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DAY 3
Back Home Again in Indiana...
We made it home late Monday night. On Sunday, we sat for three hours on I-40 near Santa Rosa, N.M., due to an overturned semi that was blocking both lanes. It seemed we were going to have to extend our trip home by another day. The nice thing about the bus is it gave Big Al an opportunity to take a nap so we could push on into the night.
I spoke to a very nice couple from eastern Indiana who noticed my shirt and had read about us in the paper. They were out in California for a grandchild’s wedding. It was hot and the sun was beating down on them pretty good, so later I took them a couple of bottles of cold water. They were so appreciative, but I told them if it was my Mom and Dad sitting there in the sun, I would want someone to offer them a cold drink. After all, Hoosier Hospitality is more than just a slogan; it’s a way of life!
I also spoke to a Dixie Chopper owner from Oklahoma. He said his Dixie wasn’t discharging grass as well anymore and he had to stop and scrape the deck often. I asked him when he had last adjusted the engine to deck belt. He wasn’t sure what I was asking, so I explained that most quality of cut problems are due to a loss of blade tip speed, which is usually belt-related. I explained how to make the adjustments and he, too, was appreciative. He and I also shared a cold beverage during our wait. Generally speaking, most people are very nice. We begin to get a tainted outlook on humanity because all we ever hear about on the news and in the papers are the drugheads or “gang bangers” who want to kill one another. Maybe if we just ignored those types in the press there wouldn’t be as many attention-seeking freaks! It seemed I encountered that my whole trip. Reporting of the bad seems to always take precedence over someone trying to do some good.
Tuesday was time to unload the “Peterbego” and the bus. I had stuff everywhere. I never said that organization and filing was a strong point for me. I am a pilot. I “pile it” here and I “pile it” there. I know whatever I am working on at the time is in a pile somewhere on my desk. Even Bev, God bless her, tolerates the pile I seem to create on my dresser of important stuff I might need some day. Eventually it even gets to where I can’t stand it, and then all of
that important “stuff’ usually gets thrown away.
We got everything out of the motor homes and headed back to the house to do some much-needed laundry. Bev had done most of her usual Tuesday chores on Monday, so we could spend time together. I couldn’t help but keep noticing my yard, which I felt, needed my attention. Grant Goodpaster did me a huge favor, mowing it for me while I was gone. But your yard is your yard! Maybe I’m anal, but there is a certain way I like my yard to look and a certain way that I cut it. No offense to Grant, but this is MY yard. He hadn’t had a chance to mow it over the weekend so it had a good 10-day growth that needed tending to. Bev knew I wanted to mow it (maybe it was the sudden twitch I had developed), so she said she had a few things to do and perhaps I should cut the grass while she was gone. Have I told you what a wonderful woman she is? I gladly appeased her and began to mow. I sent my stepson Parker to Butler’s LP, a local propane distributor, to fill my empty tank. The nice thing about propane, it doesn’t smell things up because there are no vapors.
The more I use my propane unit, these last two years, the more I am becoming addicted to it. Did I mention that here in Putnam County, Indiana, the price of propane is $1.79 and the price of gasoline is $3.51? That means it cost me half as much to cut my three acres. Even if you don’t care about the environment, wouldn’t you like to cut your expenses in half? Shouldn’t your legislators want to spend your tax money a little more efficiently? Well, I guess this will give them something to talk about!
Getting back into the swing of things back home is always a little awkward after a long road trip. At the office or at home, everyone has made adjustments to you being gone. So when you come back, your initial instinct is to step right back in where you left off. That is usually not a wise move and I have been traveling, due to my job, long enough to know better. I am trying more to get caught up with what has been going on since I left. I have been patiently waiting for my favorite chair at home (my stepson, home from college believes that to be his) and I’m trying not to override any decisions made at work in my absence. I am thankful for my years spent in organizational development and studies of applied behavioral science. It helps me to understand the dynamics that are natural and prevents me from doing or saying things that lead to hurt feelings. So many times, at work or at home, the understanding of personality types and preferences helps avoid conflicts. Understanding my own personality helps me prevent reacting to a statement or a situation when no action is needed or no offense was intended. I am not perfect, but I recommend the study of that science to anyone. I had couple of great teachers -- Bryan Beasor and George Ford (NTL Institute – Bethel, Maine).
