My goal today was to keep from putting my rain suit on – and not get too wet in the process. I’ve been told by the locals that rain is coming and I dedicated today to get out in front of it. As you know, I don’t like to do too much time on the slab, but when you’re running – you gotta RUN. I will tell you, if you’re not comfortable mixing it up with the big rigs – better not get on Interstate 40 out of Little Rock. Same speed limit for everyone, trailer or not, and in many places – “It’s a Free For All.” I was good with it, and played the game for a long time; but by the time I got to Nashville (about 350 miles) I was DONE. I got off I-40 and took the loop around the city. Got back on my old friend since Texas – US 70 East. It was 55 mph on the loop and US 70 was a surface street for 15 miles but it was a welcome change from the 75 or 80 mph (pulling a trailer) just to stay alive on I-40. I didn’t get far though; stopped in Lebanon and decided to spend the night. Rain tonight so I’m in a hotel room & hope it is gone in the morning. I will ride in the rain but I’m happy to wait it out if I have the time. The thing I really try to avoid on these camping trips is putting the tent away wet; nothing good comes from that…..
When I was getting all the stuff off the bike and into the room, a couple of the locals invited me to the bar behind the hotel here so I think I’ll go check that out.
Okay – that was a bust; I actually think I was set up. The “locals” that invited me and said they would be there – weren’t. The people that were there were NOT interested in someone just walking in to THEIR bar and expecting to be included in all the reindeer games – and that included the bar tender. I had one beer, left $5 on the bar and got the hell out of there before anything got out of hand. What was it that Shakespeare said, “Discretion is the better part of valor.”
Hat Keeper – the paper clip attaches to the back on the hat