It’s the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love, but all I can say is I have entered the “LOVING MY SUMMER” phase of the TT Freedom Tour. Yup, this is UPDATE #4, and thanks to all those who periodically sent me an email or phone call insisting that I forgot to copy them on my “last” update, and where was I and what was I up to.
Well, you haven’t missed anything for as I promised in UPDATE #3 I have had as much fun as predicted so I haven’t written to you about it!!!!!! Until now, that is.
All these thoughts/ideas were bursting at the seems, and the 95 degree days just couldn’t hold it in any longer and my last adventure has stolen the cake from Hawaii and Rome so here goes!!!!
TOMMYT FREEDOM TOUR ’06-’07 and who knows ’08 UPDATE #4~~~~~~~~ !!!!!!!!!!
40 YEARS AGO TODAY (June 1, 1967), Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club was released and is being described in this year’s press as “the greatest Rock album of all time”. WOW---So, I listened to it uninterrupted, start to finish, to reflect on my own agreement or not with this widely held belief. For me, in this “LOVING MY SUMMER” timeframe, it is just too big a concept to come up w my own selection of the GREATEST album—I have too many nominees---- but, if your curious, I have a recommendation for a 10 minute interlude of a rock recording that can get you close enough in a quarter of the time---My view is if you only have 10 minutes, and you don’t want to debate it, then get a copy of Bruce (yeah, that one) Live at the Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ, 9/19/78, and listen to the “Prove It All Night”.
And how did I get here, unemployed sabbatical writer musing on favorite music or favorite song or book for that matter. It is currently what I do, for as my wife says I don’t do much else, that’s for sure!!!!!!!! I sure don’t work!!!! And although I keep thinking I’m looking forward to getting back into “THE” game, somehow when I awake each day it doesn’t dawn on me, first thing, to go “GET A JOB”, once again quoting my wife.
My wife!!!! Did I tell you she turned 50 this year, on Valentines Day nonetheless!!!!!! Well, I had so much time on my hands I planned two parties for her and gave her, she says, the best gift I could have thought of. The cheapest gift too, but whose counting!!!!!!!. So, since I wasn’t writing these updates I had some time in early February to write what turned out to be a 7-page autobiographical song tribute to my wife for her birthday. It started with “it only takes a minute girl” (because being the trader I am I told my wife right then and there the first 30 minutes I met her that I would marry her!!!!!!!!!---and not too shabby a trader at that, 24 years and three getting older by the minute kids later, I might add) AND, it ended 61 songs later with “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong because as far as I could see back in February, 5 months into sabbatical, it was truly a wonderful world that has embraced us through our first 24 years.
True to my lyrical, whimsical, some say painful style, it was a 62 song seven page tribute with what I thought were all the right songs and moments of our lives up to that point. I was a big hit since she liked most of what I wrote (and since it is also my style all our friends got copies of the cd’s and the writing---hey, why NOT!!!!????)
Okay, so that was??? 3 days in February, ’07----wow, I’ve got a lot of ground to cover if I am to share as I have been the travels and trials of my sabbatical---this could be the LONGEST UPDATE YET, SO, as always, feel free to opt in or out as you desire—heck, you can even just hit delete---but based on some of the feedback you all are too busy getting boring WORK emails to hit “delete” on something that is as wacky and far out there as this update is sure to be. And besides, MOST OF YOU have never been or might not ever be in Baja Cali, which is where most of this update takes place. So hang in there if you choose..
So, I left you all in January with a simple request to take some time that month and do for others---knowing how all who are copied on this note are genuinely blessed---I hope you had that chance, but know it’s never too late and it’s usually always welcome (refer back to #3 if you forgot). And where was I heading? After my January service period I took that first weekend in February and decided to sit in the rain with my daughter---at the SUPER BOWL--- no complaints, as Prince put on an incredible show and the day is a huge spectacle in person (my 2nd one) or on TV. College searches with Allie dominated the winter, and toward the end of Feb I went on my first Jesuit “retreat”. Three days of no talking---can you believe I can be quiet??? Neither could I, and I didn’t realize it was a “silent” retreat when I signed up---but very happy I went and I’m actually planning on going again at some point.
March Madness invaded my March!!!!!!! And fortunately, a little of my April too.
