I’m on the road for a work trip. Flying is boring, so I drove instead. On Friday, I jumped in the old Honda Element and made my way to Iowa. I met up with the Gwen (Fiery Millennials) and Reader Ginnie* for dinner. On Saturday, my first stop was at the the National Motorcycle Museum followed by a quick visit to the takeout counter at Toppling Goliath, a world renowned brewery in rural farm country. On Saturday evening, I met up with Kyle from Kythesis. Kyle treated me to some of his home brewed beer and then we hit the town for some adventure**.
This week will keep me plenty busy, so I’m signing off for now. Don’t worry though; my incessant bleating will return before you know it.
One more thing before I go though. I was listening to random music on the drive. One album which I greatly enjoy is Eddie Vedder’s Into the Wild soundtrack. It occurred to me that the last track, Guaranteed, captures the spirit of FI perfectly. My version of it anyway. What do you think?
,
On bended knee is no way to be free,
Lifting up an empty cup, I ask silently,
That all my destinations will accept the one that’s me,
So I can breathe.Circles they grow and they swallow people whole,
Half their lives they say goodnight to wives they’ll never know,
Got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul,
And so it goes.Don’t come closer or I’ll have to go,
Owning me like gravity are places that pull,
If ever there was someone to keep me at home,
It would be you.Everyone I come across in cages they bought,
They think of me and my wandering but I’m never what they thought,
Got my indignation but I’m pure in all my thoughts,
I’m alive.Wind in my hair I feel part of everywhere,
Underneath my being is a road that disappeared,
Late at night I hear the trees they’re singing with the dead,
Overhead.Leave it to me as I find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I know all the rules but the rules did not know me,
Guaranteed.
See y’all soon.
*Thanks for the cookies!!
**At one drinking establishment, a patron who had waaaaay too much to drink attempted to use a urinal for an unintended purpose. After the deviant act, Mr. Pooper wandered out of the bathroom and appeared to pass out at the bar. A couple minutes later, he disappeared. However, later in the evening, he resurfaced at another establishment where he tortured the patrons with a horrific karaoke performance. This was again followed by passing out at the bar. Fast times in Wisconsin!
I love me some Eddie Vedder. I also love me some small town Iowa. Salt of the earth, nicest people you’ll ever meet. Enjoy!
The Green Swan recently posted…Solar Power
Yeah! Awesome towns and awesome people. I could live there.
Have a good (working) road trip.
The pic with “Small town America” brings back road tripping memories, always cool to go through these old towns.
Team CF recently posted…Mr CF, Are You Mad?
Yeah, small towns are awesome! I like cities, but I’m most at home in small towns.
D thought the lyrics were quite meaningful while I was just jealously thinking about the beer. Which TGB beer did you try and were you impressed?
Believe Fire recently posted…How to Retire Early, Part 3 – How to Invest for Retirement
I’ve tried the PseusoSue and Light Speed. They were both pretty good. I’ve had loads of good beer lately, so my bar keeps getting raised. Ale Asylum in Madison is putting out some great beer lately too.
Enjoy the road trip!
I’ve never been to Iowa, but from what I’ve seen in your pictures it looks like any other small town in the midwest. 🙂
Mr. Tako @ Mr. Tako Escapes recently posted…The Clothes For Financial Independence
Iowa is great! I could live there. Wonderful country and wonderful people.
Have fun! Way to take the adventure and drive!
Maggie @ Northern Expenditure recently posted…Designing Our Kaleidoscope
Thanks! I wish I had more time. I’d stop at every ridiculous roadside attraction, even oversized balls of yarn.
Safe travels!
Thanks to a road warrior like yourself, I had the unique pleasure of tasting Toppling Goliath’s PseudoSue from the growlers (from Deborah) and the can (purportedly contract brewed in Florida). Other than a slight difference in carbonation, they were very similar (and excellent!).
I was a little late to the Into The Wild party, but I enjoyed both the book and movie last summer. A moving story with an awesome soundtrack to boot!
Cheers,
PoF
Hey PoF! Toppling Goliath is brewing some righteous beer. It cracks me up that they’re in the middle of such rural country, but that just makes it better.
It was great to meet you in person! See you this weekend in Omaha!
Gwen recently posted…Dreaming of FI
Yeah, Omaha will be a blast!
I’m loving all your Eddie Vedder/PJ references 🙂 Been a huge fan of theirs since I was 12! We’ve also noticed how well the lyrics fit with where we’re trying to go –
Enjoy the rest of your roadtrip!
Yeah, PJ and Vedder are great! That Into the Wild soundtrack is such a great album.
Nice score on the Toppling Goliath, was just looking at how far off the drive it was for Omaha, no go, but we might hit up Backpocket Brewing or Big Grove Brewery along the way for lunch.
Steven recently posted…2 years of Blogging and Writing my Financial Story
Yeah, don’t do it. Luckily, I have a bunch with me if you’d like to swing by our place in Omaha for a little tasting party…
Bon voyage on the rest of your trip. It was good to meet you and share a nice repast.
Thanks! It’s been good, but busy. What else is new?
Enjoy the road trip for work.
Doing a long road trip through small towns is high on my todo list. We did one in 2008 mainly big cities and national parks. Reading now a lot of US blogs brings back the good feelings from them. I hope to do such a trip in 6-8 years with our kids.
amber tree recently posted…Recent Buy: Solvay
Enjoy the trip! It’s always great watching the scenery that passes you by. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the stories from this trip!
Amanda S @ Passionately Simple Life recently posted…When Temptation Strikes…
Wish I was once traveling to places that you recommend. Interesting
Live to ride!! That sounds like an awesome trip. Im actually getting ready to sell my bike. 🙁 Its a necessary evil for me right now but I think later on in life I will buy another bike and actually enjoy it.
Alexander @ Cash Flow Diaries recently posted…My Amazon FBA Side Hustle – Bulk Manufacturing Has Begun
Twas a good night, I’ve been working like a mad man since to get that machine out the door. I got it working and making parts last Friday, now we’re making small changes to get it ready to be shipped.
My friend and I will try to make it to the great American beer festival in Denver in September.
Kyle recently posted…Slave to the System