You just can't predict when those priceless moments will arrive. But when they do, it is oh so sweet. Tonight was one of those occasions.

The day was a trying one. Despite the expectations of “spring showers” we managed to stay dry on the first 15 days of this trip. And even today, we were sure we'd dodge the storms. We cycled through some beautiful farms and horse country. We enjoyed the mural in Mineaola, which reminded us of our daughter, Karen. And we lingered at the Kitchen's Restaurant, with their decadent cinnamon rolls, to let the rains pass. We kept our eyes on the weather maps. But eventually it all caught up with us. And yet, we still outwitted the downpour by sheltering under an unused carport.

At the end of the day, all we wanted was to escape our cheap motel in Winnsboro and find a good meal. The nearest restaurant was Richie's Grill and Cafe. As we wandered in to check the menu, we noticed the sandwich board outside promoting a live jam session that evening. Since the offerings looked reasonable, we gave it a try. Seated near the music, we couldn't help but hear the tunes and inquired about it. They are locals, we were told, who gather every Tuesday evening to play their accoustic guitars and take turns leading the songs. From what we could hear, it was mighty good. So once we finished our meal we wandered into the next room to have a listen.

We were warmly welcomed by the groupies already gathered, and were soon seated and mesmerized by the ten or more guitar players plus additional singers and musicians who made up the group. We couldn't help but be a bit obvious in our synthetic wear among the denim and cowboy hat population there, and we easily struck up conversations with those around us. Soon musicians came over to welcome us as well. They even managed to get us into the act!

The group rotated the lead among themselves as well as mentoring less experienced players, which was nice to see. And every so often they played something familiar enough that even we could sing along. It was wonderful to hear that their numbers swelled to 18 guitars on the first Fridays when they played at the local nursing home.

Sitting there listening, appreciating and just enjoying I couldn't help but think what a fun and unique experience it was. Sure, It could have happened if we were traveling by car. But chances are wwe wouldn't have been open to it the same way. This is why we bike tour. You can't beat offbeat, unplanned evenings like this.