My husband Bill has always been brave, much braver than I. So when I asked him what might still be on his bucket list, as I did a year ago, I should have known to be ready for anything.
The discussion began something like, "So Bill, I've been traveling so much the last four years, I was just wondering, if you could do anything, anything in the world, what would it be?"
To which he responded, "Well, I'm turning 80 in a couple of years, I think I'd like to take that new Rails-to-Trails path and bike across the country... when I'm 80." I'd be lying if I said my eyebrows didn't rise a little, but only briefly. The conversation that followed was the seeds of this journey. We would save up what we could so there was a small purse of gold. As CFO, that part was my job. An arbitrary amount of $8000 was thrown out there. CFO goal, check.
[For any additional funds we can muster through sponsorship or if you'd like to help, we're creating a GoFundMe page. I'll link to it when it's up. Thank you already, friends from the gym!]
So earlier this winter, while considering our financial picture and Bill's astrological outlook for 2021 (which by the way, looked pretty good considering the insane world stage), I was happy to report that if he would prefer, we could move ahead with plans a year early. As you can imagine, the prospect was well received.
As of today, Bill's 79th birthday, he has written this post on Facebook:
"Being 79 years today; having 39 years sobriety - serenity this year allows me to reach into my bucket list defining my goals for this year 2021. April 4, 2021 I will take a train to Washington state to start my journey on my bicycle and head east to Washington DC - a trek of 4200 miles. This venture is opened ended for me as it will be a "calling" for my spiritual/metaphysical development. I will encounter experiences & people & events that will define my remaining years on GAIA. Attaining higher consciousness at a level that my spirit/soul attributes to me for this lifetime. Kimberly is establishing a blog & a go-fund-me page later. Your light & light extended out for me over the months is deeply appreciated. Namaste...Bill"
These, our dear friends and family, are the parameters:
1. Train for Seattle, Washington leaves Albuquerque April 4th, 2021
2. Rails-to-Trails path is from Le Push, Washington to Washington, DC. Though the trail is not fully completed, it will be easy enough for him to find the next length without too much trouble. He has the phone number for the Rails to Trails map guy. The map is here
3. It takes as long as it takes. The journey is the focus. No time constraints or have-to-be-here-by-a-certain-time issues. I'm the planner in the family and in order to have true spontaneity, he is leaving me home. Thank God. This leads to the next parameter...
4. Not having to answer to anyone. How often in our lives do we get to travel without having to plan with others? I only get called in as back up. Fine with me, as I will have similar freedom at home.
5. Lodging - Not being a camper makes for an interesting challenge on a trip this long. Accessing cheap youth-filled hostels, asking if anyone might have a room in town, pulling into ancient and questionably sanitary motel/hotels, or even sleeping with hobos next to old train tracks is not only allowed but (oddly) looked forward to. So there's that. His delight of sharing this left me a bit pale, more precisely ashen with horror, until I remembered I wouldn't be there, at which point I cheered up. Bill loves to talk to complete strangers and wheel and deal. He'll be fine.
6. "Kimberly," he says," this could take 6 months, maybe a year." To which I said that the money would run out at some point and was he willing to come home then? he seemed fine with that. After running around some calculations, we think it'll probably be more like 3-6 months, but who knows? He promises to be gentle with himself, taking time off the trail as needed. We're pretty laid back on the end game approach to this, so it's open-ended. I know he hates the snow so I don't really worry about no end in sight. Snow will fall eventually.
7. We are simultaneously starting a Gofundme page I will link here, as sleeping with hobos may lose some of its appeal upon the actual first blush. Knowing Bill, a warm bed and a hot meal is preferred.
8. Ultimately, Bill feels like he's being called to this experience. Outside of his post this morning, perhaps his good friend, David Webster said it best, "An example to us all. Makes Turtleback look like a walk in the park. You will meet amazing people, see amazing sights, and find out more about yourself than in your previous 79 years. What an adventure."
So there it is... You're left with my quirky writing and little else. Don't expect much from Bill, who is making no commitments to anyone but is trusting me to not let you down.
I will keep you all posted on his progress here, on this blog, where I will piece together his story from the bits and pieces he sends me along the way. Since he won't be leaving for a few months, this is just his letting everyone know birthday announcement.
He has felt so much love and support today from so many people, he said he was verklempt. I think that's a fitting place to end for now. Thanks for being such great friends.
