Attention Walmart shoppers!!! Roamer in aisle one!!!
Barbour, West Virginia
Barbour, West Virginia
We pulled into a truck stop to make a pit stop. As we exited the Roamer we were approached by a young driver who had just parked his red flatbed on the end of the row. He had all the usual Roamer questions--"What is that?" "What do you do with it?" "Do you really live in it?" "What about those tires?" As we wandered into the building I asked him how long he'd been driving a truck. He revealed that he was kind of an ex-Amish. In reality, he really defines himself as a "Modern Amish." He used to be a wood cutter. Ten years ago he decided he wanted to see the country so he left his small town in Ohio and became a truck driver.
He had an infectious smile and a genuine warmth about him. There was sincerity in his eyes. He shared with us what it was like to grow up with no electricity, no TV, no car. Transportation was by horse and buggy and ironically, he was seriously injured as a youth when a truck hit his buggy. He went on to tell us what it was like to be a truck driver. He hauled all kinds of things, from sand to cattle. He was especially proud of the fact that the cattle he delivered to the slaughter house weren't injured in transit. That seemed to be important to him. When he's not on the road, he returns to his roots in Ohio.
After we all used the facilities, we gave him a tour of our home. He invited us to visit his Amish community and take photographs. After we exchanged phone numbers he headed back to his rig for a nap and we got back on the road.
Oddly enough, Steve and I felt some kind of connection with Dave, the ex-Amish truck driver. What was it? Why were we supposed to cross paths with him? Just like Curtis, the blacksmith, we met him for a reason. It was no coincidence. One of the reasons we decided to take this journey in the EarthRoamer was to simplify our lives and get back to what's important. Simple living has been a major tenet of Dave's life. And while we're not ready to give up electricity, the TV or our rig, we have a lot to learn from the amazing people we meet along the way. It's about being present to those seemingly random encounters that enrich our lives in untold ways. We will definitely be going to Ohio.
He had an infectious smile and a genuine warmth about him. There was sincerity in his eyes. He shared with us what it was like to grow up with no electricity, no TV, no car. Transportation was by horse and buggy and ironically, he was seriously injured as a youth when a truck hit his buggy. He went on to tell us what it was like to be a truck driver. He hauled all kinds of things, from sand to cattle. He was especially proud of the fact that the cattle he delivered to the slaughter house weren't injured in transit. That seemed to be important to him. When he's not on the road, he returns to his roots in Ohio.
After we all used the facilities, we gave him a tour of our home. He invited us to visit his Amish community and take photographs. After we exchanged phone numbers he headed back to his rig for a nap and we got back on the road.
Oddly enough, Steve and I felt some kind of connection with Dave, the ex-Amish truck driver. What was it? Why were we supposed to cross paths with him? Just like Curtis, the blacksmith, we met him for a reason. It was no coincidence. One of the reasons we decided to take this journey in the EarthRoamer was to simplify our lives and get back to what's important. Simple living has been a major tenet of Dave's life. And while we're not ready to give up electricity, the TV or our rig, we have a lot to learn from the amazing people we meet along the way. It's about being present to those seemingly random encounters that enrich our lives in untold ways. We will definitely be going to Ohio.
