We tend to put limitations on ourselves, and our ability to adapt can either expand our world or box us in. So what’s up with these invisible walls? Why do we allow outside forces to dictate compromises even when its against our better judgment?
I had article after article written out in my head as I rode along, but when I stop I go blank. I’ve written 3 of these but they seem like useless dribble. So do I publish 3 or 4 short ones or one long one? Yeah, long one… skip over the useless dribble 😉
This year has been a little different from the norm. For one I actually have destinations and time schedules. And for two, either people are onto me or its just the sight of a biker with a guitar. Still though I’m realizing that I’m better known than I considered. All along the trip there’s been people hanging out their car waving and hollering … and the hot biker babe in Illinois who nearly lost it waving and yelling to me (yeah, I saw you) 😉
As we left off, Omaha was one rain cloud after another and generally uneventful. Sure, I got to hang out with Bob but with 4 or 5 days of rain I really didn’t get a chance to get out and do some of the things I wanted to. The downfall of a motorcycle. It’s not so much riding in the rain, it’s looking like a wet cat when you get there.
Another world-class musician hidden in the Midwest is my drummer Greg. You know Greg, he went by “Gus L. DaBere” on our CD’s. Alyssa was “Abby Normal”, Bob was – and is – Boboo. Walker Caine was suppose to be a band name. Jeff LaBar, Alyssa and I were talking one night and he mentioned playing until we went on stage with canes and walkers. That stuck with me, it said something. It was perfect.
But how do you promote a band that hasn’t been put together yet? Then people started contacting me as Walker, and Greg coined me as “Capt. Walker”. So I just went with it. You know how someone would give you a nickname and that’s what you’re remembered by? Yeah, I have a few of those. I do kinda like Capt. Walker though 🙂
Where was I? Oh yeah, Greg. I didn’t get to visit with him nearly as much as I wanted and I thought I would be back through there; but it was great to see my very good friend again nevertheless. Hi Nancy 🙂 Anyway, He went on about the songs we haven’t finished, so if he’s ready to take another crack at ‘em, then maybe its time that we did that. I’ll give you a call Greg and send you whatever equipment you need. I think those lyrics were starting to come to me, but…
NOW, Getting back to things; I left bright & early on Sunday morning for a ride to the coast with a stop in Columbus, Ohio. Unlike the first half to Omaha, I was really into the ride and rarely stopped. I did get a flat somewhere, I think it was Ohio but I’d have to look at my receipts. I thought to bring a portable air compressor, it got me to a Napa for a puncture kit. No more problems after that except a few new rattles thanks to the roads in Indiana & Ohio. And contrary to weather channel reports, I came across no storm damage whatsoever. I stopped to help a traveler or two, but for our story that doesn’t count.
I rolled into Wilmington, DE on Tuesday.
Our KarenLee and I have been working together on different things for about 10-months and I was looking forward to this and not the least bit disappointed. We fit together. We worked our songs and hung out here & there. She has a beautiful voice and great ideas. When I’m stuck on lyrics, she promptly filled them in with verses much better than I would have done.
Anyway, we practiced, did our studio work and laid a few tracks. She fed me and kept an eye on me. She’s a good girl.
When we were finished, I was taken sight-seeing through some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen, complete with covered bridges and fabulous Amish farms. Being an avid horseman at one time, I was thoroughly impressed watching young kids driving 6-horse side-to-side teams. That’s not an easy thing to do. 
I wanted to stay longer to see more and go through other New England States. If it weren’t for the winters cutting into my ride time, it might have been impossible to leave. What can I say but “thank you Karen” for the best week I can remember. I look forward to more.
In the midst of all this, the pain in my arm & hand was getting worse by the day, so I ended up cancelling some gigs. I headed south into Shenandoah country. I’ve always been a sucker for Virginia and would move back there in a heart-beat; living there was a productive time in my life. But as I approached Tennessee, the voice in my head threatened me if I didn’t stop to see Sam Legard. Ok, the voice was Karen on the phone … she was looking out for you Sam.
Well, that detour to Greeneville was just the ticket this time and a ride on Hwy 70 was a blast! I had met Sam a couple years ago via Twitter. I promised I’d stop & do some serious drinking with him last year, but for one reason or another I didn’t make it that far east. I’m glad I met him, he’s a good man – ya know?
I probably should have stayed there for the night because by the time I was 40-miles out of Nashville I hit the nastiest rain storm of the trip … never in my life have I gone through Tennessee without rain, it’s getting old. But stopping for the night turned out to be a good thing because that next morning I saw Tennessee; something I haven’t noticed since I was a kid. I was going to move there at one time but… (see first paragraph)
There aren’t any east-west highways in northern TN unless you want to spend 2 or 3 days getting through it, so as I rode down I-40 I began laughing at myself – how many guitar-toting songwriters go through Nashville without stopping, and then completely bypass Memphis? Only me huh? It seems almost sacrilege.
I caught Hwy 412 and settled in to the rest of my ride. I got lost – on a straight line! An Arkansas Trooper appeared from nowhere and gave me a map. Good thing because I was about to turn a one hour ride into a day-long journey. Somehow, I finally made it, and here I sit in the Ozarks trying to get organized and get my arm working again. It’s beautiful country and every road through these mountains is an adventure – full of curves and trees and sudden shots of gorgeous scenery. Its also nice just being closer to civilization rather than out in the middle of the desert. And the restaurants here are not your normal variety, I could really get used to this.
This is music country. This is where Elvis, Buddy, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many others got started by touring these small towns. What makes me think I can compete when there are people who can run circles around me and don’t even do it professionally? I’m not what you’d call a good musician, my voice isn’t as good as it once was. But I am unique, I’ll give it that. I can act and put on a decent enough show, but the line has faded.
My GPS says I’ve done 5700 miles, but its not on all the time. Being able to spread out a bit I finally scrubbed the bugs off of my bike, tighten things up & changed the oil. I would say that Honda makes a great machine, but since they aren’t sponsoring me I won’t 🙂 Those cancellations hurt and I’m pretty much out of money. If I were smart I would book a week-long gig or get a job, but I’ve never accused myself of being smart. And who would hire someone like me?
Saturday I took a ride down to Mountain View to see if anyone was playing in the park and ended up talking to all kinds of people. A couple times I found myself wishing I had brought my guitar, but they were passing moments. There was a biker event going on in town for a new business and there was some kind of rally going on north of there; I had been seeing a lot of groups riding. I should have stayed longer.
That’s enough dribble for today. Everything’s good and my head’s still attached, but the screw’s loose.
We may never know how this turns out; life is full of curves and trees and sudden shots of gorgeous scenery.
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Walker's Road 