The End

The Last Call:
"It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place except you and me
So set em up Joe, I got a little story I think you should know"

Song by Sinatra: One for the Road

The Most Important Shout Out!

This is for "The Daughters", Sarah, Bronwyn, Martha whose love, support and appreciation has kept us traveling together. In spite of all the jokes, digs, I respect and honor all YOU do!

Bill's Unfinished Stones Project

Dot took me on a stroll in the community and showed me Bill's unfinished Stones Project. Walking through a wooded area above a creek gave me further appreciation of the community Bill designed. After following a short path, we came into a clearing where an unfinished stone grouping gathered in a semicircle. They stood like soldiers at attention awaiting further instructions. A blue tarp covered the ground so the field would not get too muddy. Dot and I stopped awhile, chatted a bit and took some photos.

Shout out

Those people who may never read this but I wanted a record to show somewhere that you are appreciated.

Jotty
Ashley
Josephine who did our laundry at Arch Cape
Lady who did laundry at Shelter Cove
women artist in Shelter Cove so said I stepped out of Godfather 2
Dudley and Phyllis

James and Sarah

The greatest shout out of all to Dot Dixon!!

Act of Kindness NYC KEYCHAIN AWARDS:

The award goes to the following people. It is you who in preforming some small act of kindness made our travels wonderful, memorable experiences.  The world is filled with many good people.


Jotty: the wonderful owner of Jot's resort on Gold Beach
Ashley: the front desk woman to handle our Astoria reservation, took care of our laundry and mailed Bill watch back

Dudley: Bill's brother, husband of Phyllis a well read, traveled man who shared many wonderful memories with us over dinner
Phyllis: Dudley's better half, an intelligent, kind warm woman of great courage who listened and shared tales of their times living in the log home they built.
They welcomed us graciously into their home.

A Day of Reflection and Sadness

We went down the corner for some breakfast. We said our goodbyes to Dot. Bill letting her know he did not know when he would be back. A sad day. I find myself sadden in breaking up this trip more so than in any other of my trips. Maybe, it is because most trips end at my house so the surrounding familiarity breeds comfort. Or it could be that trip by trip I see a different, lesser Bill. Perhaps I see in Bill 's eyes, a reflection of my own mortality, future and wonder who will be my Handleizer. I love what we do and share together. He is an irreplaceable travel companion. The two of us got to experience our life long dream trips together, Bill to his stones and me driving through that redwood and going up the coast. I could think of no better travel partner to be with on my dream trip. I shall greatly miss him when he is off to Canada.

In the followings days, I will take some time alone in order to process these feelings. Well, time to get out and do as Kipling said " fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds run"

The last mile...

I took Bill to the airport waited with him as his plane boarded. He is going back into the Matrix known as the "The Rotation".

No longer will he be roaming wild and free living the Ring-a-Ding lifestyle of Malbec days and Lagavulin nights and Hanging with the Handleizer one of the great experiences in any century,

As I watch him preparing to board the plane, gone was the cocky, I'll have another, Lagavulin kid instead shoulders hunched, carrying a broken briefcase with a confused resignation on his face. I caught my last glimpse of Bill walking the last mile down the corridor that leads to the plane. I could look no more so I walked away. As i walked, I heard the voices of the airline personnel following Bill yelling: Dead Man Walking! as Bill disappeared into bowels of the plane.