I had some medical details to attend to, so I scheduled my nasal polyps removal for Mid-March—10am boat in, 4pm boat home, 3 hour surgery, and if I read it correctly $38k bill for the insurance company!!!!!OUCH!!! and the surgery didn’t hurt, and fortunately the doctor did such a nice job I can smell again (or unfortunately for the times I am out walking with my two dogs!!!!!)
And now that I was breathing I could smell the popcorn surrounding me at the Big East Bball tournament, the East Regional Semi’s and final (NC!!!!!!!!, on the 25th anniversary of both my graduation and their win over GTOWN in the Superdome), and since it was going so well (and SINCE I HAD THE TIME) my son and I drove to Atlanta for the Final Four w GTown, Ohio State, Florida and UCLA. Saturday night didn’t go as planned, but it worked out as we went over to Hilton Head for golf school for a few days.
[And while it was more than fun to watch Gtown make their run to the this year’s final four, it’s probably not as much fun as it will be NEXT YEAR~!!!!!!!!] Four months later I can assure you that for me Golf School wasn’t the answer (I do not think they’ve invented an “answer” for my game!!).
But it was sure good to see Matt’s swing videotaped and looking almost identical to Aaron Baddely’s (pro-golfer, for all non-golf fans). He isn’t beating me yet, but sometime this summer I expect that will be the case.
Back from Hilton Head to return to my spring focus----watching each and every one of my senior in high school daughter Allie’s lacrosse games!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was going to be fun, and it was. With her being the goalie, it was never a dull moment for me (or her) and her team had a very solid year and she got to play in the NJ All-Star game against the first team all-state goalie and gave a pretty solid performance, with her Shore team losing 10-8 and with Allie having 11 saves to the other goalie’s 12. While there are many wonderful things to experience in life, there isn’t anything quite like watching your own child do their thing. I had more fun “watching” Allie than I ever had doing something myself.
So, flying through the spring, playing golf, getting into the city somewhat regularly, I kept thinking that I “needed” to discover what was next on the horizon for me (work, of course). I attended my 25th College Reunion and spoke to and met for the first time plenty of wonderful people. I’ve got classmates who run schools in Egypt, an Ambassador in the Far East, a few Jesuits, and a whole bunch of other things like teacher of the year for high school in Colorado!!!!! Pretty wide open world when you think about it. Then, I booked a motorcycle trip to Baja California, celebrated my 24th wedding anniversary, and spring zoomed into summer and my mind moved from “what’s next” to “what’s TODAY”---right here, right now. AND BOY DO I KNOW HOW TO PICK ‘EM!!!!!!!!!
Baja California, June 19th, 2007. I’m 47 today, and I found myself with my son about to ride off, LITERALLY, into the Baja dessert with our Honda dirt bikes, two guys from South Carolina who were riding four wheel Honda atv’s, and our guides (one in the front, one in the back and the van/trailer driver Ken. In Baja MEXICO!!!!! Ensenada, Mexico, the home and start of the Baja 1000 is our launch pad for this trip---I thought the trip was a nice, leisurely 100 miles a day with the van being with us intermittently in case Matt (14) or I got tired and we could just bow out at any moment. THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT!!!!!!!!!
DAY ONE---the ride is 175 miles!!! And ---well, I’ll let my journal take it from here---
Journal entry—June 20th--
After a good dinner and walk thru Ensenada, and a good night sleep, we were moving at 6:30am and getting ready for day one riding. All the gear---every pad you can imagine, is on us.
We had a pancake breakfast and then a 30-mile van drive over the mountains to commence our ride. First six miles were on a real road, w cars!!!! Which made it the first time for both me and matt on a real road w cars on our bikes---yes, matt!!!!!
Apparently no worries in Mexico regarding licensing, etc
Then, it was hitting the dirt, desert, and the wide Pacific Ocean Blue. About 1/2 our 100-mile ride was within site or right next to the ocean!! The area was very, very sparsely populated, and our guide Rich (31 year LAPD vet used his GPS and knowledge of the trails to get us to San Quintin, MX---
The trails consisted of hard packed dirt, rocks, thick sand, and some salt patched from the ocean (in addition to a few paved roads that we used)--
Matt was challenged to get through the thick sand and fell once, but got the hang of it and made it thru the day with only one fall and no broken bones!!!!!! My hardest time was getting my leg over the bike (it seems higher than I am used to??) But no pain except the butt muscles from the riding and bouncing.
