A few days after returning home from camping The Man and I were sitting outside, drinking coffee, when he mentioned he was planning a wilderness camping trip.
"Oh yeah, when?"
"Tuesday."
It was Sunday morning. We had just come home on Thursday. I turned to stare at him.
He saw my look and explained that he had wanted to explore some of the mountain trails before the summer crowds showed up.
I knew he was planning a trip, I noticed him studying his big red California Atlas and the GPS maps, I just didn't know it would be so soon.
He reassured me that I wouldn't need to do anything, he had it all figured out. He couldn't take much more than his gear since space and weight were limited while traveling on the motorcycle.
While The Man packed - fitting objects like a jigsaw puzzle - I finished the knitting on his Sockhead hat. I didn't wash it, wouldn't dry in time, so I wove in the ends and gave it to him. For some reason he insisted I sew on a SLO Yarns label. I was pleased but surprised. Surprised because he's not usually appreciative of my creations, possibly traumatized from the first hat I made him, known affectionately now as the "Reservoir Tip" hat, but that's another story and I digress.
May 9th, early Tuesday morning, the Suzuki V-Strom was packed and ready to go. The loaded down bike and The Man headed east for a four-day trip to the southern Sierra mountains.
I headed back into the house for another cup of coffee.
Several hours later I received a text message. It was evident why The Man had wanted a SLO Yarns label sewn onto his knitted hat. Again I was pleased and surprised. I may have laughed out loud.
 |
| B. Beenie enjoys a delicious lunch in Glennville. |
Another text arrived that afternoon while he still had a cell phone signal.
 |
| B. Beenie enjoying a wilderness camp site. B. Beenie hopes it doesn't rain tonight. |
A couple of days went by before I heard from B. Beenie and The Man again.
 |
| B. Beenie says to hell with wilderness camping. |
I'm pretty sure The Man had a good time no matter what B. Beenie had to say.
There's a new highway song
Playing in your soul
Let it carry you away
Into this glorious day
This glorious day
This glorious day
Jimmy LaFave
7/12/55 - 5/21/17
