Chuck:
It was raining this morning. I got my gear together just like I was going to bike then waited; and waited. I really do not like biking in the rain: roads are slick and my bike’s very thin tires need all the traction they can get, my brakes do not work as well when wet and, most importantly, visibility is greatly reduced; both how well drivers can see me and how well I can see them. I would be wearing a bright orange “Hi-Vis” vest, going slower on downhill runs, etc, but it is still risky. During a slight break, I decide to go. Betty plans to check on me often.
About 5 minutes into the ride, more rain. It actually felt more comfortable; my rain suit doesn’t “breath” well and the rain helps keep me cooler. Traffic is light and most vehicles have room to give me a wide berth. My glasses get fogged easily but rain drops clear some of it. Betty waits about 10 miles down the road, we decide to try another 15 miles then take a lunch break and see what the weather is like for the afternoon. The road has lots of water on it and passing vehicles sometimes throw a wall of water that creates a couple of seconds of total “rain-out” (I don’t think that is a word, but it is something between a momentary blackout and a white-out). But, when there is no traffic, the rain is sometimes almost pleasant. Lunch time, all my clothes are soaked; the outside layer due to rain, inside layers due to sweating. Betty has dry clothes and hot soup ready for me. Shortly after lunch the rain stops and the road starts to dry. Hey, maybe I can get in a few more miles. I decide against wearing my dripping wet rain gear and pull on my biking shorts and a windbreaker. Ten miles later, more rain. Betty is waiting at a turn-out about 15 miles down the road. Same drill; get out of wet clothes, dry off and get warm. Enough for today! The inside of the RV is now “decorated” with wet clothes and gear hanging everywhere dripping and drying.
About 7pm, the rain lets up a bit and I grill a couple of burgers outside the RV door. As I am packing things away, more rain. An hour or two later, we are getting ready for bed and hear joyous voices outside. It is Doerte and Marty, our German biking friends. It is pouring down rain and they are happy as larks, in their rain-suits and their bikes loaded with all their camping gear. We invite them in but they want to push on two more kilometers to a campground. It is decided that we will meet the following night at Border City Lodge and RV Park, the last campground before the Canadian Border.
Betty: I miss having Brendan here sharing the “fun”. I’m driving all the roads myself now and am not all that excited about this big RV when it comes to driving. The roads thus far have been decent, however, I know from before that we can expect some terrible road conditions ahead.