Northeast Ride – Day Ten

I’m on the highway to Hell!

After last night’s post I watched my camp fire until it died down a bit and then headed off to bed. The night was fairly cool and the sounds of nature sent me off to sleep fairly quickly, a few beers helped too.

I awoke early again, around 7:00. Laid about for a bit and was up and moving by 8:00. I know it’s going to be a short day but I’m back in Texas. The heat is picking up and I know before long it’ll be hotter than a jalapeno fart. Satan will be sweating by noon.

Got camp broke down and hit the road by 9:00. Only about 250 miles to home so I can take it easy, but I’m anxious to get back. The scenery has already returned to what I’m used to. Open fields of green, yellow and brown dotted with single trees and peppered with cattle. And it doesn’t take long before the wind returns. Puffy white clouds are scattered throughout the sky but the sun is relentless.

Traffic coming into Dallas never gets too bad and I’m making good time. I make my turn south in less than a couple of hours and won’t see more than a couple of miles of two lane road the rest of the way. Mostly three lanes or more from here on out. I made it home just after lunch time. Time to get unpacked for good. I’ve got clothes to be washed. My sleeping bag needs a wash and my tent needs to be set up one more time to be cleaned out properly.

I was home in time to see my two youngest off the school bus, something I generally don’t get to do. And aside from my unpacking duties we’ve spent the last few hours doing the usual, talking about anything and everything, walking through the unfinished houses on our street and even playing a modified game of Go Fish. It’s almost as if I’d never left.

So I’ve returned to my normal. Libby is in serious need of a bath and a check up. She started knocking before the half way point. Hopefully it’s not too expensive of a diagnosis but we’ll worry about that in the coming days. Tonight I’m back to the world I left behind ten days ago. My children are all tucked into their beds and set for school tomorrow. My wife is likely about to doze off to Monday Night Football. And my side of the bed is currently empty. I’m sure it hasn’t been for several days.

I’d spend my life riding through this country if I could. I’m already ready to be back out there. As much as it hurts to ride all day every day I’d keep doing it. There’s just something about it. It’s lonely sure, but I meet new people every day, experience new things every day. Being out on the bike on the open road brings a level of serenity that so few will ever understand. I find peace on two wheels. I find myself.

Libby and I covered 4,600 miles this trip. We’ve hit nine new states and traveled through twenty. We’ve covered 47 states in total. All that’s left is North Dakota, Alaska and Hawai’i. We’ll get ND next year. I’m thinking another Sturgis trip but I’ve got to see what I can work out with my cousin.

I’ll be back to my regular life tomorrow. Back to work. But I’m back in my neck of the woods. These are my back roads. These are my bar stools and watering holes. As much as I’d love to stay out on the road, this is my life.

This is my town.