Times they are a-changin'

It's been a long time since my last post.. embarrassingly long in fact. When we last connected I was fully submerged in the blissfulness of a South Carolina summer with a part time job. My day's consisted of exploring the cobblestone of downtown Charleston followed by sunset swims in the bath-like waters of Folly Beach. Life was easy, and I'll be damned if it wasn't enjoyable as well. But like the branches of a New England Maple in late fall, change was in my future. Like the leaf peepers themselves, my car was packed and my compass pointed North... Northwest to be exact.

It was fitting that the most beautiful South Carolina sunrise I had ever seen would be visible only in my rear view mirror as I began the descent down the James Island Connector for the final time.The rippled reflections of orange and yellow off the Ashley crept lower and lower as the pavement behind me hogged the reflection and reminded me of the 600 miles more of it that lie ahead.

The end of Highway 26 marked the end of the Lowcountry I had come to know and love over the past year. Palm trees turned to pines, and the long flats gave way to windy hills that would lead me through the Palmetto State's older sister. In the distance the Blue Ridge mountain's mocked me as I drew upon the only comparison I had over the past year, the adjacent towers of the Arthur Ravenell bridge.

My ear's popped as I climbed the intricately paved path to the clouds and the morning temperature dropped from eighty-two to seventy-three in half of an hour. My visions of marshes were replaced by creeks that wound through the tangled forest which stretched over the two lane road. The billboards of Lowcountry seafood became markings for local moonshine, and as I neared the border of the Volunteer State low fuel and hunger brought me to stop at a small gas station which looked like it had been placed in the hills by God himself.

As I pulled to the pump I found the couple next to me gassing up their motorcycle which hung an Indiana Hoosiers flag from the back. Curiosity and quick conversation led me to see that I was not alone on my path, asthey had mapped out the exact path that I had... only in reverse. I couldn't help but find it ironic that retirement would bring them to Charleston and employment would bring me to Indiana.

Highway signs pointed me towards Knoxville, and as I crossed over the state line I could not help but to note the significant difference between the hills of East Tennessee and the plains of the West. As I pushed on I recalled the story of General Burnside scaling these same mountains to relieve Chattanooga and I couldn't help to feel blessed that I was pulled by the power of 290 horses and not just one.

The highway split outside Knoxville just as my first book on tape ended. I headed North towards Lexington and it was now apparent to mewhy they call UT "rocky top". Waterfalls appeared to fall from the sky as they scaled the mountainside beside me. A dense fog hung above the blacktop and made every turn an adventure. My next stop was in Kentucky where the landscape change served as an entranceway to the highway towards the Midwest.

With the mountains behind me and the straight and narrow ahead I noticed that this was a whole different kind of low country. It appeared as if it had been raining for weeks as the sprawling cornfields on both sides were flooded up to the roadway. Western Ohio was an unnoticed segway to Indiana as the farmlands appeared to be borderless. Each farmhouse seemed to serve as the postcard for my midwest stereotypes, reminiscent of "Hoosiers" and bad tornado movies.

The long lonely highway intersected with what seemed to be every other highway in the world as I reached the outskirts of Indianapolis. Twenty miles and three right turns would put me in the parking lot of my new apartment. With memories of great friends and a hell of a year in the back of my mind I had officially begun my newest adventure in Carmel, Indiana, a beautiful community twelve miles north of downtown Indianapolis. As I entered the offices and signed my lease it occurred to me that this would serve as solidifying my residency in the sixth state in as many years.

While I'm excited and thankful for my next step, I can't help but acknowledge the profound impact each of these provinces has had on who I am today. I continue to be thankful for every blessing along the way, and I look forward to sharing my next big adventure with anyone who will listen... or read.

'Til next time...