Yet Another Quick Update

Today is the day I head to the groomers for a shave and a haircut. My friend Jean bought me a gift certificate after seeing a photo of me in December and said something along the lines of, "You look awful!" However, I made a rated-G version for this entry. I am fairly certain there were a lot of expletives included.

Just a thought, I may even bathe before hand. Day three of the same clothing. No biggie. I'm not going back to the Patrick Stewart corporate look (photo used in international insurance trade article about company, of which I was CEO).

Also, not staying with the Ted Kaczynski - 

I'll probably settle for something in between...

Well, anyway..I did get chopped. Below is the progression of the grooming taken by friend who purchased the grooming

It has been odd seeing my mug. Perhaps, I'll wear a burqa going forward.

To my friends and family, I'm glad I'm back in the region and look forward to seeing you soon. To my children I miss you, love you - always have and always will.

A Quick Update

Well, I'm back in MD. Getting here and seeing snow was actually, (gulp) kind of nice to see! The problem occurred that while removing snow from my 100+ foot driveway, I pulled the same thoracic muscle I have previously pulled. But this time, the pain put me on my back for a full day and some more.

I did get a little bit of playtime in the snow with Karma and Custer for which I'm doggie sitting. Custer is a happy dopey yellow lab that Karma knows very well. They are snow pouncing, snarling, playing buddies.

It is great having Karma! I rarely put her on a leash except in very crowded places and restaurants. We went to the airport today to recover a bag I left on the plane. Throughout the terminal, I did not have her on a leash for a moment. She is very attentive to both voice and hand commands. My personal favorites are first, when she starts to stride away from me, I make a short hissing sound and she looks to me and goes in whatever direction I point. Second, when we are in line at a grocery store she will sit upon the short hissing sound and a snap of my fingers. It's very cool to have a good connection and understanding of dogs...thank you Sally and Cesar Millan!

Sadly, I have no new photos at this moment of Custer and Karma together and cannot wait to take those two mountain biking when I've healed a bit more and the snow has melted and the trails are usable.

But I do have great news! My blood pressure is down significantly! I went to my family practicioner who checked me out today...lowest my BP has been in about 2 years! Woo hoo...and she smiled too. Yeah for bicycling and getting out of the rat race and sleeping in ditches and cuddling up with a hound or two - they are all good for the heart and soul!

Until I get some more photographs and head out on my new adventures, that are yet to be determined, but I'm certain they will be good ones, take care.

To my friends who contacted me asking if I was OK because I hadn't made a posting in over a week, thank you for your concern! I miss you all. To my children, I miss you, love you and forever will.

Dad/Tim/Baby bro.

Just a Stroll Across the River - Don't Tell My Parents!

A Stroll
After a late start, I decided to make a quick jaunt just 6 miles away to the Rio Grande. With my rental car due back by 2:30, I headed out with Karma to the Mexican and American border. I parked approximately 300 yards from the border crossing and Karma and I began strolling along the border crossing road and I met Juanita who was walking to Mexico. Needless to say, she adored my fuzzy partner.

She and I walked approximately a quarter mile across the bridge leading to Ciudad Acuna. Along the way she told me a bit about herself. She was originally from Austin, TX, met her now husband who was deported back to Mexico and she followed him to Mexico to live.

As we approached the turnstile (toll) to exit the U.S., I stopped with Juanita and Karma for a quick photograph. The pedestrian toll is 75 cents heading south.

 As we crossed the long bridge, Juanita and I spoke about a number of topics from wildlife, culture, immigration laws, and environmental pollution. As we walked and conversed, I noticed a large number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in plastic bags, water bottles and orange peels strewn on the bridge. I stated that I found it odd that there were so many sandwiches. She advised that they were sandwiches from deportees, sent back to Mexico from the U.S. and they are sent back with food and water, because the border patrol is never certain when the deportees had their last meal or when their next meal will be. Juanita hinted that Ciudad Acuna is a bit of an unforgiving town and expressed a positive vibe about the U.S. Border Patrol.

As we passed the above checkpoint, I was very excited to get my passport stamped. We walked through and had a greeting much like a Wal-Mart greeter and not even so much as a mark on my hand like I've paid a cover charge at bar on a Friday night.

Very cool statue.

 Immediately after this photo was taken, we were told by the Mexican border guard that we were not permitted to take any photos here. I assumed that the guard was coming to check the vaccination records for Karma. She didn't care that Karma existed. It now make me wonder if I'm current on my rabies vaccination!

