| Webmaster Goes West |
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...and this is what Phoenix has waiting for him:
Hopefully he's been eating his Wheaties since we'll be rolling west on I-10 heading for the Golden State less than 9
hours after he lands (not to mention the first day we'll cover 550 miles). Since he is the Webmaster here and
will be busy over the next week chasing the tail end of my bike in CA and AZ, full reports and photos will likely be
posted after he returns to Music City (and gets some rest). I have no doubt he will return with quite a few
memories! Woo-hoo, let's SEIZE THE JOURNEY!
AGirl
I don't think anyone expected me to let this one get by even without her prompting. First I do want to say how grateful I am to the Arizona crew for allowing me to visit, putting up with me for a week, and promising not to leave me stranded in California. Next is that the weather forecast for middle Tennessee that she posted above doesn't even begin to show how ugly it's been around here so far this winter. The 40° weather that it shows is the FIRST 40° days we've had in several weeks. It snowed lightly most of the day yesterday and off and on today. I think it topped out at about 32° here today. Add to that day after day after day of cold rain and grey skies and I am in desperate need of sunshine and warmth. Here's A Link to some photos on my web site that shows what is has looked like around here lately. It means a great deal to me that I was given the opportunity for this visit and I'm really looking forward to it. I've spent a grand total of 4 hours in California in my life, and that was about 3 hours longer than I wanted to. I had a 4 hour layover at LAX years ago when flying to Hawaii. From a long distance out we could see the "Smog Dome" over LA while flying in. As soon as they opened the door to the airplane I started sneezing, and I didn't stop until they repressurized it when leaving. I got some breakfast at the coffee shop at the airport and mentioned to the waitress that I couldn't understand how they could deal with that atmosphere. After 35+ years I have never forgotten her comment: "Oh, it's not too bad today. We can almost see the runways!" With that foreboding, and at the prompting of certain people, I've decided to give the Golden State an opportunity to live up to its name. I'm sure there are fabulous places there and, all kidding aside, I'm looking forward to seeing them and visiting places I've never seen before. The fact that it's on a motorcycle and in the company of good friends is just icing on the cake. So, in about 17 hours I'm on an airplane heading west. I'm not big on Wheaties but I have been eating plenty of honey buns. I've been getting plenty of exercise (watching a treadmill go around and around is rough!), and I've spent plenty of time on the couch getting my rest, so I'm ready. Let the journey begin!
Update - 02/16/09 - What a RIDE! I could stop right there, not write another word, and that would pretty much sum it up. I wrote in the ride report On My Web Site that on the flight back home I reflected on everything I had seen and felt during this trip, and tried to organize in my mind what I was going to write and how I was going to express it. I finally just gave up because there really was no way I could express with words and photographs the experiences and sights and enjoyment I had on that trip. The words fall short of describing my experiences and the photographs cannot even come close to showing everything that I saw. All I could do was to show some of the photographs I took and write a little bit about them, and that truly is a poor substitute. AGirl, Kobi, Russ, and Ron were the ultimate hosts and I couldn't have possibly asked for more. Thanks for everything, guys! It was GREAT! Scott Craig - STJ Webmaster
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Sometime in December after I had returned from a Phoenix area day ride in 75 degree sunny skies I answered a phone
call from “Scott”, a friend of mine who lives in my hometown of Nashville, TN. I talk with Scott regularly
since aside from being my dear friend he is also the “Grand Webmaster” of this SeizeTheJourney website.
During this particular phone call Scott spoke of how the dreary, cold winter was effecting him this year and how
riding his motorcycle to work in sub-freezing temperatures was taking it's toll (can't say I blame him!).
He added “I'm calling to take you up on that offer to come visit.” We discussed dates and he called back
the following day to let me know he had bought his plane tickets... and I let him know that I had already come
up with a plan for his visit... we're riding to California. (Surely he didn't think he'd be coming out to
visit me in the Valley of the Sun and NOT finding himself in an adventure?!)
See, the Tennessee boy has never laid foot (or rubber) in either Arizona or California. (Actually he said he
was in the LA airport during a layover once. I think I'll just let him insert his “Webmaster Note” about that
experience in his own words). Nonetheless and for whatever other reasons, as long as I've known Scott he has
never had a desire to come West....except that when I've sent him reports and photos of my journeys to post on the
website here he has had a fair share of “wow” responses. Besides, what better way to rid the winter blues than
being on a warm, open road on two wheels, right?
My best friends Russ, Ron, and I have made a winter excursion each of the past 2 years over to ride along the infamous
Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) and tour the Hearst Castle in Cambria, CA. (Photos from those journeys can be
found: 
This is a snapshot of what Scott will be leaving behind today when he boards the plane in Music City:
