Chapter 5: Where is Dave?

I had been camping at state parks and private campgrounds in western Maryland and northern Virginia in my travels since Gettysburg. I had made my way to Front Royal, Virginia, and intended to jump on Skyline Drive then continue south along the Blue Ridge Parkway, using it to reach Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My intent was to keep them guessing about my location while enjoying the ride. My route would combine a slow pace with great scenery and minimal commercial traffic. The only traffic I was concerned about was RVs, as they tended to take up half the center of the road.

I had ridden into Front Royal the evening before and stayed at what was known as a tourist home, a private residence that the owner had opened up to take in travelers looking for lodging generally cheaper than a hotel. These places were few and far between these days, a staple left over from the great road-trip era of the 1930s and 1940s. The one I stayed at was from that era and run by an elderly widow. The furnishings were definitely dated, but the place was immaculately clean. I enjoyed my stay and was thoroughly entertained by my host. I was almost sorry to be leaving that morning.

For breakfast that morning, I decided to stop at McDonald’s and indulge in my favorite meal: the Big Breakfast. It consisted of sausage, a biscuit, hash browns, and scrambled eggs. The meal was tasty, filling, and generally not too pricey compared to eating breakfast at other places.

I picked up one of the national newspapers that always found a place on the tables at McDonald’s during the morning rush while eating my breakfast. I scanned the headlines until I almost choked on my hash browns. The banner headline on the front page screamed ’Drug Kingpin’s Girlfriend Indicted on Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering’.

The lead story after the banner headline reported that she was also being investigated in the disappearance of her husband, a well-known and respected college professor. There was speculation that Ramos and she had conspired to kill me so that they could get back together. The article also mentioned that I had filed divorce charges against Andrea for adultery and had named Ramos as a co-defendant in the civil action. It noted that a body had not been found and that I had been missing for well over a month. Citing unnamed sources in the FBI, the article suggested that Ramos and Andrea had conspired on my death. They were both candidates for the needle if that proved true. Andrea was said to be in custody, while Ramos remained at large.

My only thought was ‘Cool. I’ll let her sweat it out for a while’.

I was positive that the unnamed sources were my two now-best buds, Buckner and Altenburger. I would have to send them a picture postcard from my road trip, maybe after visiting and touring the FBI Academy at Quantico. That would stir the pot and tweak a few noses.

It took me five days to make the trip from Front Royal to Gatlinburg via Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway. I could have made it quicker, but I stopped at virtually every overlook along the route. No matter how many views of mountains and trees you saw, each was unique. It was a pleasant change from being stuck in a classroom most of the time.

I booked a private cabin just outside the park when I made it to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and slept in every morning. I rode around the park during the day, soaking in the sights and dodging RVs that seemed determined to turn me into an organ donor with their road-hog driving. They almost succeeded more than once.

My visit to Smoky Mountains National Park was cut short when I noticed a Park Ranger patrolling the parking lot and taking an unusual interest in my bike. I waited until he left the lot, then sprinted to it. My trip back to the cabin I rented was quick. It didn’t take me long to load my gear onto the bike. I consulted the road atlas I carried with me before I left, looking for the most desolate and direct route southwest toward the Gulf Coast.