A bad ass biker, a beggar and a legend : Roadtrip memories ... Christmas in San Antonio

Lover and I left New Hampshire in October with plans to be in San Antonio by Christmas.  Of course, it wasn't a two month ride, but we had stops to make, and things to see.  Back then we really did love being together.  We spent some time in Tennessee where we attended the most heartbreaking and yet joyful funeral I have ever been to.  It was my friend Nancy's mother.  She was a tough old broad and well loved.  It was  a biker funeral which are always different from any other.  Her's was held at a beautiful national park where everyone who loved her gathered to celebrate the full and giving life she lived.

Those few days I got to spend with Nancy will be cherished memories for the rest of my life.  I could tell you, "she did this" or "she did that", but there are no words that could express the generosity of spirit and her giving, loving attitiude in the face of losing her mother.   She was and is my hero.

We rode on, visiting friends and family along the way.  We spend Thanksgiving at Uncle's farm in Oklahoma and helped an old man remodel his house while we were there.

We were getting gas for our last leg of the trip to San Antonio.  When we walked out of the gas station, we saw two young people, a girl and a boy, sitting on the sidewalk.  They had dredlocks and back packs and a dog.  The girl had a small travel sized guitar.   They were dirty.  Being travelers ourselves and often dirty, we stopped to talk to them.  Lover picked a song on her  tiny guitar and we asked them where they were headed.  They told us they just got in on the train from San Antonio, but they meant to head toward California.  They hopped the wrong train and ended up in Oklahoma.  Lover gave them some money and I gave them my extra pack of cigarettes.

this is not them

We spent a couple of days in Austin, and could have spent several more.  Austin is a crazy, interesting, fun and weird place to visit.  It is not your typical Texas town.  Nothing in Texas is typical but Austin takes the cake.  If you've been to Austin, you know what I mean.  And for anyone planning to visit Austin, here is a hint for you.  They have a fabulous public transit system that covers literally the entire city.  You can pay a few dollars for a day pass and see anything and everything you want without the hassle of parking or, in most cases, even having to walk very far.  There's my plug for Austin .... Keepin it Weird.

 San Antonio was green and lush the week before Christmas.  All the better to explore the historic city on the bike.  As an added treat, my daughters gave Lover and I tickets to Kenny Rogers' Christmas Show at the stunning Majestic Theater in downtown San Antonio.

  

It was a wonderful night for us.  The guest line up included Billy Dean and some beautiful San Antonio school children who helped Kenny Rogers sing the Christmas classics.

When we came out of the Theater, it was like a scene from a Christmas movie.  It was cold for once in San Antone, and the lights, bustling people and silver bells on every street corner made you want to sing "Jingle Bells".  As Lover and I made our way back to the parking garage, we passed a store front with a man huddled inside sleeping.  He was shivering.  Lover reached into his pocket and took out a bill.  I never asked and he never told me what it was.  When he reached down to give it to the man, he jumped like it scared him.  Lover said, "It's ok.  Here.  Merry Christmas." and he put the money in the man's hand.  The guy smiled real big and said, "Thank's man, Merry Christmas."

When we got home, Lover played his guitar and sang Christmas carols to me.  We had literally no money that Christmas and he sold that guitar to buy me something.  What it was doesn't matter, but I will never forget what it meant.  Toot-A-Loo!!  Merry Christmas and God bless us every one ...