The remainder of the storm was uneventful for me, which is a good thing. For once I used my inside kitchen and propane stove to make myself a simple dinner. The rain stopped even before I fell asleep last night. I managed to swap water jugs (the first time I’ve run one dry before refilling) without even getting wet. Also without Lister escaping, which was nothing short of a miracle. Winds were light, and it was an uneventful overnight stay, much like any other.
Despite window covers, the bright lights in the parking lot woke me up early, so I started making my way south as planned. This would not only bring me to Thompson Speedway, but also away from the storm track as it swings back east across New England again. I decided to take myself to Purgatory Chasm, a place I’ve been many times before but haven’t for years. It’s a fun quarter-mile or so hike through the chasm itself. It’s also the title of my friend Steve’s first book, and a pivotal scene takes place there.
While Henri was pretty much a non-issue where I’d stayed, I didn’t have to travel too far south before I saw branches and other debris blown down on the sides of the road. It looks like I was right to cancel my reservation near the track. When I got to Purgatory Chasm, I found they now charge for parking, while it was free before. The $5 for Massachusetts resident parking was fine, especially to spend the day there. The $20 non-resident parking fee, however, was outrageous. Considering what the place means to me, I decided to suck it up and pay it anyway, just this once, only to find that the entire park was closed because of Henri. It didn’t see much damage, but signs are signs and the parking meters were covered up. At least I saved $20.
Instead I found a small town park in the nearby town of Douglas and staked out a spot there for the day. Lister was thrilled to get some outside time, especially since he hasn’t gotten much during the past couple of days with the storm and all. Cell signal is great, so I took the opportunity to get some work done. I’ve been here all day with the side door open, letting Lister come and go as he pleases. That’s how he likes it. Only occasionally have I had to go untangle his tether from around the wheels.
Late in the morning I got an email confirming that tomorrow’s non-sportbike track day is still on! I had several contingency plans in case it canceled at the last minute, but as it stands I’ll head over to the track later this afternoon. Tomorrow, we ride!
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to shoot any video on the track. They don’t allow cameras mounted to helmets, and my KLR vibrates so much that any video from the GoPro mounted to the bike will be unusable. Hopefully I can convince a friend or two to snap a few pictures, or even a fly-by video, of me on the track with an utterly inappropriate bike.
Smokey Da Van 