Welcome!
In my initial post, I promised you a series of pieces about a motorcycle trip my friend Jim Kennemore, affectionately called JAK, and I took last summer. We try to take an extended trip on our Harley-Davidson Motorcycles at least once a year. Our rides are usually connected to an event. In 2012 we decided to head north and see where the road took us.
Over the next few weeks I will post about our travels. Some of the posts are bit on the long side. I will spread the longer pieces over two days.
To break things up even further, I might throw you a curve.
July 30, 2012 I left Dublin and headed north to Anderson, California. This was the shortest ride of the trip. JAK met me there.
Day 1 – Dublin to Anderson, CA 202 Miles – July 30, 2012
This was a great day, not because of the ride. I pushed the start off until after lunch so I could attend my Polish Your Writing class and meet my wife Cathy for lunch. The folks in the class leave me in the dust when it comes to talent. Besides our regular instruction, three or four of the group read a small part of their WIP (Work in Progress) during our last hour. This can be tough; you put yourself and your work out in front of the 15 or so aspiring writers. They provide a critical, but supportive review of ones work. That day we had four very talented participants. Here is my take, not in the order presented.
Stacy – Writes for the Dublin Patch. She writes in a humorous vein. She described her struggle with the daunting task of facing all the food available on a cruise. I was in her shoes all the way, my eyes were full of tears, as they say, and I laughed so hard I cried. Like some others, I’ve not gone on cruises because I know I cannot resist the 24 hour a day food.
Jordan – She is writing a novel set in modern Ireland complete with good and bad people, and real live dragons. Christian and Devon are her main characters; of course Christian is an older man and Devon a younger woman. Today he dreamt of a threat of a murder attempt on Devon, couple this with sexual tension. Christian is in the shower trying to compose himself when Devon throws the shower curtain aside. They have not had sex yet. It was awesome writing. The next time Jordan reads, she will be presenting a sexual encounter from the male’s point of view. Jordan looked at me and; “I’m glad you won’t be here,” my loss.
Sonia – Germany 14 years after the end of WWII. She moved with her brand new Army husband to a small village in Germany. Her description of village life during these terrible times of recovery and of her home, complete with a downstairs pig sty, was gripping. Her “scene” work, especially the slaughter of two hogs in front of the house, was painted right into my mind.
Ann – Was a Protestant teacher at Catholic school. She is working on her third book, a collection of essays. She read the preface to her second book. Ann is another of those writers who grab you and brings her story to life. I want to read her books.
Heck, I want to read all work in the class. I am such an amateur compared to all the talented people that Juliana Kleist, our teacher, is nurturing.
Anyway, after class, Cathy and I enjoyed a very nice lunch before I saddled up and headed out.
The ride to Anderson, California was just what I expected, miserably hot, boring, and necessary.
When I arrived, my buddy Jim Kennemore was already there checking in. When we finished, I had paid for the room, but somehow he had gotten my frequent guest points. He does that more often than not.
We decided to get up early and be on the road around 5:30 a.m.
You should be writing script for a TV series. Just when you get to the good stuff, we have a commercial……or TBC until next week.
George, it is going to be fun to follow your blog! Keep writing and I will check in often! Shirley
Your ride was fun to read the first time when you emailed it to us and I enjoy reading your posts about it again.