Not much cool to enjoy, but what little there was left, we made the most of. The plan was for us to ride in increments, with potential stopping points along the way in case we wanted to get a room early. We were all suffering from too little sleep the night before, and Dennis had gotten the worst of it!
It sure felt good, though, to be mobile, and more, to be able to be mobile! ALI was purring that same sweet melody I’ve grown to anticipate and relish… the one I feel in love with more than two decades ago. The miles quickly faded as we rode up that two-lane state road… all the way to the first turn-off onto another highway. It was there we said farewell to Big Wolf. He was only able to be out for a couple of days, and he did have plans for the following day, so… Next time, my brother!
Dennis and I made it to Tupelo, MS, and stopped to figure our next move. We both felt like we could ride more, so we did. Mitch was to meet us that evening wherever we stopped, so riding on had the added benefit of shortening his day a bit, and… in the torrid heat then blanketing our nations mid-section, that was a significant favor!
We cruised into Selmer, TN, and I was about ready to have a fork stuck in me, because I was sure I was done. This may come as a surprise to some, but I just don’t seem to have the same strength and stamina I did, oh, say thirty years or so ago. It’s sad but true, I’m afraid! Anyway, we’d made it a fair distance, all things considered, and I felt no shame in tossing in the towel… So, what’s for din-din?
Dennis rode off on a reconnoiter… I have no idea what size 'internal' batteries that guy takes, but I’m convinced they are EverReady! He’s just like that bunny in the commercials… he keeps going, and going, and… He soon returned with a big ol’ grin plastered all over his face. He’d found a BBQ place, and it looked to him like it had plenty of potential! Reluctantly, I donned my bonnet one more time, and off we rode.
I wondered if the owner might be kin to our SmokinJoe…
where is the nearest filling station The grub was downright palate-pleasin’, the service spot-on, and the A/C in that joint was cranking wonderfully! Life was starting to return to that special plateau I much prefer to occupy… Then, we finished, and all too soon it was time to ride back to the motel… They did have coconut pie, however, so we were able to justify a modest delay in departure…
Once back at the motel, the vigil for MitchO began in earnest, but it wasn’t long before his smiling face joined ours… I strongly suspect he uses the same size and voltage batteries Dennis does! Anyway, it was really good to see that worthwhile man again, and we had a good time jawing and big dogging…
Selmer, TN, is in McNairy County, and its claim to fame is as the home of Buford Pusser of ‘Walking Tall’ fame. According to the locals I asked, the movie wasn’t exactly historically correct… or even close! But then, what movie ever is? Actually, there were at least two movies about that real-life character made, one staring Joe Don Baker, and the other The Rock… Both were pretty good, I thought, so it was interesting to be there.
Another well known site near there is the Shiloh Battlefield. We didn’t take the time to visit that place, but I have toured it back in the day. I don’t often visit those places any more… I get such a depressing sense of sadness at the thought of such profound tragedy… the carnage, the suffering, the waste… All because self-interest and point of view are so rigidly entrenched, we are unable to find better ways to resolve differences… So it is, and so it has always been… But, does it have to continue to be…?
I fear it probably will... We can legislate rules, laws, and codes to limit human behavior, and we can tinker with 'cultural norms' and standards of acceptable social conduct to influence thinking and to some extent behavior. We cannot, however, appreciably change basic human nature...
DDT
