Ramblin' On...

2026 so far...

Some great outings both Down East as well as in the Glen Alpine area:

1/3/26 Upper Creek Falls Loop: 1.89 miles.

1/4/26 Rose Creek dirt road bike ride: 17.65 miles & 2,095' elevation gain.

1/7/26 Big dirt road bike ride. Rose Creek/Steels Creek/Little Fork/Upper Creek/Timbered Branch/Craig Creek/Wilson Creek/John's River/White Mill Creek were all crossed or passed. 37 miles & 3,778' elevation gain.

1/9/26 Jonas Ridge hike: 11 mile & 3,572' elevation gain.

1/10/26 Crowders Mountain State Park hike. Boulders Access: 9 miles & 1,483' elevation gain.

1/12/26 Fonta Flora short bike ride. 4 miles

1/13/26 Kayak Nolichuky River with John E. Calhoun. 9.5 miles.

1/14/26 Shortoff approach hike: 10 miles& 2,328' elevation gain

1/17/26 Devil's Cliff and Gingercake hike with Noel. 4.4 miles & 1,555' elevation gain.

1/23/26 Flanner's Beach fast track: 8 miles

1/29/26 Fort Macon trail jog and beach walk: 8.3 miles

2/2/26: Shoveling now for 5 hours and 23 minutes. 16.5" of snow!

2/3/26 More shoveling for 52 minutes.

2/7/26 Saluda River Walk: 3.8 miles.

2/8/26 Lake Murry, Lakemont Drive walk: 3.1 miles.

2/9/26 Dreher Island walk at Lake Murry: 3 miles.

2/10/26 (2) Congaree National Park hikes and North Fork of Edisto River walk in Orangeburg.

2/12/26 Fort Macon fast track: 5.5 miles.

2/14/26 Flanner's Beach trail run & beach walk: 7.75 miles.

2/16/26 New Bern waterfront walk: 6.4 miles.

2/17/26 Skateboard Ketner Heights: 8 miles.

2/24/26 Catawba Falls walk with John E. Calhoun: 4.5 miles.

2/25/26 Rose Creek dirt road ride: 25.75 miles & 3,032' elevation gain.

2/26, 2/27, 2/28 Food running at Treat.

3/4/26 Table Rock Gap, Chimneys and Little Table Rock: 9 miles.

3/5/26 Rose Creek to Table Rock Gap bike ride: 26 miles & 2,938' elevation gain.

3/6/26 Table Rock Gap, Chimneys and Little TR backtrack. 9 miles

3/12/26 Morganton walk with Di: 4 miles

3/13/26 Upper Creek Falls Loop with Di: 2 miles

3/14/26 Fish Hatchery walk and Downtown Morganton with Di.

3/15/26 Oak Hill Park walk with Di: 4.1 miles.

3/20/26 Kayaking Hancock Creek to Neuse river: 10.1 miles

3/24/26 Dirt road ride: 30.78 miles.

3/26/26 Kayaking North River: 8.3 miles.

4/3/26 New Bern walk: 5.1 miles.

4/7/26 Skateboard Ketner Heights: 10.5 miles.

4/8/26 Flanner's Beach walk: 6.4 miles.

4/15/26 Bike Ride from Wilson Creek Gage up Adako Rd>Murphy Place>Maple Sally Rd>Maple Grove Church Rd>90 to Mortimer>Brown Mountain Beach Rd>Wilson Creek. 34 miles & 3,562' elevation gain.

4/20/26 Jonas Ridge Hike: 10 miles & 2,619' elevation gain. New trail.

4/22/26 Fonta Flora walk from Harris Whisnant trailhead: 6.24 miles.

4/23/26 Bike ride from home to Fonta Flora at Harris Whisnant trailhead: 31miles & 2,506' elevation gain.

4/24/26 Disc Golf at Catawba Meadows then lunch at Treat with Hans. 2.4 miles.

Life Rolls Onward

3/3/2026

The Things I Want to Give You

I want to give you what no one else can give you.

What I want to give you can't be bought, sold or traded. Only lived and gifted.

What I want to give you is a glimpse into my memories, my feelings, and my heart.

Not the dark memories, we all have our own that we struggle with on our own. Just the beautiful ones.

Views of Oceans, Seas, Mountain Ranges, Deserts, land that goes on forever, Meteor Showers, and Stars.

Feelings of rainfall pelting your skin and snow melting on your face.

