When I was growing up I did very little traveling and even in college did not spend
much time outside of New York State. By the time I got to medical school, I was really
thinking that I needed to see the country. After my third year clerkship in Medicine and
before my clerkship in Surgery, I opened a block of time for a transcontinental bicycle
tour. I flew to San Francisco and retrieved my bike from the luggage carousel, put it
together and started riding through the airport. I did not take any maps and just asked
directions all the way home. One of my favorite memories is riding through Death Valley.
I came to the place that is said to be the lowest point in North America (it's all uphill
from there) just about sunset. I found a huge flock of bats there and as I stood at the
low spot the flock descended around me. Thousands of bats swirled around me as the
sunlight faded. They were attracted to the insects that were attracted to me. Not one of
them touched me. It was like magic.
Bill Thomas, MD is the founder of the
Eden Alternative and the
author of a number of books on elderhood. His most recent,
"What are Old People For?" has just hit bookstores.