Someone forward me a link to the radio station in Phoenix that I did a radio interview with. The link (Phoenix - Radio site 92.3 KTAR: http://www.620ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=471537) has a comment section. Someone made the comment “Oh yea-This will make the big oil companies stand up and take notice!!!”. I read that to be a sarcastic comment. I have thick skin so it doesn’t bother me too much. My reply was this: According to industry information the average hours of run time each year on commercial lawn mowing equipment is approximately 700 hours. Many private
Users of equipment such as municipals, universities, etc., exceed 900 annual hours of use each year.
New Commercial Lawn equipment production exceeds 500,000 new units each year.
Sierra Research survey indicated there were approximately 138,000,000 pieces of commercial, turf and residential lawn equipment in use several years ago.
By my math, every commercial unit uses from 700-900 gallons of fuel per year. That equates to an excess of 12 billion gallons x $3.50/gal = $42B; think they would notice? Not to mention that if you clean up one mower equates to six autos.
According to the California Air Resources Board website links to valuable information a couple of years ago, it was stated that more gasoline was spilled in attempts to refill gas tanks on lawn mowers each year than was spilled by the Exxon Valdiz (17M gallons x $3.50/gal = $59.5M; not to mention environmental concerns)
Not a big deal, but it is a start and I thought worth three weeks of my life, hoping someone would notice. We are a drop in the bucket, but every drop counts. At least we offer what is a beginning to what seems to be a never ending debate! - Matt Land (Dixie Chopper Pilot)
By the way, Dad, the estimates you ran were a little more conservative than these, but you were pretty close!
You see, this is my point. Seldom does anyone ever want to step out front for fear of ridicule or humiliation. There are only two words I despise when told to me: You can’t! I can. I can make a difference if I choose to. I will make a difference with this product. I will force other manufacturers to get on board and start manufacturing a TRUE propane unit. I am not going to become a part of the debate that CNG is better or worse. I know we can make a few modifications to our unit and have that ability. Maybe it does burn cleaner, but I know the infrastructure is not in place across the entire country to make that feasible. I do know that we could start with propane, while more infrastructures are put in place to meet the demand. The demand, however will never be there if we do not start. We can continue to move forward until eventually there could be a hydrogen vehicle or something else that will be; better for the environment; make us less dependent on foreign oil; not create another set of problems while trying to fix one problem (i.e., all of the resources used in creating batteries or too many natural resources used and pollutants created in the production of other fuel sources).
The key words here, folks, are: Move Forward! Nothing is going to change until we start doing something.
In closing for today, I would like to say, it is great to be back home. Like I had stated earlier, this is not near over. I am going to beat this drum as long as I am able. I refuse to lose. Many people have commented on my “bobble head” that is on the website (I will get even with a few individuals for that). But I would much rather be a “Bobble Head” than a “Talking Head”! There are many good people in our political system and there are others who just like to talk. I am waiting to see who will step to the forefront and do something with an American company who stepped up to answer the call for alternative fuels. In fact, we are an American company who stepped up and delivered the product before the call was issued. The truth is; If you can’t see the future, you’re probably not going/mowing fast enough!
- Matt Land (5/17/07)
DAY 2
A Little Slower Going on the Return Trip...
Meeting an Icon:
I had the distinct privilege of meeting an icon of the “Mother Road” today -- Bob Moore, managing editor of Route 66 Magazine and author of “The Complete Guidebook To Route 66; Route 66 Spirit of The Mother Route” and numerous other books, including “Trailer Trash.” I won't go into details about the books here (especially the last one) because I want you to visit the website www.route66magazine.com. He has to be the most knowledgeable person about the “Mother Road” alive today.
I know that I wouldn't change anything about this trip, because it had to be an experience I could share with all of you. And again, just like the Dixie Chopper being a total package because of Dixie Chopper, Generac Power Systems, White Drive Products and Lucas Oil Products, this trip was a total package too. The trip itself was a total package from proving the power of propane; the durability of the unit; the quest to be heard and the effort to make a difference.
