Last weekend I developed a dry non productive cough. By Tues it was a wracking head ache producing wet cough. My lungs were fully involved. I am still taking the antibiotic for the sinus infection. My lungs felt clear and if I had pneumonia I was taking the correct med. I coughed so hard my head pounded w/ a hellashish  head ache. This AM when I awoke the cough was all but gone. What a light switch.

Mon my plan was to camp in the Land Between the Lakes (LBL)then ridethere on Tues. I found a turn out off a gravel road off a paved road. The first place I checked I started down the narrow lane not being able to see where it went. I left the high beams on and walked forward. Shortly I came to a clearing where there was an occupied camp. I turned around. A person crawled out of the tent and turned on a flash light and followed me back never making contact. I drove away.

Forecast for Tues was high for rain. I wasn’t feeling like riding and the forecast cemented my rest day. I drove onto the mainland to buy b-fast as I was out of oatmeal and the frige temp was almost balmy. The restaurant I chose allowed smoking which a customer did. Ech. The food did not meet my healthy standards. I am in tobacco country in western KY.

The frige needs help. I used my ‘droid to find a Norcold service center in Mayfield, KY which was on the way west. I appealed my situation to0 the scheduler and scored an 8:00 AM appointment on Wed.

I drove back down onto the LBL. The LBL is as it says between 2 TVA dams. Over the course of 3 public land acquisitions using eminent domain the indigenous people were displaced along w/ their lifestyle. No settlements but 200 some cemeteries are still cared for. Buffalo and elk have been reintroduced but no corn for moonshine. I turned around and headed back N into a gulley washer: higher speed windshield wipers.

The rain moved on as I drove west. I made Mayfield and took a tour of town looking for propane and Bob’s Scottish ground oatmeal. No Starbucks coffee in grocery store. Not my choice of place to live. I even drove into Paducah on the Ohio River searching. Big box stores and chain restaurants. Old poor Kroger.

I bought propane @ the RV shop and asked if I could sleep in the parking lot. I was granted permission.My cough continued to wrack my body. Tylenol wasn’t up to the challenge.

Wed @ 8AM I drove my van into the service garage. Jody was my tech. I was allowed inside the shop to learn and watch. The root cause for lack of cooling was an occluded burner orifice. he cleaned it w/ solvent that removed the build up. I turned on the fridge and headed west towards Cairo, a haunt of Mark Twain. I checked the fridge thermometer and to my satisfaction was showing 35 degrees as it should. Success!.

The land in the Ohio and Illinois rivers is flatter than a billiard table. The center span of the bridges was the highest point for more than miles away. I am eschewing interstates in favor of 2 lanes and slower speeds but twisting and undulating as I climbed into hill country. Just beautiful red sunset. I drove in MO past West Plains which has a military vehicle assembly plant. Armament. Buy Merican. I tried finding the airport for a camp spot b4 dark. No find. I continued west on US 160 really involved w/ the steering wheel and accelerator pedal. I was fighting darkness. Funny, I did not see a road kill deer. Or living deer. Next camp spot was same where I stayed last spring on Lake Norfork outside Mountain Home(MH), AR. Except it was closed for the season. I did find  the open campground below the dam. Army Corps of Engineers. Legal place to stay and a shower.

I was here this last May. Remember my h2o pump failed that needed to be replaced. Jim Baker Garage did the work. I enjoyed myself  and appreciated his taking care of me I planned on stopping in for a visit. I thought about a hang in the van day to recover. I stopped in. He remembered me and extended an offer to camp under the same oak tree. Alright.

I drove into MH to buy groceries, do my wash, and have my eyeglasses adjusted. I bought healthy chicken soup for its purported medical benefits. Same laundromat. The owner is the son of the former owner. Clean clothes. I washed only 1 set of riding kits. I drove to an optician where a helpful tech pulled the proverbial splinter out of my foot.

Intermittent coughing returned mid afternoon.

Last night I stayed up past midnight to listen to the Zags / Coug game. Pangos drove the length of teh court w/ 2 seconds remaining to score the game winning bucket. Hard fought game, Cougs have a strong team.

So, tonight I sleep on the Trail Of Tears @ Jim’s. Tomorrow I will drive 2 lane blacktop to Bentonville. My hope is I will be recovered enough to ride on Sun.

I am working my way west. I will leave Syllamo on the table, darn.

I have a 101 degree fever.

Ongoing:

I smart phone Goggled urgent care in MH. Only the hospital retrieved. I called them and asked about urgent care. She said Wal Mart or hospital. Wait, Wal Mart now in health care? Or go to ER and pay $50 copay? I drove to Wal Mart. Turns out the local hospital  leases floor space and staffs it w/ an NP. No waiting line. Verified 101 degree temp.

He chose another antibiotic and prescribed vicadin. My temp must break soon, if not something else going on. My temp needs to be just about normal for 1 to 2 days b4 riding again. I filled the scripts @ walgreens then drove out to Jim’s for sleeping underneath the leafless oak tree.

Crazy: I checked my temp b4 dinner and it was down to 99.1 which means riding.

I am in North central Arkansas. Lots of obese people. I watched a obese man extract himself from a small pickup cab on the way into a roadside diner. Food / calories must be addictive. Don’t stare @ me, yes I am an oddity.

I suppose I will head over to B-ville tomorrow.

 

Sat w/ time on my legs I drove to Wooster to ride Vultures Knob. I found an actual street address for the TH and the GPS was spot on. Several cars present. A rider gave me trail info. The trail seemed to be directional as i followed them. Tight twisty single track over what must have been an old dump. Different types of tread. Hung off a plateau down to a creek w/ finger drainages, up down, around. Man made structures. Amazing: climbed 1600′ in 10 miles.

I drove back to Lise’ in Lucas for her prepared drop dead dinner for Lynn, Bill and me. I spent the night in her driveway out in the country.

Sun I visited Karen, my dad’s widow, at our family’s home. I enjoyed warmth during our visit. I said Good Bye. I was asked if I wanted anything of dad’s. i asked and received his watches.

Back into town to sister Lynn’s. We took a driving tour following a stream thru backwoods of the city. Curious what back streets hide. Spent the night in her driveway again.

Mon. I fixed the last of my stone ground oats for bfast to share w/ Lynn. I did my dishes in their sink. I said good bye and drove off.

Today I headed for Kentucky. I stopped @ Land Between the Lakes N entrance on a back road. Spent the day driving controlled access highways. I’m zoned out. I drove on the bourbon trail. I drove thru Muhlenburg county over the Green River b4 Mr. Peabody’s coal train done hauled away, from John Prine. Every Brothers monument, Abe Lincoln’s birthplace.

My phone rang during the drive. The number was from Bentonville, Ar, Justin, whom I rode w/ this summer. Out of the Blue. This weekend is their big epic ride connecting Slaughter Pen, Blowing Springs, and the ravine network together. Out of the Blue. I had Bentonville on my possible list. I’ll be there.

Forecast calls for precip tomorrow then clear on Wed. Need to allocate ride time. Might stop @ Syllamo. Off to plan.