Sunday was a rather relaxed day. The sun was out, and although temperatures only reached the 60s it felt much warmer in the sun. This also finished drying out the ground, so leaving would not be a problem when I got that far. We lounged in camp for the day, enjoying being outside in the sun and warmth, and chatting about whatever crossed our minds.
In the evening we went to the potluck dinner. I didn’t know it was happening before I arrived, so I had nothing to bring and just went for sociability. But after several people told me to dig in anyway, I grabbed a plate. There was more than enough food to go around. Unlike the previous night’s Mardi Gras party, it was a pretty relaxed campfire, more my speed than what was practically a rave the night before.
I thought about leaving on Monday, even though the event technically lasted until Tuesday. Many were already leaving, and with heavy rain on the way (again), I wanted to get my tires back on the pavement before it hit. But the forecast said that wouldn’t happen until later on Tuesday, and legal overnight options in Tucson are limited, so I stuck around, got some work done, and got some time to myself.
A motorcycle passed through. I waved, he waved back, then turned around and parked next to me. I figured he saw my motorcycle stickers on my trailer and wanted to talk bikes. When he removed his helmet, I realized it was Brian, a.k.a. Adventure Van Man. He’s another of my original inspirations to hit the road who I’ve been fortunate enough to become friends with in real life. I knew he was camping nearby since we discussed meeting for a ride (the weather didn’t allow that), but it was fun to have him randomly show up at my camp. I got out some chairs, and we chatted for a while. That, alone, made it worth sticking around the extra day.
Despite the suboptimal weather, the Ironwood Meetup was a good time. I’m glad I made the trip out this way. I want to explore the Ironwood Forest National Monument a bit more sometime when it’s not under a constant threat of rain and me getting stuck. I’ll keep my eyes open for next year’s meetup.
Smokey Da Van 