Here comes the sun

An early start this morning felt wonderful. Leaving Marion Arkansas behind I rode west and watched the sun come up in my side mirrors. I could easily do this because the road was tightrope straight.

Riding through the fields of beans, and corn, and beans, and corn, and bugs, and bugs, and bugs.

The low fog evaporated as soon as the sun cleared the horizon. I was trying to race the sun to the Ozarks where I thought the mountains and valleys would hide me from the intense heat coming my way. At 9 o’clock I pulled into Mountain View and after a lap around their picturesque square I spotted a local diner. PJ’s Rainbow Café was the choice. After an omelette and a couple of cups of coffee I was off to the races again. While I was sipping coffee the sun was starting to take things seriously.

As I left town on Hwy. 14, I passed the bank sign with a smiley sunshine telling me that it was 104 degrees. Now, if you know banks, or outdoor signs, you know it was lying. But this time, I think it was prophesying.

Ahhh, but Hwy. 14 was a wonderful friend. The horizon became wavy instead of flat, and the hairpin dips into cool green valleys made the ride go by so quickly I was almost laughing. Almost.

I pulled into Mountain Home, and as soon as my speedometer registered “0” the sun caught up.

OH LAWD IT’S SO HOT!

After wiping sweat, and drinking a quart of Gatorade, my plans to go see a herd of elk melted. Instead I thought the best thing to do would be to go and see some air conditioning at my destination as fast as humanly possible.

And away we went. The road was sweeping turns of low traffic. Some of the cars saw a man passing them on a bike with flames coming from inside his helmet.

I’m posting this from the Candlewick Inn in Eureka Springs. The air conditioner is running full in my room. I may not move until morning.

The sun won. Today.