It’s a cool think kickin’ back and lookin down 30,000 knowing that those mountains I’m passing over are probably somewhere over Utah where my buddy Jim Pasquin lives. I miss Hoffa. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him for a while now and I wish I could see him. We had so much fun when he came up for Clean Up Day at the O last year. He didn’t know he was going to do Clean Up and slap some paint on the ole Grey Girl, but by the time we were done with him he was was wishin he didn’t have to leave. Again, another convert from the moment he walked through the steel gates. I hope I get to see him when I head back this way for the SMRA shows at Vegas and SL,UT on the weekend of the 4th.
The bird we’re flyin on today is pretty full, but right now, suprisingly quiet. It’s about a five hour trip out here to San Jose, and a lot of the people are sleeping, or at least resting their eyese, even pops.
I absolutely LOVE flying. I love the technology of it, I love the speed, the power, the sites. It’s like a thrill ride to me. I’m a big fan of Southwest and that’s what we are flying today. Non-stop from Chitown (Midway because O’Hare absolutely BLOWS) to San Jose. I like JetBlue too because of the extra leg room, hospitality, and the price. But they don’t fly outta Chicago so we’re feeling some Southwest Love.
I know a few people that are totally freaked about flying. I put my faith in God and kick back and enjoy the ride and the rush knowing that whatever happens, good, bad, or ugly, I’m very fortunate to be able to do what I do with the people I love.
Crankin’ out some Creed on the gPod (you didn’t expect it to be called anything else did you?), I’m pretty reflective about this trip. I think this is like my fourth or fifth time to California and as I look down through the break in the clouds to the snow capped mountains below, I can’t help but wonder if this trip will help make a positive impact and create more awareness for the supers.
I think maybe that’s part of the reason pops wanted me to go even when I said no. He gets it, plus he said he needed a vacation. Funny how that works, you retire and you still need a vacation lol.
So I ask myself, is this a selfish trip? Yeah, I won’t lie, it is to a degree. I need to continue to grow my new endevour and I dig hangin’ out with AJR, JYD, T-Roy and KW. Plus I can’t wait to see Rockin’ Rodney, Lance, Quick Time, and hopefully David will be there with Chase so I can see my little buddy. I want to spend more time getting to know guys like Mike McCann, Lance Tatro, Larry Heinz, Kyle Vanderpool, Kenny Kinchen, and the rest of the bunch. I’m hoping to see L.A., James and Martin even if they aren’t racing the super.
So yeah, in that aspect, I am very selfish. But I also am doing this to try to educate and entertain people out here about Oswego, ISMA, and MSA and the people who race there. I also think the people back east need to understand how things work out here and why they work the way they do. To me it’s not about the East/West Shootout and doing this once a year. It’s about a perpetual, continuing, and regular dialog amongst us all.
I don’t believe in being close minded and saying, “we have the best and we don’t need to, nor do we care about what THEY do,” as many people do. The SMRA and the ERA are equals to ISMA and MSA in my opinion. Their members have the same problems with purses, schedules, rules and the like, but they also put just as much time and effort into their love of the DIVISION so we need to pay attention there as well.
I think I better stop writing this because I see a whole other column coming out of the thoughts I’m having here. I’ll probably have even more after the race. That’s how the column usually comes about. I can get like three different ones out of one paragraph sometimes. I know it’s a hackjob way of doing it but it pretty much works.
I just hope this trip is another step by helping me to learn more so that I can pay it forward and open some more eyes. It ain’t about me looking big and bad, it’s about handing out some ISMA and Oswego schedules while I talk about the cool things about the west coast on the webcast for all the folks back east.
I wonder if Hoffa say me wave just now?
Hoffa waving back
The End
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