The other part of this trip was delivering a message from Americans via a route of America herself -- “The Mother Road.” I wanted to experience this and allow it to happen around me. That, for all Meijer-Briggs personality type buffs, would be the ENFP coming out in me. But that is a whole other story. Basically it means, I am the kind of person that will leave the driveway and have a basic idea of the direction I want to go, but no real plan on how I am going to get there. I knew I was going to head west and take Route 66, but that was about as far as it went. I apologize to all the people who like to plan every detail, because I know I had to drive them absolutely nuts. I also knew that it was going to be impossible to plan all of the details because none of us had ever been down the historic route and damn sure never on a lawn mower at 30 mph! So it wasn't like there was a lot of data or experience from which to draw from to create a plan.
If you are ever going to take a vacation and enjoy the Historic Route 66, I would strongly urge you to purchase the books off the internet (available at Amazon.com as well), so that you don't get lost or miss some of the really neat attractions. Bob has dedicated his life to road and had as a mentor Jack D. Rittenhouse, one of the first authors to publish a guide book to the route. Here is an interesting tidbit for you: My Dixie Chopper had five more horsepower and only traveled at a speed five miles an hour less than the vehicle used to create the first guidebook in 1946!
Bob also has a radio program, and I will have to get the station identification to pass along to you. I was so awestruck I forgot to ask (sorry, Rick). We did an interview for his program and it was great. He and I hit it off instantly and I felt real comfortable being myself. Like I stated before, I'm through with all of the politically correct stuff. I think my straightforward style fits me best. My intent is not to offend anyone but if all we do is spend our time worrying about how we are going to say something, we will lose sight of what we are trying to say. Now, I don't mean you can say things like that Imus fellow did, because that was just down right rude and stupid. I suppose saying that comment was “stupid” wouldn't be politically correct, but you understand the difference now right? (How's that, Bob, ring any bells?).
Be sure to go to the website and order a copy of the magazine, because I think you might want to see who may be on the cover of the next issue. Whether we are on the cover of the magazine or not you should still get it, because it really has some neat stuff in it. If you are into classic cars and history of the Mother Road, it is a must read.
Is the Mother Road an example of the “Throw Away Society” we have become?
I met a very nice young couple who are visiting our country from Germany. They landed in San Francisco and drove down to Los Angeles. From there they drove through the extremely scenic Route 66 through Oatman I had described to you earlier. From there they were going to visit the Grand Canyon. Then they were going to try to see as much as possible in the time they had remaining. Each year, tourists from other countries will fly into Chicago or Los Angeles and rent motor homes, motorcycles or cars and travel the historic route. Since the highway was decommissioned in the mid-1980s, it no longer has federal funding. In many states the upkeep of the road is the responsibility of the county because it is considered a county road. It no longer gets the attention deserved because of budget constraints that all counties face across America.
The old buildings are abandoned along much of the old highway. Our proud history is deteriorating right before our eyes. It has been discarded and thrown away; forgotten. It delivered so many ancestors from the dust bowl states to the promised land in the 1930s. Soldiers used the road to move their families to the land of opportunity after the Second World War. She served her purpose and did so well. She helped make this country what she is today. The repayment for that service is to be forgotten and thrown away.
I fight the battle against “throw-aways” every day. I try to educate people that it is less expensive to buy quality the first time instead of buying the “throw-away” mowers, year after year. Perhaps that is why we have landfill problems and environmental issues. How about our fellow Americans that we just “throw away” after the decision is made to move to some third world country is made so that cheap labor and their natural resources can be exploited? Where does it end? I don't know, but I know where it starts. It starts when we make a conscious decision to buy quality, American-made (manufactured plus assembled) products. It happens when we support the local merchants instead of the mass merchants that create hostile situations and margins that are too low for a manufacturer to sustain good paying jobs. Small business is the backbone of the country because it is the only part the government can see when they have us bent over the barrel. Each year the cost of health insurance goes up to the company and the employee, yet the coverage gets less effective. Health care reform is big talk around the country. People go bankrupt over health care costs, yet we could get better coverage if our own government officials bought from American companies. We would be more profitable and could afford to do more those who do for us. But I was met (or rather not met) due to a fear I was making a sales call. Go figure that one out!
