So, there we have it: Hot Springs or Busk, Phase III, all wrapped up. A whirlwind tour that took us from the Pacific Northwest, down the Pacific Coast, through the desert mirage of Vegas, the Grand Canyon’s awe-inspiring chasm, the quirky artist haven of New Mexico, and finally, the sprawling landscapes of Texas and Oklahoma. Quite a journey, indeed (stay tuned, new posts drop every Monday@Midnight).

Initially, i’d planned to delve deeper into Texas and Oklahoma, but a confluence of events and a growing sense of alienation pulled me back to Hays, my so-called “home port”. As Thomas Wolfe famously observed, “You can’t go home again,” and i’m experiencing that firsthand. Hays was once my professional and familial anchor, but now, with my kids grown and gone, i find myself adrift. Even long-standing friends seem increasingly distant with every homecoming. I am still welcome, as long as i stay in the shadows and don’t rock anyone’s boat. As Mr. Spock might say… “fascinating”.

As for the song inspired by this post-mortem, i’m still working on it. So far, i’m only settled on the title and a mental image. Perhaps the lyrics will come as i finish this blog post (see developing lyric below).

So, what’s next? Phase IV will take us from Savannah up the coastal Southeast, from Florida to Maine. Winter? Please, no. My mantra is “screw winter,” and Savannah will be my home base for the colder months. We’ll explore the Deep South before tackling the East Coast in late spring. This time, though, we won’t be rushing. We’re way ahead of schedule, with 26 states already covered. We have until mid-June to hit them all.

I’m also hoping to find a guitar teacher to help me take my acoustic blues chops up a notch or two. It’ll keep me busy and give me something to focus on while parked in my sister’s backyard by the pond. We’ll plan some trips and adventures, but my primary goal is to hone guitar skills and write songs. We’ll try to arrange a showcase in Austin to launch Ronnie’s 2nd life as a solo performer. It’s a different path than i’ve taken before, but as Henley and Frey once said, it’s all about “song power.” If i can find my creative bullseye and develop a consistent level of performance excellence, there’s a chance to make it happen… what’s Nike say about that…? “Just Do It?”

Yea… let’s.

Onward through the fog… Ron, Rohlfie, and Ronnie Hays

Above the Rain
Set a course…
Prairies and pines…
Into the wind…
Expand your mind…
Upon return…
You’ll find your home…
Is movin’ on…
As par it should.

Below the Earth…
Above the rain…
Find your way…
It’s all the same…
Just a ride…
And you’ll abide…
Flyin’ high…
Above the rain.

No one’s really known…
We all have secret places…
Gardens that are grown…
From mulch of broken dreams…
Struggle with the good and bad…
Mourn the life we once had…
Reaching for a ring we cannot see.

And still…
Free will…
Won’t fill…
The aching need.

She set a course…
To calibrate…
Five lives down…
Down to fate…
And still she hopes…
She’ll find a home…
Down the road…
So it goes.

Below the Earth…
Above the rain…
She’ll find her way…
It’s all the same…
It’s just a ride…
And she’ll abide…
Flyin’ high…
Above the rain.