Juanita and I strolled down the Main Street into Acuna in search of a nice bar that served tequila. I figured, when in Rome... We walked just a few blocks looking for a bar. Juanita asked a man who was walking on the far side of the street where to go for tequila. He pointed us several blocks away. We continued walking straight and a gentleman poked his head out of what appeared to be a bar, and encouraged us inside. Juanita looked inside and insisted we not go into that place. It was a barbershop. The barber must have thought I looked like I needed to get cleaned up.

Just half a block away, the proprietor of a corner bar, The Corona Club, invited us inside. Juanita made sure that he had tequila before we entered. In both English and Spanish he assured us he did! Inside we found that there were at least 5 different brands of tequila. I offered to buy Juanita a drink and she gratefully accepted. Together, we shared  time on our respective shots of Hornitos tequila. Now I must admit, I don't generally like tequila (but like I said, when in Rome...), but that was very easy going tequila - some really good stuff! The proprietor captured the American posse in the photo below and told us that the bar was used as a set for some movies...but I can't remember the name! Oy.

View down the Main Street.

Juanita and Karma outside the Corona Club

View back to the border

Trinkety junk for sale immediately before the border

It was right here where Karma and I said goodbye to Juanita. I gave Juanita a big hug and thanked her for her hospitality and for being our Acuna tour guide. The return cost to get through the turnstile was 25 cents.

On our way back to the U.S., Karma and I stopped for a few photos. Because she is so well trained, I don't need to have her on a leash, but as we neared the checkpoint, a guard yelled out to me from the toll booth style checkpoint, "PUT THAT DOG ON A LEASH!" I understood and called back, "OK," and reached into my pocket for the leash. Once again within approximately 10 seconds as I was still digging the leash out that was jammed in my pocket, the same guard yelled, "I SAID, PUT THAT DOG ON A LEASH!" to which I responded, "AND I SAID,'OK'!" as I began clipping the leash to Karma's collar. The only thing I could figure was that this woman was still very upset she did not get that full scholarship to the Division I college field hockey program upon which she had her sights set.

We wandered back to our car, well after 2:30. I was now responsible for another day of car rental fees. But it was worth the expense. I met a new friend and a pleasant experience ensued, except for the cranky U.S. Border Patrol meanie.

To everyone, I miss you and love you. To my children, I will forever love you.

A National Park Trip

Fun Section
Yesterday, I rented a car and drove back from whence I came to see the Amistad National Recreation Area and found some amazing views, 75 degree temperatures and blue skies. It was nice getting out of town for a bit. Not a whole lot happened. Karma tried to drink the reservoir and played a bit in the water. I skipped rocks.

Team photo of Karma & my shadow

Karma & the moon

Karma & the moon

It was right at sunset that Karma and I met CJ, an Air Force man. He was there to take photographs of the sunset as it set across the confluence of the Pecos and Rio Grand Rivers and the cliffs mentioned in the sign above. His goal after completing his military service is to become a professional photographer. From what I saw, as a "professional amateur" photographer (I actually tried at one point to be a photographer as a profession), he was using the right equipment, lenses, filters and settings.

After speaking with CJ for a while, I found out that he was from Frederick, Maryland. Of course we spoke about Baltimore and Maryland and our lives there. He was a very ambitious young man and seemed to really have a kind heart.

As the sun was setting, the moon was rising. Karma and I asked for CJs assistance getting our partner photo. He gladly did. The result was the following...I'm really happy with this one!

We headed to our temporary homestead, had some veggie lasagna and made snoozy. 

Changes in my journey are coming. I'm not sure exactly what they will be. My journey is a plastic, fluid, and malleable. I have some interesting ideas, but I won't spoil the fun by telling you now. New people will likely flow into my life creating new adventures, excitement and hence interesting journal entries.

To all of you, I wish you well. To my children, I miss you, love you, and forever will.

Pain and Kind Words

The Official Pain Section

On February 4, 1977 in the late afternoon on THE hill called Championship Hill, I was sledding with a friend. "Last run," we decided - planning to finish the day with the "greatest run ever." Tromping beside the sledding trail on the crunchy packed ice, we wound our way to the top of the hill in the woods. When we were at the trail's pinnacle, we scurried down the hill with our George Bailey-eque sleds. We dove upon the sleds while we were scurrying to get the fastest run possible. The runners that had been waxed were practically hovering across the sheer glaze at maximum speed. Tommy Seachrist was just ahead of me. The trail split left to go over a multitude of bumps or the to right which was a relatively calm trail that led about a quarter-mile down the hill to the school.

Our intent was to go right. Tommy made the turn easily. I however, wobbled a bit and couldn't get the steering to agree with my directional intent. A tree and I met in a most unfortunate way for me. The tree sustained some chipped bark. About 5 years later, I checked on the tree and it was fine but there was an evident scar. At the five year mark, I too was fine for the most part as well.