I'll get off my soap box for now, but I do want to leave you with an interesting bit of information. Start reading the paper and see how many articles are written about debates about clean air or health care for that matter. See how much is actually being done; or is most of it tied up by special interest groups? Maybe before we clean up our air, we should clean up our political system. After all, that seems to be where the biggest bottlenecks are found when it comes time to getting things done. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a “lonely lawn mower guy”!
We were a little slower today because after our interview we had a little problem with a fuel line and fitting on the “Peterbego,” but after a few hours Shane had it going and we hit the road. I told “Big Al” Harris, it was a shame we just got started and it was quitting time! Never the less, we are heading across I-40, somewhere in Arizona. If I have offended anyone today, please get over it. It is not a personal attack on any one individual, so don't take it personally. We could all use a little thicker skin from time to time. We could get a lot more done, in a lot less time if we did.
- Matt Land (5/12/07)
DAY 1
Coming Home ...
Although I still start and end my day with “Tomorrow's Goodbye” by Lynard Skynard, I donned my ipod to listen to Chris Daugherty's “Home.” You may have heard this song played on “American Idol” after a person doesn't make the cut. I have been waiting to play that song because I would know this trip would have commenced.
As young adults graduate from high school, they need to remember that commencement is not the end, but rather the beginning. What seems so large in life (high school) really is just a small piece of life. What you do from there on is what matters. No one will care if you were the captain of the football team or the star cheerleader. What is going to matter in life is the way you attack the journey itself. Life, like so many things, will give back what you put into it.
I attended the funeral of Garnett Vance's mother. He is a friend and dealer for us in the towns of Bowling Green and Glasgow, Ky. The preacher said something that stuck with me. He said the friends and people we meet in life shape us into who we are. That statement probably means more to me each day that I have traveled this journey. I am a better man for the people I have come to know along this path.
I know that this endeavor of mine that has been so supported, back home, and is just a tiny drop in the bucket. But it is a drop none the less. When asked, “Why lawnmowers as an alternative fueled vehicle (as in why the big deal)?” My answer is simple. When a person drives into town to go to work, they park their car. They don't leave it run, they turn it off. And, it sits there for 8 to 10 hours. But if one will look out the window, they will see lawnmowers running for the same 8 to 10, sometimes 12 hours a day (landscapers are hard workers). It emits emissions that contribute to the ozone forming emissions that is harmful to our health and our atmosphere. Can't we start somewhere? Shouldn't we start somewhere?
State and city governments need to lead by example. Instead of debating whether or not we should do something; or how we should go about it, we should take advantage of the good work that has been done to this point. Dixie Chopper, Generac Power Systems, White Drive Products and Lucas Oil have worked together to bring a total package to market that will cut the harmful, ozone causing emissions by 50%! We cut the greenhouse gases that everyone wants to talks about, by 15%. And, I haven't even addressed the fact that Dixie Chopper decreases the cutting time through efficient operations, which will even add to the drop in emissions.
Government officials, the EPA and CARB need to stop moving the target. Placing more strict emission controls in place is ludicrous when states and municipalities are not using what we currently have! Lobbyists for different types of clean fuels want to argue over the “right” fuel source instead of taking one step at a time. HOW ABOUT TAKING THE FIRST STEP!?!
I don't want to enter into the debate of which fuel source is better. I just want to say you have to crawl before you walk. You have to walk before you can run. he frustrating part is politicians, special interest groups, et al want to talk about how to run before they are even born. Is anyone listening? We brought propane to market because the infrastructure is there to support the product and the fuel source. Yes, we can modify the unit to run on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), but the infrastructure is not readily available nationwide to make that feasible. So the CNG guys fight with the LP (Liquid Propane) guys, who argue with the ethanol guys, who can't seem to agree with the Bio-diesel people. Sounds like a fiasco, doesn't it? Well guess what, it is!
I walked to the east steps of the capitol building in Sacramento for the “Governator's” press conference about health care reform. I chuckled to myself and left after about 15 minutes of listening to the rhetoric. But that does seem to be a popular topic of most politicians. I wonder what special interest groups will tie that up along the way. Will someone answer the call of that challenge? Will they be ignored? Dixie Chopper has answered to call for alternative fueled vehicles (yes, off road as it is, but still a drop in the bucket) and was ignored. We were only 90 degrees off. We were on the north steps of the capitol. It was at least a five-minute walk around to where we were. OK, one minute if they cut through the capitol.
