"Rubber Side Down": a poem

 

 

 

 

 

rubber side down

 

 

roadkill offends

and of course

dead skunks

are the worst

olfactory offense

but even squirrels

chipmunks and raccoons

give off a scent of death

while in towns and cities

the excess exhaust

from overheated cars

reeks of poisons

like ozone and methane

then back to the country

where fresh cow manure

from the farms

is pungent

but not too bad

and the comforting scent

of new-mown hay

being rolled into stacks

is only exceeded by

the reassuring smell

of fresh-cut grass

and—for this coastal boy—

that first whiff of

salty air

from an onshore breeze

and an ocean fog

rolling home

 

 

 

 

 

James W. Kershner, July 2017

 

 

Home, sweet home!

I made it home safe and sound. After 30 days and about 2,500 miles, I am very glad to be home. It was a great adventure, but today was a long, hot, stressful last leg.

I'll add some thoughts about the trip when I recover.

Bear Mountain Bridge

I was hot and tired when I rolled into Fort Montgomery, on the west bank of the Hudson. Motorcycling in civilization is not as much fun as the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Between Carlisle and Harrisburg, I decided to take Interstate 81. At one point there was construction, so they shifted the lanes half a lane to the right. My lane was half roadway and half shoulder--at different heights! I had to pick one and stay within that half lane. On my right was a line of Jersey barriers. On my left was a line of 18-wheelers going about 55. Yikes! It was like walking a tightrope, but I made it.

And don't get me started on the sign casually announcing that the road surface was now "hot tar and chips."

Carlisle

I made it into Carlisle Tuesday afternoon. I didn't feel up to running in Thornwald Park, as I usually do, but I did take a walk there. I see they have restored the old mansion in the park. It looks nice. I also did laundry and swam in the pool. Parts of Carlisle look just like they did when I lived here 40 years ago. Others are completely different.

It is difficult to make the transition from the remote, natural mountaintop parks to the hot, noisy, busy civilization down in the valleys.

Bear sighting

Tuesday morning was a great time for wildlife sightings. I saw a black snake slither across the Skyline Drive. There were about a dozen beautiful Virginia white-eyed deer along the northern 50 miles of Skyline Drive. I saw lots of small mammals and rodents, like a groundhog or beaver.  But the highlight was watching a healthy young black bear lope across the road in front of me. Beautiful.

Setback

Had a minor setback today, but it ended fine. After a beautiful morning at Peaks of Otter, I rode off blissfully unaware that I had left my credit card behind after paying for breakfast. About 40 miles north, I noticed a message on my phone. It was the innkeeper. I decided to go on and ask him to mail it to me. He said the credit card companies wouldn't let him do that. He had to hand it to me or destroy it.

An hour later I told him if there is one road to backtrack on, this is it.

Then back on the road northbound again. I made it to my reserved room at Big Meadows by 5:30.

Walked down to the Appalachian Trail behind the lodge at Big Meadows before dinner. I had to pay my respects. I doubt I will ever hike it all, but I love it nontheless. I crossed it three or four times today alone. Steve and I saw it in Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. That Trail and these roads say something important about America.

Peaks of Otter

Sunday was a beautiful ride north along the Parkway from Orchard Gap to Peaks of Otter. I saw several deer and smaller wildlife. When we passed farms I saw cows, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. There were beautiful emerald forests and fields of grass, hay, corn, wheat, and lots more. It was a heavenly ride.

Sat by a beautiful mountain stream in the picnic area of Peaks of Otter. So peaceful.

Leaving Wildacres

Leaving Wildacres Saturday morning was sad. There were some tearful good-byes, a lot of hugs and heartfelt handshakes. We were all sad to see the magical two weeks end. I accomplished my writing goal and made some wonderful new friends.

The weather seemed threatening, but it did not rain, so I made it to Orchard Gap, Virginia, early afternoon. I stayed in Lone Pine Cabins. Spent a lot of time on the porch rocker contemplating this view.

Yee-haw

Thursday night we had a costume party with a Wild West theme. I went as The Femenist Cowboy. There were lots of great costumes. I think Celisa topped them all as an outhouse. There are always parties lasting late into the evening. Since I don't drink, I usually go to bed earlier than most. That makes it easier to get up for morning meditation.

I got such positive feedback about my memoir, I plan to begin a serious search for an agent.

