So here’s a reminder to myself…penny wise/pound foolish…that was how I felt about my stay at the Salem Travelodge. Yeah it was inexpensive but I really wonder how much another place might have been. It’s not that the room was crappy or the neighborhood was bad, however my neighbor was a drop dead idiot. I got awoken by his yelling at 1:30am. A domestic in progress. It’s not often I call the local cops, but it seemed appropriate today. It wasn’t long before they showed up and I heard him talking to them…and then they left. No big surprise…that came at 4:30am when ass-wipe started pounding on my door demanding to be let it. Well gentle reader, I accepted his offer, but unfortunately he was in his room and mumbled that he mistakenly pounded on my door. I gave him my thoughts on the matter and returned to bed. A short time later (it was just getting the first rays of daylight), there was a gentle knocking on the door. I thought perhaps the female was there to apologize for pin-head’s stupidity, but nope, there was pin-head himself apologizing for waking me up and looking for some sympathy that he hurt his hand pounding on my door. It takes all kinds.
So it was that I didn’t wake up till after 8am and got a late start on the day. I wasn’t in the best mood mentally. Thankfully the day only got better. My first stop was at a LBS where I was able to get my taillight replaced and pick up some extra zip-ties and screws for my rack (I had forgotten to tighten them down and lost three out of four). Aaron, the bike tech, told me of a good place for breakfast, so it wasn’t too long before I got the last open seat at The Word of Mouth Cafe. And Aaron was right, the waitresses were almost as good as the food they served. Lots of good-hearted back and forth banter.
Stomach full it was time to head off for Canby, about 30 miles away. I enjoy the 30-40 mile rides, they aren’t too long and my ass doesn’t get too worn out.
The riding was primarily flat with a few rollers thrown in for fun. Mid-way I stopped for a beer (three actually, but who’s counting) at the Last Chance Saloon. It was the best rest stop I’d had yet. It wasn’t long before I pulled in to Canby…population 5-6k. I got cleaned up and found a nice restaurant close by. They had a nice big deck that I could pull my bike up on and keep an eye on it. On the deck a husband and wife were enjoying the last of their dinner and engaged me in conversation. They were both teachers and had lived in Canby for quite a while. They were lots of fun to talk with.
I saw that the bar had Campari so I decided to have a Negroni….well actually it was a bourbon version of a Negroni. Howard, the best bartender in Las Vegas, had told me the name when he made it for me, but like so many things I forgot it. Regardless, it hit the spot! Unfortunately the meatloaf for dinner wasn’t nearly as good or satisfying…ah well.
I ended the night watching a couple of episodes of NCIS.
BrokenSpoken 