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A Wrecked Tahoe, the Packers, and Some Great People

An Excerpt From My Blog

By Raven Mory-PagelPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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Rarely is one fortunate enough to meet extraordinary people, but I was fortunate enough to meet an extrordinary man and a woman close to home just this last week and feel the need to share their story. I have traveled extensively in my lifetime so far and have met many people in the process, but never have I met a couple as intriguing or as care-free as the couple pictured above: Talia and Steve.

The story begins on a typical Tuesday afternoon in Green Bay. Steve had brought his abnormal vehicle to get a car wash by my significant other. What made this encounter strange was the extensively banged up Tahoe Steve was driving. The back windows were completely gone, shattered into nothing and the back corner was utterly crushed. Not many car owners would insist on going through a car wash with no windows, or even keep driving the vehicle, but Steve surely would and he surely did.

This amusing event sparked a conversation between my boyfriend and him, leading to the exchange of contact information and plans to meet up in order to tailgate together at the upcoming Packer Game. Later that evening, my significant other excitedly told me about the events that had occurred earlier in the day, eventually peaking my interest in this middle-aged couple but had at first made me apprehensive. I had not understood his fascination with this couple, but I had relented, agreeing to go to the game so I may discover their story for myself. Steve had mentioned vague details, such as a cross country road trip with his girlfriend and their puppy. My boyfriend and I were both determined to crack the code and discover the explanation behind these almost seemingly odd people, for every possibly internet search and background check revealed next to no information. Who were these people? And what caused them to leave everything behind to spend half a year traveling?

Thursday rolls around and we planned to meet Talia and Steve outside the Packer game among the many tailgaters. I was instantly taken aback by the immediate compassion and friendliness they extended towards me. Steve eagerly shakes my hand as I introduce myself with a wide smile on his face. His eyes were bordered by crow's feet and you could tell he was living the good life. Talia took my hand and pulled me in for a warm and comforting hug while explaining to me that she was indeed a hugger. She had beautifully long wavy hair that made her "free spirit" personality just that stronger. Both of them had an intense aura of almost a "hippy" personality. Both were care-free and were enjoying each day as it came, whether it was spent camping, in a hotel, seeing new places, or meeting new people.

They offer to give us beverages at their car until it was closer to kickoff and I was able to see their dilapidated vehicle with my own eyes. I immediately noticed the foreign Florida license plates, realizing that they were indeed going across the country and spurred more questions from my boyfriend and I, all of which they gladly answered.

Within the hour conversation I had with them, I learned that they were from Fort Lauderdale in Florida and had just recently gone all the way to Buffalo, NY, then to the UP in Michigan (it was on their way back that they had gotten in the car accident, causing all the damage to their suburban). They had grown tired of the average day to day life and wanted more. Steve was a die-hard Packer fan which caused them to make the trip up this way to Green Bay and they stuck around Green Bay an extra two days just so he could experience a real Packer Game (even though it's only preseason). They were heading to the Dakotas next and eventually making it all the way to California.

Talia and Steve had left everything behind to take what was originally supposed to be a six month road trip, but is most likely going to be longer. Not many folks have this courage or drive to simply enjoy life and travel to every corner of the United States. It made me realize that there is more to life than work, or school, or money. Experiences are what makes our lives successful and allows us as a human race to thrive. Seeing both of their faces full of nothing but pure happiness proves that there is more to life than the average day to day events and materialistic items.

I am grateful I have met such vibrant people and my encounter with them has made me realize quite a lot about myself and about the life I am living. More of us in the world should learn from Talia and Steve. Enjoying life in whatever way you wish is what will make us prosper, whether it is focusing on working, family, or traveling, happiness is priority.

"To stay is to exist. To travel is to live." (Tattoo done by Main Street Tattoos in Clintonville, WI)

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