2002

Here is a post from my blog in 2002 when I was preparing to ride across America:

Thursday, January 3, 2002

First, I wish you all a happy new year. I got back from Chambersburg, PA yesterday.

Northerner's are great people, although they have an odd tradition. At midnight everyone grabs pots and pans. They then go out on the porch (in the freezing cold) and start banging and clanging. I have to admit that it was a lot of fun.

As I write this newsletter a very rare thing is happening. SNOW!!! Ok, if you are in the north it is not a big deal. But to those of us who live in the south, it is quite exciting. I haven't been to the store yet but I'm sure there is no bread, milk or eggs left on the shelves. I don't know what they do with them but I guess they have eggs sandwiches with milk!!!

The south pretty much shuts down during the rare snow "storm". School is cancelled and all that!

I am a little different. I look at snow as an opportunity. An opportunity to venture out, to explore untraveled roads. When the forecast calls for snow, I plan on going hiking!!! ( sometimes I even go mountain biking in the snow). What an opportunity to see the environment in a covering of white.

When I was in college, 5 years ago, I would talk a couple of friends into going driving with me. In Northeast Ga. there are a lot of State game lands and forests and therefore a lot of dirt roads. We would drive all over the mountains in my little front wheel drive VW Fox. The nice thing about driving was that if I were to get stuck, my friends got to push while I drove. This is why it is good to have strong friends.

To end the day we usually went to a local restaurant, Hickory Mtn. Restaurant or Betty's in Helen.

So today, instead of going for a ride on the bike, I will head out in my Fox station wagon, looking for adventure.

The moral of my story is: Don't let an opportunity pass by without at least considering it.

Have a great day,

Stephen J.