12,182.8 km So Far

I've been away from the calendar on my refrigerator for 25 days and it’s hard to remember what day of the week it is let alone what day of the month. However, I do know that I’ve travelled 12,182.8 km so far. I can't believe the back tire is still looking trustworthy. Every now and again I think it must be done but then I realize it's just the troughs worn in the road by heavy truck traffic and all is well.

I’ve been pounding pavement, so to speak, in order to make it to the Atlantic Coast and home by Friday for dinner at the Battersea Creekside Pub. Then on Sunday I’ll be off to meet up with Belt Drive Betty on her share the ride/share the road awareness conga.

Once again this morning I was facing mountains as far as the eye could see, not the majestic snow capped Rockies but the gentle old rolling peaks of the Appalachians. I’ve noticed, however, it’s not the height of the mountains that defines the difference, east from west so much as it is the number of people and the number of towns and cities built within the mountains. Traffic was heavy and moving fast enough today to make me think the speed limit signs were meant merely as suggestions, or possibly somebody forgot to tell me that posted speeds now refer to the minimum speed rather than maximum speeds. Either way, I was glad to be off the freeway by 2 having reached my destination of Enfield Connecticut. No campsites in this area but as luck would have it my little no frills Motel 6 is a five minute walk from a major air conditioned shopping mall. If there can’t be a pool at least there’s a place to walk that’s cool. Tomorrow – the Atlantic Coast. Think I'll try to leave early before the morning rush.

Happily Dry in New Columbia PA (471 km)

I got on the road by 8, wet tent once again, painstakingly squeezed into its all too tiny sack, grey skies overhead. I stopped for gas at a small station and could tell it was Monday by the people rushing in and out of the store. I bought a coffee and a muffin since the camp store wasn’t open when I left. The lady behind the counter called me dear, wished me well and said she hoped it wouldn’t rain on me. The skies cleared ahead and it was a great ride for most of the day. I got a hug from a complete stranger at a rest stop. We had smiled at each other two rest stops before as she was coming out and I was going in. This time she stopped to talk. She was on a nine hour car trip and was excited to hear about my adventure. She just reached out for a hug as she said good bye. I also met a fellow who has designed and patented a motorcycle golf bag carrier. He and his wife are headed to Portland ME, carrying the clubs.
I headed back onto I 80 watching the sky grey ahead when I smelled it. I could smell it long before I could see it. It reminded me of the smell of an old, wet canvas tent…it was the smell of hot, wet pavement and I knew I was riding into a cloud burst. I rode through the cloud burst in a matter of minutes, just long enough to cool down but could see there might be more ahead.
I could see the storm clouds gathering and bolts of lightning began streaking to the ground ahead of me. I was only 15 k from my campsite according to Dan when a crack of thunder vibrated my helmet and I remembered the last time I thought I could make it. I made a U turn and headed back to the hotel at the highway. I’ve bailed on camping for the night. Of course it isn’t raining yet, but the weather channel keeps beeping a severe storm warning for this area, so who knows. I am happily dry (and have spread out and dried my tent once again).

Will it or won't it - Rain?

Even though it isn’t raining it is probably a good thing that I turned around. On the way back to the hotel I noticed a sign saying the campground was ahead 5 miles, which of course, was the opposite direction to what I had been going. After checking into the hotel I got out the maps to see just how many campgrounds there were in the area and I noticed written under the description for the campground where I was headed to not follow GPS directions. It would seem I am not the only person who has headed in the wrong direction. It might have been one of those roads, you know, the Mountain View kind of road.
Tomorrow folks…I’m on my way to the Atlantic coast. I looked at the map and saw how far I’ve ridden and how close the Atlantic coast is (relatively speaking) and thought this might be my only chance to ride coast to coast. Since I’m three days ahead of schedule …I’ll only be one day late getting home - if the weather holds.