#85 - TRAVELIN' MAN

Travelin' man that's what I am, no woman puts a hold on me
You'll see me once or maybe twice that's all you'll see of me
No, all you pretty women Lord, I hope you understand
Don't be a fool Lord no and put your heart in a travelin' man

- LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Travelin' Man


It's been awhile ... Did you miss my words? My life is less about big hairy spiders these days. I've moved on. I apologize for my silence.

As autumn winds blow outside, and winter threatens to drive me from home, I begin thinking like the "travelin' man' that I am. I once lived in four different states in one twelve month period. Until my return to my homeland of the northwestern suburbs of Chicago, I had spent thirteen years away, with stints in eastern Washington, Nashville, Seattle, Milwaukee, and Seattle again. That's just me living in different areas of the good ole U.S. of A. As you've read, I've also travelled the world, sometimes circumnavigating the globe in a short period of time, especially during my February 2015 31,000 miles in the air. I daydream about moving again. I hate the upper midwestern winters and have been giving much thought to relocating, perhaps to Arizona.

With my new job in the firearms industry I figured I'd become a bit more sedentary, but I've spent most of this evening on Expedia planning more travel. I am hoping my new employer will tolerate my taking unpaid leave. If not, I may be forced to do something hasty. Neither woman nor job puts a hold on me. And my daydreams may lead to me taking my act back on the road ...

I've already cleared the time off for my upcoming Costa Rica trip with my bonus dad Joel. I hope the adventure will be featured in future installments of "Tales from the Field". Although it is a vacation with my 73-year-old stepdad, you can't keep me from chasing spiders and snakes, and Joel is eager to see tarantulas in nature. I will spend plenty of time in the field and have even made arrangements with a guide in the Monteverde region.

But Costa Rica isn't all the travel to come in the next six months... Tonight I booked flights and hotels for another trip with Joel. He's making his third trip in as many years with my sister and her family to Cabo San Lucas in February (maybe he is the Travelin' Man...) and will come home for only one week before I whisk him away to the U.K. Mark Pennell only left the U.S. a couple weeks ago, but I am already eager to spend time with him again. I will be returning to Mark's native Bristol for the BTS Lectures the first week of March. Joel and I will spend one night in Dublin on our way to Bristol and then spend a week in England. Bristol will be our base, but we'll have a rental car and likely make a couple of day trips so Joel can see Wales and London.

December 3-13 in Costa Rica and Feb 28-March 7 in Dublin and Bristol/England. I'm also considering a quick mid-January excursion to the L.A. area for a special handgun class taught by two legends. You only live once my friends ... live life and live it big. Travel is so rewarding and feeds the mind. Adventures give life purpose. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Fly your coop. Be as free as a bird now ...


MJ