The Central Route of Run for the Wall was due to arrive in Rainelle just before lunchtime. My goal was to get to Rainelle before David (aka Papa Smurf) and Kay (aka Nine Mile) got there. I enjoyed the complementary breakfast at the hotel and, despite the good weather, I chose the easier interstate route. There was only one shadow on the horizon of good planning: I had the precursor sensations of an on-coming migraine headache. Unwilling to alter my plans, I bulled ahead without pausing to medicate.
By the time I reached Rainelle I had a gloriously blinding headache. I was determined to stick it out. I exited the car forgetting the all important copy of Veterans Reign in Their Own Parade. My intent was to use it to collect autographs of riders and Rainelle citizens. Headaches can cause faulty thinking and dopey behavior and mine was clipping my mental wings.
I sought out the staging crew who had arrived early to help prepare for the Run riders' parade into town. I found a guy named Vapors and his pal, Crash. These nicknames are hard earned. Vapors ran out of gas to earn his name. Crash? Yeah, probably crashed to earn it! I didn't ask. Vapors and Crash helped me find an ideal place for me to park my carcass for the parade. They were thoughtful and considerate, taking into account my physical limitations. They described how they platoons would go well into town and turn back to come by the shiny new elementary school.
I was in a good spot to watch for Dave and Kay. They were platoon leader and tail gunner of Platoon 8, so I got used to spotting the orange blaze marking platoon leaders' bikes. Did I see Platoon 8 in orange? No. Did I see David to recognize him? No. Did I see the huge stuffed Papa Smurf on the back of Dave's bike? Oh yes! Impossible to miss! So I watched the parade and as leading platoons returned to the school, I determined that #8 would not quite make it back to where I was sitting.
I stood and walked along until I spotted them parking their bikes. I was trying to sneak up to surprise them, but eagle-eye Kay saw me in her peripheral vision and squawked loudly, "AUNT PAT!!" Every head in a 50 foot radius turned to see Kay and Aunt Pat, but David....
I got to surprise him!
As much as I wanted to spend the afternoon with them, I needed to wind down and shake the migraine. I had the joyful fun of surprising them and I was delighted at their reaction. They were genuinely tickled that I'd come to see them and to see Rainelle. And I'd wanted to see this love fest between bikers and school kids. My dream had been realized.
I drove back to Lewisburg, where the Run riders spend their last night on the road. I asked if the hotel had a room available, believing it wasn't possible. Not only did they have a room, they gave me the one next to Dave and Kay's. The perfect end to a delightful day. I drank lots of water, took a sumatriptan and slept for several hours.
By nightfall the Run bikers were partying hearty. It was a cinch that I'd feel much better in the morning than they would. And that's the truth!
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