“Hey Artfuls!” rang down from a group of four hikers on a trail above us. What? Nobody knows Bobbie and I are here... who in the heck could it be? Oh my God, it’s a small world after all, and it appears to be getting smaller. Here’s the freaky story,

As it turns out, Fiver needs a new blackwater tank. But the tank must be shipped from the Excel factory in Smith Center, Kansas, and I can’t bare waiting for it to arrive holed up in a dingy “hood” motel and eating at a Denny’s. An escape plan is quickly hatched and within the hour we have loaded Sue Bee and are speeding east on I-10 to a magical place.

The Dreamcatcher Bed and Breakfast is run by John and Julia Kirk, and rests at the foot of the Chiricahua Mountains. It is a cozy Santa Fe style abode with five guest rooms and a spacious great room with fireplace. Since it also happens to be Bobbie’s birthday, we secured the sprawling suite for our stay. Happy birthday Love.

I think the Artful Blog will have to go on vacation while we are here; it seems the internet connection is bundled with a hundred TV channels and my Mac can’t seem to sort out the proper signal. I needed a break anyway, and you probably could use one too.

John and Julia are fine hosts and prepare wonderful home cooked meals. The atmosphere is very relaxed and comfortable and it is as quiet as a boondock, way out here in the boondocks. The wine flows endlessly during Happy Hour. John kept refilling my glass when I wasn’t looking, and unbeknownst to me, my lightweight Birthday Girl was rotating her glass under my nose, too.

I drank like it was Friday night, New Years Eve and my birthday (hic), which made the next days ten mile hike a true and heartfelt affirmation of love to my wife. Blood, sweat, and tears... and no complaining (You’re welcome, dear).

Here’s where it gets weird. Start Twilight Zone music now... “do do do do.”

No one, including Artful Blog readers, knew we were hiking in the Chiricahua’s. This trip was done on a whim... a choice randomly plucked from a dusty shelf in the recesses of my cob-webbed mind.  That we stumbled upon the Two Scamps, Eric and Maureen, at a trail intersection deep in the woods of this remote Arizona wilderness, just freaks me out. Last I read on their blog they were in Big Bend, Texas, nursing close encounters from Poison Oak. Scamps introduced us to friends Wade, and off duty Ranger Coral. What a nice “gig” Coral.

Afterwards, I spent a mile trying to calculate and explain the odds of such a chance meeting to my underwhelmed “this stuff happens all the time” wife. Unfortunately, a hangover was short-circuiting the math lobe of my brain and she was less than convinced.

Touche’. So Bobbie hikes on ahead and leaves my hangover and me to our misery. Plodding along in a cheap wine haze (sorry John, but Gallo is a headache waiting to happen) I hear a voice.  “Artful Mark!”  I looked up into the faces of two complete strangers.

“How would you know that?” Wheels are turning... mind is racing. Those darn Scamps are messin’ with me... this is one of their practical jokes.
“Who are you?” I ask as I take a silent vow never to drink again, now a mental luxury I apparently can no longer afford.

The more attractive of the two speaks, “Hi, I am Ester... I’ve been following your blog for over a year.”

I’m a stubborn guy... still trying to force a connection between these strangers and those darn Scamps. “Scamps.” Even their name suggests I am the butt of a prank. Awkward pause...

“Really?” I say. “Because...” and I go on to tell them about how not ten minutes ago... blah blah blah... “Freaky” blah...

But it was no joke. Ester and Steve were legit readers from Calgary, Canada. Esters mother, Rita is also a watercolor artist and follows our adventure and attempts at painting too (thank you Rita). We chat and I learn Ester and Steve recently sold their house, bought a Fiver and are two months into the RV lifestyle. It’s a small world after all plays in my head. Wait till my speed hiking wife hears about this!

“Bobbie... meet Sara N. Dippity.  What-da-ya think-a-me NOW, eh?”