Nevermore!

BigUn

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Big’un@Big_un

August 17, 2026

Nevermore!

We were waiting to see ‘Old Faithfull’. I was about to walk by this Raven sitting on a lamppost. I expected it to fly a way. He just looked at me and made a guttural call. I responded with
“Well hello Mr. Raven, may I take your picture?”
;;Click;;

The Raven
By Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “
“'Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
Only this, and nothing more.”
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating, “
“'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
This it is, and nothing more.”
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore!”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—
Merely this, and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice,
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
'Tis the wind and nothing more.”
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as “Nevermore.”
But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Till I scarcely more than muttered, “other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.”
Then the bird said, “Nevermore.”
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore,
Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”
But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
On this home by horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”
“Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!

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Big’un@Big_un

October 17, 2026

Day 27

Of the 2026 Cavalcade:

Big’un, The CINC, and the blustery day

4010 miles

No pictures or video today.
We rode 291 miles, which took over 8 hours of travel.
There were high wind warnings.
We’ve had them before on this trip.
No big deal.
When one gust hit us, I was going 65-67 mph. It slowed me to 50 mph. It was like I hit something.
My arms, wrists, and hands were exhausted by the time we stopped for the day, as I had a ‘death grip’ on the handlebars all day.
It was 60 degrees, with a wind chill of -19, which made it feel like 41. Add an additional wind chill of going 65 mph, and it was a tad ‘nippy’.

I always try to stop for fuel at 1/2 a tank. I let my fuel get lower once and barely made it to a gas station. My tank holds about 5.75 gallons; it took 5.6 that time. If I’m careful, I can get around 100 miles for half a tank of fuel. Usually around 90 minutes of ‘seat time’. If I’m pushing it, it will be at least 70-75 miles to 1/2 a tank. Yesterday I was getting 50-60 miles to the 1/2 tank.
We ...

00:00:06

Big’un@Big_un

October 16, 2026

Day 25 & 26

Of the 2026 Cavalcade

3719 miles

We spent the day resting at Bill and Michele’s. Bill was always and still is a “go-getter”. He’s always got a project to do. He owned a trucking company, bought, sold trucks, and serviced HD trucks. He even specialized in those giant loads.
He even built the neighborhood he lives in.

The ever-lovely Michele loves to cook, and she’s a native Californian. She lived in SFO for years, so she made us ‘Joe’s Special’ for supper. A conglomeration of hamburger, spinach, mushrooms, and eggs. A classic CA dish that hit its height of popularity in the ‘70s.

Yesterday, we got up and got out early because we were to ride 387 miles. It was a beautiful day to ride through the high desert. It was in the low 70s, warm enough not to need a motorcycle jacket, but at 65, the wind had just a tiny bit of bite to it.
I decided that when we stop, I should set a 10-minute timer and we move around instead of jumping back on the Scoot. It seems to lessen the late afternoon pain.
...

00:01:17

Big’un@Big_un

October 14, 2026

Day 23 & 24

Of the 2026 Cavalcade

3332 miles

We departed San Juan Capistrano CA around 11:00 because we only were going about 120 miles to Joshua Tree NP where we would be camping.
It spit rain off and on for a while. Then we stopped for fuel and there was a Starbucks, so we decided to stop for a cup of Joe.
That’s when it really started raining. So we waited a bit and decided “What the hell”, as we already had our rain jackets on.
Luckily we rode out of the rain in about 15 minutes.
We arrived at Joshua Tree around 15:00. Then we had to find our spot that we reserved. There are no walk ins, you’ve to pick and reserve a spot before arrival. There are no pictures or descriptions of the sites. So you don’t know what you will get until you get to it.
The map of the campground must have been ‘symbolic’ or map of a totally different campground.
I followed what route the map showed, and it was nowhere close to our spot.
We eventually found it, and it was a hill. Lots of empty flat spots around us, ours was ...