Wildflowers

The Black-Eyed Susan is the Maryland state flower. Perhaps that's why it is my favorite flower. Wildacres has plenty of them, as well as purple coneflower (Echinacea). There are rhododendrons in bloom, and mountain laurel, plus plenty I can't identify. This place is a natural wonderland.

Crabtree Falls

Tuesday morning Jill and I hiked to Crabrett Falls and waded into the frigid water. It was refreshing to say the least. There was a rainbow at the foot of the falls.

Paradise

I'm sitting on the balcony of the lobby at Wildacres, and the view, as always, is spectacular. What's remarkable this time is that I temporarily have an Internet connection and an outlet with which to charge my laptop. This second week includes workshop classes and homework, such as reading and analyzing our classmates' poems. I've been busy.

 Last night we also had faculty readings. They were wonderful. We really do have a talented faculty. Jim Clark read a satirical sestina  that made me laugh until I cried.

Later a circle of musicians formed on the patio and played "stump the band." They played some great music, and we were all up late.

Affirmation

After working for a week rewriting my memoir, I decided to read my revised prologue at the student readings last night. I really was very insecure. I thought it might be terrible writing. When my reading was over, there was enthusiastic applause, and one of the instructors gave me a thumbs up. Later, half a dozen others complimented me. I feel much better about it now. Maybe it is good after all.

Music, writing, and fun

There was another delightful jam session late last night. Here Mike, Kristi, Luke, Will, and Preston rock out.

That was after a full day of writing and general friendly fun.

For me, every day starts with a 20-minute meditation between the bells at 7:30 and 7:50 a.m.  This place is amazing.

I don't know if I am crazy to think I can write this book, but I feel compelled to try. That's how most people here feel. It is very supportive. Today I think I need to strengthen the ending.

After lunch, Will and I plan to go into Spruce Pine and do some laundry and shopping. Then, tomorrow, another 50 writers and some instructors will arrive for the second, more intense week.

More writing

It's Thursday morning, and I have been making good progress on my memoir during the retreat week. Yesterday I even gave up an invitation to hike to Crabtree Falls because I wanted to stay at my desk in the library and keep writing. I finished reassembling my book, including a new ending, but I am still not satisfied with my beginning. I hope to fix that up today.

Last night I read at the student readings. I wasn't ready to share my current work, so I read my poem "Invasive" from last year, and I think it was well received.

Invasive

 Phragmites australis

reed under siege
damned by naturalists
userper of cattails
wild rice,
wetland orchids
 
dubbed Phragmites vulgaris,
but noted in brackets
[illegitimate name]
Phragmites thickets
make poor homes
for mussels and crabs
 
prolific Phragmites
lovely on roadsides
sturdy tall reeds
with fluffy tan plumage
blowing in gentle
onshore breezes

Phragmites americanus
decried as an alien
no longer welcome
I used to call you “sea wheat”
amber waves of grain, I thought
from sea to shining sea
 

James Kershner, January 2016

Writing Day

After a good writing day at a table in the library, I had a feeling there was a soda in the vending machine with my name on it. And that's exactly what popped out.

After two days of writing, I have reorganized my memoir, but it still starts to slowly and does not flow. Today (Wednesday) I hope to go through it again, tightening up the beginning and making it all flow more smoothly. I also need a new ending.

Everyone here is so supportive. We are all talking about our writing projects. I wanted to share my writing, but it's still not ready for prime time. Maybe if I tighten up the beginning enough, I can read that this evening.

More Music

 After the student readings last night, musicians gathered in the music room last night for a jam session. Preston, Will, Tim, Luke, and Kristi collaborated on folk, blues, pop, and good old rock 'n' roll.

In the morning I worked hard on my memoir, setting up a new structure for the first three chapters. In the afternoon, Will and I went into Spruce Pine, where I did a load of laundry and Will picked up supplies at Walmart.

At Wildacres, the writers are serious. All over campus, folks are working on their laptops or writing in notebooks. It is inspiring.

Despite listening to the jam session until after 11 p.m., I was up for our morning meditation at 7:30 in the same music room. Our little meditation group grew from two of us yesterday to five people this morning.

Wildacres

 

It is wonderful to be back at Wildacres. It is a magical refuge dedicated to "the betterment of human relations." It is Monday morning now, and most people have settled in to writing. It is especially nice to see my Wildacres roommate, Will. In the past four years, we had the luxury of staying in the Guest House, which was a little more luxurious that staying in the dorm, as we are this year. 

