A Journal of Journeys

By Patrick Payne

A Journal of Journeys is a collection of people and their stories as they rode the author's shuttle van between Flagstaff, Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, The Grand Canyon, and Sedona, Arizona.

Patrick Payne, the professional driver out of retirement, a

• Language: English
• Publisher: PATRICK EDWARD PAYNE
• Release date: Feb 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088123737

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A Journal Of Journeys

Patrick Payne

Copyright © 2022 by

Patrick Payne

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the author.

ISBN: 978-1-0881-2381-2

Printed in the United States of America

Published by Writersclique.com

Dedication

So many people, places, and things to dedicate this book to that I find myself on the short side of able to name them. Mostly because I feel that no matter how many I include or merely mention that I will have neglected someone or something in my effort. But I will try and beg your indulgence.

So, I must start with my God for granting me life, along with a generous helping of years to get to this point. And for all His gifts, most generous.

To the people whose support and encouragement helped me so much to write this book, I will mention no names. You know who you are, and I thank you most sincerely as without your shoulders, it wouldn’t have happened. There, I have forgotten no one.

Now to those people who really wrote this book by providing their presence as passengers along those many thousands of miles journeyed, we thank you and dedicate this book to all of you. Thank you for being a part of so many stories while at the same time sharing yours with us. May your destinations be many and your journeys most joyous. And as we thank you, may God Bless You All.

Acknowledgments

First, someone had to mash the grass. Then others followed that path to form a trail. That trail then became a road between Flagstaff and Phoenix along with other grass mashers eventually making roads leading to Sedona and The Grand Canyon out of Flagstaff. Those roads built by so many laboring people in a time not gifted with the tools of today.

And today, this pilgrim drove those roads in comfort as I transported passengers on their journeys to so many destinations. While downhill from Flagstaff is the road to Phoenix, it is not all downhill. For those builders of our roads, it was problemed by uphill detours due to impossible terrains along with river crossings and gulches that would, without warning, become raging rivers of flash floods. Yet they, as did other roadbuilders of our nation, persevered. They built our roads. And because of them, we are gifted with safe paths or routes to our destinations.

This, then, is to acknowledge those grass mashers and road builders who made this book possible.

Table Of Contents

A Journal Of Journeys

My Passengers You Ask

0800 Departure Sunday January 7, 2018

My Paper-Hanger Passenger

A Change Of Pace, My Buddhist Monk Passenger.

Roads Traveled

Aaron

The Young Hayashi Family

My Idigato Passenger Sedona Run. Summer, 2019.

Thank You, Sir, For Your Kindness

Cowboy Story Anyone?

My A-Ok Young Lady

My Elderly Menonnite Gentleman

Trains

A Pickup In Phoenix

My Anxiety Passenger

Minerva’s

And Of Prairie Towns

My Ladies From Billings, Montana

Then My Philadelphia Passenger’s

My Lady From Homer, Alaska

My Nat Geo Photographer Outbound

And The Tour Guide

My Passenger From Sequim, Washington

Ronald, The Father-In-Law Of An NAU Professor

My Shoe Bomber Lady

My Chopper Rescue Passenger

Rueben, My Hopi

Another Hopi Was My Spinning Top Maker

And Of Another Artisan

Our New Zealand Passenger, Daniel

The Hot-Shot

My Young Man, Jimmy And His Lady Friend, Sarah

My Two Men From Chicago

Being A Native Of St. Louis,

Of Leaving St. Louis

Walter. My Neighbor, Friend And Fellow Road-Rat

And Of Casper, Wyoming. A Snowmobile Journey

Let Me Share Now A Very Uncomfortable Episode

Snow?

Stories Of Journeys Involving Many People Have Just Been Told

Big Ed

Ute, (Oo’- Ta)

Haring, A Retired Postal Worker

Michael

Ben, Or Big Ben

Joann, Or Jojo

Detailer Extraordinaire, Raini

And While On The Ladies

Lonnie

Harry

George, Or Orhey

Brandy

Bert Or Ernie

Our Dispatchers

And Matt

The Sights

Moonscapes

Cloud Stories

Awesome Rainbow

Now We Will Add That Dash Or Three

And Before Closing With A New Year’s Eve Adventure We Shall Visit The Mystery Christmas Tree

Grand Canyon New Year’s Eve 2018

Epilogue

A Journal Of Journeys

When I drive – I’m at home.

And I love it – always will.

The Journey is The Thing. Said Homer. And the Journey’s destination is not limited merely to the point of arrival – Destinations abound along the way.

Destinations experienced and shared with passengers as I drove them on my shuttle van between Flagstaff, Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona, Arizona. A most rewarding job. Even more enjoyable than my occupation originally followed. Mentioned here because that job took me to all fifty of our United States and then some. Those travels affording me firsthand knowledge of the many places that my passengers called home. Their joy then displayed when such an old, retired guy knew even something let alone so much about from where they had come. I still marvel at so many stories from so many people and the opening of the window