00:00:48

Big’un@Big_un

March 02, 2022

This is my Darth Vader voice

For you doubters…
😂🤣😂😂🤣

Big’un@Big_un

10 hours ago

Making like

A baby, and heading out.
The most excellent @KevinProudTexan and his ever lovely wife Kim have been the most gracious hosts. The short hiatus from the ride they gifted us, recharged our batteries for the next two days.
We’ve swapped enough ‘stories’, that it seems as if we’ve known each other for years.
We then went to supper last night at a little local ‘hole in the wall’ that had excellent barbecue.

It’s now time for the final push to The Big Blue Beast, in GA.
I’ve consulted GROK and the weather will be in the ‘70s with no rain expected today or tomorrow.
We’ve almost 13 hours of seat time over the next two days to get there. We will do the longest segment today, 391 miles. Our longest segment of the entire ride.
While 6 hour rides in a ‘cage’ (automobile) isn’t too taxing, on a scooter, it can be exhausting. Especially at our ages. Your ass in general and hips in particular take a beating. I usually start popping Advil Dual (Acetaminophen and ibuprofen together) ...

Big’un@Big_un

October 19, 2026

GROK

Is my co-pilot…

I’ve used SI several times on this Cavalcade.
Once for a detailed weather report between to locations and along our root. GROK suggested we wait until the next day.
Which we did.
I’ve also given it Two points and the route between, asked it to find a hotel at roughly the halfway point.
Works like a charm.

Here’s the latest.

“I’m riding a motorcycle from Corsicana TX to Acworth GA, find a hotel close to the halfway point.”

GROK;

Jackson / Pearl, Mississippi is the practical halfway point on the drive from Corsicana, TX to Acworth, GA.
The full route is roughly 760–770 miles (mostly via I-20), so the midpoint falls right around Jackson, MS—about 390–400 miles from Corsicana (roughly 6–6.5 hours of riding).
Pearl (just east of Jackson, right on I-20) is especially convenient for an overnight motorcycle stop: easy interstate access, plenty of surface parking, and hotel clusters near exits.
Here are solid nearby options with free parking and good interstate access:
Top ...

Big’un@Big_un

October 18, 2026

Ensconsed

At @KevinProudTexan ‘s lake front paradise, south of Dallas/Ft Worth.

Big’un@Big_un

November 30, 2022

The Day I Retired

Its almost the sixth anniversary...

Some of you may have looked at my photos and thought; what young looking handsome man… He couldn't be old enough to retire …

Thank you Mama

Anyway, I am 60 and I retired at 55 in July of 2017. I was given a retainer for two more months in order to be on call. I couldn’t always get a reliable Internet connection and I can’t take someone’s money for nothing, so I shut that down in Sept 2017…

So you are thinking, what day in July did you retire? I didn’t really retire in July 2017. I quit going to work then…

I retired Thursday, around 1:35 PM, December 15, 2016…

Life was good for @The_CINC and I.

It was shortly before Christmas 2016. Tiny dancer, our surprise baby was a junior in college. We had a 4K sqft house on 7 acres, 40 miles south of Washington DC. It was our second house in 33 yrs of marriage. We had lived there for over 20 yrs. The final house payment was due Nov 10, 2017.

The CINC was at the highest point you can achieve as a civilian Govt Employee without going into the Senior Executive Service. When she was offered SES, the CINC had gotten to the point at which it would have meant more work, more time away from home, for no more money (because of the pay structure) for at least five to seven years. We also knew we wanted to Retire, so it made no sense to invest the time required for an SES position.

She worked for OSD, DOD, WHS (The office that runs the Pentagon, they are the ‘Landlords’) for 34 years. At one point she ran a division that had a yearly budget of $1 Billion.

She would be eligible to retire in April 2017. We really hadn’t decided what we were going to do. My top-secret NSA/DOD clearance was supposed to be coming through anytime. One of my specialties was encrypted secure communications.

I was a subcontractor for IBM and they were paying $50,000 for my vetting. It had been 2 years because I was a traveling consultant that didn’t associate with my neighbors… I was gone all of the time and I couldn’t see any of them from my house anyway..

Once that clearance came through, I could double or triple my salary which wasn’t small in the first place.

