4 generations

to . . . . . . .








here is a story, in keeping with my recent post. my dad's grandpa jumped off a wagon train by himself at the age of 14 someplace around the missouri/kansas border. he left everybody he knew, took the stuff on his back, and went to work driving a mule train in the coal mines because he was so small the trains could haul more coal with him driving them. my dad, that hardy soul's grandson, was born and raised without running water or electricy - but his dad moved him north to the industrail midwest for a better life, altho he himself died in his late 40's from black lung.

my dad finished hi-skool, raised a family as a meter-reader for the gas company, and worked his way up to vice president until the big downsizing of the early 90's caused him to retire early - he was having MBA interns work for him, as a hi-skool grad. my dad is old-school - to the point that when i wished to go to college he refused to fill out the finacial aide forms because it was " none of their business ". that meant i went to work for several years, sold all my assets ( OK, i kept a couple cool bikes . . . ), and put myself thru school working 3-4 jobs.

MK is only 4 generations removed from that nearly unbelieveable 14 year old who said " i've had it with this stupid wagon train, lemme off right now ". and just yesterday she was awarded a full ride scholarship at the beautiful and deeply student-dedicated ripon college. it so happens that she has a few other leads to pursue yet - she is quite a bit better scholar than she is a bike racer and she's not a bad bike racer by any stretch . . . . . . but i wonder what that young mule train driver would think.

on behalf of him, and my own grandpa who died before 50 of black lung, i would like to thank the fabulous folks at ripon, and the pickard family in particular, today.