The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(Robert Frost – The Road Not Taken)
Wow, we have had this domain and website for over 10 years. I doubt that I have more than a dozen people who have read the posts, so I guess this is more of a private journal of the happier events in our lives. Yes, I posted pictures of my last ride in 2019. So maybe not everything was happy news. I haven’t updated about the health issues that I (Gary) had in 2020 or 2021. Maybe sharing would encourage some. I definitely haven’t posted about the family struggles with aging parents. Maybe I should, but I want to respect their privacy.
I generally keep the activities of the kids private, unless they involve our spiritual, culinary, motorcycle, or other travel adventures. So, unless they want to post something here, I leave them out of the mix. This sites is for MaryJo and Gary, and Jeff adds things at times.
This year (2023), MaryJo has been retired for eight years, it will be seven years for me. As I wrote four years ago, our daily roads tend to be a lot more of roads not traveled. At least not traveled by us before.
As we start 2023, one of my long-term projects took a lot less time than I had expected; the moving of this website from one host to another. I am now the sponsor for two states for the Tour of Honor, Alabama and Mississippi. MaryJo has stepped down as secretary of the ham radio club. I am still active in my local Masonic Lodge, but I have already told them that we need to start looking for a replacement Secretary. We have started spending “quiet days” and just stay home; sometimes not even leaving the bedroom except to take Blue out. I will not be making any resolutions for the year, I will be making changes.
So, as we prepare to tackle 2023, I hope that our roads cross. Maybe we will travel a few miles together. Until the day that we meet, follow us here.
UPDATE FOR 2025
Well, time to start thinking about 2025. I am not going to set resolutions, I will set goals!
MaryJo has started working on her goals. She has started back to school. She wants to get a college degree. As of right now, she does not know what will be her major, but she is focusing on classes that she enjoys, English, French, and History. This is her first semester where she is taking more than one class. I think that she may decide to take another class or two in the fall.
I need to spend more time on the motorcycles. Having three, there aren’t many reasons that should keep me from riding one of the bikes.
In 2023, I rode 30,000 miles. In 2024, I only rode 25,000 miles. I would have expected there to have been a larger difference in the two years. I did a couple of longer rides in 2023 and did 10 Iron Butt rides. Not a lot of long-distance rides in 2024, and only three Iron Butt rides. My goal for 2025 is 40,000 miles.
My rides in 2024 were mostly in the mid-south (AL, MS, and TN). I made a two motorcycle trips to Maggie Valley, and two motorcycle trips to Virginia (each with calls to come back home). I made a trip to see high school friends in North Carolina. I had planned to make that a week trip coming back. Anxiety led to an Iron Butt ride from Fayetteville to Wilmington, then home. My goal for 2025 is at least four long-distance/multi-day rides. I am thinking of a trip to Key West, I have never ridden there. I will make the Ride to Meet with the Tour of Honor in Minnesota in September. Maybe some time in Louisianna? Maybe to the Great Plains? Maybe from home to Key West, to Maine, to Milwaukee, then back home? That would let me add many states to my list where I have ridden a motorcycle.
Not sure where the year will take me. Guess you just need to hang on and we can find out together.
Hope you enjoy.
MaryJo and Gary