JANUARY: I celebrated the start of 2017 just as I have in years past, sitting at home watching the Ball drop in Time Square. Being a season ticket holder at Virginia Tech, I spent many a night at Cassell Coliseum watching the Hokies begin ACC Play. No longer are the Hokies the door mats of the Conference and during the first month of the Conference Season I saw them defeat both Duke and Syracuse before packed houses at the Cassell.
FEBRUARY: The second month of 2017 saw the Hokies defeat their in state rival the Virginia Cavaliers at home 80-78 in double overtime. Also in February my long time friend and co-worker Chuck Shinall and I ventured down to the historic Earle Theater in Mount Airy, North Carolina to see the Earls of Leicester. What a wonderful night it was listening to the bluegrass music made famous by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and their Foggy Mountain Boys. 
MARCH: The third month brought the madness that is the NCAA Basketball Tournament. And just as I have for the past 17 years I attended the first and second rounds of the Tournament. This year I ventured down to Greenville, South Carolina. Following the tournament I continued my vacation South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. During my two week NCAA Vacation I visited the Site of the Andersonville Civil War Prison, The Air Force Museum at Warner Robins, Georgia, The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Historic Montgomery, Alabama and the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center. 
APRIL: Baseball took over for Basketball and I found time to take in a few of the Hokie Games at English Field. I also ventured down to Stuart, Virginia and visited with some old friends who were participating in the annual Jonathan Bowling Memorial Ride. Jonathan Bowling was the son of my good friend and co-worker Darrell Bowling. Jonathan was serving in the Marine Corps when he was killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. Each year hundreds of motorcycle riders gather for a memorial ride that raise money for the Jonathan Bowling Scholarship Fund. This year a bunch of current and retired friends were participating in the ride and I enjoyed visiting with them before they headed out on the memorial ride.
MAY: In May I traveled down to Virginia Beach to the APCO Spring Convention. It was an honor to watch Dispatcher Jami Hicks receive the award for her action during a critical incident which occurred at the Martinsville Speedway during the fall NASCAR Race. Jami is a wonderful person and an outstanding dispatcher. It was wonderful seeing her recognized on a statewide level. Many of you know that I love trains, especially historic trains. Well you don't get any more historic than the Norfolk and Western 611 Locomotive. In May, Chuck Shinall and I fulfilled one the things on my bucket list when we road the 611 excursion from Lynchburg to Petersburg and back. After our excursion, the next weekend I managed to capture and photograph the Queen of Steam as she traveled from Roanoke to Radford and back. It was a great month for me and the 611.
JUNE: As I reached the mid-point of 2017, the month of June saw me and my sister hit the road for a couple of piddlin' trips. First we ventured over to Lynchburg and toured Thomas Jefferson's retreat at Poplar Forest. From there we made our way to the Blue Ridge Parkway and a quick stop at the Peaks of Otter.
JULY: I celebrated our Independence by watching fireworks at the High School from my back deck. The heat of summer kept me close to home and I stayed busy taking photos around the area and trying to catch some of the Norfolk-Southern Heritage Units as they passed through the area. I was successful only once when I caught the Conrail Unit as it headed west past the Cambria Depot.
AUGUST: The first of August saw me "Steppin' Out" in Blackburg. Steppin Out is an annual arts festival where local artist and entertainer display their wares and talents during the first weekend in August. I enjoy attending even though I don't buy much. The end of August saw College Football return and I made my way down the mountain to Wake Forest for the first game of the season. I have been a Football Season Ticket Holder at Wake Since 2005 and it's always good to see my friends in the Forest.
SEPTEMBER: I kept the road hot traveling back and forth from home to Wake Forest for football at BB&T Field. I have had the same seats in Section 2 for the last 8-years and it is like a football family reunion when the Deacs are playing at home.
OCTOBER: The first of October saw me travel to Richmond and officially submit my retirement papers, and on October 12, I worked my last scheduled day in the office. Having almost 10-weeks of leave that I would lose if not taken by the end of the year, I would not have to work another scheduled day before I officially retire on December 31. I spent my Birthday with my sister in Washington, D.C. We had a great weekend touring our nations capitol. The last weekend in October was Race weekend at Matinsville. For the past 20-year I had worked the radio command post at the Race. This would be my last race as Jami Hicks and Noelle Perkinson will be handling the duties in the future.
NOVEMBER: College Basketball began its March toward the Madness in November. During the summer a couple of Hurricane's damaged the Virgin Islands. With the recovery still on going, it was decided to move the Annual Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament from the Virgin Islands to the campus of Liberty University. When I heard that the tournament had been moved I ordered Tickets and spend the weekend in Lynchburg. I got to see 12 games over a three day period including three games involving the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
DECEMBER: So here we are in December. A quick trip to my moms in Hickory North Carolina and trip over to Pigeon Forge to take advantage of a free hotel night brings me to the end of 2017. Two of my friends and co-workers, Georgia Eva and Brittany Nelson traveled with me down to the Bristol Motor Speedway to take in the Annual Speedway Christmas Lights. As usual we had a grand time. The year is winding down and so is my career. With the end of 2017 also come the end of my 43-year career. I will be officially retired on December 31. When the clock strikes mid-night and 2018 arrives I will begin a new chapter in my life. While I am looking forward too it, I am also somewhat sad because I will no longer see some of the people who have been a big part of my life. I will sincerely miss the daily interaction with the dispatcher that I have come to call not only my co-workers but my friends. The people who work in the Division VI Radio Room are a special group of people. They are the best at what they do and they are even better people. I will truly miss them.
2018: I know that none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, but I am looking forward to 2018 and seeing what is around the bend. I hope that I will have the opportunity to Travel, to visit old friends and to make new ones. In March I am planning on traveling to Dallas, Texas for the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. For the better part of the month of March I hope to be motoring around the Lone Star State.
In October I hope to ride Amtrak's Texas Eagle out to Phoenix, Arizona and join Chuck and Sharon Shinall for a weeks vacation in the Valley of the Sun. Then it all goes well I will be heading over to Los Angeles for a couple of week before heading back home on Amtrak's Southwest Chief or the California Zephyr.
So as 2017 comes to an end, I am also ending another chapter of my book of life and preparing to begin writing another. I am remind of a saying that my step-father once told me...."You should look back every once in a while just to see how far you've come."
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