Just landed in Phoenix. Grabbed a breakfast burrito. Can't ever miss an opportunity to eat Mexican food. Especially when you are moving to the deep south where the supply of Mexican food in any sense of the word might not be as plentiful, therefore I must gorge until I leave.
I stood in the gift shop in the Santa Barbara airport this morning at 5:45am and picked up a trashy tabloid magazine in which to amuse myself . The big African American man standing next to me asked me where I was headed, I chuckled and said "Mobile". Still not used to saying Mobile. We started chatting and the next thing I know we were talking about a journey he has taken and has now written about. He lost a friend to the 9/11 attacks and wanted to do something meaningful to honor him so he decided to ride his bike across the US. Turns out he ended up riding his bike around the whole world. From the U.S./Africa/Egypt/Tanzania/Ethiopia/Xian, China/Tajikistan/Hami, CHina/Zambia/ and others, then back home to Phili to have some good old fashioned phili cheese steak! He was in LA pitching his book to a publisher and felt good about it since he didn't get a "NO", he got some serious interest. I told him to keep up the amazing journey and I thought I would see his published book on the best seller list within the year. He was so touched he gave me this HUGE bear hug. We stood and chatted for several more minutes before we both realized that both of our flights were boarding.
I don't typically talk to people when I travel. I don't really even say hello to whomever is sitting next to me on the plane ESPECIALLY not some dude in the gift shop but for some reason I answered him when he asked me a question and didn't walk away right after. I am so blessed to have met him and been touched by his journey and his message. He did charity work on every stop of his trip. I am so inspired by his work, He said he would hook me up with a battered women's shelter in Mobile at which he volunteered.
He asked me about my blog and I gave him the nutshell version, and told him I would email him the link.
I will be watching the best seller's list this year waiting for this book to hit the book stands. His title is " Riding at the Speed of Life" If that is incorrect, then David I'm sorry I screwed up the title. Good luck to you in your amazing journey and I hope to keep in touch. Give us a ring if you're ever riding through Mobile or Santa Barbara. My family would totally LOVE you and I know for sure you'd have a place to stay if you needed it. I'm sitting in Charlotte,NC and waiting for the last leg of my flight to mobile. Hoping to get a good night s rest so I can be on my "A" game tomorrow.
Life is SO good and so are people's stories...everybody has one, you just have to take a moment and listen.
