In The Wilds Of Stoneville

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and I am freezing - morning springs anew at Dan River Campground in Stoneville, NC. Definitely a place for getting away from it all. The owner even gave me a slight admonishment to keep the speed down in the campground (I was running 15 and the speed limit is 10). Believe me, if you get caught speeding in a VW bus, you have really done something special. Numerous 5th wheels, motorhomes and the like await their owners to return once spring settles in for good. While there are a few hardy souls spending at least a portion of Easter weekend here, it is mostly deserted. I decided to make this trip as something of a shakedown for Ganesh; considering that at some point I want to take the Big Blue Bus for an extended roadtrip. So far, so good. The fridge has kept things nice and cold. The sleeping arrangements were quite satifactory and the engine has been running strong. I haven't dared to fire up the propane stove, yet; preferring to wait until the prospect of forest fires due to exploding microbuses has ebbed a bit. The neighbors are mostly retired boomers by the looks of things. Most everyone has kept to themselves; at most offering a wave and a "Hello!" while walking down the gravel drives. The gentleman next door, however, will get points for the "Weird Guy Of The Year" competition. I mulled over his rituals while carving into a campfired steak and turning pages in "The Wishing Well"; a Doctor Who novel (what else?) When he arrived last night, he sat in his truck for the better part of a half an hour before trading the comforts of the front seat for his proper lodgings. Later on, he returned to his truck and repeated the ceremony before driving the 300 feet to the bathhouse. Once there, he, you guessed it, waited about 15 minutes, then went inside. Once he took care of business, there was another round of front seat meditation before driving back to his trailer. I could understand an elderly gentleman not feeling up to making the trek to shake the dew off of the lilly, but this guy looks to be my age. Guess he just likes going out into the wilds of Stoneville to partake of his rich, Corinthian leather.

Katzenwagen!

Sometimes, despite your best intentions, things don't quite work out like you expect... For once I was going to be on time for something. No, I was going to be EARLY. Although I wasn't looking forward to three hours of education on the proper ways of eating (thanks to my physician), I had successfully navigated Ganesh through rush hour traffic and a stiff crosswind; making good time in the process. With only a couple of miles to go, there was nothing to do, but sit through umpteen PowerPoint slides extolling the virtues of portion control. The Lizard King was wrapping up "Roadhouse Blues" on the iPod when I felt something brush by my leg. A stray piece of trash picked up by the drafts which are part and parcel of a 36-year-old bus, nothing more. Keeping my eyes on the approaching offramp, I reached down to scoop up the offender. I expected paper...I got fur. My focus quickly turned to the floorboard and the large orange cat looking up at me with a rather bewildered air. Not panicked, as most felines are in moving vehicles. Disdainfully curious, I guess you'd call it. Deep within his cerebellum, somewhere between the impulse to eat and the need to stick his nose into anything that his butt would fit into, Morris sensed something was wrong...VERY wrong. The normally quiet confines of his occasional sleeping quarters had been turned into a roaring, vibrating (and drafty) place indeed. Some days it just doesn't pay to be a cat. Recovering from my initial shock, I burst into a fit of laughter. Who cares if I'm late for class? That would be nothing new. Besides, how often to you get to ride around town with a big orange cat in a 1972 VW bus? Thoroughly flummoxed by the turn of events and my reaction, Morris curled up in the aisle between the front seats and waited for the show to be over. As I turned the bus around and headed for home, the haunting sound of Poe filled the cabin... "Hey pretty, do you want to take a ride with me..." No. Definitely not. Just fill the water bowl, feed me and empty the litter box.

Rock On!

I always make a habit of christening each new vehicle of mine with a special song. Usually, I choose something from my all-time favorite band - The Dixie Dregs. With the arrival of Ganesh, the Big Blue Bus into my stable, I had another opportunity to engage in this little ritual. This time, however, the band was Def Leppard and the song was the first single from their soon-to-be-released album, "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge". The track is named "Nine Lives" and it POSITIVELY ROCKS! Check it out.