Gator Bites

We stayed one extra night at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch after the rally was over.  This allowed us to avoid all the RV and motorcycle traffic as people exited the Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival (TMMR). We rode north from Tennessee through Kentucky.  I found a Corps of Engineers Campground in southern Illinois.  It is on the Carlyle Reservoir.  

Brad and I developed a plan to make our way to Utah by camping at least two nights in one spot. This provided a recovery night from driving.  Then the next morning was a motorcycle ride to explore the surrounding area.  The second morning was labeled a  “move morning” where we packed up the motorcycles and RV and plotted our next stop as we traveled westward.  This “move morning” and “ride morning” formula worked really well for us.

Just before we arrived at Carlyle Reservoir, Brad spotted the Swamp Town sign advertising Gator Bites and Crawfish.  We were in Illinois.  I didn’t know where the gator bites were going to be sourced from.  The next morning was a “ride morning.”  We went for our motorcycle ride around the large Carlyle Reservoir and stopped at Swamp Town for lunch.

Swamp Town Cajun Kitchen & Cocktails was featured on the show Bar Rescue.  The sign and some interior enhancements like an indoor pond with a footbridge and fog machines were a result of the show.  The pond had replica alligators and coy fish.  It was pretty neat.  The staff indicated they wished that the show remodeled the kitchen or bar service area instead of installing the fog machines and making new signs.  It was neat to hear about the Bar Rescue Show because a couple of years before Brad and I met, former owners of a bar in Austin, Texas, that was rebranded by the show.

Brad enjoyed the gator bites at the bar.  There was a silver-haired woman who had downed her second Michelob Ultra during the time it took us to place our order.  Brad was telling the bartender about our ride around the reservoir.  We had passed a number of small utility sheds.  The type that a homeowner would use to store a lawn mower and other tools inside.  These sheds along the route had signs labeling them as a “Hot Spot”.  We were not familiar with what these “Hot Spots” were.  Brad asked about the Hot Spot sheds.  The silver-haired lady piped up, expressing serious displeasure with the sheds and other establishments with hot spots.  She stated that they are gambling places that are addicting.  They take advantage of people with no money to lose.  They are positions in small neighborhoods making it easy to hook players and take their money.  This lady was animate that the laws allowing the small “hot spots” are wrong and are hurting the communities.  She was visibly upset. We changed the topic.  This woman transitioned into telling us stories about her past.  Once upon a time, she dated a man with a motorcycle.  She said he was a moron but she liked riding his motorcycle.   She told us about some of her rides.  I think she had just as many stories as Brad.  It was a fun lunch break experience!

Truck Dead Got a Bicycle

 

There I am at the Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival (TMMR) at about 2 o’clock in the morning.  I am awakened in my slumber by a pull-behind RV backing into the campsite next to me.  I am nice and comfy in my hammock.  The hammock is hung off the back of my jeep at a 45-degree angle and partially in the path of the reversing camper trailer.  I see the red tail lights getting closer to me.  The trailer safely halts several feet from me and moves forward.  I am grateful the driver has some good backing skills and sees my hammock in the darkness.  The driver readjusts his reverse approach and positions his trainer with plenty of space between us.  I feel safe and it turns out there is plenty of room for his dirt bikes to be lined up between his camper and my Jeep.  

I admit I was a little bummed having someone camping next to me.  After all, when I am not motorcycling, I am camping somewhere remote and usually alone.  The crisp night air was pitch black.  I had to pee, so I exited my hammock and made my way to the nearest porta-john. I pass two figures in the darkness and proclaim “welcome” as I walked swiftly to the porta-john.  I was happy that our figures were outlined in the darkness and it was too dark to make eye contact.  I was on the verge of doing the pee-pee dance and was avoiding conversation.  I take care of watering the horse and return to my comfy hammock in hopes to get some sleep before sunrise. 

Less than an hour passes, and I need to pee again! It must be an old man symptom. I tried to ignore the urge to pee and go back to sleep.  That didn’t work.  I had to go!  I know my new neighbors had recently finished setting up their trailer.  I hurried down the familiar route to the porta-john. I pulled on the porta-john door while simultaneously getting the urge to do the pee-pee dance.  The door to the porta-john wouldn’t open.  I was confused.  There were not many tents in this area.  It was around 4 o’clock in the morning.  The late-night parties had stopped hours ago.  I thought to myself, could there really be someone else using this porta-john? I think I have been the only person using this particular facility for the last three days.  Could the door be stuck?  So I lightly tapped my finger three times on the plastic door.  Tap, Tap, Tap.  I heard a response echoing my same soft tap and rhythm. Tap, tap, Tap.  It confirmed to me that someone was inside. I quickly turned and made a beeline directly to the next closest porta-john as I could not wait. 

The next closest porta-john was less than a minute of walking fast.  It wasn’t a big deal - just me running around in the dark.  I returned to the shelter of my hammock to get some sleep.  As I lay relaxing, I heard a soft female voice in the darkness.  The voice confirmed she was my new neighbor and wanted to apologize for arriving in the middle of the night, making noise.  She shared that she and her husband had been traveling from Ohio when their truck broke down.  So they purchased a new truck to make the journey.  I learned my new friends were named Jo and Jason.  Jason went to sleep after the long day and drive.  Jo and I shared stories while watching the moon set and the sun rise. We moved from my hammock area and drank our morning coffee while sitting in the river, watching the sunrise.  Jason joined us shortly after sunrise then continued setting up there camp.

This couple made a major purchase of a brand-new truck to complete their journey to TMMR.  It was that important to them to attend.  Jo and Jason are small business owners and work hard all year long, so this event was a true revival for them.  Jo posted her and Jason’s truck broke down story on the social media app Instagram.  The TMMR officials learned about their story of determination to attend the revival despite their truck breaking down.  The TMMR officials text messaged Jo and wanted to meet her.  Jo and Jason returned from the meeting and were excited to report that the staff was to honor them during opening ceremonies on the main stage for the bands.  Jason was preparing what to say during the ceremony.

On the evening of the ceremony, Brad and I arrived early to get close to the stage.  Each evening, the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem were played before the bands performed.  This was a neat experience to feel the positive patriotic energy of the performers and of the crowd.  Jo and Jason were introduced by Loretta Lynn’s daughter or granddaughter. She spoke a little about Jo and Jason.  She was holding the microphone in front of Jason so he could tell his story.  Jason took hold of the microphone and began walking around the stage as he told his story.  I could tell that the organizers didn’t plan on that.  Maybe they were trying to keep to a schedule, and Jason was going to keep talking!  I had a flash of amusement as I thought the organizer was discretely trying to take the microphone back from Jason.  The story was told.  It was then announced that TMMR sponsor, Budweiser, had a gift for Jo and Jason.  The gift could help out if their truck broke down again.  Brad immediately thought Budweiser was donating a pickup truck to them.  As the spotlight moved to the side of the stage, a red and white Budweiser-themed bicycle rolled out.  Jo and Jason were presented with a Budweiser beach cruiser-type bicycle.  Cool gift!