Long Prarie

Yo! Another rest day as I figure a route around the floods in southern Minnesota. There are as many or more killed in those floods as in hurricane Dean! I knew I was going to ride in some rain, but it had been so nice up to this point I was getting spoiled! And the last two days have built more character than I can handle. So today I took off as tomorrow looks better, but then towards the end of the week more rain. So if you look at the weather map and see all the rain in this area and a little mushroom cloud in the middle, well, that's me!

I've been looking at maps and am going to go east in to Wisconsin and then drop down in to Illinois to catch the ACA route. Tom, I blew off going around lake Michigan while in Missoula and talking to some folks who took the ferry to the island and back to the mainland who had their bikes mishandled. For that I would have to hurt a few deck hands! Besides, we did the UP on a previous trip. I was a little ahead of where I thought I would be, but hey, it's an adventure, I'm not on a schedule, and it's still fun.......I think. Remember the race in Lucas with the rain? Well, it's not that hard....yet, but close.

So it sounds like Loudonville is under a flood warning and Cincinnati is 10 inches below drought with no relief in sight! Ann is working her butt off trying to keep ahead of the drought and take care of the water garden which is giving her fits, but bless her heart as she is hanging in there and making the best of it. She did mention something about owing her big time! Not quite sure what she meant by that, but I'll find out! ;>)) I am very grateful that she is (or was) so supportive of my vision to ride this trip, but will probably stop when I get home.

So I figure I'll have a few more rain days in the next week or so, but then it should clear out and I can make drier rides. I rode 66 miles in the rain yesterday, oh, and did I mention the wind?!, and the only stuff that was dry was the stuff in the BOB bag. The trailer is working out nice and the bike is set up nice and is making me think about a few changes to make on mine. Bill (Barcroft owner and builder) told me that I'll be glad I found the crack as the paint job an my repaired frame is beautiful. So it's sitting at home waiting for me to get there and unwrap it. Thanks Bill! He has been great to work with and with this being the second trip across for this bent I think it says something about the bike. I just wish it knew how to stay out of the rain! ;>) Life is good and yes, I'm still enjoying it, but there are times....... Paul