So the first writing prompt is “What are some of the places you’ve visited in your travels?”

So here goes nuthin’ gang…

1 - Honolulu, Hawaii

This one needs some explaining, I think. You see I was born in Springfield, MO but I was the result of Mom & Dad’s farewell moments just before he had to ship off to Viet Nam. Mom had to pack my pudgy baby bod up and go to meet Dad on his R & R in Hawaii. So, roughly around Christmas-time, my Dad met me for the first time. There is one thing about this event that I still rather embarrassed by. Dad’s was like his father and took slides so that he could share his slides in slide shows to friends and family. So seeing that he had this penchant, imagine my horror when he chose to share a said slide show to friends of the family who just so happened to have a daughter I had a fairly heavy crush on at the time and one of the slides of my pudgy baby self sitting on my mother’s knee…while wearing no diaper or pants…just me in my much larger than life glory for everyone to see and enjoy! Does the term FML ring a bell with anyone?

2 - Yosemite, CA

Even as a child, I can remember the unmatched beauty and splendor of this National Park. It has the forest which is magnificent but it had the majestic mountains and cliffs that form the backdrops for incredible views and the incredible waterfalls and hiking trails that in all probability, I will never find elsewhere in all the earth. Then, I have to mention the various wildlife in the area. Of course, there is the always present threat of bears, but there is also the abundant presence of beauty in the deer, squirrels, chipmunks, stellar jays, etc. that are constantly in and around the campsite, especially the campsites along the banks of the river. We would allow the squrrels and chipmunks to climb up our shins and eat treats right from our fingertips. Talk about a thrill for a mild-mannered boy from the suburbs. Wow!

3 - British Columbia, Canada

This was a very fun family trip. We took in several of the local tourist spots. Victoria, British Colombia, which was named after Queen Victoria. The old governments in this city were very memorable what with their copper roofed building that had that pale greenish-blue patina of an antique penny. Simply beautiful!

4 - The Pacific Ocean

When I was a young boy, I was in the Cub Scouts, part of The Boy Scouts of America. One year my troop travelled away from our city for an overnight trip to a camp ground to go whale watching. Me and my family camped inside our small Datsun Pickup Truck with a very small camper shell like covering over the bed area of the pickup truck. I slept across the bench seat in the cab. Sleeping arrangement were miserable but it was proven worth it when we got out on the boats and began spotting the massive Grey Humpback Whales breaking the surface and we were close enough to see and look into the eyes of the beasts. I will never forget the feeling of awe by seeing then in person. They really were amazing.

5 - The coast of Santa Catalina Island, CA

My singular deep sea fishing trip. We were fishing for yellow tail tuna off the coast of Santa Catalina Island. An absolutely beautiful small island off the coast of Southern California. It was incredibly fun and enjoyable and eating part of the fresh catch in the boat’s galley right fresh from the ocean with a brief stop on the ship’s cook-top was some of the best sea-food I have ever tasted.

6 - Chico, CA

Formerly voted one of the biggest “party colllege campuses” in the United States, it was no wonder my life would take me to this area when I escorted a friend and co-worker to visit her boyfriend. That is me, always the nice friend that helps the girl get to the dude but never the dude. This was during the time as my carrer as the head DJ and assistant manager of our local roller skating rink. Something I would come to learn made me a very minor local celebrity for a short time. It is too bad I wasn’t of the mind to translate this so-called notoriety into dates!

7 - San Diego, CA

For a period of time, I spent some of my adult years in the trade show industry and part of that experience sent me to a show in San Diego. I was supervising one of the companies clients installs in the at the convention centers right in the legendory “Gas Lamp” District. A very cool place for sure.

8 - Las Vegas, NV

Ah, the bright lights of the strip in Vegas Baby! My only previous experience with Las Vegas was when I got married. At which time I learned the slogan “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” was a a wild lie…that bitch followed my ass home! However this trip was much more rewarding. Tiring, but rewarding. We were in town for two separate trade shows taking place basically the same time and I played a big roll in the set-up and execution of the clients visions for each. My responsibilities included general lighting as well as special lighting effects as well as the sound for each of our clients involved in each show. I was placed in The Venetian Hotel. To this day the absolute nicest room I’ve ever stayed in. It was amazing!

9 - Atlanta, GA

*So my initial visit to Atlanta was during my initial move from California to Tennessee. I had a long-distance relationship with a young woman and so I took a swing South to spend some time with her on my way here. *

10 - Savannah, GA

This was another work trip. I was working in the steel industry and had to travel down to Savannah in order to inventory steel in a warehouse in the area. I travelled with a lovely young married lady who has one of the greatest pair of legs I have ever had the privilege to work in the presence of. Once again, on our way home, I got her to her dude on time (it was their wedding anniversary) ut again I was not the dude. Anyone pickingup on my personal pattern?

11 - Follansbee, WV

This place was a real eye-opener to me. I was there with the steel company but I was sent to learn about the process of making steel and toured an actual steel mill. It was called Wheeling-Nisshin Inc. and yep, there was molten hot steel running and being processed right before y eyes. It was amazing to watch.

12 - Pennsylvania

I had the privilege of visiting a friend that lived up there in the middle of Fall. The Fall colors were vivid and bright. I fell in love with the Quaker food and crafts that were so readily available. It was such and beautiful place to visit for me.

13 - New York, NY

This visit to visit the steel company’s U.S. Headquarters. Let me say this, the only thing I enjoyed there was the fact that there was a legitimate deli a block from the hotel I was staying in. In my book, there was not a single other positive thing to be seen or found in that place.

14 - Lynchburg, TN

This was super fun. It was a sort of field outing for my office paid for by them! We toured the Jack Daniels Distillery and who, the vapors I smelled in the middle of the distilling process were strong! After the tour we ate at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House which was the actual place Jack Daniels lived when building and establishing the distillery. The meal was served family style with a hostess in every room. And every meal includes one dish that is made with “the product” which is what they called the whiskey since Lynchburg lies in Moore County which is to this day a dry county and cannot sell or serve any form of liquor.

Thank you for indulging me in these memories and for tagging along with me on my personal travelogue. Be good humans!

Current Music: “Feel Like Makin’ Love”
By: Bad Company

Last updated June 23, 2020