Regrettably, immediately after striking the tree, I knew something was drastically wrong. I had incredible difficulty breathing and could barely stand up. Tommy turned his head to see if I was going to overtake him, but he saw me staggering to stand. He dragged his feet into the crusty snow and carried his sled back up the hill to find out the cause of the delay. Gasping for air, I told Tommy I was really hurt. At first he didn't believe me. For some reason, he later did. I can only suppose it was the alabaster color I became.

Not knowing exactly what to do, I told Tommy I needed help getting to nearest house. Tommy helped to tend to his wounded comrade with great care. I held onto his shoulders as he walked, my weary legs trying to keep up with his stride. We approached the house and fortunately, the professional office in the home was open - a veterinary office. A quick diagnosis and a phone call to my mother, led me to the hospital for evaluation.

10 days later after emergency surgery to remove a lacerated lobe from my liver, I was sent home as a Valentine's Day present to all my family and friends. It was a tough 8 weeks, not being permitted to do any physical activity, per my surgeon's orders. (Please don't tell my mother, but I did sit and ride on a skateboard down Dan West's neighbor's driveway about 6 weeks after surgery.)

The ordeal was traumatic.  For about 7 or 8 years, I've come to realize, I had a type of PTSD related to the accident. I would relive the accident in daydreams and nightmares. In these episodes, my peripheral vision would become shallow and everything sounded as if I were in a tunnel. I specifically remember in 9th grade biology class with Miss Wheeler, sitting next to Ana Ramos, and I had an episode. It was the first episode I had in public and I knew it was happening but couldn't stop it. It lasted for less than a minute and for just a moment, it felt as if the world now knew of my episodes. I looked around the room and realized no one knew this happened. It was my own experience and no one else's experience. I have never written nor do I believe I ever told anyone about my episodes before seeing them now before me.

The internal scar tissue would continue to nag me for approximately 18 years. I recall being surprised in my late twenties when the scar tissue got caught on my lowest fixed rib. It was a bit startling because the last "hooking" hadn't occurred for approximately two years. Since then, the only issue I have with my liver is when I get MRIs or X-rays and need to explain the staples on the images to technicians and doctors.

In 1978, I wore a back brace for months and was called Frankenstein. Even as a kid, I was always had back pain. My mother for a while thought I was mimicking my father's pain, but mine was lumbar and his was always a thoracic issue. After the months of bracing, the orthopedic doctors determined that I was born with a vertebrae out of place, thus shifting my hips backwards and my stomach forward. I say that as a result I have a Jennifer Lopez butt and a Kevin James gut. I have the best of the best related to the Hollywood types. Unfortunately, this malformation causes persistent nagging and sometimes excruciating pain. It also likely was the impetus for other injuries that I have sustained including 5 knee surgeries due to the maligned hips.

In 1991 while body surfing in a rip tide in Ocean City, Maryland, I was hurled into a little ball and landed on my head, garnering a concussion and a sore neck. That sore neck turned out to be a bit more than a strain. An MRI showed a hook-like chunk of disc cartilage compressed against my spinal cord. Like my back, ever since then I have had persistent and sometimes excruciating pain, that will cause tears to roll down my cheeks.

When I decided to set off for my cross country bike journey, I hoped with all my heart and soul as I left Dog Beach in San Diego, that I would be able to complete the journey with ease. As time went on, the massages, chiropractic visits weren't able to alleviate or repair the constant strains on my knees, neck, back and a new pain in my right hip. Also, the numb left leg and left arm got old along with the raw nose from blowing snot rockets in the cold got to be too much.

Although the camping portion of my cycling journey is complete, there are more blogs and journeys to come. Different modes of transportation will be used and my blog, I don't believe will be any less interesting. Well, I'll certainly do my best for you my dear reader.

The Official Kind Word Section

There are times in our lives when certain things said to us stick in our minds. Unfortunately, some are negative, but sometimes, the kindest words are said that make us feel amazing. Along my journey, I have received especially kind words of support for my journey and support for me as a person. Some of these words I'll share with you. One person's words I believe I should share with you again. It made me feel amazing and made me cry because the words moved me so much. Yes, I cry for joy, pain and sorrow. I am unashamed of this fact. If you think differently that's your cross to bear.