Sunday afternoon I arrived around 1 p.m., but Judy said we weren't supposed to check in until 3 p.m. I decided to ride into Little Switzerland for a bite to eat. On the way there, I saw a beautiful grassy hillside along the parkway with a place to park my motorcycle off the pavement. I decided to use my time meditating, relaxing and enjoying a cold Diet Mountain Dew. Then I realized that any motorcyclist riding past might be concerned that my bike had broken down and stop to assist me. So when I heard a motorcycle approaching, I looked up and offered a smile and a wave to indicate that everything was OK. After a few of those passed, I heard a loud roar and saw an organized group of 18 (I counted them) Harley Davidsons cruising down the parkway. I sat on the hillside giving them all  a peace sign and a smile. Every single one of the 18 riders waved back at me. The connection--the comradery--between motorcyclists is heartwarming.

There is a similar connection among writers. About 50 of us have assembled, and all over campus, people are hunched over their laptops writing. It feels good to be among kindred souls.

Retreat!

I am entering a new phase of my Odyssey today. After a week of heading south and exploring the Smokies area, I am going back north on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Wildacres Retreat Center. It is a magical remote gathering spot on a mountaintop near the village of Little Switzerland, NC.

For the next week, 50 serious writers will do some serious writing during the day and some serious partying at night. In the morning, I'll be leading meditation before breakfast. I'm really looking forward to it all.

After that, there will be a week of workshops with about 100 writers and half a dozen distinguished instructors. Both weeks include student readings in the evenings. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Happiness

Crossed a lot of ridges and valleys today, going east from Knoxville to Asheville. I followed old US 25. Near Knoxville they call it The Asheville Pike. Nowadays most folks take the Interstate instead.

Maybe I'm a happy ocean person looking for wisdom in the mountains.

Big Ridge State Park, TN

My cabin at Big Ridge State Park is on a beautiful wooded hillside I share with this little fellow. He's an Eastern Box Turtle, like our beloved Tom, who lived with us for 25 years. This one is small, like Tom when we first met him. They often live more than a century.

The view from the Pisgah Inn

The views along the Blue Ridge Parkway were lovely all the way down, but the best of all were from the Pisgah Inn, just southwest of Asheville. It is a dynamic vista, always changing as clouds and sunshine move across the huge expanse of sky.

When leading meditation, I remind folks that thoughts come and go like clouds on a windy day. There is no better place to see it than Mount Pisgah.

The Whole Blue Ridge Parkway

Steve and I completed our ride together, through MA, RI, CT, NY, PA, MD, WV, VA, and NC, including the whole Blue Ridge Parkway. After lunch at an Indian-owned restaurant in Cherokee, he headed Southeast to Georgia, and I west to Tennessee.

I've been honored and blessed to have had the best possible riding buddy. When he's setting the pace, it's a good one, and he alerts me though our awesome headsets of bumps, pavement problems and bicyclists ahead. And when I'm setting the pace, he reminds me if I've left the turn signal on. He's a comfortable travel companion and a good man.

Plants and animals

We have had wonderful close encounters with plants and animals along the road. The top photo shoes the abundance of lovely little wildflowers in the foreground that I almost miss because of the spectacular mountain views stretching out for a hundred miles.

This morning after breakfast, Brandon and walked around the campground, a lovely area with lots of memories for me. I've camped there so many times that I kept seeing old familiar campsites.

We stopped to admire the mountain Laurel in full bloom. I've used up my quota of "wow"s for the day, and it's just lunchtime.

The closest animal encounter I had was with a lonely love-starved dog outside a restaurant in West Jefferson, Va. Steve and I were sitting on the lawn listening to live music, and the dog walked over to me with a tennis ball in its mouth. He lay his sad little head in my lap and wouldn't leave. There was no safe place for me to toss the tennis ball, so I just sat there enjoying the music.

The most dramatic animal encounter was on our second day, drinking through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. I was cruising along at about 40. Suddenly a huge bird--perhaps an owl--swooped right in front of me, clearing my facemask by inches. It filled my field of vision. I could see grey and brown stripes. I'd estimate it passed about six inches in front of my face. I didn't have time to react at all. I don't think I even braked.

