Scuttle Buttin Blues

Standing next to Freedom Rock

October 17th, 2010

Often times we all get the blues.  Sometimes its the stirring of an old memory, a song perhaps, the smell of a familiar food.  Our senses strain to absorb all those tangible and even intangible processes. Fall colors stir my senses, help me feel alive, happy, free.  Even the smell of burning leaves or the "spice" of the outdoors wafting across the wooded landscapes penetrating my nostrils with an invigorating aroma gives me some sense of gratitude and adventure.  I am alive, riding my Harley with almost sensory abandon, scouring the countryside for those scenic travels awash in fall slendor on an almost daily pursuit now.  Colors are presently near peak in Iowa, but the telling of the tale says soon it will be time to park for another season.  My soul is starting to feel the blues of the season as it succumbs to the snowy trails of winter.



The inscription on top is a prayer recited
from Eleanor Roosevelt.



Last year I rode over to the Freedom Rock, and this year I decided to make a return trip.  Freedom Rock is just that.  A rock!  There is located west of Des Moines a rather large rock that a local artisan paints in a veterans motif, paying tribute to all veterans for their service and sacrifice.  I try to visit it every year as the mural is changed during the Memorial Day weekend every year, so it is a neat little trip to make on the Harley just to see how the mural changes.  The artist also has used the ashes from fallen Vietnam veterans in the paint as an additional honor to those fallen.  To date the remains of 16 veterans resides in the paint on that rock.

My return trip this year was held up for a few days by a flu bug which kept me home trying to recover. It's a nasty bug, but October 17th I felt well enough to suit up and mount up for a days ride there and back.  Probably not the best decision to ride since I still felt a bit weak from the bug I have been fending off, but I also knew the weather was spot on perfect, and I needed some wind in my hair.  The trip really is not all that scenic in itself, although there were spots of colored foilage dotting my route.  Stopping briefly just west of Ames for gas, I noted other groups of Harleys heading out as well, so I knew I probably would not be alone.  The trip there is a bit over 180 miles one way, and a perfect day for getting outside and enjoying the sunshine.



The east side of Freedom Rock 2010.  The image of
the helicopter contains the remains of 16 veterans.



As I pulled up, I noticed several cars parked in the rock area and even a few Harleys as well.  Looked like I wasn't the only one with the same bright idea.  The rock was beautifully colored, including a prayer recited from Eleanor Roosevelt that is just about the best way to describe how I feel about veterans.  As the "crowd" mingled, one couple and I struck up a conversation about the rock, and as it turns out, the gentleman I was speaking with was an old World War II veteran of the navy.  We hit it off, talking about our naval experiences and sharing our thoughts on the rock and of being a veteran.  I hope that I see this man again, as he was a delightful reminder of his service to our country!  He plans to attend the Honor Flight to Washington DC next April in Cedar Rapids, so I hope to see him there.  He served on LSM 275, a landing ship platform designed to land supplies and equipment onto beachheads.  Coincidentally they have posted a web site, so anyone who has a chance go to lsm275.com for a look see. 



This is a testament to the recent
National Guard deployments from
Iowa this past summer.



After spending about an hour at the rock, talking with various visitors and just enjoying the beautiful day, I decided it was time to start heading back.  The ride back would take almost 3 hours, and I would be getting back home after sunset.  One of the most dangerous times on any motorcycle is at night.  The visibility of a motorcycles is reduced, the profile is not recognizable, and the deer love to roam the roads at night.  Its bad enough to hit a deer in a car, but on a motorcycle the chances of surviving an impact with a large animal such as a deer are pretty low.  Riding in town at night can be ok in well lit areas, but in the rural areas it is a dangerous trip even for the best motorcyclists. While I have ridden at night in the outlying areas, I simply prefer to not push my luck any. 

As I pulled into the driveway, I made my prayers known.  On every trip on my Harley, before I leave the garage I always thank God I am alive, and so it goes when I get home.  Riding any motorcycle is inherently dangerous, and I take my riding very seriously.  I dont like taking chances on the bike, and I always consider not only my safety but the safety of those around me.  To that end, as I pulled into the garage, I thanked God I was alive, and thanks Him for my trip.  That I live in a country where I am free to ride as I like, where I like, and do what I choose to do.  I am most thankful that I have the support of my family as well, for they relish in my riding as much as I enjoy riding.

Hi Mom - Get Healed Up.  Peace and Love everybody!