“Oh, do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man,? Do you know the muffin man, who lives on Drury Lane?
Yes, I know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, yes, I know the muffin man, who lives on Drury Lane.
I met The Muffin Man at the Grand Coulee Dam campground after the rain stopped at 4:30 PM. Tango and I decided to go for a celebratory walk around the rambling campground and finally explore our surroundings. Tango nearly jumped onto his leash all by himself, he was that excited to be out walking. As we walked down the road towards the water, I noticed that a new camper had arrived. I saw him standing outside and noticed he had an interesting configuration of stuff: a blue Toyota pickup, an enclosed utility trailer, and a motorcycle. He had an awning coming off the trailer and next to that, a free-standing canopy. It was not difficult to figure him out: a retired guy about my age getting ready to ride the back roads.
We continued to walk down the hill until the road curved and ascended again, right by the man’s campsite. I shouted out something about staying dry under his canopy when it was raining. He is a talker and came right over. We discussed where each of us is going, where we live, and all the other stuff. I can tell we are the same age (later I find out he is 2 months older than me). Turns out he is married, and he confides that his wife says, he gets a little annoying when he is around the house all the time. So, he takes off with his toys and explores the countryside. He has the motorcycle that I saw and a sailboat and goes out for a week at a time. You are lucky, you have the best of all worlds, I say. He responds, I know.
Lorin talks about motorcycles. He then listens to my story about camping in the rain and trying to make coffee on cold mornings. He has made the inside of his trailer into useable living space when not hauling the bike. He even has a heater and small kitchen. He invites me to come by at 8 AM the next morning for fresh coffee and a poppy-seed muffin, hence his new nickname, the Muffin Man. A generous Seattle-based coffee-lover right in my campground. I take this as a reward from the rain gods for doing my best to enjoy the past week or so without complaining too much.
That next morning, a lame-brained woodpecker tried to pound a hole in the metal roof of a shelter and the jack hammer sound roused me quickly at 6 AM. I had to make a bit of my own coffee but the sun was out. What a joy to move around the campsite. Soon, the clock said 8 AM so Tango and I sauntered down the hill for our promised coffee and muffin. We chatted about family and our respective adventures for 40 minutes. I mentioned that he was a wanderer, to which he said, “Oh no, I am not a wanderer, not like you. I just get bored at home and I go out to do stuff I like. I always sail my boat on the same lake and I have camped in this exact spot many times.” I understand the distinction because I do want to explore new places. It is not likely that I will do this exact trip ever again. And, having seen Grand Coulee Dam, I don’t need to see it again.
Then we each had things to do. Muffin Man planned to ride his bike all day and I was headed to town for a more extensive session at the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center. This time, I wanted to focus on all the regional geological terminology, especially the Grand Coulee and the Channeled Scablands. The best part of wandering is learning about the local landforms, animals, and plants.
Eastern Washington, Channeled Scablands
People are the other best part. The Muffin Man invited me for coffee again tomorrow morning, and I will be there again 8 AM sharp. Freshly brewed coffee and interesting company is a real luxury when camping.
