Impulsive bastards

I've been wanting to do this for a long time, but I finally took the time today to "draw" up a map with lines representing all the places Jeff and I have been together. I don't think any of our trips were planned. We just took off and ended up somewhere.


Jeff and I are both extremely impulsive and we both love to travel, so when you put the two of us together in one place, we're fucking gone in no time. Like that one time when I was 18 and Jeff was 20. It started out with me driving over to Jeff's house just to hang out or maybe go to a movie or something. Then I think it went something like this...

(Columbus, Ohio)
Jeff: You wanna go to Indianapolis or something?
Ryan: OK, why not.

(Indianapolis, Indiana)
Jeff: You wanna go to Bloomington or something?
Ryan: OK, why not.

(Bloomington, Indiana)
Jeff: You wanna like go that way (west)?
Ryan: OK, why not.

Somewhere between Bloomington and St. Louis, we knew it was on. We were past the point of no return. We ended up going to Six Flags Mid America in St. Louis and Six Flags Great America in Chicago. We didn't have any changes of clothes or anything, so I remember buying a "St. Louis" t-shirt somewhere near Six Flags.

Oh yeah, and we didn't tell anyone what we were doing or where we were. So when we returned, about five days later, I found out that I was reported missing.

When looking at the travel lines on the map, keep in mind that Jeff and I have lived thousands of miles from each other for most of the last 12 or 13 years. (When did you move to Vegas, Jeff?)

I moved to Vegas in January 1997, at which point Jeff and I were roommates for a year. It wasn't too long after that when Jeff moved to Ogden, Utah, then Yucaipa, California. Then I moved back to Ohio in November 2000. So the year and a half when we both lived in Vegas is the only time we've lived closer than a few hundred miles from each other since about 1995. (And we weren't on speaking terms for a while after our apartment lease ended.)

Ah yeah, you gotta hear the other stories.

Aimless

It's damn near time to vamoose

In my most recent post I alluded to an anonymous professional golfer who seems to be a regular reader of this blog. He e-mailed me shortly before I wrote the entry, so he's no longer anonymous to me. But because he chooses to comment anonymously, I'm not going to reveal his identity. (I will let you know it's not Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus.)

"Mr. Golfer" is not one of the guys you see on TV every week (if you watch golf). He is climbing the ladder to become one of those guys, participating mainly in US Pro Golf Tour events. To put it in his own words: "I am a professional golfer out of [Some City, Some State], trying to make it to the bigs."

Allow me to digress...

I can't remember if I have revealed any of my Aimless plans around here yet, but I've been planning to hit the road again in about mid-April. That will leave another six weeks of potentially cold or cool weather here in northern latitudes before summer temperatures kick in full-time. I won't be taking any heavy clothing (like, say, a jacket) with me, though, because it will just end up as unnecessary weight, which I'll need to carry constantly. So when I begin my next adventure, I'll be going where the sun keeps shining through the pouring rain; going where the weather suits my clothes.

So where might the weather suit my clothes in mid/late-April?

South.

South like New Orleans and Cajun Country. Yeah, remember when I was still in California and I said I hoped to spend a day in New Orleans on the way home? And do you remember seeing anything resembling New Orleans in either of the trailer videos? Well, you didn't see it because I wasn't there. And I have been dying to head that way for almost three months now.

End Digression...

While viewing Mr. Golfer's web site, I noticed he is scheduled to play in a USPGT event in Baatawn Roozhe from April 26 to April 29. For those who aren't very familiar with the layout of cities, regions, and states here in the USA, it just so happens that Baatawn Roozhe is right between New Orleans and Cajun Country. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Yeah, I've always been a big fan of the underdog and the little guy (except when they play the Buckeyes, of course), and I'd say Mr. Golfer is presently in that position (just as I am presently in that position). But Mr. Golfer might not be the underdog in five years; he might be Tiger's #1 rival by then. And wouldn't it be cool if I ended up being there to chronicle some of his ascent to the top? Cool for me and cool for him.

In fact, I think that's why Mr. Golfer "diggs" Aimless. I think he's rooting for the underdog, too. And I know I am a big-time underdog, even compared to him. I mean, at least he's making money being the underdog.

But I think Mr. Golfer may have been on the outside looking in, even recently. And just like me, he persisted. At times he probably wanted to give up, but he didn't, even though his dream sometimes seemed impossible. Not because he didn't believe in his abilities but because he hadn't met the right person (or backer). Then it happened.

I don't know. I'm just speculating. May have more to say about it later.

Mr. Golfer, I'll keep you anonymous if you want it that way, but I'd also be happy to link to your site(s).

Update: 3/10/2007: - Since "Mr. Golfer" has removed his disguise in the comment below, I guess that means he doesn't feel the need to remain anonymous. His main web site is lukeswilor.com, and he also has a blog at blog.lukeswilor.com.

Go Luke!

Aimless