End of date weeks (8/16/23 Wed)

Anne awoke early and sat outside writing in the relatively bug free campground. The Tiny Bird cabin has a nice little fire ring and chairs outside. After writing awhile Anne came in to get my keys, so she could unlock the coffee making gear. When I returned from the bathroom Anne had already ground coffee and was pouring hot water into our mugs to steep. More than thirty years after I married her, she is still a keeper. We drank coffee and made the passing clouds into faces while the campground staff started their days building work.

After packing up and returning the Tiny Bird cabin to it's original configuration, we started our day. Anne continued the navigation relationship with her GPS. So she led us south. Quickly taking the wrong road, and having to find her way back to the planned route and possible breakfast stop. The first couple of breakfast places didn't exist at all or proudly hung closed signs. Eventually we found one that had changed names but served breakfast. It was a coffee/pastry stop called The Paisley Loon with a sign explaming "NOW SERVING BREAKFAST". When Anne's leading us with the GPS it brings me joy to point out when she has to make a U-turn or goes down gravel roads, as I take heat for doing those things when I lead. Sure I'm a jerk, but at least I'm consistant! She always seems to get over hating me within a few days.

Leaving breakfast we decided to stop by my brothers campground on Jellison Island in Stockton, ME. It has been a few months since we last talked, and I hadn't been to the campround in more than a year. So it was nice to see the all the progress he's made. We're talkers, so Anne had to drag us apart to start for home.

Anne had a burger yesterday for lunch and felt much more awake. The prior day I had suggested eating more protein at stops when you felt tired. I heard this from an episode of the podcast "Adventure Rider Radio RAW". My experimentation with it indicated it worked, as did Anne's stellar highway performance yesterday. Since she felt tired now, she wanted a higher protein lunch ASAP. Being tired she wanted me to lead now. That didn't work out so well for me as all restaurants on route were closed. Anne got hangrier as we failed to find each one, and navigated back to our route. The last availalbe option was a gas station before getting on Rt95 south. Lucky for me it turned out to have hot food so Anne had chicken strips, and I was able to get a cheese steak.

With food Anne felt better and we discussed our communication. Then onto Rt95 for a long boring one full fuel tank ride south. We had avoided the large rain clouds most of the day, but near Portland we drove into a heavy mist. Below Portland we stopped at the service plaza for gas, bathroom and a few laps around the building lobby. Our misty rain didn't show up on any radar, so we had no idea if we would ride out of it. We donned our frogg togg tops for a second later of waterrproofing against the mist/light rain. It rained a bit harder as we drove south until we crossed into New Hampshire where it just dried up. Before reaching home we realized that Anne's 2005 DL650 odometer had turned over 50,000 miles this afernoon, and my 2020 DL1050xt had gone over 40,000 within 50 miles of each other.

Our dog Suzie met us and clearly stated vocally that we took far too long to open the garage door. Both Anne and I had removed the remote opener from our keys and had them locked in our luggage. I needed to go around and manually push the button inside the garage. That was just too long for a dog so happy we both had returned home.

The next twenty minutes was spent hanging the sleeping bags and tent to dry, pulling out food, dirty laundry, and dishes to be washed. Both of us fully loaded we headed up our own stairs, to our own shower and bed. OK I might have spent some time moving pictures around on the website while Anne wrote.

Tomorrow I need to re-pack and prep the bike to leave for Colorado on Saturday morning. Hoping to also deploy the new mapping software on the website before I go, as well as other chores to cram into this two day window.

It was really nice to get away with Anne. Neither of us would claim it was a relaxing vacation. But we did spend a lot of time together, and saw many beautiful landscapes. Anne still feels she missed a lot of that when I toured the west without her. Our last two weeks may not be a normal "date night" but I've always said I don't even know any "normal people".