Excuses

A blur of
Packing
Friends
Love
Nature
Driving

-Margaret Westlake
May 1, 2016

Pedaling as fast as I can

Yes yes I'm pedaling as fast as I can
In my little old Fred Flintstone mobile
Over hills at a snails pace
Flying madcap down the other side

Up up up up up down down down down down
Curving left curving right
Until I'm dizzy with the green hills
Loving the trees and the lack of other people

Except when I must find the turnout
Or let the others pass me in the passing lane
I almost feel like the world is just my own
Made emerald and beautiful just for me

Until I hit a town and get a thumbs up
From the guy next to me at the light
For having the nerve to drive such a crazy car

And I smile and move along
To the next stretch of lonely road

--Margaret Westlake
April 29, 2016

Mohave giants

Giants wave their arms
Admidst the dense fog
Bringing power
Down from the mountains
Row upon row upon row

--Margaret Westlake
April 28, 2016

Smiling man

Miles and miles we go
Getting nearer
Soon to see the smiling man
Freckle face ginger man
Laughing man
Too soon the time passes

Miles and miles we go
Getting further
Missing the smiling man
Freckle face ginger man
Laughing man
Too long the time passes

Miles and miles we go
Near and far
Loving the smiling man
Freckle face ginger man
Laughing man
And so the time passes

--Margaret Westlake
April 27, 2016

Strong wind

Buffeted by a strong wind
Trying to stay on my feet
A little easing gives a false sense of security
Causes me to relax my wariness
Then hard she blows again
I clutch the rope
And hold on for dear life
Waiting for the storm to end

--Margaret Westlake
April 26, 2016

Perils of the travel addict

Juggling finances
What can we do without?
What can we share?

Taxes finished
That will help a little
Where did it all go?

--Margaret Westlake
April 25, 2016

See you in the fall

Long easy drive from New Mexico to Arizona
Enjoying the pink cliffs east of Gallup
Reveling in the Welcome to Arizona sign

Just a few days here before heading out
One last meal at my favorite Thai place
Getting the laundry done, that final dental appointment

Next is California and then the northern route
Trying to make it through the heat before
I go for the colder states where the Dolphin won't overheat

Looking forward to enjoying the states and sights I'll see
But knowing I'll be so excited to return to Arizona
Not wishing away the time, but September will be glorious

--Margaret Westlake
April 24, 2016

Trail racing

Spent over seven hours pushing hard
Up and down hills at elevation
That made it a struggle to breathe

Trying to remember to enjoy it
Glad that I planned this
Proud that I stuck with it

--Margaret Westlake
April 23, 2016

Shelter in a storm

He waits watching the dark cloudy sky
His bicycle with all his worldly goods
Under the shelter of an awning
At a boarded up gas station
In the middle of nowhere New Mexico

A old woman pulls in driving an old RV
Seeking shelter from the wind and rain
Wanting to avoid the leaks that a strong rain brings
They sneak glances at each other in between studying the clouds
Should I stay or should I go they each think

Maybe if I pretend not to notice him/her
Keep my distance but stay aware
The storm blows in and attention goes
To howling wind and blowing rain
Then it ends and without looking back they leave

Having spent half an hour waiting
Letting Mother Nature have her way outside
Enjoying the shelter of the ruined building
Not afraid but mindful of the stranger
Sharing a space on this planet for a time

--Margaret Westlake
April 22, 2016

Singing Our Goodbyes

Driving down a lonely road
Is it really true
Oh please say it isn't
Not another legend
Ripped away from us too soon
Blue skies seem darker
To almost cry out
It should rain to say goodbye
Rain so we can sing as he would
Singing our goodbyes
As the clouds unleash their tears

--Margaret Westlake
April 21, 2016

Traveling alone

Waiting for the limo

The big limo with longhorns pulls up in front of my RV
I join a couple with a rented RV from Holland
They say they saw me before at a campground in St Louis
They are driving Route 66 and are amazed at the country
I'm doing my spring trek from winter home to summer home
Where is your husband they ask, do you travel alone
I explain that he travels to teach Pencak Silat
They understand this being a very popular martial art in Holland
We split up at the door to the steakhouse

I talk to the server a little bit as she makes her quick stops at my table
I chat with the couple from the Florida panhandle at the next table
They just bought their first travel trailer today
Where is your husband they ask, do you travel alone
They travel a lot like we do, back and forth across the country
They are rarely home in Florida, but like having it as a home base
And they travel together to see her children in one place and his in another
I finish, box my leftovers and head out for the ride back

As I'm waiting for a limo it starts to sprinkle
The driver finally figures out that I'm not waiting for another person
 He asks me if I'm waiting for a limo and where I'm going
Where is your husband they ask, do you travel alone
He rushes me back to the campground to beat the rain
Completely clear blue skies have turned to storms while I ate
He tells me there are other campgrounds not by the prisons
He wishes I wouldn't stay there by the prisons alone
I rush inside to close the windows I've left open just before the downpour


Today I have spent hours talking or messaging to coworkers
Today I have spent time texting to my husband and reading his posts
Today I have responded to posts on Facebook that others have posted
Today I have spent time talking to people I meet on the road
Today I have spent a lot of time talking to my son
I do not travel alone as there are always people to meet
I do not travel alone as there is always contact with my loved ones
I enjoy each day on the road until I finish for a bit
           and stop to get hugs from family and friends

 --Margaret Westlake
April 20, 2016

Lost

Lost in a tiny space
Packed up to the rafters
So much stuff and missing things
Where have you gotten to
Losing my things, losing my mind

