About 25 years ago we had the privilege of meeting the young lady in this picture. Pam Kline was raised on a Cattle Ranch in Ohio. She had a dream of riding her horse across the country. Bobby and Carolyn Sharp, former Chattanooga neighbors, knew that we had had horses and knew Pam from various trail rides.
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| Pam Kline and Mick in Bevil Oaks |
One day I got a call from Bobby telling me about Pam's dream and her route would take her through Beaumont. He asked if she could spend a night with us on her way. Of course, I told him yes, but, really didn't think much about it as the trip seemed a little far fetched.
Six months had passed since talking with Bobby and I had pretty much put his request out of my mind when my phone rang and Bobby was on the other end. He said that Pam was in Louisiana near the Texas border and would be in Bevil Oaks in three days. Wow! He wasn't kidding! Two days later we received a call from Pam. She was in Buna and should make Bevil Oaks by the next evening. True to her word she rode up about 6:00pm.
Pam had left Ohio and rode to the East Coast. She was now on her way to the California Coast. She ended up staying with us about a week. Mick had developed a "saddle sore" and she wanted to give him some time to heal and put back on a little weight. She was a true country girl and an absolute delight.
She left with some local trail riders she had met while in the area and headed toward Sour Lake.
About six months later my work phone rang and the female voice on the other end was shouting, "I made it! I made it!" She was on some California beach, looking at the Pacific Ocean.
After she returned home we got a letter from her saying that she was getting married. It was apparent that this 28 year-old woman had something on her "bucket list" to check-off before she entered the next phase of her life.
Reliving Pam's journey in my mind, I got to thinking what were the "bucket list" items still on my unofficial list. She had the foresight and intestinal fortitude to live hers out while in the prime of her life. I have raced motorcycles, run the Peachtree 10K, seen two World Series games, been to the Olympics, the National Finals Rodeo, white water rafted on the Nantahala, toured every major Civil War battlefield and played most every sport possible.
After some thought I think the following are some things I would still like to do:
o Attend the College Baseball World Series
o Fly in a WWII vintage plane.
o "Run" a 5K road race.
o See my Grand kids graduate from college.
It's not too late, what's on you list?
