Ah, sweet memories...
The most beautiful experience of my life was a trip to my sales territory (all of VA except Metro No. Va, with coastal NC added for icing on the cake). Knowing the schedule, I blocked out a total of 2 weeks to cover what would take me 11 days worth of work time, leaving 3 extra days at the end *if* all went smoothly.
It did, and I ended my 1000+ mile road trip (in a nice, rented Toyota Avalon with a premium sound system) in Roanoke on a Tuesday evening. I checked into a McHotel, made the last calls of the week, and had exceeded all expectations for writing new business, strengthening relationships with my dealers, and even got my biggest dealer to kick GE to the curb (I worked for Whirlpool Corp.) -- a Million dollar PLUS coup annually for the company.
I celebrated that evening with a steak, loaded baked potato, and Michelob throughout. I was alone, the waitress was pretty, and it was nice to do a little innocent flirting as she took good care of me.
I went back to the room, having plotted out where I was going the next day, and having packed a few sandwiches, water, and schnecken to last the day.
I woke up the next day around 8, threw the bags in the car and ran up I-81 to Botetourt county to jump on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I stayed at the Inn at the Peaks of Otter that night, enjoyed the amazing buffet and walked around the lake the following morning, enjoying the birds and nature. I got back to the room around 11, loaded out, and started the lazy, 30 mph drive up the parkway. It was early autumn, and the leaves had just begun to turn these brilliant shades of gold, orange, yellow and red.
I turned on a beautiful mix of classical baroque, acoustic worship, and James Taylor, and enjoyed the rocking motion of the loose turns as I wound through vistas that at one moment held me close in a chapel of trees, and in the next moment, opened out into endless air-filled canyons of tree-filled fields, raising their limbs in worship to their creator, surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Blue Ridge mountains, resplendant in the afternoon sunshine. What a breathtaking gift, as panorama after panorama of the best of God's creation was unfolded, for me alone.
Humbled, filled like an infant at his mother's breast, I pulled in to the Afton Mountain B&B, ate dinner, and went to bed.
This was the single most beautiful experience of my life.
Thanks for enduring my ramblings.
