In a sense I will be looking at my life as being somewhat retired. Now I’m just working for me. My child is no longer a child. Graduating from High School and already reaching the age of 18 means they are an adult. It also means I no longer have any need to have involvement with my ex-wife. Thank God for that.

The relationship with my offspring is all but non-existent. I’ve reached out one more time. The ball is in their court. What they decide will be entirely up to them. I’ve left an open invitation. They can either accept it and choose to communicate with me or refuse. Their choice. Nothing more for me to do.

I’ve come to terms with all this. I’ve also learned that while I will still plan for my future, I won’t dwell on it. Each day I’ll live my life how I choose to live it.

Nuff Said!

Should you feel that by reading this blog that you may be offended then DON’T read it. There are countless other blogs or websites to entertain yourself with.

I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read or look at the photographs that I post here. I especially want to thank those of you that leave comments. If you remain a reader, buckle up. This could get good. If you decide to move along, I hope you find what you’re looking for.

Ride Safe,

Ronman

In fact you don’t even have to own any camping gear. Stores like REI rent camping gear.  What better way to see if you like something.  Basically you need a tent, air mattress and sleeping bag.  But  you can improvise. Depending on the time of year and temperatures, you can make do with a blanket.  If you’re really rustic you can sleep on the ground.

Keep things simple and compact. A small one or two person tent is all you need.   Some folks use a tarp and just use that to sleep under. Hell, for that matter you can sleep under the stars.  Now that’s a great way to sleep. Nothing like looking up into the heavens and seeing the twinkling up above.

Think you won’t be able to make it through the night? Here’s a simple solution. Camp in your yard. That’s right. Just set up everything outside where you live.   That way if you just don’t like it all you have to do is go inside.

Okay, let’s recap what we need. First a tent.  Keep it simple and small. You don’t need to be able to stand up.  If you’re looking for the first time, think backpacking.  Basically camping off a bike is the same as backpacking.  My tent is a two person tent. Plenty of room for my 6’2″ frame and another person.  It rolls up compactly and is easily carried in a saddle bag or my SAC Bag.

Next I absolutely love my Therm-O-Rest self inflating air mattresses. I have three of them.  Once again I use the backpacking air mattress when camping off the scooter. In years past I’ve even carried both the other air mattresses and tent camped while riding two up.

The bulkiest piece of equipment by far is your bedding. Using compression sacks helps with this tremendously.  I’ve carried my zero degree bag in one of my saddlebags. Most of the time now I get everything packed into my SAC Bag.  These will compress nicely. Just keep stuffing them until they fit where you want them.

For cooking I carry along a compact backpacking cook set. Everything fits inside the largest pot/skillet combo. I even have a small kettle that I use to boil water for hot tea or chocolate.  My backpacking stove is huge compared to most. It’s a Coleman dual fuel.  Usually I’ll fill it full of fuel before I leave and that will last a weekend.

Find an outdoor store such as REI or Gander Mountain and check out their backpacking supplies. Better yet find a small mom and pop store. They will love to help you decide what you need.  Give scooter camping a try.

Ride Safe

Ronman

It’s no secret that I’m the lone caregiver to both my Mother and my Aunt. I’m happy to be able to do for them. Granted at times it can get overwhelming. I press on. I do what I can. Sometimes there will be someone come into my life that I trust enough to try to let them help. Unfortunately that’s about the same time that they turn away. Just the nature of people I suppose.

Happenings such as this, among other things, are why I don’t depend on anyone else. I’ve learned through the years to try not to expect anything from anyone. Granted there are a rare few people who have always been there no matter what. For the most part though when someone says they will always be there for you, that’s not what they mean. Always has very different definitions for most folks.

This past weekend while doing some things for my Mother, she said something that hit close to home. She told me that I was paying my debt to the devil. That taking care of two old women and the troubled relationships from my past are what’s paying that debt. I’ve never thought of it as paying a debt. In fact I’ve never thought of not taking care of them.

