I recall spending months dropping hints here on Ubi Libertas Blog, saying much but saying nothing at all, being vague about what we really were up to last winter. It wasn’t until we’d returned from our “shakedown cruise,” and just a week before we sailed into blue water, that I finally spilled the beans.
Sorry, but I’m about to do it to you again. I’ll be more specific as soon as I can.
Deb and I have been on the road for six months and a week. Keeping a commitment we made at the start of our journey, we’re now actively considering where we go from here. Our conversation is shaped by many things — resources, abilities, health, aspirations, to name a few. We’re always guided by our principles, of course, chief among them Liberty, and we remain keenly aware of country, community and culture.
We’ve come to a decision about what’s next for us. At this point we’re fine-tuning a plan, hatching ideas and gathering information. I’m quite sure that it’ll turn into the most complicated project that either of us has ever undertaken, but we feel very good about it.
This afternoon our agenda put us on a short road trip, driving away from Harrison in a new direction — we followed US 62 west for a change. That took us into an area we hadn’t yet visited, passing through the burgs of Alpena and Green Forest. Today’s destination was Berryville.
After taking care of our business there and grabbing a quick bite to eat, we turned back toward the campground. This stretch of road rolls through wooded hills and farmland, definitely “flyover country,” the real America we’ve sought out since May.
“Just look around,” Deb said as she wheeled Mercy out of Berryville. “Everywhere you look — hills, woods, farms. No cities. Nothing but countryside.”
She was right. Hillsides glowed with the colors of fall. Farms dotted the landscape. Towns along our way were small, humble. Mile after country mile.
This is The Ozarks.
We’ll be parked here in northern Arkansas awhile longer. We’d considered heading farther south at some point, but with newly liberated snowbirds packing the Gulf Coast and anecdotal reports of diesel shortages (or even outages) — to say nothing of the absurd cultural and political climate — this feels like a good time to turn our full attention to the next chapter of our American Life.
We’re in a great place. Though planted, we’re moving forward. Life is good.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB