It wasn’t that long ago that I was complaining about the muddy conditions and oversaturated ground here. While we still get occasional rain and thunderstorms, they’re quite light compared to April and early May. The ground has dried out, becoming solid again. Recently, the creek that runs nearby dried up, taking with it the excessive fly and mosquito population it brought. I can now comfortably leave the side door wide open without the bug curtain or an infestation of insects. The humidity has decreased as well, making it more comfortable all around, and especially pleasant to open the roof vents overnight instead of running the air conditioner.
Last Saturday, we met up with Glen of Tenere Across the USA for a bike ride. Despite knowing each other for years as fellow Ford Transit motorcycle van lifers, this was only the second time we’ve ever met and the first opportunity we’ve had to actually ride together. We met in Jasper, and Glen took us down a circuitous route to Hillbilly Slim’s BBQ for lunch. The Pig Trail has nothing on the roads out here, particularly Route 123, which has practically every type of hill and turn you can imagine. I had to work the V-Strom’s engine pretty hard at times to make sure we could power out of the tight uphill turns two-up, but it did everything I asked it to do, even if I had to drop all the way to first gear at times to do it. Glen had originally planned a mix of paved and easy dirt county roads, but a surprise rainstorm that wasn’t in the morning forecast made the dirt roads slick, as well as delayed our departure by an hour, so we stuck strictly to the pavement. Lunch was good, and the conversation was better. Then, we went our separate ways back to our respective home bases.
Needless to say, the new back tire is working out perfectly fine. My new compact tire pump arrived, and between that and a new patch kit, I won’t get caught flat-footed, so to speak, in the event of a puncture like we had in Eureka Springs. Now that I’m properly equipped, I’d be perfectly happy to pay the favor forward that those Christian Motorcyclist Association riders did for us that day.
Beyond that, we’ve been working. Melissa’s doing what she’s doing, and my own work has picked up quite a bit, so I’m taking advantage of that to refill the coffers after a couple of light months. Not traveling certainly doesn’t make for an entertaining story to read, and for that, I am sorry. However, parking here at Melissa’s has worked out quite well for me in many different ways. I made the right decision back in April when I decided to follow her to Arkansas and park for a while rather than wander around out west by myself. It’s been quite an adjustment for me, but it’s been worth it, and I’m happy, which is ultimately what matters most. Without getting too mushy, I’ll just say we’re doing VERY well together.
Smokey Da Van 