I made a promise to my Daddy many years ago that I would always take care of them. I’m a man of my word.  People may hate me for many reasons. One thing is certain. I do what I say. In those rare instances that I can’t do what I say, I will give a reason why.  One of my many faults is being brutally honest. People don’t like honesty. They want you to tell them what they want to hear.

For now I’ll keep right on paying my debt to the devil. Someday it may even be paid in full.

Ride Safe

Ronman

Those are the best rides. No time frame. No place to be. Finding new things to see. New places to eat. Running across places from your past. Finally stopping at that spot you’ve been meaning to check out.
This happens to be one of those places I’ve been meaning to stop at. I finally did. Unfortunately for me the live band was packing up. I was a tad bit late. In fact it was damn near closing time.  I may have missed the music but the food sure struck a chord.  Yum yum!

Oh the goodness that lies within this building. Definitely will be on a return when possible basis for me. Loved the food, the atmosphere and certainly I’ll love the live music too.  I mean come on, when the food is so good that an alligator has to lay down on the bench out front. You know it has to be good.There is even a nice courtyard beside the building. How could you not enjoy a dining experience here? We’ve all heard of the Big Easy. Well this little piece of culinary heaven has a distinction as well.  It’s posted right here on this sign for all to see.  They even have a bank right next door. Something tells me that the money from this particular bank may be a tad bit dusty. Doesn’t look like they’ve had many transactions lately. Word has it that the bank can be used for private functions. What sort of interesting places have you eaten lately? What is your favorite jewel that you’ve discovered on a ride?  If you’re in the Nashville area you owe it to yourself to check out Richard’s Cafe at the corner of Old Hickory Blvd and Whites Creek Pike.

Ride Safe,

Ronman

This shot was taken  over in the Ozarks. Some of the best roads to ride anywhere. If you haven’t been you really need to go.

The trip to Cumberland Falls was certainly humid and hot. It was still good to spend a couple of days exploring the back roads of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Then I think of a ride to a site so that I could reflect on a wonderful friend that has left this world. To see the paint left on the guard rail to remind you how everything can change in an instant. Rickey always helped others. It was after the accident that happened here while he was helping the other people that he had a heart attack and left us.

Although it doesn’t look it in this photo, it was a cool fall day. Granted it wasn’t as cold as the night before. Especially after the sun went down. I won’t ever forget the damn White Squirrel Festival. Maybe I’ll ride over into North Carolina just to visit that damn festival. It caused a trip down to South Carolina to find a place to hole up for the night.

I suppose all in all it wasn’t a bad year of riding. Granted I didn’t ride the miles of years past. But a decent amount nonetheless. In another year’s time it will be interesting to look back through the photographs and remember the places I traveled to.  I think the thing I enjoy the most is finding America. Taking the time to see the oft forgotten back roads. Seeing the remnants of times past. The history of what made this country great.

The coming months will be more of the Ronman rides of old. More unplanned adventures. More just heading out with no particular point in mind. Just seeing where the journey takes me. I hope you’ll stop by to see where I’ve been.

Ride Safe

Ronman

Ride Safe

Ronman

Then I drove to Nashville to take my Mother some tomato plants. Found the brand she loves. Been about three years since I’ve found any of them. To say she was happy is an understatement. She’s 89 in case you didn’t know.

She looked exhausted so I asked her what she’d been up to. She showed me a spot in the corner of one of her flower beds that she’d been weeding. There was a tiny spot that she’d cleaned off. I asked her how long she worked on it and she said three hours. I told her that I would do it for her and then she said something that stopped me dead in my tracks.

“I don’t know when it will be the last time I get to do this. I do it because I enjoy it so.”

She is going down hill. It’s tough to have to watch and not be able to do anything about it. Just like those three long years I had to watch my Daddy die. But one thing is certain. She’s enjoying messing with her flower beds and pulling weeds. I know she’s happy.