Transport

The name, Morgan, means, in Welsh, born of the sea. I am a Water Snake. I am an Aquarian, a Water Bearer. Water and air govern my life. I have fire, too, and metal, but no earth. Without an anchor, I would either float or drift away.

When I was sixteen, as legal, I got my license, and I purchased my first car, a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air Coup. I did all of the maintenance on that car. There was not a single repair, either, that I did not do myself. Then I was drafted into the Vietnam War. Regrettably, I had to sell that car.

I have had many cars in my life. My favourites along the way, all small, fun to drive – MG Midget, MG MGB, Fiat 128, Fiat 124, Volkswagen bugs, three of them, 1965s, and a Fiat 500 Abarth. With increasing technological advancements, maintenance as a private mechanic has grown ever more inaccessible. Soon, though, I will return to that by-gone era with a 1995 Suzuki Carry, a Kei mini-truck, with an F6A three-cylinder standard gasoline engine.

Sailboats, motorboats – operation, maintenance, repair – all my own. I was licensed to pilot boats in the Hong Kong harbour. I have sailed across the Pacific Ocean three times, twice in a mono-hull, once in a trimaran.

When I was fresh out of the war, I learned to fly. Now with multiple ratings, including IFR, high-power, taildragger, multi-engine, float, aerobatics, commercial, and instructor, and with over 10,000 hours as pilot-in-command, I still fly. Much of my flying has been in the bush, in Canada, Alaska, and, especially, Africa. I fly all props.

Again, especially when in remote areas, maintenance and repair of my own aircraft was essential. I am a master aircraft mechanic.

When in Seattle, I have access to a high-power taildragger which is kept at Boeing Field. I often go up with commercial Boeing jet pilots. Because everything for them is computerised and automated, they have forgotten how to fly from the seats of their pants. We fly to uncontrolled airports for cross-wind landings and takeoffs. We fly at night. We cross the mountains. We fly VFR.

Courage, movement, laughter, and love – the four essentials. Fearless, I have prepared myself to move, to escape, if necessary, that I may laugh, that I may love.