Here we were, at the top of our earning potential, few bills, house almost paid for, kids all gone…

Life was good…

Then Thursday, around 1:35 PM, December 15, 2016, happened…

I was in Birmingham AL, working at the US HQ, of a regional US bank that had been acquired by a Spanish bank. I was digitizing and updating their manual and electronic bank and treasury transactions. I had been on this contract for three years. The last 10 months or so I had been mostly remote, working from my lazy boy.

They wanted me to come in for some end of the year meetings and Christmas parties.

I flew in Monday mornings, getting to the office around 10:00 AM. I would work 10 hours Monday, 12-14 Tuesday and Wednesday, 6-8 Thursday and then catch a flight home around 4:00 pm Thursday. I would have 40-45 hours in 4 days by the time I caught my flight home.

I was sitting at my ‘station’, there weren’t really ‘cubes’, just tables with 3-4” dividers that had plugs. It was basically a giant open room, semi closed at each end by meeting rooms. My seat was near the meeting rooms. Behind me to my right was a large opening which led to a spacious elevator lobby.

The bank of elevators were the divider for another large working area. If you really tried, you could easily get 150-200 people in the elevator lobby.

I had just come back from lunch. I was trying to wrap a few things up before heading to the airport. A woman calmly walks behind me and says “Does anybody know first aid?”

I stood up “Excuse me?!?” She pointed to the elevator lobby behind her.

So I walked that way to see what was happening…

I am a trained first responder. I was a police officer at the pentagon and I was a FFX County VA police officer. I am also a trained BSA leader with back country first aid training.

As I entered the elevator lobby I saw an extremely obese man laying partially on his back. A woman by his side rubbing his hand looking concerned. Another man near his feet watching. I looked around, there were about 10 gawkers.

“MA’AM!”

I startled the woman to look at me…

“We have to treat him for shock”

First thing I could think of, get him flat on his back, elevate his feet.

"Go get that footstool"

That gave her something to do and think about.

I looked at the gentleman "Find me something to keep him warm."

I got him on his back. He must have weighed 400 Lbs.

I ripped his shirt open, put my head on his chest.

No Breathing, no heartbeat.

I took his pulse at his carotid artery to make sure.

No, pulse, his face was white, blue lips, his eye lids were partially open, his eyes were already clouding over...

He was already dead.

I looked up for a second...

At least 175-200 people were watching me...

I could hear people sobbing..

Where the hell did they all come from?

So I measured up his sternum, and began compressions..

If you've never really done CPR...

The first time will gross you out. I broke every bone in his chest away from his sternum. It sounded like I was crushing a bag of potato chips.

Another gentleman, kneeling beside me asked "Shouldn't you do the breaths?"

I was doing this for show. I knew he was dead. I have seen and handled many dead bodies. He was already dead, he wasn't coming back.

I looked over at the decedent's face, my compressions were forcing his lunch out of his mouth.

"Turn his head to the side, sweep his mouth, knock yourself out."

About that time a woman came over with an automatic defibrillator.

As I was giving compressions, I talked her through placement of the electrodes. She was so upset, she couldn't read the instructions.

She placed the electrodes, hit the switch, and audible countdown started from 15. When it got to one, it would send the charge.

I kept doing compressions until the Defib audibly said 'CLEAR', at which time, for some reason , I through my arms up like a touchdown. As soon as the cycle was over, I started compressions again.

I was starting to get winded, when I heard the elevators open and EMTs emerged.

one immediately kneeled across from me and took over.

I simply stood up, and walked away.

I didn't want to be there anymore.

I walked back to my station, and packed my stuff.

I was going to the airport.

As luck would have it..

I followed the gurney down to the lobby, one of the EMTs on the guy's chest still giving compressions.

On the drive to the airport, the shakes hit... I can stay extremely calm in the most stressful situations, but it takes a heavy toll later.

After arriving at my gate, I sat down, my cell phone rang. It was my boss from the bank "I just wanted to let you know that the guy didn't make it."

'I know" I said, "I knew that before I left, thanks for letting me know"

I called @The_CINC and told her everything. I then said "I don't want to die in a cube farm. Let's retire"

The Bank, and my employer tried to do some kind of ceremony for me. I told them not to, it was a dumb idea. If he would have lived it would have been a celebration of his life. He died, there was nothing to be proud of.

That was why they gave me the retainer...

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