--Margaret Westlake
April 19, 2016

Moving

Boxes and boxes

Each day find treasures

Each day remembering

Lightening the load

Each day throwing away junk

Each day donating things no longer needed

--Margaret Westlake 

April 18, 2016

Sunsets

I'm often outside at the end of the day
Enjoying the golden rose of the Western sky
Stopping all the frantic activity for a moment
To just be
        And enjoy
                  And sigh

--Margaret Westlake
April 17, 2016

Midwest Spring Trails

Dogwoods from a ridge

Floating amongst the budding trees below

Green grass and may apples

Little white, yellow, and purple flowers

Deep blue skies with fluffy white clouds

Sun and nice breeze blowing

Climbing climbing climbing

Up beautiful single track

--Margaret Westlake 

April 16, 2016

Old Ultrarunner Friendships

We see each other a few times a year
We try to catch up over a meal
Or during the time out on the trail

Stories of births and deaths
Stories of races since we saw each other last
Stories of jobs and retirement

We talk about the runners we have known
The races we have run
The travels we have enjoyed

The years click quickly by
Counted by how many times we've run a race
By how many age groups we've been in

We stay with it as we get slower and slower
As the distances we can run get shorter
As we look for races with longer time limits

We love the running/walking
We love the beauty of the woods/deserts
But most of all we love the time with our friends

--Margaret Westlake
April 15, 2016

Route 66

Scenery from the turnpike has its beauty
You speed along and drink it in
Drinking from the fire hose
     of sky and grass and hills and trees

Scenery from the local highway has its beauty
Stoplights and slower speeds let you absorb it
Absorbing at a slower pace
     the buildings and the people and the trains

--Margaret Westlake
April 14, 2016

Simple Joys

Sunsets, rainbows, small fluffy clouds

An open road, music playing, taking my time

A picnic lunch, a warm shower

And friends at the journey's end

--Margaret Westlake

April 13, 2016

Aging

Today the list grew
Repairs and maintenance needed
The older we get the more things go wrong

Today the joys grew
Adding memories to the store
The older we get the more love we have shared

--Margaret Westlake
April 12, 2016

Desert Traveler

Rolling across the desert
In an ancient caravan
Buffeted by a strong wind

Sliding along under blue skies
Anonymous among a crowd
Blown by chance and karma

Drifting to sleep under stars
Dreaming of days gone by
Pushed by fortune and fate

--Margaret Westlake
April 11, 2016

Life's Ups and Downs

Slower and slower we climb
Flashers on and shifted into low
Food all the way down to the floor

This old gal is getting slower
But she never really was all that fast
But on and on she'll plod

Downhill we fly
Almost feeling airborne
Feeling free and effortless

Ah the good times
Free and easy, down the hills we go
Enjoying the freedom of the road

--Margaret Westlake
April 10, 2016

Old home new home

Leaving my old home
Too busy packing and moving
Forgot to pause and say goodbye

Entering my new home
Too busy unpacking and putting away
Need to find time to say hello

-- Margaret Westlake
April 9, 2016

Campground Cat

He sits on a rug outside the office door

Proud and aloof

Sometimes he agrees to be petted

You know he is just doing you a favor

--Margaret Westlake

April 8, 2016

Life Journey WIth Food

Skinny little girl enjoying her parents cooking
Rebellious fearful teen refusing to eat
Busy adult with no time to eat
Finally slowing down and enjoying life and food
Finding the balance

Not Dead Yet

Each day brings beauty and joy
You must look for it
Some days it is hard to find

The budding tree in the spring
The smile of a child
The sun in a bright blue sky

Each day brings sadness
You can't hide from it
Some days you cannot hide

The death of a friend
The tears of a child
The dark and terrible storm

Each day we strive to see the good
You must celebrate it
Some days you hold on for dear life

--Margaret Westlake
April 6, 2016 

Preparing to Leave

The day has disappeared
Some good some not so much
But it has flown by
So much to get done

Appointments
Preparations
Goodbyes

All important matters
But too many to do
Just wanting to be done
And on the road again

--Margaret Westlake
April 5, 2016

Rolling Stone

Freeing myself of the moss of months of limited mobility
Eliminating the excess debris collected in the waiting here
Spring brings a longing for the freedom of being out there somewhere, anywhere
Roads beckon, oceans call, forests sing to me, and the mountains wait for me

Once this place called and I came but now it stifles me and I ache to leave
Knowing that a few weeks or months from now that I'll ache to return
So many places yet to see, so many places to return to
I know I must roll on, ride on, walk on, and climb on

It is nearly time to go

--Margaret Westlake
April 4, 2016

April Anniversaries

Bright yellow eyes
Following the sun
Too soon to leave
Gone to summer green

Tiny baby boy
Following the light
Too soon to leave
Gone to a grave so cold

Laughing ginger man
Following me home
Not one to leave
Keeping me warm


--Margaret Westlake
April 3, 2016

Slow down

Leaving the freeway behind
Slowing way down
Driving into the sunset
On a one lane dirt road
Over the mountain
Twisting and turning

This was my day
This is my life

--Margaret Westlake
April 2, 2016

To those who have gone before

You were in my life
You made me more than I was
And then you were gone

Too soon you left us
Too soon you went away
And we were left to go on

Walls can keep you from hurting
Walls can keep away the pain
And walls block out the joy

I will continue to love
I will continue to see the beauty and joy
And I will go on without you by my side

Memories overwhelm me with sadness
Memories hold me up and give me joy
And I will cherish them and keep you in my heart forever

-- Margaret Westlake
    April 1, 2016

Getting Ready

So I decided to participate in NaPoWriMo this year.  So, I've set up this blogger location and I'm submitting it.  For more information about NaPoWriMo check here:

http://www.napowrimo.net/