We rode from 10am till 4pm, w a lunch break. We saw children, and plenty of dogs intermittingly when we were near towns. The kids were not shy about coming up to us and we provided them one of our snacks or Gatorade.
The sun was shining, and most of our day was covered with a cool ocean breeze or downright windswept conditions. The sky was clear blue, which reflected off the ocean.
The last stretch of riding (1 1/2 hours) was really nice, as it was very varied terrain with wide open full throttle stretches followed by narrow trails and then a patch thru the desert growth to avoid a busy road--
Then, we were a short ride to our motel on the pacific ocean.
Day one finished. -riding anyway
Motel is nice enough, clean and simple, with the ocean view making up for any lack of Four Season’ess!!!!
Matt and I took a walk to the ocean, which only made the day better.
We traversed some beautiful sand dunes to make our way about 300 yards to the ocean. The sand dunes contained perfectly formed crests, which when you stepped on the top caused a cascade of seismic proportions down the 4 foot or 5 foot cliff of sand wall. Very solid sand that fell as prompted; with the softest and smallest crystals I've ever felt and seen.
Then we made it to the ocean, which felt ok and not as cold as I expected. 6 cars on the beach in the mile either way that I could see, and a family of 5 with three little children playing on the beach while dad was fishing in the ocean, presumably for that nights dinner.
We found some beautiful sand dollars, and then on turning back toward the motel we were captivated by the suns reflection off the sand where it meets the ocean.
I said to matt--- it looks like there are crystals of gold intertwined with the sand at the foot of the ocean--very unique --
And that was our day---
Tt
Day Two---no journal entry for day two----why not, you ask?
Well, late in the morning of day two (the most treacherous trail riding of the trip) things were going great and Matt was doing fantastic!!!! Again, both he and I are use to going around a moto-cross track in circles, forever. But in all our riding we hadn’t added up to the first two hours of riding on this trip.
Anyway, he’s doing great, and the guide tells me that I cannot follow him as it will distract my focus from the terrain, which is where my attention needs to be if I want to keep LIVING!!!!!! SO, he also was kind enough to let us know the # 1 rule of motorcycle riding---NEVER GO FASTER THAN THE BIKE!!!!!!!!
Sounds like a good rule to me, so I am doing quite well not violating that rule, until, slowing down on one turn, I am moving about 5 miles an hour and look back to make sure the guide behind me is making the turn, and my front wheel catches a sand patch and locks up!!!!! And OOOPPPSSS!!! I am now in VIOLATION of Motorcycle RULE #1—because my bike has stopped moving and is going down left and I am flying right (straight) LITERALLY---- my knees took the brunt of the impact and the pain was enormous initially, but I found out I could stand and then ride the 3 miles to lunch. At lunch I realized all the padding had saved my left knee but my right knee was pretty well bruised.
Rode the rest of the day sucking up the pain and pleased that over each ridge, and every mountain, Matty was right there (when I looked AFTER I came to a complete stop!!!). I was in big trouble with Mom if he wasn’t.
Day two’s journal entry did not happen as I wasn’t moving too well on either knee that night so this is my recollection above.
So, day two riding was, instead of the “anticipated” 100 miles, we finished with two knees and 230 miles later.
----- Original Message -----
To: "Tom Thees"
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 6:49 PM
Subject: Baja day 3
Ø Friday june 22
>
> Last night-- after arriving at hotel one and getting summarily rejected (reservations usually count, but not always) , we were lucky enough that the other hotel in town had rooms for the group!!!!!!
>
> We changed and jumped into the Sea of Cortez--- beautiful--- water was warm from the 100 degree sun--- and Matt and I were the only ones in the water other than a small group of men who looked like they were fishing--- it was windy (actually a hot breeze, not cool at all-- so strong it blew Matt's favorite hat right out to sea and we didn't notice until we got out of the water and never found it-- the water was ultra refreshing---
>
> Trickle shower and trickle air conditioning, but we were off to dinner!!!!!