Steve was right behind and said, "Wow. How close was that?"

I said I was glad the bird calculated that trajectory correctly because I never could have.

A couple days later, along the Parkway, a deer started to cross the road, well ahead of me. She hesitated. I hit the brakes. When she saw I was slowing, she decided to leap across the road in two graceful bounds.

We haven't seen any bears yet, but Brandon says one became a nuisance recently behind the inn's kitchen.

Zen Tubing

This afternoon (Tuesday) my son Brandon and Poppy Kay took Steve and me tubing on the French Broad River. The company calls itself Zen Tubing, and their motto is "Get in touch with your inner-tube."

It was calm, peaceful, restful, and fun. It's wonderful to see Brandon again. I miss both my sons.

Musical encounters

On Sunday afternoon we pulled into the Blue Ridge Music Center (operated by the National Park Service, and heard a live jam session by the group pictured above. They demonstrated "Old Time" music from about 200 years ago, before bluegrass or country music had developed.

Before the trip, Steve and I mentioned that we would be traveling near the heartland and birthplace of country music. We had no idea what great examples we would encounter.

Dining at the lodge at Big Meadows Saturday night, we enjoyed live music by a talented trio. A young woman sang beautifully and played a cajon box drum (like the one I have). A man who may have been her father also sang and played a guitar, and a woman (the drummer's mother?) Sang and played the fiddle. They did bluegrass, blues, country, and folk music. It was a great show.

At dinner Monday night at the Park Vista Restaurant, a small group of locals were sitting on a patio dinging and playing a banjo, mandolin, guitar and fiddle. We enjoyed watching the sun set over the mountains and listening to them sing and play.

Later that evening, at a motel along the Parkway in West Jefferson, the family in the next room included a preteen girl who serinaded her grandmother with songs accompanied by a ukulele. We were all sitting out in front of our rooms, enjoying the beautiful mountain views. Her "Over the Rainbow" was quite good.

We are delving deep into Appalachian culture. Down here they pronounce it "Appa-latch-an," and we are definitely soaking in some Southern Appalachian style music.

Off the grid

We are having a wonderful time on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Unfortunately (or fortunately) there has been no Internet nor cell phone signal, so I haven't been able to update the blog. This afternoon we will arrive at Mount Pisgah, and I will update everything then.

Here is a shot from Saturday. I showed Steve my "happy place," a spot on the Appalachian Trail in Loft Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park. The view of the mountains is breathtaking, just as it was in 1973, when I first saw it.

Rainy morning

Our first rain delay: we woke up to a steady rain this morning in Carlisle. We plan to wait it out and leave when it stops.
Last night we almost got caught in a thunderstorm walking back from a nearby diner. It poured once we were back in the motel room. I had a delicious turkey burger for dinner. Life is good.

Traveling on back roads, we are seeing a different side of America than what we see on the Interstates. We slow down and admire the architecture in small towns. The people seem friendlier and less hurried too. On the highways, people are always in such a hurry. What we are all looking for is happiness, and it is right here and now. No need to hurry.

Carlisle, PA

Today we covered about 250 miles, from Bear Mountain, NY, to Carlisle, PA. It was our longest leg, but included some high-speed sections, so we still made our destination by 4. We enjoyed Route 209 through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and some scenic back roads through northeast Pennsylvania. The last hour was damn hot, but soon we we're cooling off in the motel pool.

Bear Mountain

Today we rode from Rhode Island across Connecticut and into New York. We crossed the Connecticut River at Windsor Locks, followed U.S. 44 west across rural northern Connecticut. Then we cut down to Beacon, NY, and followed NY 9D south along the Hudson, crossing it on the Bear Mountain Bridge. Bear Mountain State Park is just on the west end of the bridge. It is also right on the Appalachian Trail. From
our room at The Overlook Lodge, we have a view of the river.

 

 

 

 

Gentleman Farmer

Steve and I had a delicious breakfast at the Gentleman Farmer Diner in Chepachet, RI.

Chepachet, RI

We had a great shake-down cruise from Cape Cod to scenic Chepachet, RI. It's a tiny rural Hamlet on Western Rhode Island, almost at the Connecticut line. We're following old US 44. It had been the main road west of Providence before they built

the Interstates. The old fashioned motel and nearby diner were right out of the 1950s. Steve and I enjoyed sitting in front of the room admiring the lovely pastoral scene.