I'm glad to help you adventurous types – you know how to live. And then I read your blog about the guy who died living. Incredible! Why don't I remember you like this at all? You're like a gift that was put in a closet because it's valuable but not immediately necessary. Then I find it, and it's amazing and worth the revealed. Please be safe. But I know you will do this well - KV

Although I don't know you well, I am in awe of this amazing opportunity you have taken. I have been following your blog and love the awesome photo's and stories. It is very cool since these are places I will probably never see, and am so intrigued as to what other parts of the country/world look like and how people live there. You are a great writer and I glad you have found company to travel with you. Karma is a beautiful dog and I am sure a loving companion. - TK


You are the sweetest Tim! You & your kind should daily remind me that it's always more important to give than receive. - JC


It was delightful sharing Christmas dinner with you. You have challenged my thoughts and am re-evaluating some priorities. 

I am glad our paths crossed. One thing that captured my core thoughts about meeting you, involved the first few minutes of our conversation. You were completely open, unguarded in meeting a new person. You were not closed off or pushy about your mission, but rather engaging (which my guess is your personality in general). You were open to the opportunity that was in the moment, meeting someone new without any expectations or strings. Just being friendly, but seemingly genuinely interested. While I tend to be a really friendly person, it stops at my agenda in that I am only open to what fits into my plans, not what I may get to experience in chatting with the other person. Even when you met Granny, and Nikki, you had an ease and openness that communicated interest. That has stuck with me. - AS

You are far deeper than you let on, Sir Tim. I really admire and respect that. - JK

You are the greatest.  You seriously are one hell of a nice guy. - DRZ


Good Luck and keep in touch. There are very few people from my end of the business I enjoy spending time with, and you fall into the small group. - SC

Regarding Karma - email sent to me by Special K's former owner Nick

The day I had to call Sally to help me find a solution for Karma (as you know she could not be alone at all) was one of the darkest days of my life. I am so happy her journey allows her to touch as many people and other animals as possible.

Thank you for your kindness towards both of my girls (Sally and Karma), I look forward to meeting you when you come over to the east coast. - NG

Thoughts

No doubt staying focused on the positive is critical. If you ever hear me complaining about my existence, please point me back to the messages. We all need to keep that in mind and eliminate the other superficial negative nonsense that tries to crowd into our heads. It is superfluous noise merely meant as a distraction.

Photographs

Unfortunately, there is nothing I have really found that is special to photograph in this town. The closest thing I could find was an extremely small wild flower in the courtyard of the hotel that unfortunately was so small it was impossible to capture it well with my small camera. This was one of only a few times I wish I had my SLR camera on the trip...I decided to post the photo anyway to give this posting some color. 

Until next time...to all of you, I wish you well and miss you. To my children, I love you, always have, and always will.

The Thank You Posting

A few friends and family reminded me of something incredibly important. My blog is about a journey and I don't need to have a  tête à tête of buffoonery with a simpleton. My blog is about a journey and fundraising for torture victims. The journey will continue, albeit in a different manner. I cannot wait for what comes next! 


I assure you, the adventures will be amazing!


Thanks for the reminder my dear friends and family.


If you have comments that you would to make regarding my posts, feel free to join the followers of this group.

Del Rio Ain't So Bad if You Don't Go Outside

The other day in my blog, I forgot to mention an important element of my conversation I had with the gentleman with whom I was riding as I approached Del Rio. He lived just outside of the city and worked in the city, so obviously, he had to be familiar with the community.  I told him I intended to remain in town for a couple of days and would like his recommendation on sites I must see in the town. Without hesitation, he flatly said, "There is nothing to see in this place." I expected a smirk from him, but no smirk was emitted from the corners of his mouth.

Yesterday, I went to a local bike shop to get some repairs made to my bike in anticipation of riding to San Antonio. After about an hour in the shop speaking to the manager, who was also repairing my bike, I asked him the same question about Del Rio as I did my fellow cyclist. Tim, the manager said, "There is NOTHING to see or do in the place. It is a bunch of hicks!"

So much for this being a great town in which to settle.

Karma and I went back to our hotel and sought out a massage for me. We found a spa just a few blocks from the hotel. We got to the spa, checked in, and met the therapist. After a brief discussion, she left the massage room. I turned to take off my clothing, hang them on hooks when I heard Karma's collar tags jingle. Spinning around, I saw Karma standing atop the massage table and I burst into a cackle, lifted her off the table and proceeded to get my massage.

On my ride back to the hotel, I made a decision that will change my plan to ride another 200 miles to get to Comfort. Instead, I'll be hanging in Del Rio to spend time writing about my life's journey over the past 2 years that have dramatically shaped my life. I hope that it will be cathartic, and yes, profitable. Dozens of people are convinced my story has the makings of a book, movie script or at least a dark comedy.

Today, I just simply relaxed and was pensive about my future - I really mean took a long nap. I enjoyed it much.

To my friends, I miss you and to my children, I miss you and love you and forever shall.