>
> A short walk to the original hotel and we were set-- even though it was still hot at 7:30pm, the views of the Sea were magnificent---
> Great fresh fish dinner and fantastic, authentic margarita's too!!!!
>
> Friday june 22---
>
> 6am sunrise, looking east over the Sea of Cortez--
>
> Right out there in the middle of the Sea is the center of the San Andreas fault line that goes right up to California---- but we were sparred any Richter activity!!!!!
>
> 7am depart, with a hot day ahead--- day three for Matty, and we signed up for a 100 miles/day 4 day riding trip—while each day so far has been over 200 miles, and it took it toll on him (and ME TOO!!!!) Knowing the chase van wouldn't see us for 140 miles and we were heading straight into desolate dessert with some challenging rock climbs and bumps, matt decided to call it a day of rest--- now, 5pm in the afternoon, and having ridden those "164 miles (it wasn't 140, but these guys think 50 miles is a rounding error), I am happy he did--- we were truly part of nature today--- from start till finish, w a stop at San Franciscito for lunch (only way to get here is by dirt bike or plane-- there were about 8 guys and two planes on the dirt runway as these guys from Sacramento came down for a long weekend of fishing and relaxing--- they'll get plenty of that cause there is nothing here except a few huts, a generator, and a log book to sign in visitors who make it to this corner of the world-- apparently well known, the setting was perfect for a restful lunch of fish tacos, rice and beans.
>
> Then more biking, more dirt, more dust, more cactus (including the “boojum" cacti found only here-- -looks like an upside down carrot)
>
> Parts of the ride were a veritable rock fest, both on the trail (adds vibration to the experience-- a perfect setting for the next Chrysler Cordoba commercial, with or without the Ricardo Montalban Corinthian leather!!!) ---- some of the biggest and oldest lava rock formations anywhere-- with their own beauty out here in the middle of the Baja dessert--
>
> What hurts after day 3?? Well, only two falls today, neither which were painful--- one on the bike and one walking back to the bike when I became part of my own personal rockslide-- left knee intact (thank you knee brace)
>
> The back of my neck is as tight as its ever been (you can never, ever take your eyes off the rode riding in Baja!! You never know what's ahead 5 feet or 50 yards and your constantly focused on that instead of the scenery (you see it during water breaks)
>
> Knees are still in one piece, and my hands are recuperating from holding on to the bike for dear life!!!!! Speed? Depending on how far ahead you can see determines how fast you go--- on a bike too fast OR too slow is not good--- especially in thick sand--you need speed to get thru the sand -----
> Shoulders-- ah heck, I'm hurting!!!!
Enough said!!!!!!
And here we are pulling into to San Ignacio, our home for tonight in the middle of the desert in the Mexican state of Baja Sur. A huge lagoon and Palm trees and the "Mission de San Ignacio greet us as we arrive --
Day three dinner ahead with Matty and me in one piece—him better than me, mind you.
AMEN
Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless
DAY FOUR Journal
To: "Tom Thees"
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 9:27 AM
Subject: Day 4. Baja
> 5am wake up
>
> Tour day---
>
> 6am depart---
>
> The quads went one way with the guides, and we went southeast in the truck--- the alternative was for Matty to commit to 180 miles before seeing the truck again, and I thought the risk/reward on that trade and the fact that if you get hurt in the desert it's hours or a day till you get rescued, that 100 miles (4/5 hours) would have been acceptable, but knowing how tired you can get riding on gravel/rocks/sand/silt/big rocks/ that our better call was to take the scenic road and leave the next 100 miles of cycling for the next time---
>
> So we rode through Santa Rosalita, Mulege, and then stopped at the most beautiful Bahia of Concepcion--and had brunch at a roadside cafe run by Marco and Olivia known as Buena Ventura--- a couple of huts, a nice small cafe with more Baja decals than you can imagine, and Huevos Rancheros to fill the belly. Might be Matt's first outhouse trip too!!!!
>
> And now we are off to Loreto---
>
> Bottom line is this is our tour day-- we are sightseeing the eastern coast of Baja Sur between San Ignacio and Loreto. On the bikes the sightseeing was restricted to the water stops (and since most of the riding was desert and mountains most of the views were very similar. Today there are some picturesque views to inhale, especially coming of the mountains into the bay of Concepcion right after we passed the three volcanos known as the "Tres Virgines".
