DDT (12)
Member
Posts: 4112
Sometimes ya just gotta go...
Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...
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« on: August 19, 2022, 09:46:03 AM » |
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Is It Time...?
At the Quad State Ride in Holmen, WI, a little while back, Mitch stated he’d like to join me on a trek westward... I was figuring at the time to return to Idaho for the first time in a while, and... Most folks don’t know this, but there are a few places that hold a very special vibe for this ‘homeless’ gypsy, and Orofino, ID, is one of those very few... probably even the top place on my short list of peaceful hunker-down places to lay-over and regain my focus, balance, perspective, and vigor.
Anyway, doctor doin’s had kept us east of the Mississippi River for far too long, and the urge to wander to the northwest was becoming overpowering. Mitch, as always, just wanted to ride, explore, and whatever else he contemplates in the privacy of his own thinker muscle. He’d needed to return to Effingham, IL, for a couple of days, however, so we agreed he’d catch up to us somewhere along the route westward...
Mitch did find us in New Ulm, MN, and from there we shared the experience of riding together for... some period of time and a couple of thousand miles... Right from the git-go all previous plans were cast aside, as other possibilities were entertained. Mitch, a rather adept user of smartphone technology and ‘app possibilities’, began looking for items of interest... Like places to stop and dine or other sites to visit... I didn’t realize it at first, but I now strongly suspect he was also searching for some unpaved goat trails to lead me down!
Our first meal together had been at the Applebee's next door to the motel in New Ulm... A truly great cheeseburger, but little else worthy of note... Well, unless one counts all the laughter and conversational speculation about all the random possibilities to come!
Our second meal together came a couple of hours after KSU in New Ulm. We’d crossed the state line into South Dakota and made our way to Watertown for fuel replenishment... At that stop, I noticed they had a café inside the truck stop... OK, time for some coffee and a modest portion of protein to really rev-up the ride. Mitch had a traditional meal of bacon & eggs, taters and toast, while I had only an order each of bacon and sausage. We also enjoyed some banter with the server who had little else to do.
In what became a recurring theme, we rode west, and the temps rose sharply as each day progressed... I actually began to wonder if this is still something I want to bother with, or if perhaps the time was rapidly approaching when our girl might need to be passed on to her next rider... Nah, I soon told myself... this is only a temporary thing, and I’ll definitely feel differently in a few days... I’m pretty sure I ain’t quite ready yet!
We stopped in Mobridge, SD, and found the motel we’d be calling home for a night. Heck, that place even had a restaurant and lounge! It also had a small porch or sorts in front of our room with chairs and a view of the lake, so... Once the temps had retreated to tolerable levels and shade had engulfed the space, we enjoyed some time watching all the fisherpersons and bikers as they paraded up and down the road out front. Mitch, as he typically does, searched his smartphone for inspiration... and he found a curious thing...
Another recurring theme of our time together was early morning departures! Both of us are early risers (for the record, he usually beats me up), so no hardship there. We normally waited until it was light but sometimes, we did leave before actual sunrise... Naturally such choices require greatly elevated vigilance due to the increased prospects of critter encounters! We deemed it worth the risks, though, in order to make as many miles as possible in the early morning coolness while available...
We came upon the sign indicating we’d found Watauga, SD, otherwise I wouldn’t have even known. Yep, one of those tiny wide spots along the way we often don’t even slow down for. This time was different, however, as Mitch had come across something on his smartphone the evening before concerning ‘Brenda’s Tumbleweed Café' in that wee little hamlet... As he’d read aloud the reviews to me while sitting on the porch the evening before, it had become obvious to both of us this place simply must not be missed! An example:
“Don’t pull the coffee pot out if the coffee is still dripping, you might get a boot in the caboose!”
Brenda was specifically mentioned in several of those reviews and described generally as a real ‘character’. She was the owner and sole worker at that tiny place, so... interactions with her were sure to occur. We were not disappointed either, as she proved to be nice, congenial, fun, and up for anything that could be thrown her way. Several locals were also gathered in those cramped quarters, and they freely joined in the laughter and fun ongoing ‘group’ conversation. This was one of those special moments we only stumble across now and then that add so much zest to any trek! No siree, I ain’t ready to give this up yet by a long shot!
DDT
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