the far side of the world…

Tag: travel

  • The Tour de France 2025

    For the past decade and more, the highlight of my summer has always been watching the daily struggle of 170+ cyclists in the most-watched bicycling race in the world, the Tour de France. July is completely calendared around it! If you have never watched this prodigious display of athleticism, it is hard to describe just how arduous the event is. 21 different days – stages – with two “off” days to recuperate. Time trials, sprint stages, the Pyrenees Mountains, the Alps, and finally ending up in Paris on the cobblestones. As exciting as the race is, the panoramic shots of the French (and other countries when it takes that route) countryside, the castles, ruins, cathedrals, and rustic villages is breathtaking. And it has a following of fans that can only be described as “unique.” From city streets to bare mountain tops, folks are there, enthusiastically cheering on the riders. To see a troupe of vikings racing along with the riders up a mountainside road, or the inflatable chickens that some wore around their waists, faux nuns, devils, water bottles, and this year, a hamburger, add an almost carnival-like atmosphere to this race.

    Years ago, my oldest son was involved in this sport and it was while he was staying with me in Tampa, finishing up his PhD, that I got hooked! You could never get me on one of those tiny seats, but my mind allows me to travel the tour with them! Each year, my sons and I plan a Euro trip to witness a stage or two…but each year, household budgets and responsibilities always seem to get in the way of executing on our desire! But someday…

    If you missed it, you have a chance to see one of the other great races – the final for the year, I believe – the Vuelta Espana 2025 that begins at the end of August.

  • Summer Travel

    Everyone needs to travel around a bit, so why not make it a journey?  

    Just spent 10 days doing a curve through the south and east coast.  Headed to Mississippi to visit my oldest boy and his family, then off to Mayberry, USA – Mt. Airy – home of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for his long-running show, to see an old running mate from my submarine days.  We go back to January, 1990 when I showed up at Commander, Submarine Forces Atlantic, in Norfolk, Virginia. And we have been brothers ever since. Honestly – bubbleheads get older, I don’t think we mature much…neither wife could really appreciate our stories and our jokes. Their loss!

    Then, a dash up to West Virginia to spend Father’s Day with my youngest daughter and her family, before we headed to an AirBnB in Jersey City to watch Borussia Dortmund play in the FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium with said daughter and her youngest.  The team played O.K. but not great – a 0-0 game.  The plus side to this leg of the trip – my youngest son came over from Brooklyn to watch the game and spend time.  75% of the kids seen!  After this, we continued north to Kingston, NY to enjoy a Dallas Hot Weiner and some soft serve.  And visit the childhood haunts of my wife.  Visited with some of her family, toured Catskill, to see where she spent summers, and then up to Syracuse for 3 more days of visiting before we flew back.  Every day was fun – and that’s what travel should be.  

    And then back to the ETX.  Where, the grass was tall enough to bale for hay…two days on the tractor and the mower and we’re almost where we need to be!

    Two years ago, I had plans to head to a little coastal town in South Carolina to visit my dearest – and practically only, after 40 years – college friend. Anne was a hoot, and her then husband and my college sweetheart made up a fun foursome that centered around simple times, her two young children, and any adventure Northern California had to offer. We stayed in touch – even if it meant 3 or 5 years of getting lost in all our moves – somehow. She had an infectious laugh, a beautiful smile, and a no-nonsense way of looking at things. She and her husband showed up here about 4 or 5 years ago. Hot as hell. I am dirty, sweaty, and feeding the chickens when some redhead starts shouting “Hey!” at me over the fence. I squinted – and probably had a “Who the F— is that?” look on my face when she said “David Meyers!!” Not a question – a simple fact. She had not seen me in probably 20 years, I am retired – bearded – and not looking like much…but she knew who she was addressing! And I remember the whole change in my attitude! “ANNE!!!” and I actually ran – picture a mastodon pounding the tundra – and we had a great visit. Her and her husband, Charlie, were in Texas visiting his sister and she said “He live’s in this area, somewhere…” and found me. My trip to South Carolina was to return the favor, but it never happened. Anne unexpectedly died. My longest friendship ended, and my grief continues.

    So – don’t ever plan to visit old friends next year or the year after. Go visit NOW. You don’t know if a parent, an uncle, a friend, will be around when you finally decide to interrupt your life. This trip, was to make sure I put ‘eyes on target’ for a few folks that I love and respect. And to tell them that, face to face.