>
> Our driver Ken, the truck/trailer driver for the group this trip, has more stories than anybody could. He's been coming to Baja since 1971 and has camped and driven when the roads weren't even here. Oh, did I mention the roads? To determine the width needed on these roads they put 18 wheeler's side by side and put a pack of matches in between, and that's how wide the road is. And the bends and blind corners almost NEVER stop on this day four, our touring day.
>
> Loreto, and then perhaps we will drive on to Cabo, or not--- because we can't drive at night-- cows come to the roads /pavement to seek the heat and cause added danger to narrow, unlit and relatively poorly marked roads----it’s almost as if they only make one road sign here-- curves peligrosa/ dangerous curve-- .
>
> So NO night driving for us!!!!!!!
>
>
>
> Back to Ken!!!! He took good care of matt yesterday and is taking good care of us today while hauling the bike/quad trailer and all the gear. He's a design engineer by trade, and a Vietnam Vet. Ken clearly has plenty of life experience in addition to Baja experience. It was good to spend some time with him.
>
>
DAY FOUR-continues
From:
To: "Tom Thees"
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 6:35 PM
Subject: Day four- touring continues
Ø -- thinking we would make an early exit to meet Liz and Allie in Cabo, we went straight for the airport to pick up our car rental for the 8 hour drive to Cabo from Loreto (on roads w "peligrosa" all over the place!!)
>
> Much to the added adventure of our touring day, a flight on a prop plane had some seats on it, but we had to go back to town to buy a ticket b/c they didn't take credit cards at the airport and I didn't have but 80 bucks (pretty reasonable flight one way at about 125 bucks each).
>
> So we changed our car rental pick up to Cabo and hopped on a Cessna 208 (15 seater, 3 across 4 rows plus pilots-- I guess the other three passengers ride in the luggage compartment??)-- For the 1 1/2 flight to Cabo
>
> Not much of a flier, but we rode the eastern coast down and are right now flying over La Paz --- all the bays, isle's on the left and a virtual grand canyon ((ok, a little smaller but pretty magnificent) on our right with huge crevices and river paths -- and now we're heading due south to Cabo as the mountains fade to hills/plains so a bit inland but pretty soon we'll have the Sea of Cortez on our left and the Pacific Ocean on our right--- and WHAM-- there it is!!!!!!!
> A topographical worldwind tour all in one trip---mountains, volcano's, ocean, sea, big bold bay's, WOW-- here's another mountain range ahead on the eastern side as we approach Cabo at 45 miles (airport anyway).
>
> Water on both sides for the rest of the 62.5 miles at 7500 feet - (hey, I'm sitting right behind the pilots, one of whom just woke up from his short nap for the ride in!!!!, so I’m reading the gauges.
>
> We picked a good day to not ride and expedite and enhance our experience in Baja!!
>
> Yup
>
> Were in the right spot!!! We are pulling into the airport and it’s the small airport, not the int’l one.
> On our left is the Vine Cliff Vineyard jet, and on the right is the Breitling Gulfstream!!!
Ø Yes, Toto, I think we are HOME!!!!! Relatively speaking.
>
And that, my friends, was a summertime adventure I will never forget –ever. The MRI on the knee came back negative, and both knees are fairly well healed and I’ve taken to swimming as my new exercise while the rest of my body recovers from the riding.
I personally do not plan on topping that in the near future, if ever. But ask me if I would do it again? I think I would!!!!!!!!! I wouldn’t mind finding friendlier trails to ride open like that, for sure. But it was a great experience, and Matt did more in two days of riding then I did in my entire lifetime up till we arrived in Baja!!!!!!
Bottom line is a sabbatical allows one to do ???? WHAT ONE WANTS, WHEN ONE WANTS TO….!!!!!!!!! And I am truly getting comfortable to this pace and schedule, one that I pretty much control and do what I wish---without any help from the psychedelic substances that powered much of the ‘Summer of Love’.
So what else have I been doing? Visiting friends I haven’t seen in a while, seeing friends I do see more often (if they are available, because often WORK gets in the way), listening to albums from start to finish, and organizing my music collection in general----
And we had an 80th birthday party for my mom too!!!!!! A blast, and all who needed to be there made it, which was great.
