At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

- Albert Schweitzer

Sometime our own words just don’t cut it.

To my friends and family who wrote, called, and commented, I am forever grateful.  I could not have imagined loving you all more when I pulled away from home last month.  It is, without question, the sweetest reward.  

All is well.  Today I worked on some contingency plans, did my laundry (in a machine… so cool) and went for a hike.  Life is good. 

I revisited several interviews that I had not had time to review and discovered a gem.  While I was passing through Santa Rosa, New Mexico, I met a kindred spirit in Vicki Sexton.  Vicki and I are close in age and share a love of scooters.  She told me about the basket that her husband custom made so that her dog could ride along with her.  A real character, Vicki has an infectious smile that lights up the room.

Vicki Sexton

I am sulking.

When I originally conceived the idea of scootering across country I carefully proclaimed, in my most zen-like manner, that I would be willing to accept whatever the outcome.  If I only made it as far as Modesto, so be it.

And so it is, that I find myself just east of Knoxville, Tennessee facing the very real possibility that I may not be able to complete this journey.  Upon my arrival and the requisite weather.com check in, I discovered that the high pressure system that is creating so much havoc in the midwest is going to cost me at least two days of travel.  If the high winds persist past that, I will simply run out of time.

There is nothing spiritual or even marginally adult in my reaction.  I am pitiful and bitter.  After 2,460 miles of eating diner food, washing my one set of clothes in the sink of a Days Inn in a town where the only other choice was a Motel 6, and regularly losing the feeling in the last three fingers of my throttle hand, I am invested. 

And seriously, if one more local person says to me ‘yeah this <insert today’s meteorological freakness here> never usually happens this time of year’  the next time you see me will be a CNN perp walk. 

Tantrum off.  I will figure this out.

While there may have been difficulties, there were also gifts.  Today it came in the form of deepening autumn colors and sharing my lunch with Clarence Pickel.  Aside from a name that just makes you smile, Clarence’s family pre-dates the American Revolutionary War.  We met at the Huddle House in Kingston, Tennessee.  A war veteran and widow, Clarence is soft spoken in a noisy environment.  Off mic, there was an endearing softness to his voice when he spoke about his daughter, Rachel.

Clarence Pickel

It was the nicest part of my day.

This day, like no other on this trip, made me love my scooter.

I will confess that there have been several moments when I questioned the sanity of my decision to ride the scooter.  Not today.  Like riding though a postcard, the road that leads into Nashville through the Natchez Trace State Park is breathtaking.  In one day, the colors exploded and I spent the entire ride with my jaw agape.  It was a good day.

For the first time, interviewing was a bit tough.  Part of the blame is mine, and part belongs to the University of Tennessee.  See, during the day, I was having so much fun that I was more interested in riding than lingering to talk.  However, I fully expected to make up for it in the evening.  That is, until I started to see several cars and trucks sporting flags with big orange T’s. 

I slowly put it together that it was football day.  Tennesse was playing Alabama.  What I did not know was that it was an evening game.  Moreover, and this should come as no surprise, Tennessee takes their football seriously.  As far as I can tell, talking and eye contact are off limits during game time.

So I was particularly thankful to find Mayuri (she requested first name only).  Mayuri moved to Lebanon, Tennessee 7 years ago at the age of 14 with her family from India.  This will be her first Presidential election and it was refreshing to hear her unique point of view.

Mayuri

Oh, and for the record, Alabama won.