“Day 29, 30, 31”

Of the 2026 Cavalcade

4873 miles

We left Eastland TX around 10:30 or so. We’d only 178 miles to our next stop.
We arrived around 14:00, @KevinProudTexan said he could hear us coming. He’d offered his lovely ‘Lake House’ as an interlude from the ride. He graciously let us stay two nights. Which allowed us to ‘recharge’ before the final 770 miles to GA. The first night they ( Kevin and his wife Kim) made Fajitas. The second night we four went to a local barbecue joint, my darling bride and I picked up the bill. It was the least we could do.
The next morning we were up bright and early. Had our coffee and said our goodbyes.

We’d barely gone a mile when I received a phone call.
I couldn’t tell whom it was from, and I couldn’t answer it, because I was doing 60mph on a motorcycle.
So I let it go to voice mail.
Another call, this time I could see it was from Kevin, whom we’d just left. I pulled off the road, and attempted to answer.
I wear leather gloves, ear plugs, and my goggles are shaded and mirrored so it’s hard to see the phone screen or to hear it.
It’s ‘mounted’ in the middle of my faring, because I use the maps feature for navigation.
It was Kevin.
I’d forgotten two things at his house.
The bandana I wear to keep my neck from chafing.
And my .45ACP.
Whoops…
We went right back, retrieved them, and got back on the road.

It was beautiful weather for a ride. Not too hot, not too cold, and sunny.
391 miles, our longest day on the trip.
We rolled through the remainder of Texas, crossed Louisiana, the mighty Mississippi River, and entered the state of Mississippi.
After we arrived we both noticed our ears were ringing.
It was my fault.
We wear earplugs because the ‘new’ engine and pipes can be loud.
Especially when I ‘get down on it’.
Which I did yesterday.
Because I was pissed off at a ‘cage’.
We were already in Mississippi, when 3 cars were coming onto the interstate via an entrance ramp.
I switched from the right to the left lanes to give them space.
They all three merged onto the right lane. I was just to their left. Between car #2 and car #3.
Car #2 then decided change lanes to my lane. His rear bumper was less than a foot from my front tire.
At 65-70mph.
Motherfucker.
I was not happy.
The driver waved as if to say ‘My Bad’.
Uh-huh
Once we cleared the other two vehicles, I switched lanes back to the right lane.
And ‘rolled back the throttle’.
Even with the little camper, I shot from 68-90mph like a rocket.
I roared up next to the vehicle, and with my left hand, using ‘sign language’, let the driver know my displeasure. It may not have had any effect on the driver, but it made me feel better.
Not one of my better moments.
Like I’ve said, my Stoicism is a work in progress.

We rolled into the hotel parking lot around 17:00.
We took showers and had a ‘bed picnic’ as we were too tired to bother going to supper.

Today we ride the last 376 miles and will be at the Big Blue Beast tonight.
We’ve crossed the continent 4 times this year.
Twice with The Dude, and the Big Blue Beast.
Once by airplane, and once by motorcycle.