Rolling along

Well here we go again. On the rails and flying along at 80MPH. I so enjoy the train. This trip especially. The past few times I've traveled for other than work, I've been sick, weak and all that I was capable of, was sitting. This time with the Cancer and AIDS under apparent control, the trip is enjoyable and once again fun for all the right reasons. Red Coach to Miami was amazing! Great ride and service. Nice to see what the competition is up to. Really enjoyed seeing the highway from the Passengers prespective instead of the Drivers' seat this time out. The only bad thing thus far, was that Damn RAMADA in Highaleia. GOD what a pit. Room was Clean and the in Hotel Resteraunt was actually good. The bathtub was cracked and peeling, Cable was limited (mostly Spanish language  channels) and because of an event scheduled long before the Reservation was made, the pool was not usuable. The "EVENT" was for Cuban exciles" and thier Children. So the speakers, set right outside my window, the room thumpped with the so called music. I was assured by the front desk, that it would only be an hour at most. 2 1/2 hours later at 23:00, and 5 calls to the front desk, it stopped. I guess 100 rooms had called (found out this morning) and were going to call Miami-Dade Police. Things got so much better as soon as I got in the cab for the Station. Cab because the Hotel lied in saying the shuttle on way to the Airportwould drop me off at Amtrak. Driver was curtious, fast, not dangerous, and so helpful. Amtrak, as always was ABSOLUTLY OUTSTANDING with thier customer service. Right as I walked in the main door was greeted with " Good Morning Sir, are you checking any bags today?" Boarding time came with a bounus as well. This station attendent walked up and asked if I was Mr. Warren. When the reponse was in the affirmitive, he escorted me to the Sleeper car that had been assigned, assited in loading the bags not just on the Train, but into the room as well. Reminded me that the Dining Car would open 40 minutes after departure for Breakfast. Amtrak, being Goverment Funded, does not HAVE to provide outstandin or even mediocer service. Hard to fire a Government employee. They do it for the love of the Job and the love of the rails. I so wish Amtrak could go private and really compete hed on with the Airlines. It is a more relaxing, comfortable, (even in coach) way to travel. You seee the country from Sea Level, not 40,000 feet. Now at 21:00, the rail are singing a sweet lulaby to the passengers, my shower has been taken, night meds are down, and the land of nod is calling. I'll sit up a little longer to enjoy the Darkness screaming by the window in this Roometee, watching the occational red streaks from croosing arms that are down warning cars to hold up, train coming through. When the Sun come up, Washington D.C. will be in sight. Swapping from Diesel to Electric Locomotives, we then go from 80MPH to 110MPH the rest of the way to NYC and Boston. So today has been a great day to be alive. Beautiful weather, great train ride, and health to go with it ths time out of the gate. Thom would have loved all of this. Somehow though, I think he is. Sitting here with me on the train.

Interesting severa days

Well the past days since last entry have truly been different from my usual routine. I am back to work on an extremely limited basis due to Govt restrictions. Funny how they tell you they want you back to work, but do everything to keep you on the Government doal. Even in a limited fashion, it feels real good to be back out on the Bus, and doing some traveling. When a day is finished and that your productive and have actually produced something more than dirt and a spot on the coach, is a great one. Having been brought up the way I was, just sitting and not working is not a good thing. I would rather be tired and worn out from work, than having been sitting all day and tired from boardom. I know It could get me in trouble working, but to hell with it