READING books---wow, I almost forgot---I go to the bookstore and look at the periodicals for??? As long as I want!!!! And I think I’ve learned a thing or two---
For instance, did you know Michelangelo lived to age 89 (nearly 90)---in the middle of the 1500’s!!!!!!!! Advancement in life expectancy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be if you have his gene pool!!!!!!
Books I’ve read---
“The Extreme Future”, by James Canton—world is fastly moving forward, iphone is an oddlot
“Rainbow’s End” by Vernor Vinger---how the world might evolve-“always online”?
“He Leadeth Me” by Fr. Walter Ciszek, about his time in Russia during WWII, given to me 7 years ago but finally read this February.
“Time and Again”, by Jack Finney, the NYC of the 1880’s told in a fascinating story
“A World lit by Fire”, by William Manchester, 1400-1500’s history
“Agony and Ecstasy”, by Irving Stone---The story of Michelangelo—incredible saga of a man whose work was his passion and love in life---brought Rome back to life for me—
AND so many more read and still more to read!!!!—
Like right now, I am reading “the Black Swan”, which is quite interesting for those who watch markets---- about the impact of the “highly improbable”!!!!!
WELL, let me tell you, I think I am experiencing a Black Swan with this sabbatical---
It was an outlier event in 9/06---it has carried an extreme impact (on me, anyway), and in spite of its outlier status I am now completely comfortable rationalizing that this was the perfect time and place to take a year off from the normal career path routine—
So, I can only hope that this isn’t my ONLY Black Swan----although those in the subprime CDO market might feel a little differently about this particular time and place for them.
So, the question for me is where to go from here??? with this note, not my life!!!!
Life, I’m taking day to day---I get calls and have dinners and lunches and talk about the concept of working, all the while trying to create something where I can apply the passion that I know lurks within----we’ll see where that leads me, but my mind (and spirit) are wide open and ready for whatever road is ahead.
Speaking of the road--My road, to say the least, has been blessed. I am trying NOT to waste any days or opportunities this summer, my first summer off since 1972 when I started my first job washing dishes at Aggie’s snack bar on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, NJ.
Once again I am reminded of my travels, and those I know. Time doesn’t stop, and there are many, many trials and challenges ongoing in this world that are just well beyond human comprehension. If you know someone dealing with one you know what I mean. We all can take a breath from the hectic pace of “the routine” and step back and be thankful for where we are, but more importantly reach out to someone who might be enduring some hardship spared you. Heck, Bill Gates at Harvard this commencement season and Bono in his speech which is now a book (“On the Move”, yes, I’ve read that too) are saying the same thing---but perhaps knowing how “working on Wall Street American’s” tick I’m just suggesting reaching out around the block instead of around the world---but you pick the place and do the right thing, and it’s fine by me!!!!!! Trust me, you don’t have to look too hard to find your opportunity.
Enough said? I think so--- Ohhhh, did someone say there was a Presidential election in the offing??? You’d think it was next week based on the coverage, but here we go again USA----Fortunately for you that is all I have to say on that!!!!!
So, let me let you get back to your CDO implosions and LBO explosions (without covenants, of course), and obviously on the heels of July 4th I am thankful for guys like Ken (and girls not named Ken but like him as well), who ride caravan’s in Baja now but did the duty assigned to them when called---just like our men and women serving today— We had a spectacular show this year down the Jersey shore, and as Mellencamp says, “Ain’t that America”---I think it is. Bill Gates, Bono, Coach K--- I’ll put, and I know they would too, Ken right up there with them when I tell my story of this sabbatical run—
As Brokaw said on 12/7/06 at Pearl Harbor, “you can hate the war, but you can never hate the warrior” (refer to update #3).
Ok, officially, enough said.
Next time you hear from me I might be employed in an incredible challenging and enticing opportunity to change the world of trading for all time to come?????
Or just something to change the world????
Or I might be going back to Baja for another ride w Matt and our guide Ken---
Taking it day by day--- and in a LOVING MY SUMMER mode!!!!!!
Wishing all who receive this and have reached this point in the story to have a “LOVING MY SUMMER” summer, and remember to “be sure wear flowers in your hair”, too.
Peace
TT
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