On Tour, Pt 3

Alright, here's the long awaited conclusion to my wanderings across the south. I know I promised it to you a couple of days ago, but I lied. Not intentionally, but a lie it was nonetheless... forgive me, and I'll buy you a beer when we next meet.

So, I took off from RSM's place, and headed up the backroads to everyone's favourite lad, Linear Achromatic Dude. I got there in time for us to head to town and grab a bowl of chili and sammidges. Then we headed back to the house to kick back, drink, and solve the world's problems. We also got in a healthy dose of John Prine, Eric got a couple of calls from good looking females... who were looking for me, and I was soundly whooped in a couple of games of pool. Heheh.. I did win one game... on a scratch. No mind... it was a damn good time.

Conversation drifted from Sabu the Elephant Boy, to the origins of yoga, to quantum physics. Well, to be honest, Eric's lovely wife Fiona is the one who was talking about the quantum physics, or trying to... between all of the bosons, gravitons, photons, muons, and gluons, the two apes of the group started giving her a bit of crap. Now there's a patient woman. The lad did very well there...

We ordered a pizza, drank a bit more, and ended up discussing movies. More specifically, musicals. Even more specifically, Fiona and I discussed musicals, while Eric rolled around on the floor laughing about how "gay" we were for knowing that stuff. Heheheh... it was pretty damn funny. The three of us stayed up late laughing, drinking and just having a good time visiting.

Next morning, Eric fixed some scrambled eggs for breakfast, which we promptly devoured while discussing puking in boot camp. A typical get together of Marines... After weighing the possibilities of stopping in NC to visit another Marine and a new father, I reluctantly decided to head on out, hoping to make it home that day.

Not to be so. As I made my way up through Kentucky, I was drifting off, catching many z's when I shouldn't be. I stopped at a rest stop and took a short nap, but that was of no help. So, I slept my way through Lexington, and snoozed towards Louisville... straight into the setting sun. (Once I start squinting, I'm done.) Didn't think I was going to make it, but once I did, I made the turn towards Indianapolis. Jerry, from Back Home Again, had offered to let me use his place as a stop, for either a nap, or if needed, to crash for the eve.

By the time I got up in his neck of the woods, my eyes were fried... I knew I wouldn't be able to finish the four hour trip home. So we ran into town, grabbed some supper from a little catfish joint, and went back to his little house out in the middle of the Indiana nowhere.

Jerry had been at the Howl on the Prowl, but was only able to meet everyone at the LBC. I got to visit with him a little then, but it was nice to visit with him for much longer. We sat up visiting until I started nodding off, then I hit the hay. Heheheh... he said that within two minutes of the door to his guest room closing, I was snoring. I don't know... I barely remember heading off to bed.

The following morning, I was treated to a piece of homemade cherry pie while he had to run, then when he returned, we grabbed lunch. We were able to visit a bit more before I headed out towards home...

I want to thank everyone of you who opened up your homes, or made time to welcome me. You all made for a great trip, and I wish it could have lasted longer.

When I first started out numbing folks' minds with my drivel, I hadn't thought that I would ever get out to meet any of those I read, or who read me. Hell, I kinda wanted to meet some of them, but never did I imagine that I would. After the first get together last March, I was hooked. There are some damn fine people on the blogosphere, and I wanted to meet as many as I could. And this from one of the biggest introverts you'll ever meet. (Don't believe me? Ask the fine folks at Fritz's... I hardly spoke to anyone for about four years, before I got comfortable enough to open up.)

See, reading blogs is like getting to know folks, a little at a time. Sure, there are some that are totally full of shit, but you can recognize them after a bit. And you still may want to meet them. But most folks I've read on a regular basis, I really want to meet. I've gottent to see bits of their family life, some of their struggles and triumphs, their sense of humor. They don't share it all, but they do offer up a bit of themselves everytime they post or comment. Some of these folks become family to you... hell, some of those I got together with on this trip are just like kin. And those that aren't, are like my closest friends and neighbours. When you finally meet them, you feel like you've already know them for years. 'Tis a very cool thing.

Yeah, in the past year, I've met many of you, and enjoyed the visit, and getting to know you better. There are many more that I would like to, and will, meet in the near future... hopefully, next month will see that happen. In the meantime, I'll be getting to know some of you folks, post by post, comment by comment.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Posted by That 1 Guy at March 24, 2006 12:01 PM