Sitting lost in thought

Today is day 2 without my truck, as it is in the shop getting a new fender, and having the front air dam adjusted so the airflow is again right. Wierd being confined to the immidiate area of the house, and or limited to the transportation system of Tallahassee. Definetly not world class. Tallahassee took almost 40 years just to finally leave the hub and spoke system, which at best was a racist layout at best anyway, to line service. Still only runs in the City limits however. This leaves out HUGE parts of the city. Tallahassee (much to my dismay) is not the city of the 1970's anymore. It has grown extensively and out not up. So lot's of newever neigborhoods are outside of the "limits" of Tallahassee. That leaves huge areas of Southside, The Vinyards, ANYTHINGoutside of Capital Circle, including several buisnesses of MAJOR signifigance. Oh well, I am but one voice with no realpower other than a typewriter and a word procesor connected to the Internet.
  The possabilitys for expanded service, especially with the range of eqipment that is avaliable out there, expanding service in this city should be a no brainer. When asked why most will not take the STARMETRO ervice instead of driving,, is TIME!  Whenit can take up to 1 hour longer to go by Bus than drive, and sometimes even walk, what's the point. STARMETRO has come a long way no question. I just hope they do not pause for another 40 years before improving again.
  Health wise, things are going well thus far. Still undetectable viral load, and no sign of the Cancer returning thus far. I wish I knew why GOD has kept me around this long, but he/she has it's reasons for keeping me on this spinning ball of Mud. I just hope it is for a signifigant reason and not something so ame as to be there at the right time to stop a tree branch from falling a certian way. Oh well, not for me to decied.
  Lonlyness once again is becoming stronger as each day goes by. The difference this time is with the Mental Chemistry right again, I'm better able to handle it better. That is not to say that I'm enjoying it, far from it actually. I can just deal with it better than has been in the past year. Still miss my Thom so much, so much that it physically hurts at times. Life goes on though, and so must I like it or not.

Raining but nice

Well, here it is Saturday the 19th, and the beginnings of the weekend of rain has moved in to Tallahassee. Have a good surprise this morning, when a friend of mine called and said she was in town. Only briefly, but me that a chance to see each other before she and her riding partner took off on their motorcycles for Jacksonville. She even lets me summer for dominos pizza before she left. Looks like it might be a quiet morning and a, not to mention rainy. That's all good because I can do a lot of things around the house today as well as clean the truck in the carport. Soon, I will be headed up north to Boston, and be able to spend time with family. It has been 7 months since I have been north. As I get older, along with everybody else, I feel it important that we stay closer in touch face to face than just by phone email and Skype. So I wanted to make sure this got posted and try to do a better job keeping the blog going. With the cancer is now well on its way to relation, and the HIV under control, I think it is better for me to post day today as much as possible, to keep track of my feelings and emotions, as well as being able to do a travel, food blog that I can post on a regular basis to be included with my travels. I wish all of you a great weekend, and remember that tomorrow the 20th of July, will mark the 45th anniversary of the moon landing. I still remember vividly, sitting in front of an old Magnavox quadraphonic TV / radio / record player glued to the TV waiting for them to land. When will we ever go back and go beyond.

A new begining

Well I think it is about time to get busy and start using this blog for something other than a place on my hard drive.
  A recap is on order to Start.
I am a now 48 year old profesional driver. Currenty in the fight against Stage III cancer, and a 20+ year survivor of HIV.
Today is July18th 2014 of course, and This day seems like a good one to re-start the Blog. 45 Years ago today, glued to a Magnavox quadriphonic sound TV watchig the progress of Apollo 11. On the 20th I watched the landing on the Moon live. WOW what a day. It led to my life long obsession with Science and Space. Today I reflect on how much forsight JFK had by challenging the Nation to get to the Moon. So different from the President of today. A feckless wonder. Currently in Semi-retirement from the road. Had to with the health issues I was having. Cancer out of control, HIV meds failure, severe weight loss and all that goes with it. Today finds things dramaticly different. Weight is up 20 punds in 6 weeks, Cancer is all but in remission, and HIV back under control. These days loosing count of what number life this is.
  Tallahassee Florida, has been home now for 24 years. Longer than I lived in Boston. Thomas was from the area here ( my mate), He died in our home as he wanted on June 23rd 2010. He passed as he lived on his own terms, and gave me the best 12 years of my life. There will be ore on Thom later. This is just a brief overview today, nothing more.
  This will become more or less a Travel, FOOD, and yes sometime political posting of an old Wolf. Fourty-eight is not old to some, however, when you lead the life I have, 48 seems like 248 on certian days. So that is all for now with more to come. I can be found on TWITTER, and Facebook as well. Those are usually just quick notes and such. Thoughful and or travel, political, and food rants will be here.

The Wolf of North Florida