From the Desk of The DBeazy One-Man-Think-Tank

Looking back to last June, I’m remembering that we had a fairly mild summer in 2019.  It is easy for me to make that statement, given the fact that it is now February 2020.  At any rate, Melissa and I were into our third straight weekend motorcycle riding on June 15, 2019.  Flora, Mississippi and the Petrified Forest emerged as our next destination after a check of the map followed by a few Google searches.

I had spent some time looking at Google Maps and using the Street View application to plan the trip.  The Street View, by-the-way, can come in very handy before driving in areas in which you are not familiar. I like to zoom in on the exits so that I know where I am going and when I come to the exit, my concentration can be on the traffic around me and not trying to find my way.

At that time, we probably had not logged much more than 750 miles riding together compared to now, when we have almost 16000 miles under our belts. Our destination for this trip required that we spend more time on the interstate as opposed to preferred secondary roads.  Riding solo on the interstate is one thing, but “two-up” on a motorcycle, going 80 miles per hour, traffic, 18-wheelers, and road construction, well, that is another.  I trust my ability, I trust my bike, but I do not trust the cell phone distracted, speeding idiots out there, especially when your spouse is straddling the seat behind you.

We started early, primarily because the weather was getting warmer during the afternoons, but also hoped that by doing so, the traffic would be lighter. The trip was a little over 100 miles from our driveway and we made good time to the interstate.  On the interstate, we encountered a good bit of road construction and lane closures which, in my opinion, is where the true idiots shine. It is here that invariably, someone will wait until the last minute, and then expect those who heeded the signs 1500 feet back to just let them in. For the motorcyclist, this is particularly dangerous.

I relaxed some when we finally found the exit and made it back on safer roads.  We arrived at our destination and I will say that at first glance, I wasn’t all that impressed. I think though, it was more that “go, go, go,” feeling rather than the place.  As I recall, the location was in a nice wooded area that resembled a state park or a campground, which is normally what I like to see. I wasn’t sure what it was.  I just remember being keyed up for some reason.

We found a place to park the bike and made our way to the entrance.  A cheerful staff greeted us, and still, my attitude was surly.  I was thinking, “Whoa there buddy, calm down, no need to get so excited about some dead trees!”  As I purchased our tickets I glanced around the building and noticed that there were some display cases with archaeological finds like fossils, casts of ancient plant materials as well as posters on the wall with drawings of prehistoric animals and such.  The building was also arranged so that visitors had to exit through the obligatory gift shop. From that point, Melissa and I were able to begin the tour of the park.  We stepped outside onto a deck. I took a deep breath reminding myself that it was time to relax.  Outside, we followed the trail, moving away from the building, into the shade and more importantly, out of the pace of busy lives. Almost immediately, we encountered a numbered sign. I looked for the corresponding number on our pamphlet and read to Melissa the description.  But I decided quickly that I was not going to go through the entire tour stopping and reading, stopping and reading, stopping and reading. We got a little deeper into the woods and I felt the tension and stress begin to dissolve.  The woods have that effect on me, always have. A certain peace washes over me in the woods, and again on this day, I began to remember that life doesn’t require a big show, with lots of lights and hoopla.

We encountered the remains of trees protruding from the ground that aren’t native to Mississippi.  Washed here from somewhere else, by a long-ago flood and buried deep in sediment, then pushed upward while at the same time the surface above is washed away by the same forces that brought them to rest there. The science of the entire process, once understood, is amazing I must admit, but quickly gives way to more of a “you’ve seen one petrified log and you’ve seen ’em all,” opinion as far as I’m concerned.  This is one of the areas where my bride is of like mind, and within an hour, we found ourselves perusing the items in the gift shop, working our way to the exit.

I fired the bike up and circled for the exit, stopping only to take the picture of the bike at the entrance, making it number three in what will hopefully be part of hundreds depicting a chronology of our trips along the “Dollar General Tour.”

We made a quick stop for fuel and grabbed a burger, then circled back to an exit that I had not noticed when originally planning the trip. Just a short distance from where we were was an entrance to the Natchez Trace Parkway which allowed us to skip most of the interstate portion on the trip home and better yet, provided scenery far better that bumpers, potholes, and road construction signs.

Reflecting on the day, I will say this.  While we live in a time when everything we can imagine is provided instantly, albeit food, shopping, entertainment, scenery, you name it and you can have it, I think it is important to slow down, way down, and experience the small, the hard to come by, and the things that are attainable only by effort, work, and dare I say it, sacrifice. The quaint little “not much to it” park in the center of Mississippi is a great example of something easily overlooked or bypassed for “Bigger and Better.”  I also learned that Google Maps, Street View, and motorcycle safety considerations are useful tools, but simply shouldn’t overshadow the value of the a walk in the woods and in the mind of DBeazy,  CANNOT take away one second from the freedom, relaxation, and stimulation which is the reason I purchased the bike in the first place.

So I close with this.  Visit the parks, the lakes, the rivers, the Mississippi Petrified Forests or similar attractions in the state, country, or galaxy from which you are from. Life is less about the rat race and more about the journey. Enjoy it, please.