My focus now turns to gathering enough information to make a stay or go decision. I'm feeling a certain urgency as it's close to 6pm. In a couple of hours, the sun will hide behind the mountains.

If I decide to leave the area and head north, I need to do it soon. As I further probe the remaining riders, I piece fragments of information together to make a decipherable whole.

As much as I want to stay awhile to enjoy and discover this area, I usually prefer to skirt away from bad weather. Though I enjoy the process of the journey, I can get restless if I'm not on the move. Waiting out bad weather is not something that I do easily.

And therein lies my challenge.

Being available to perceive the subtle, to be receptive to it, requires my being open, my being attentive. It requires being mindful.

Clues can be anywhere. When I tune in to the more subtle, I want to be willing to listen for the requirements of my journey as they reveal themselves to me. If I tune in and pay attention, a stop no longer becomes a rigid pre-determined 10-minute affair. It can be longer or shorter, according to the requirements of what develops, the requirements of my journey.

I reflect on this as I assess the situation. I'm reminded that in everyday life we typically impose our agendas as we move through the day. By necessity, rigid routing, fixed time frames, and specific expectations are part of the mix. If it is 5 o'clock, I must be in Belgium. If it is 6 o'clock, I must be in Paris. :)

And so it is that I tune in this time. I realize that today has been a good day. I'm aware that I'm a little tired and not really feeling up to riding through mountains in the dark. And so, I decide to stay.

Now that I've settled that, I make a quick run back to town for some supplies.

The campground tonight is empty. There are only 2 or 3 other tents. I pick a quiet spot and set up on a very slight incline. This should help drain if it rains heavily.

Back on the main gallery I meet an interesting rider from Florida. He's sitting alone, quietly rocking the night away on one of several rocking chairs. He's slowly sipping a cold beer and seems introspective but quite content.

I remember seeing him at the rally and we strike up a conversation. He's an older, quieter chap. He's on his way to Tennessee to meet his brother. As conversation turns to bikes, he shares that he recently bought a Kawasaki Drifter as a second bike (the Indian replica) and enjoys it quite a bit. It has that retro styling that recalls another era. Though he doesn't tour long distances with it, it's perfectly adapted for enjoying relaxed riding on Florida-type roads.

We eventually get around to talking about older planes and this leads to skydiving centers. It turns out that his daughter used to pack parachutes at one of the skydiving centers in Florida. This spikes up my interest as years ago (in a previous life) I would go to Florida to skydive. Though Florida may not be known for choice twisty roads, it was a Mecca for skydiving. I have many fond memories of that time.

I decide to turn in early. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but today was a good day.

Bruno
Montreal, Canada