Starting Out : One Year On The Road

Sept. 11,2001-It's Tuesday and I'm at work down in Naples Florida. My girlfreind came by and tried to explain what was going on in New York.I got to say that I thought she might be on drugs or something .Things like that do not happen in the USA. WOW! Did I ever misjudge these Islamic raticals.
Things were happening to fast for a guy like me ,who has slowed his wild lifestyle down by half. If anything can be said in my behalf,I am an AMERICAN 100%. Hitting the big 50 and lots of friction between me and my girlfriend , really had me confused. What was happening to my country? I am to old to enlist , my race is probably 3/4 run. I have never really did anything really on the edge. All that had happened and turning 50 took me to the brink.I just felt I had to get away and think.
Sept. 14 , 2001-Friday came,I knew I had to go , seemed like the world was closing in on me. I left walking ,just me and my dog Skillet, whom always makes me happy just to be with. We walked about 20 miles to a lake that I have camped at on many occasions. I bought a tent on the way , to keep the bugs from eating us alive . I just wanted to be away from everything for a few days, to think. I sure had no plans for what lay ahead. The whole week-end was just walking the dog and a lot of budweiser. Soul searching , going insane , manic , there must be a term for what I was going through.
I hadn't seen my kids in 10 years and missed them terribly , hadn't tried to see them and that is worse than terrible. By Monday and time to think about going back to work , I had enough beer in me by now to make a really illogical decision, which I haven't regretted yet! I mentioned to my dog ,Skillet , that there is another lake up the road aways.(I found myself talking to the dog alot) He agreed we should play hookey from work and go check it out. So, This starts our year long adventure.