Tag Archives: Wonderful people

DAY 120 – 01/12/2013 – Apres Ski Hot Dogs

Posted on January 13, 2013 | 6 comments

Gabe leaned his head out the window and said, “Y’all are crazy!“.

Mark, the oldest.

Mark, the oldest.

David and I have heard this before. And we love it! Hearing that phrase means we’re doing something out of the ordinary. Not necessarily something truly insane, which might have terrible consequences, but something a bit daring. Maybe something cool that others might hesitate to try.

The day was absolutely frigid on the mountain. After just a couple of runs, you’d have to come inside to warm up.

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Asher, with his motor home in the background

But, you know, I was jones-ing for hot dogs cooked outside over a fire. It’s one of the joys of camping and we are, despite the weather and time of year, still camping.

So, when we arrived home at about 4pm, we decided to dig the snow out of our campsite fire pit so that dogs could be cooked. Digging got us nice and warm.

It also drew the attention of our wonderful neighbor, Gabe. He and his wife have 4 cute boys. Before Gabe pulled his head back inside the warm motor home, the boys were interested in cooking hot dogs on a fire, too. Has any boy ever not been interested in a campfire?

from left, Mark, me, Adin, Asher and Marci, their mom. Adin is still very little, so he got cold, cried, and went back inside before he cooked a dog.

from left, Mark, me, Adin, Asher and Marci, their mom. Adin is still very little, so he got cold, cried, and went back inside before he cooked a dog.

The two older boys suited up and brought over a couple of logs they had collected. Their mama must have taught them to never go to someone’s house empty-handed! That’s so dear.

The Livingston boys are really helping me out. I miss my small friends at home. Back home, there are Charlie, Julia, Katie and Jack across the street. Austin and Emma are a few doors away. I see my godson, Parker, a lot. My step-grandson, Zealen, lives a little farther away now but I see him as often as possible.

David with Mark & Asher

David with Mark & Asher

David calls me the ‘Baby Whisperer’ but, phppbt!, I just like to play. And kids are little, innocent miracles (especially when you can give them back).

So, anyhoo, we cooked some dogs on sticks over the fire. Yum!

– Jane

Jane is truly one of the very few adults I know who “GETS” kids.  She listens, prompts their input, and doesn’t seem ever to look over their heads and ignore them.  I HAVE NEVER SEEN HER ANSWER A PHONE OR TEXT IN A CHILD’S PRESENCE!  She is present to the moment she is choosing to share.  I never know quite what to say to little ones, I just wait to see what’s on their minds and hope I can add something they care about too.  I can’t help but be instructive; ask leading questions and hope to trigger them to solve their own little challenges.  I guess that’s whispering too…?

-David

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DAY 98 – 12/21/2012 The Kindness of Strangers/Part 2

Posted on December 24, 2012 | 2 comments

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Austin’s bumper sticker says: “Keep Austin Weird”.  We just had to drive in and visit.  The highways leading in were large and ordinary.  The traffic average.  Cars looked normal, not even an unusual number of bumper stickers.  Once in we found the hip SoCo district we parked the Tramper on a backstreet and walked a few blocks up and down.  Colorful signs, cool cafe’s, and a hip young crowd confirmed our suspicions.  …must be a college town somehow.

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We found some cool vendors in old Airstream trailers and the local pet volunteers offering rent-a-dog sessions where you could get your fix of dog petting helping to socialize pups.  Win-win.  We found Amy’s Ice Cream and of course savored a few scoops.  It was a bit cold outside, but neither Jane nor I turn down good ice cream when available.

As we left to get some more Westerly driving done, I stopped to apease the thirsty tank of the 4Runner.  A gentleman looked over at the rig, noticing the kayak and heavy load of toys.  “You’ve got your priorities straight”, he said.  After a brief explanation of our voyage he told Jane as she emerged from the gas station, “your husband just made room in the backseat for me”.  Some time and joking later, we bid each other a very pleasant farewell.  I appreciated his “drive safe” in the way that continues to grow on me.

15 or twenty minutes later in westerly traffic, there was his truck.  He motioned to me to roll down the window and offered,”how would you like to join me at my house for dinner?”  As there was obviously no time for polite refusals, I yelled, “How can I say no to that?”