I want to thank the mayor of Sacramento for allowing Tony, who is in charge of more than 100 parks in Sacramento, to spend some time with us. He was very interested and excited about our propane unit. He knows that just the savings in the fuel, justifies the unit. It pays for itself, like Dixie Choppers have been doing for years. He is a person of whom I was proud to meet. He just returned home from Iraq, after an eight-month tour of duty. Suddenly, I didn't feel so badly about being away from home for only three weeks. He was a super individual and very sharp. He is a fine example of our humble servants in our armed forces. Remember to keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers.
Leaving Camp
I spoke to Rick, Jeff, Randy and Jimmy this morning before leaving camp. It was good to talk to them. I miss my team back home at work. I look forward to returning.
Jeff offered to fly me home, but I just can't leave Shane and Big Al behind. It just doesn't feel right to do that. We are the three musketeers of this trip. Others have come and gone, but these two guys have been right here the whole time and I will not leave them behind. Besides, I have a rolling office. With wireless cards for internet and a cell phone, any place can be an office.
We are going to meet up with Tony, our dealer in Exeter, Calif., to drop off the two production mowers we have been using. Bob will take one unit to Lucas Oil. I am going to donate that unit to the charity of choice of Maria Shriver (Schwarzenegger's wife). I was going to leave it for the state of “Cully-fornia” so they could use it and discover for themselves the power of propane. But since Arnold was too busy, I'll just donate it to some other more deserving cause.
If interested, Maria may call me at Dixie Chopper and I will make arrangements with her for the unit to be picked up at Lucas Oil headquarters in Corona, Calif. After all, we only came here to help. I was not going to announce that prior to my arrival because I did not want anyone to get the impression I was trying to buy my way in with the unit. I will not be one of those who “donate” to an election campaign when I am trying to sell a product. The Dixie Chopper stands on its own merit. Not a bad gesture from a guy who was viewed as doing an endeavor “that really didn't have anything to do with the environment, but rather more of a sales pitch.” Like I had stated before, yes it was a sales pitch, because until somebody starts buying these units, other manufacturers will never get on board. Why would they?
Today, when we off-load the units, I am going to unload my Harley and ride with the caravan back to Kingman, Ariz. We will camp there for the night and I will do an interview with Route 66 magazine. Part of this journey was to also raise awareness to Route 66. “The Forgotten Highway,” as I have come to refer to it, has a group dedicated to preserving her. It was a joy to ride that trail, when we could find it (SO STOP STEALING THE SIGNS! You can buy signs and memorabilia at the little shops). If they take pictures, you will have to excuse my split lips. It seems as though the sun and wind have taken their toll on them. I have a couple of pretty good splits in them right now. Battle scars, I guess. If you ever head west, I would strongly urge you to travel the old route wherever possible. Many of the revitalization efforts are coming along nicely. I definitely would recommend Matt's Steakhouse near Roll, Mo. With a name like Matt's, it has to be good!
To all of you who have kept up with my journey, I thank you. Thanks for the calls and emails of encouragement. Like I stated before, this is not the end but rather the beginning. “I'll Be Back!”
(I'll be home in a few days, Bev, I miss you, too!)
First Night Homeward Bound …
The guys were kind enough to let me ride my Harley most of the day. Since I don't have the fuel capacity they do, they passed me when I stopped for fuel. We are pushing to get to Kingman, Ariz. We all want to get home!
Last night I hit them with ribeye steaks and my special cheese potatoes (OK, Bev's recipe, but I am a good student). It all received rave reviews. Shane made corn on the cob. They all like my cooking or have realized if they pretend they do, they won't have to do the cooking. We are not going to get into camp until around 11 PST so I am cooking while we are traveling that is quite the experience! I don't believe I have ever fried bacon in a moving vehicle.
Camp is set up and tonight dinner served is scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage links. Toast too. It’s 1 a.m. and time to hit the sack, we are all exhausted. I have an interview with Route 66 magazine at 10 in the morning. Lips are good and cracked, that will look good!
- Matt Land (5-10-07)
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