Joy of skipping school and going swimming in a pond the color green from minerals.

Rush of standing next to a cliff with wind gusts so strong that you need to lean away from the edge.

The rejuvenation your body gets when jumping into a cold mountain creek when exhausted after a hot day of play.

Wind so strong on your face that you instinctively squint your eyes to keep debris from hitting them.

Joy of being able to walk, jog, or run because you know it is a gift that can be taken away in a heartbeat.

Love of seeing your child take her first steps and to hear her voice talking to you in complete sentences.

Pride you get when your children find their way in life and acknowledge your guidance.

Satisfaction of living our lives on our own terms and realization that we don't always get it right every time but we can have a "do-over" most of the time.

Springtime, 2025.

As planned, I left my Continental Career with an early exit opportunity. My first month was spent in Florida. The months since then has been spent between Havelock and Glen Alpine. It's not been as I planned and envisioned, but it has been productive.

Helene devastated and changed more of the trails and creeks than I had anticipated before I was able to get out amongst it. I've still only scratched the surface so far but I'm hoping to get into a lot more in the near future.

I've done some good hikes, logged some road and mountain bike miles, done some great coastal and lake paddling but only whitewater kayaked once, and it was on Wilson Creek.

I want to put into words the feelings / emotions the streambed changes elicited in me.

I might do that at a later time, still trying to wrap my head around it...

Some pics from my paddling outings:

Late Spring 2024 in Florida. Thanks Diane

This was another great visit with Diane. I never thought I would love Florida so much but Diane has introduced me to so many great places and has been the best hostess.

I had never had any interest in Florida before I met Diane. Over the years I had been twice but was not impressed. Diane really opened my eyes to the possibilities. The paddling potential alone is so diverse from salt water with an incredible amount of wildlife to crystal clear freshwater springs, also teeming with wildlife. The water quality of the ocean is also impressive compared to what I had seen in the past. Especially in Key West but the water from Indialantic and Sebastian Inlet areas are shades of blue that I did not know existed.

I'll be going back in October 2024 and plan to stay for a month. Some of my favorite places over the last years with Di have been the Keys, Sabastian Inlet, Crystal River, Hermosassa River and springs area. Of course the entire Brevard County area: Indialantic, Cape Canaveral, and Cocoa Beach.

My next trip I will do more touring kayaking in Sebastian as well as some paddling/exploring south of there from the Round Island Beach Park, close to Ft. Pierce. I also hope to do some fishing if time allows. I'm excited to spend more time on the water and explore some new places.

Update 4/16/25:

I did go back down to Indialantic FL for a month late October and into November. I did a lot of kayaking, reading, drinking coffee, some skateboarding around Indialantic, saw several launches, watches the dolphins play, got up close and personal to some manatees and generally just enjoyed the weather and the salt air.

By the beginning of January I was single again. It was mutual and I'm glad we could end on good terms.

Life goes on...

ODAAT

One Day At A Time

Things have been rough lately but as stated in the title: one day at a time.

I know that losses and gains are realities for everyone - it's the definition of the human condition, it's how we handle them that define us. It would be easy to be bitter or sulk over our losses. I don't think anyone should live like that - it's not healthy.

My recent losses: my oldest sister Susy, my dog Felix, a friend I have had since 15, a kayaking friend, relationships, etc. We all have them, and we should all be aware that we will deal with more and more as we age but of course, knowing this doesn't make it any easier...

The way I plan to move forward is by making the most out of each day, treating people with due respect and working on myself.

I still have a full-time job until October 15, 2024. I feel fortunate to continue to have that paycheck coming in until then and that I have had gainful employment for all these years - both with the current company and the one I left over 25 years ago. Since 1986 I have had gainful employment with only a few weeks of vacation every year. That is about to change. This doesn't mean that I will never have another full-time job or that I know what to expect, that's part of the allure.

Honestly, I don't know if I will ever have a full-time job again and if I do what it will be, only time will tell. I do know I am going to focus on some things that I think will be harder to do the older I get. I'm currently 59 and like everyone else, not getting any younger. My goal is to become the person I want to be and my road to get there is not an easy one, but I think the pay-off could be immense. In my case both mentally and physically.

On July 3, 2022, I had my last alcoholic beverage. Coming up on my 2-year alcohol free anniversary in a few weeks, I think it was probably one of the best decisions of my life. I had stopped drinking at 40 and then started up again at 45. I could say that I wish that I had not started drinking again but that is the past and I have tried to learn from my mistakes. It was definitely not an easy habit to break. I tried a few times before it took hold.

