Slide show presentation planned at Seymour The motorcycle trip started from a desire to work on a float and a comment about driving a motorcyle cross country - some day. The day came on December 27 when Linda and Mike Schaffer of Brockport fulfilled two dreams in one trip. "We'd always had motorcycles and had talked about taking a trip across the country on the bike," Mike said. "We didn't really set out with a plan other than working on the float for the Rose Bowl parade." Linda said she'd always been fascinated by the Rose Bowl floats because every inch of them are covered with organic material. "One day I told Mike, 'I want to work on a Rose Bowl float.' He just kind of looked at me but I started researching it," she said. Their son was aware of his mother's desire to work on a float and helped her get on the list to work on the Trader Joe's float for the January parade in Pasadena. "I kept calling to check and make sure I was on the list to help out," Linda said. "Most of the volunteers on the floats are part of community organizations but here I was coming down just to volunteer. It was fascinating when we walked in and saw the materials they used to make the floats." The float she worked on featured a family of raccoons having a picnic, elements of which went along the theme of family the parade had set, she said. Mike said the couple flew to California and had the motorcycle shipped to them. "We stayed in California until January 5 then went up through Palm Springs, Yuma (Arizona), Mexico, San Antonio and Mississippi," he said. "There were a few more places we'd like to have gone or seen but there was snow in Las Vegas and Phoenix and mud slides in California. Everyone kept telling us it was unseasonably cold." The couple said they had no set plans and just kind of "meandered around" sometimes covering as much as 300 miles in a day, others setting up for six weeks in South Carolina. "We almost moved in there," Linda joked. They agreed it was a "great experience from start to finish" and one of the things they enjoyed most was meeting all of the people along the way. When asked how anyone could possibly pack for a 100 day trip on a motorcycle they explained there was a pack that fit on the back of the motorcycle as well as two saddle bags. "We stayed at bed and breakfasts that many times offered laundry facilities," Linda said, adding that, "I had an easier time packing than Mike did. He literally packed half of everything he owned." The couple, who are semi-retired from teaching in the Rochester City School District, said they might consider another trip like this. "I'd do it in a minute," Linda said. "It might take me more than a minute to consider," Mike said with a laugh. On September 21 at 7 p.m. at the Seymour Library, East Avenue, Brockport, the couple will present a slide show presentation entitled "Seeing America" that details their trip. The program is sponsored by the Western Monroe Historical Society. For information call 637-3645. |
