BELLE FOURCHE, SOUTH DAKOTA ------ "If you build it, they will come." OK, where are they? Shop is set up and we're ready to roll but customers have been sparce, emotions have been plentiful and weather is downright unpredictable from hour to hour. We sat with friends under the cashier canopy two nights ago - Donny, Slow Mike, Shell and a new gal with fiery red hair and a Ph.D in horse whispering we quickly named Doc. Out of nowhere, gloomy skies turned to downright rage. With winds screaming, the six of us held on to the canopy for dear life. The other canopy covering the lift table was shredded - thank goodness we had a spare - and astroturf went flying everywhere. At some point, someone mimicked Lieutenant Dan from Forrest Gump as he fights the weather while shrimping, "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT" Mother Nature? Bring it on! Alas, the days go slow and we wait. I've ordered up more signs and business cards and am debating on radio and newspaper ads. I won't sugarcoat it, the stress and tension are at an all-time high. We have to succeed here or there may be a big problem. Send up those supplications for business here. The mitigating factors have been pleasant. My chin is healing well from the pipe burn, Mike and Shell's 6-year-old boy Harley is a hoot and plays well with the dogs, and Shell makes a mean rhubarb pie. The dogs are doin OK but I worry because we are so close to the highway. Ding tinkers dawn til dusk - there's enough to do on the BFT, even without a lot of customers. We have finalized plans for Ignacio, Reno, ABATE in Texas and Boo Benefit but await word on Galveston. All suggestions welcome for end-of-tour landing spot - a place where we could squat for little or nothing and pick up service or seasonal work. More from the front later. No thoroughfare here - just a lot of wind.
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