ve pretty well worked through all that. I’m focusing on the good side of things. Like how I have been fortunate enough to become really close friends with a very few amazing people.  Some of whom I’ve been friends with for years.  Others are a new blessing in my life. Those of you who take the time to read my blog are a blessing to me. What an honor it is that you do that.

Let me just say a resounding THANK YOU!!!!!! All of you have made 2011 a special year.  I can only imagine how much more wonderful 2012 is going to be. Well that is unless the Mayans are right and the world is coming to an end.  I think that they just filled up whatever it was that their calendar was on. Surely there is another calendar out there somewhere.

 

Ride Safe

 

Ronman

Ahhhh! Scooter Time

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After far too long off the scooter I was able to enjoy a wonderful leisurely afternoon ride. I rolled out-of-town on back roads meandering around the beautiful countryside just soaking it all in. It doesn’t matter how bad things have been, if you get on your scooter and just ride it all seems better.

The route I was taking was a familiar one. It wound me through some majestic farmland. Physically and mentally taking me back to a simpler time. A time when the worries of life were far fewer. A time when I simply enjoyed just living. Today’s ride helped get me back to a place that I long to be. A place that I’m working toward. A place that I will once again live.

What do you do when you are wanting to simplify things? Do you get on your scooter and ride? What sort of places do you ride in order to take you back to where you want to be?

Ride Safe

Ronman

Quick Getaway

 

Ever need to scoot off into the distant sunset? Me too. Well I did just that. In fact I do that often. A while back one of my riding buddies and myself left for a bite to eat and wound up out-of-state.

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I bet if you look around there is a unique place to visit near you too. This adventure had us travelling over 300 miles to get to a destination 140 miles from home. It’s about the ride anyway isn’t it? I certainly think so. That time spent wandering and wondering while soaking in your surroundings.

I love learning about new things. Especially things such as what I learned by visiting the National Quilt Museum. Granted quilting isn’t new. The many ways that people display quilting are. Did you know there are wooden quilts? Visit the National Quilt Museum and you can see and touch one.

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Paducah Kentucky is an interesting little overnight getaway. Lots of historic and artistic things to see and experience. I challenge you to find your nearby overnight escape. Get out there and see, touch, learn and enjoy our great land.

Ride Safe

Ronman

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