db: Yonder, 2015

Don Barone puts together a plan to travel thousands of miles through 13 states in 2015.

“I face the horizon everywhere I go…”

Dateline: Passin’ through

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.”
On The Road
Jack Kerouac

I buy chairs in hopes that someday, I will sit.

But, but, I was born lacking, stay-put.

Even now, I have more shoes, than chairs. My shoes have holes in the soles, the chairs are perfect.

I never taught the dog to sit.

He prefers to walk, loves to, “go for a ride!” 

We match.

“…I face the horizon the horizon is my home…”

There, is where I want to be even though I don’t know where, there, will be.

I was sent to bed one time without dinner because I answered my third grade teacher’s question truthfully.

“Tell me class, if you could be anything what would you be.”

Little Johnny with the cowlick, “Miss Moore I would like to be a doctor.”

Little Mary, with one ear bigger than the other, “Miss Moore I would like to be a teacher just like you.”

And so on, Lawyers, Firemen, Nurses, one Astronaut.

Then came my turn. “Young Mr. Barone, if you could be anything what would you like to be.”

“Miss Moore, I think if I could be anything, I would like to be…The Wind.”

In bed that day by 3:30 p.m.…no dinner…no watching Sea Hunt that night.

Told you.

“…I've felt old before my time but now I keep the age away…”

I look forward to the future much more than I look forward to the past.

One of the things with this gig that I like the most, is laying out Yonder.

Laying out where I will be for the upcoming season, my moving genes go to their happy place.

So this year I thought I would lay out Yonder to you before I went out Yonder.  Here’s some quick facts:

Yonder will take me to at least 13 states: SC, LA, MS, TX, AL, CA, AZ, TN, WV, NY, MD, MI and WI.

In 2015 I will be moving about for at least 140 days, almost five months on the road.

Miles…figure I will drive about 8,913 miles according to MapQuest (that’s just getting to the location not all the driving around while there), and a website I found that measures air miles told me that I will be in coach for 9,345 more miles.

“…by burning up the miles and yeah by filling up my days…”

Count on me being at every Elite event on the books this year, if they throw in another one, I’ll be at that as well.

I will also get to be at three Opens, one each of the North, Central and Southern.

Toss in two College events, one Nation, one High School, one Team Championship, and you have my year.

Yonder, 2015.

I actually get to be in the Northeast, the Midwest, the West, the Southwest, the South and the Mid-Atlantic.

But best of all, I get to be in your hometown, your lake, your river.

Best of all, I get to meet you.

“…and the nights a thousand nights I've played and a thousand more to go…”

Don’t be a stranger.

In this now my eighth season with B.A.S.S., I have never seen us so all over the place.  When I list all the places I’m going to be I leave out all the places I won’t be.

All in all I will be at 17 B.A.S.S. events, that’s out of a total of 32 events put on by the guys and gals of Birmingham.

There are dozens and dozens of B.A.S.S. workers who leave their families and haul all the stuff you see on TV…haul and set up the stages, the weigh-in stuff, the communication gizmos…come out and see them, say hello, trust me they will appreciate it.

Then there are all the Elite guys, some with their families, some alone, who will drag their boats, drag all their gear, all over the country, come meet them as well. I have to tell you that in over three decades now of covering sports, these Elite guys and their families are the nicest folks, nicest athletes I’ve been around, you’ll be better for getting to know them.

I know I am.

“…before I take a breath and steal myself…”

I truly believe this will be the best season I’ve been around. I’m excited to meet and hear the stories of the high school anglers, meet and hear the stories of the college anglers.

Meet and listen to all you Opens anglers out there, personally I hope we get more ladies standing up there in the front of the boat.

We have many new Elites on the tour, I look forward to meeting them, look forward to those deer in the headlights look, look forward to the day they come up to me with new found respect for those who have been wearing the Elite jersey for some time now.

I look forward to being near and hopefully getting to have a brew or two with some of the Elites who have retired, I miss them and I keep my fingers crossed every year that we somehow come up with a Seniors Tour for my old friends.

But above all, I look forward to the stories that are unknown to me now.

I look forward to those “wow” moments that these anglers, their families, and you the fans, bring to me.

Stories, only found out there, out Yonder.

“…for the next one thousand shows.”
The Road
Frank Turner

“The road must eventually lead to the whole world.”
On The Road
Jack Kerouac

See You,
db