Ready to roll

It's 11 a.m. Tuesday, and I'm ready to go. I'm meeting Steve at noon, and we'll be off.

Wired for sound

Steve came over this afternoon, and we set up the bike-to-bike communication system for the trip. It is just a $99 Excelvan BT Interphone V6-1200. The instructions appeared to have been translated from Chinese by Google Translate, so we had a little trouble at first, but with the help of some YouTube videos, we got them all set up.

The transmitter clips to the bottom of the helmet, and the wiring is hidden under the padding. A foam-covered microphone sits in front of the mouth.  We took a brief test ride and were able to hear each other clearly on the road. That should make the ride even more fun.

I just have to finish packing tonight, and we should be off on our adventure.

Under way in 24 hours

I'm getting nervous and excited. We leave in 24 hours. Rain is forecast for Tuesday morning, so Steve and I plan to leave around noon Tuesday and aim for Chepacet, in western Rhode Island. I've started the packing process, with a card table in the middle of my living room piled high with stuff for the trip.
I just got some walkie-talkies for the motorcycles, and Steve is coming over this afternoon to set them up and test them out. I still have some motel reservations to make for my return trip.
This is going to be fun!

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

 

The recent death of Robert Pirsig reminded me of one of my favorite books. I like to tell people it is neither about Zen nor about motorcycle maintenance. I decided to bring it along with me on our upcoming trip. Since it is 2017, I downloaded it to my Kindle.

Last night I found some wonderful passages in the first chapter:

 

"You see things vacationing on a motorcycle in a way that is completely different from any other. ... Secondary roads are preferred. Paved county roads are the best, state highways are next. Freeways are the worst. ... These roads are truly different from the main ones. The whole pace of life and personality of the people who live along them are different. They're not going anywhere They're not too busy to be courteous. The hereness and nowness of things is something they know all about."

 

Maybe it is about Zen, after all.

Slowly but surely

I am finishing up responsibilities and getting prepared. I sent off the text of the second edition of my book, The Elements of Academic Writing last week. I made motel reservations for Big Meadows June 23, Peaks of Otter June 24, and the Pisgah Inn June 26 through July 1. I have a few more to make.

This morning I ran the 1.5-mile loop around my neighborhood. I want to be in good enough shape to make the trip comfortably and also be ready for the Falmouth Road Race  on Aug. 20 (after I get back).

Getting Ready

This mooring I did another 1.5-mile run around the block. I'm getting in shape, slowly but surely. I have also been working on the second edition of The Elements of Academic Writing, my English textbook. I'm making progress in that area too.

Last night I plotted out our route for the first three days of the Great Motorcycle Odyssey of  2017. The first day will be a short shakedown cruise from the Cape to western Rhode Island. Then the second day will take us to a motel near West Point, NY. The third day will take us to Carlisle, Pa., where I used to live.

Another way to look at it is on the first day we cross the Providence River. On the second day, we cross the Hudson, and on the third day we cross the Delaware and Susquehanna. With any luck, on the fourth day we will cross the Potomac and Shenandoah.

This afternoon I also bought a new pair of good leather motorcycle gloves. My old, cheap nylon ones were falling apart and didn't keep my hands warm. These should help a lot on the trip. I also recently installed a cool little handlebar-mounted analog clock. I've wanted one for a long time.

 

Two days in a row

I'm proud to say I ran the same loop again today. I really enjoy running, and it is good for me. I just might get in shape after all.

Meanwhile, I am heartbroken about the bombing in Manchester, England. When will the madness end?

Training for Falmouth

I just registered for the Falmouth Road Race on August 20, so I will have to do some running during this motorcycle odyssey. Today I can the 1.5-mile loop around my block in 17 minutes. I'm going to have to increase my speed and distance between now and then. I have about 12 weeks to go.

The adventure resumes

I will be returning to the motorcycle odyssey June 20, 2017, repeating much of the 2016 trip. This time my buddy Steve will join me for the southbound portion of the trip, and then will continue on to Georgia while I head to the Wildacres Writers Conference. Today we roughed out plans for the trip, and confirmed our mutual preference for rural, uncongested roads.

I'm really looking forward to showing Steve some of my favorite places and discovering new treasures along the way. Between now and June 20, I'll be working with Google Maps to plan be best route, and we will also be open to changing plans as the conditions change.