I really enjoyed the brewery lifestyle. I compared going to breweries to adult theme parks and I still have a lot of the brewery swag - fun times. I'll always have memories of the good times - ups as well as a few memories of the downs (hangovers and drunkenness) during those 12 years. Along the way there were valuable learning experiences - "that's life". One more way that I will continue to "Ramblin' On" - but with some purpose...

After 10/15/24, my last day of employment, I will be changing my lifestyle. With minimal income I will attempt to make the most of what I have, and I feel I do have a lot (I don't mean monetary or physical belongings, more along the lines of Peace, Love and Happiness (thanks to G. Love & Special Sauce for the definition)).

10/15: the date when I will have a lot more time on my hands - Goodbye 6 to 4. The date I will also have a huge shift of priorities.

My ongoing to-do and "Focus On" List:

Cut extra expenses i.e. streaming services.

More exercise.

Meditation.

Lower Heartbreak Ridge - A Great New Trail

This pic is from Heartbreak proper.

So many great views on Lower Heartbreak. They did a great job and I loved the

Chapter 2 Formally Starts October 15, 2024

After 25 years of employment with my current company, I've accepted the early retirement option. I'm excited to start a new chapter and a little scared. I've never been unemployed and the thought of no paycheck coming in is intimating.

Signing the intent to accept early retirement on April 2, my 59th birthday

I've been anticipating something like this for a long time. I'm glad it is my choice and not a layoff.

My plans: Kayak, Bike, Hike, Fish, visit my parents more to help them out, visit Diane in Florida and hopefully do some big month long (or longer) road trips...

Deep dive into meditation, physical fitness, mindfulness and casual guitar playing. As always, spend as much time with Starla and Noel as they have available. The option of getting another job will always be there but I am not going to actively search for one until I have to or an opportunity presents itself.

July 3, 2024 will be my 2 year alcohol free anniversary. I don't see myself drinking again and want to focus on my health

New Years Day 2024: Pinnacle Hike with Diane

Chapter One of the Rest of My Life

12/23/2023

Earlier this month I had a 25 year milestone at work. I started working there on December 7, 1998. In those 25 years I've worked with many people and in three different capacities. I've made multiple trips to different areas of Europe as well as to Japan once. I've visited many different cities in several different countries. In 2004, I made a few different trips and was in Europe for a total of 18.5 weeks and for the last stretch a total of 9 weeks, returning on December 15. In the three different jobs, I've supervised many people and interfaced with so many more people during these 25 years... I feel fortunate to have been employed with one company this long and afforded so many varied opportunities. That said:

Of all the people I have worked with over the years, only two people and the HR Manager acknowledged my work anniversary on the web site the company uses to celebrate work anniversaries. I'm positive that the HR Manager acknowledges everyone's anniversary. I was a little disappointed at the minimal acknowledgements but honestly, I'm not surprised. The last few years I have felt invisible. The department in which I am Supervisor and QA lead in is key to future business and to after-market product but not in the limelight. All emphasis in our factory is put on the production output. That's where the $$ is made and where the spotlight shines the brightest.

Times have been very strange since the pandemic and industries have been turned upside down, sideways, shaken vigorously and turned over a few times. There are still a lot of people, who had "in-plant" office jobs before the "Covid Days" but who now rarely physically come into the plant to work. My department has had little to no downtime and all of our work is on-site. For the most part, I feel that I have a great group of employees. I feel fortunate to be in a position to have worked with and helped build the team by hiring more than half of them over the last 12 years. The first half of my time with the company was spent in the production Quality Assurance Management. There was a lot more turnover, and we were hit with layoffs a few different times. Stress was never low in the production quality area. I have been gone from that environment since 2010 and there is not a single person left in the group that was there when I was part of it...

I'm not complaining because I have continued to receive a monthly paycheck as well as some very nice bonus checks over the years. My salary has more than doubled over those 25 years and they have never missed paying me... It's been a very good run and I feel fortunate to have made it to 25 years. I've seen several people leave of their own accord, even more get laid off, and more than a few retire. It's a dynamic place to work and a fast-paced environment.