We followed him to Dripping Springs and had dinner with Andrew, Anne his wife and Audrey, their daughter who had all of three minutes warning of our arrival and joining them for dinner.  All of us had some level of caution, yet curiosity ruled and there was a wonderful dinner and joyous talk into later evening.  I almost ended up transferring to a Texas PT license to help out with a holiday staffing crisis at Anne’s facility.  If it weren’t for the 3 day wait for Texas PT Board approval, I might be evaluating a patient right now.  Wow.  What a voyage.  Such fabulous and wonderful people to meet, such humor and love in families.  We celebrate our privilege and place to witness it all.

– David

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DAY 96 -12/19/2012 A Scots Treat, still at Rocky Hill Ranch, Smithville, TX

Posted on December 22, 2012 | 3 comments
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The Rocky Hill Ranch bathhouse and registration center. Long previously a bar and grill, now the perfect place to finish a ride (Food available on weekends only).

After yesterday’s good ride and a Curry Chicken supper with J-P in our “kitchen” Jane and I settled in for a quiet night’s sleep up on the hill at Rocky Hill Ranch.  The tent sites looked nicer, had trees, were further from the road and were just plain nicer than the field where they put RV’s during busy race days. Tonight, there was no one but us in the campground.

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We slept hard, Mt Biking hard!  Awoke and had a casual breakfast before preparing to leave for points West.  I decided to have one more shower at the bath-house despite the dark,  as the power was turned off.  Into the lot pulled a small car.  Out hopped a fit young man, surely ready to do a ride here, maybe awaiting a meeting with another or a group.

I greeted him and was blessed by his wonderful Scotch Brogue and one of the nicest guys you could meet.  He’s really straight here from offshore oil in Scotland, now in Houston with his family for work.  Inside I was wishing I was about to start a ride, but Jane and I had perused the map and had our loose plans in mind.  Another rider appeared, getting ready to mark a course for a qualifying race, who didn’t seem to have much time to explain the trails or lead Robbie the Scot around at all.

Jane selflessly chimed in, “You need to take another ride David”, “You need to ride with Robbie”…  I tried not to sound too overjoyed as I made sure Jane had a book and all she needed while I spent a few hours.  With a big smile and hug, she gave her blessing and off we went.  I showed Robbie some of the best trails Jean-Philippe had shown me the day before.

We two traded leads on those hardscrabble trails.  The smoother windy bits were a joy as well and we ended up riding back onto the North end of the property right off of the map.  As we guided our way back in, trails like Tris Cross and Longhorn wore us down.  Climbing the last few hills before finishing, I announced “right after we crest this hill or the next, we’ll see the parking lot”.  I’m always so relieved when I know the end is in reach.   After about three hours on a bike you need to be in a an energy conservation mode.  Concealing my fatigue, I was crawling out under my long-ride mantra and shared the thought with Robbie: “Never sprint-never brake”.

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That is my favorite way to connect to a new friend.  Perhaps in a few years I’ll give a shout to Robbie while visiting Scotland.  I hear it’s nice there.

– David

Robbie is a great new friend! If you’re reading this now, Robbie, I hope I don’t embarrass you by saying that your accent is marvelous and I could listen to it all day!

Robbie has a beautiful family, with two adorable little girls. He shared their picture with us. I hope, someday, we might meet them, too.

– Jane

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DAY 91 – 12/14/2012 Toys and Toys and Toys for Tots, Lake Charles, LA

Posted on December 18, 2012 | 4 comments

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We had camped in a Walmart parking lot again. It was morning now and time to hit the road. One last quick stop inside the store and off we would go.

But, an unusual sight at the checkout line stopped us cold.

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A group of men and women buying multiple bikes and carts-full of toys.

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Something was up. Something good. We had to slow down and find out…

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All these toys and bikes were to be donated to the local Toys for Tots campaign, run by the US Marine Corps.

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These folks, out on a busy Saturday in the run-up to Christmas, were from a company called SASOL North America in Westlake, Louisiana.

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Tens of thousands of dollars were raised within the company. Employees, participating in a Safety Program, had prompted monetary donations from SASOL (and a match from a contractor) to fund this toy buy.

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So, here they were, on Day 2 of buying for kids they will never meet who are in need at Christmas. In need of joy. With parents in need of knowing someone cares.

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A small army of loving hearts and generous souls were working hard, and using their precious time, to help the Toys for Tots campaign make Christmas brighter for needy folks.

We watched as this little band marched out to the parking lot with their toys, loaded them in their own vehicles and drove off to the donation center.

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Once again, we were privileged on the Tramper Voyage to see people with love in their hearts, acting on their commitments to help others.

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– Jane

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