Sometimes things happen that let you know that you are not the one in control, and that, in and of itself, is okay. So it is with our planned trip to Karelia this summer. Let me explain...
Our federal system of government is a marvelous creation. It is a unique form of rule and law that was largely designed by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. (Yes, the same Thomas Jefferson who sent our friends Lewis and Clark on their Journey of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean. More on them later.) It has a system of checks and balances that are supposed to assure the well-being of all the people of this great country, and most of the time it works pretty well. Like everything else in life and history, sometimes it needs some "fine tuning." A lot of that tuning-up has had to take place since our nation was "sucker-punched" on September 11th, 2001, by a group of people who hate everything our country stands for, particularly our freedoms.
One of the consequences of that attack has been the implementation of new rules regarding travel, particularly to nations, such as Canada and Mexico, where U.S. citizens did not previously need a passport. Now they do. This was not a surprise move, nor was it unexpected nor unreasonable. The government has been telling us we would now need passports to go to Toronto, Nassau and Cancun for about a year, but all of a sudden, nobody seemed to remember about it, and everyone wants one in time for their spring break. The Passport agency is, of course, swamped. Four months behind in some cases. Of course, my old passport happened to expire right in the middle of all this hubbub. Add to
that the amount of time it would take to get an invitation letter and entry visa to Russia and there is simply no way we would be in Petrozavodsk for White Nights. Well, maybe it will happen next year, or maybe not. Right now it doesn't seem as important as it used to.
Actually, I guess this realization does not distress me as much as it could. I feel it is maybe a door closing right now, so another one can open. I plan on doing a number of short trips on my (almost) new Volpe this year, and each pedal stroke will still take me closer to the goal of going back to Karelia, if that is where I am suposed to be. But this year, loaded with tack and tallow, I'm going to set out on an adventure. I'm going to find the footsteps of William Clark and, hopefully, someday, be able to say for myself, "Ocean in view, Oh the joy!". It won't happen in one trip. In fact, I am sure it will take more than one summer, but the trail beckons. There are people to meet, stories to hear and another, greatest story that has to be told. When it happens, you'll read about it here.
I am, indeed, proceeding on...
Trailpatrol
Our federal system of government is a marvelous creation. It is a unique form of rule and law that was largely designed by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. (Yes, the same Thomas Jefferson who sent our friends Lewis and Clark on their Journey of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean. More on them later.) It has a system of checks and balances that are supposed to assure the well-being of all the people of this great country, and most of the time it works pretty well. Like everything else in life and history, sometimes it needs some "fine tuning." A lot of that tuning-up has had to take place since our nation was "sucker-punched" on September 11th, 2001, by a group of people who hate everything our country stands for, particularly our freedoms.
One of the consequences of that attack has been the implementation of new rules regarding travel, particularly to nations, such as Canada and Mexico, where U.S. citizens did not previously need a passport. Now they do. This was not a surprise move, nor was it unexpected nor unreasonable. The government has been telling us we would now need passports to go to Toronto, Nassau and Cancun for about a year, but all of a sudden, nobody seemed to remember about it, and everyone wants one in time for their spring break. The Passport agency is, of course, swamped. Four months behind in some cases. Of course, my old passport happened to expire right in the middle of all this hubbub. Add to
that the amount of time it would take to get an invitation letter and entry visa to Russia and there is simply no way we would be in Petrozavodsk for White Nights. Well, maybe it will happen next year, or maybe not. Right now it doesn't seem as important as it used to.Actually, I guess this realization does not distress me as much as it could. I feel it is maybe a door closing right now, so another one can open. I plan on doing a number of short trips on my (almost) new Volpe this year, and each pedal stroke will still take me closer to the goal of going back to Karelia, if that is where I am suposed to be. But this year, loaded with tack and tallow, I'm going to set out on an adventure. I'm going to find the footsteps of William Clark and, hopefully, someday, be able to say for myself, "Ocean in view, Oh the joy!". It won't happen in one trip. In fact, I am sure it will take more than one summer, but the trail beckons. There are people to meet, stories to hear and another, greatest story that has to be told. When it happens, you'll read about it here.
I am, indeed, proceeding on...
Trailpatrol
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