Wow. It was a mind-bending day yesterday. I felt like I was Forrest Gump, suddenly plopped down in the middle of some unlikely scenario, bewildered.

I spent a leisurely Saturday morning at the lakehouse with the Naylors. We ate breakfast and got Hallie ready to go into the water. About the time Hallie was splashing with Kelly, I had to leave. I rushed out the door and headed back to Raleigh, needing to be at the airport at 2.

I made it back in reasonable time, showered, and ironed my “business casual” attire. I grabbed my cameras and frantically looked up the nearest cash machine. It was 1:15 and I hadn’t even eaten lunch. A call to Char Grill on the way from the credit union got my lunch going. I drove up to the airport gate just in time to finish my hamburger.

A tall, smiling man, just about my age, walked up and said hello. He was Greer Martin, son of D.G. Martin. I knew that smile looked familiar. Greer is an Army vet and was the only other vet there from my generation. He wants to follow in his father’s footsteps, so he’s running for office: N.C. House. We got along well.

I joined the other vets under some trees outside the gate. Handshakes went around. The Navy was well represented, which impressed the Army vets there. I shook hands with Jack Flynn, a retired Navy senior chief who is running against Sue Myrick in Charlotte for N.C. Senate. He came prepared with campaign frisbees and clever “I back Jack” stickers. He worked on tenders during the first Gulf War and seemed to recall working on the Elliot. He went through the precursor of the ECS program (where enlisted sailors can become officers), but blew the whistle on his crooked commanding officer and wound up being cheated out of his comission. He was one of the few enlisted sailors who’d graduated from Officer Candidate School. Reminded me how the Navy Takes Care Of Its Own.

Keith Cook, a friendly retired sargent major, was also running for office. He’s been on the school board for over ten years and wanted to add another term.

Katie Peck, the campaign contact, greeted us and gave us our marching orders. Two rented minivans pulled up to take us into the secure airport area. We welcomed the seats and the air conditioning (it was a sweltering, 90+ degree day).

Wade was my driver. He lives in Colorado but is orginially from North Carolina. He was a volunteer for the Edwards campaign, but was on vacation when he got a call asking him to help with the day’s appearance. Wade agreed and thus became a great host to us.

A pair of reporters from WRAL approached the van and asked us if we were the veterans. Before Wade agreed, he wisely asked his boss, the event organizer, for permission. The reporters would have to wait. We drove the vans inside the gate and pulled them to the side. A Secret

Service agent soaked in sweat politely asked us to step out and get “wanded.” Thanks to the security paranoia now gripping the country, this seemed absurdly routine to me. Then it was back in the van to wait a little more.

The head of the security detail and the event organizer gave us printed sheets with “17” and “Veterans 1” to put in the windshield. The security head briefed the driver on what to do. The motorcade would pull out. We were to wait until there was a gap in the traffic and then pull in. For now, though, we were to pull up beside the hanger and
wait.

We shared service stories and got to know one another while we cooled our heels in the van. The event head soon knocked on the window. “We’d like to get some veterans to meet with reporters, if you’re willing.” The three political candidates in the van were out like a shot! When I realized the exodus that had just taken place, I stepped out of the van to be told they’ve “already got enough, thanks.” Which was fine with me, since I didn’t wish to be interviewed.

The rest of us wandered into the hanger. There were dozens of police motorcycles lined up at the other end and a few corporate jets on our end. We watched John Edwards’kids check out WRAL’s Sky 5 helicopter, standing on the platform and scrambling all around.

The Edwards kids were absolutely adorable. Jack is 4 and Mary Cate (?) is 6. Both had backpacks on and were being minded by a young woman assume was their older sister. She seemed to be running out of things to keep them occupied.

The security staff asked us to wait in the van, so it was back outside for us. The campaign press plane landed soon afterward, which was the cue for us to go wait inside. We gathered in the stifling offices of Piedmont-Hawthorne’s hanger and sweated and chatted while we waited for the campaign plane to arrive.

(to be continued)

The Kerry campaign finally called me last night with the details of my day. They want me at the airport at 2 PM. I’ll be going from the airport to the rally at N.C. State.
Then around 7 PM, I get taken back to the airport and my car.

That’s a lot of time away from the family and the lakehouse. The thought of all that time made me wonder how in the world campaigning politicians do this every day for over a year. I thought the Tour De France was a grueling contest, but a national presidential campaign must have it beat.

The thing that really interests me is getting a close-up view of a campaign. I’ve considered running for office before and often thought about what it must be like. I’m wondering if today’s experience will change my mind about politics.

I’m hoping I can manage to blog today in-between events. Probably the best I’ll manage is to take my voice recorder with me and audioblog, posting the results when I can get online again. I’ve already ruled out a video camera, but I hope to take the digital still camera with me to take some snapshots.

Should be interesting.

I have officially given up on the idea of my old employer, Oculan, resurfacing. Seems that Soros managed to make the purchase so painfully slow that many investors have thrown in the towel. It’s now been so long that many of the great minds there have moved on to other things.

It sucks, but that’s business.

I forgot to tell y’all that I went mountain biking before work Wednesday morning! It was so awesome! I hopped on my bike at a little after 6 and rode next door to Durant Park, where I did the Border loop. I didn’t unpack my bike helmet yet, so I went much slower than I wanted to. Next time, though, the brakes are off!

The only thing that kept the ride from being totally kick-ass was my catching a face-full of spider webs. There are drawbacks to being the first rider of the day on a trail!

It just occured to me that the Tour De France‘s biggest asset is also its biggest liability: you can’t sell seats to the event.

That and it’s in France.

Now that things are getting set, I suppose I can stop being so mysterious about The Opportunity. I’ve been invited to join John Kerry and John Edwards onstage when they arrive in Raleigh on Saturday. I’ll be one of a dozen or so veterans who will be greeting them at the airport.

I’ll admit I’ve not been the biggest fan of Kerry. There are lots of issues on which we disagree. I’m not even a registered Democrat. But Kerry has pledged to lead the country back into the fellowship of nations. And I believe America is better off looking for more friends instead of more enemies.

Details of the appearance are still being decided. I have to pass a Secret Service background check (hey, y’all!). And I’m sure there will be lots of waiting on a sweltering airport tarmac.

If things work out, though, I may just meet the next President. And the best part of all is that I won’t have to pay $25,000 to do it.

I just had an interesting opportunity fall into my lap. Can’t tell you what it is, but it should give me something fun to do this weekend.

Lance Armstrong put on the Yellow Jersey today in the Tour De France. His U.S. Postal team had the best time in the Team Time Trials. Tyler Hamilton’s Phonak team came in second with an impressive time despite having only five riders left at the finish.

A controversial rule caps the time losses for each team. So even though USPS blew away Phonak’s actual time, Phonak’s loss will be capped at 20 seconds. No wonder Lance hates this rule.

Follow the Tour action at the Tour De France Blog, an unofficial blog that has more info than the real site.

Man, I wish I already had my satellite receiver and dish set up so I could watch all the action on the Outdoor Life Network.