Back to Bonnerdale.

I spent 3 wonderfully lazy days in Faribault, Minnesota with my brother Clyde and his partner Deb.
Clyde took me around to see the sights and to see the plant where he does consulting work, then we spent the rest of the time eating Deb's wonderful meals (dynamite ribs!), telling family stories and watching TV.

We were invited to their neighbor's house one night and sat out in the backyard around a fire ring until a thunderstorm finally opened up on us.
(A tornado actually touched down north of us but we didn't know about it until our brother Ernie called from California to ask if we were OK.)

I can't get over the fact that Clyde is 70 years old. He looks 40, acts 30 and went back to work after retirement because he can't sit around.

It was great seeing them.

I got an email telling me the bike was ready so Tuesday I headed down I-35 to Arkansas. I don't care for Interstates but I figured I could cruise in the granny lane at 60 mph which gives me the best mpg.

Nothing much to see or report on along the Interstate, although I have to give highest marks to Kansas City for the easiest transit through town. Everyone seemed to drive at the 55 mph speed limit and the roads were clearly marked. It was smooth sailing as I sang Van Morrison's song, "Excuse me, Do You Know The Way To Kansas City?"

In contrast I give Fort Smith, Arkansas the lowest rating. Although I was wide awake and trying to stay on my route, I twice ended up in Oklahoma heading west! The signs were confusing and traffic was heavy.

I stayed in a motel in Missouri so I could see the finish of a 2 part sci-fi series, "The Andromeda Strain" which I had started while at Clyde's house. It's a great remake of the old movie.

When I got to Arkansas, I camped at a KOA (Fayetteville?) through a hot muggy night. That kind of weather wears me out so I spent the night in a stupor. About 0200, my aging kidneys woke me up and I had to trek over to the bathroom. When I got back to the van, I decided to sit out a while in a nice cool breeze and look at the stars. As I sat there I saw a bright light come on over the treetops. It stayed on for about 5-10 seconds then went out. Immediately after that, a second bright light came on to the left of the first. Then a few more followed the pattern, all in a small area of the sky over the treetops.
Along the Interstate, I had noticed a lot of tall towers on hills which were probably cellphone towers or the like. I figured there was a cluster of these towers and maybe they were testing the aircraft warning lights they have on top. But usually those lights rotate or blink. These went on steady and were twice as bright as I would have expected.
In the morning, I scanned the area with binocs and there wasn't a tower in sight.

(Cue theme music from "The Outer Limits" here.)

...more follows...