The Gulf Coast is Family

I am struck by the concept that much of the scenery that we will find on this trip may not be not be awe inspiring.  I’m not sure what I want.  On the one hand, post card type vistas are great for vacation rides.  On the other, I don’t give a shit.  I want to get to know this coast.  I’ve only seen few dozen miles of the damn thing and I’ve lived here all my life. 

I want to understand the soul of this stretch of land that covers the gulf. This has always been and will always be my ocean.  If the scenery aint Highway One, well fuck it.  I’ve driven that stretch plenty and it was never mine.  I go on this trip as if I were going to meet long lost family.  It may not be particularly pretty or dignified, but it’s worth getting to know all the same. 

Leading up to the trip, I need to read some motorcycle travel books.  Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a good one (though somewhat painful).  I’ll reread parts of this one for sure. 

  

Everyone should read this book.  It’s amazing to me how parts of it ended up in my permanent philosophy.  It’s where I got the phrase “Would you kindly just shut the fuck up and dig it?” 

It also has some seriously good advice on parenting.  I read it before I had kids and I’ve constantly replayed some of scenes in my head for reference. 

My favorite part is the old German myth where a Father and his son are riding along a beach.  The boy keeps telling the father that he sees the Goblin king in the woods along their path.  The King ignores him even as the boy screams that the Goblins are getting closer.  On the man rides until the morning. When he stops for breakfast he finds that his son has died in the saddle.  Moral of the story: Listen to your kids and don’t dismiss their fears as make-believe or trivial.  Adults may know more, but kids see more.

He's a scary sumbitch