I was 33 years old when I started there and 58 now. I had two young daughters (1 year old and 4 year old) and a wife. My daughters are now 26 and 29 years old and I no longer have a wife, now she is some other guy's wife ;<)) I've sold 2 houses and bought 2 houses since I have been employed there. I've bought 5 different automobiles for my family and countless kayaks and bicycles for the family. There have been 3 different dogs that have been part of the family and now there is only 15-year-old Felix...

On an even more personal note, I have had to grapple with family issues like my father's fight to recover from double pneumonia and a collapsed lung. He was in the hospital for over a month and intubated for about a week. He has fought back and is getting stronger all the time. He had a set back with RPV last week but is doing his best to beat that as well. He is a fighter and never ceases to amaze me. My mother is a rock and continues to keep it all together. I visited last week and tried to help out as best I could. I drove down on my first Holiday, December 22, took them to the emergency room in New Bern where they diagnosed his RPV. Got them back home late that evening and got up the next morning to grocery shop, wash cars, and mulch the leaves in the yard as well as fill up the back of his truck with deadfall. On Christmas Eve I got up and took my mom to the Urgent Care for an unexpected medical issue that she needed addressed. After I got her back home satisfied that she had correctly self-diagnosed, I picked up her prescription and then hit the road going West around lunchtime to get back to Glen Alpine and work on housework to start celebrating Christmas with Starla and get the house ready for Diane's visit.

To comment some on my "active hobbies", aka, reasons to keep moving: I've kayaked, mountain biked and hiked more miles than I could ever calculate or even estimate. I've met and known countless people that I have shared these sports with that have moved on putting their chosen outdoor sport behind them, a few that have passed away and maybe a dozen that have kept on keeping on. It's not a surprise that people change priorities and put things on hold with the intent of getting back into their chosen sports - some actually do make it back. It's always funny to see people pick up a sport and think they are an expert after a couple of years. I feel like there is always something more to learn and new plateaus to reach. The plateaus get harder for me to attain every year, mostly due to priorities. I see a few people who I can say put me to shame in this aspect by pushing their own limits, over and over. Dan Richardson comes to mind with his long MTB rides and ORAM finishes every year. He inspires me to push myself and to try harder, thanks Dan! Keep on turning those cranks...

In 2024, I plan to "step it up" in terms of my physical activity and goal setting and meeting said goals. I will envision as well as meet some of my own personal plateaus and open a new door on the rest of my life. I will start living a "cleaner" lifestyle and set a personal standard for living with an even lighter carbon footprint. I will endeavor to step away from the TV and focus on positive activities that help myself and my loved ones. I will replace the TV with reading, meditation and "getting after it". I quit drinking alcohol on July 3, 2022, and that has been a springboard for getting into better shape, mentally and physically. I had gone alcohol-free from age 40 to 45 and made my best endurance gains I could have ever hoped for. It's a long hard road but nothing comes free and we all get back what we put into it.

2024 has big changes in store for me. I'm not going to elaborate on what I speculate these changes to be right now, but I plan to elaborate with a Chapter Two in later January if not in February... Chapter Two can't be written yet because it has not been lived yet.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Peace Out,

For Now,

Amos

It's Been Too Long Since I Made a Post... Cambria California, April 2023

I will be up-loading some photos from a California trip Starla and I took in April, 2023.

We flew into Las Vegas, picked up our rental car and made a road trip across California. Our destination was a small town on the Pacific Coast Highway called Cambria. We arrived at our destination at dusk. My experiences at the Pacific Ocean have not once disappointed me in terms of beauty, power and overall variety. I've been fortunate enough to see the Pacific from the far south/west point of California at Border Field State Park, north at Cape Mendocino in Humboldt County and one of my favorites in 2017, the small beachside community of Pacifica. This trip I got to spend time in Central Western California and it is now one of my favorite places, anywhere!

In 2017 Noel and I stayed in a small motel on the ocean in Pacifica. The topography right at the ocean really impressed me and I knew I wanted to eventually get back and see the area south of Half Moon Bay where Noel and I headed East to visit my sister Donna in Mammoth on the east side of California.

2023 was the year Starla and I had the opportunity to explore an area of California that I had never seen but had visited through my imagination via incredible photos and topographical maps.

Starla researched places for us to rest in between adventures and she reserved us a hotel room in Cambria. We were on the second floor of a very laid back Hotel with a balcony where we could chillax with ocean views. We stayed in Cambria and explored the area for the first 3 days of the trip.

The last 2 nights we stayed at a golf resort in Monterey. This room had a great shower, comfortable beds and was very convenient to the Bay.