The people in the site behind me last night mentioned something about rain coming. In fact, they were so sure of it, that they packed up and left last night (even though they were in a pop up tent trailer). I heard them say that they were fair weather campers.
A couple came in next to me. They were older than me, but maybe by less than 10 years. Marcy was disabled, and in a motorized chair. I watched as Bill unloaded Marcy's chair from the carrier on the back, then he proceeded to get out the tent. I finished eating my dinner, washed my dishes, and then went over and offered to help Bill set up their tent. First he declined, but then said he could use some help when it came time to lift it up.
It took him quite some time to get it all laid out and the poles in their sleeves. Marcy said it sleeps 10 (in their case, two, a dog, and a motorized chair). I was sitting in my chair when Bill looked over at me. I asked if he was ready. He was, so I went over and did the holding up from the inside while he put the poles in their slots. We finished connecting everything, and putting the rain fly on. I'm not sure how Marcy would have been able to help him, but apparently she usually does. I have to give them credit for getting out and camping in a tent with such physical limitations. Makes you think anyone can go camping if they want to.
It didn't rain overnight, but I have to say, it was awfully noisy. The cicadas were deafening. There was some insect, probably a kind of cicada, that made a sound like someone jumping on a trampoline--the sound of the springs. Then there was the dull throbbing sound of the ships going up and down the St. Clair River. Ear plugs would have been nice.
I figured out why I've been sleeping later than I had been earlier in the trip. It's not really getting light now until after 6:00. The light is what wakes me up. However, this morning I woke up at 5:30 to pee. I didn't go back to sleep, and ended up getting up at 6:15. The sun was rising over the river. The sky around the sun was red. Uh oh, red sky at morning...
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| Sunrise |
It was pretty cloudy. I made sure my rain jacket was on the top in my pannier. I changed my plan for today's ride. Instead of doing 80+ miles, I would just go to a KOA outside of Emmett, approximately 45 miles. I took off at 7:15 in hopes of beating the rain.
The Bridge to Bay Trail runs right by the campground, but it goes back out to the road for awhile just after the park. There was no need for me to go back to the route in Marine City. I could just stay on the Trail as the route would eventually get on the Trail. I picked up the route about 11 miles in, near the town of St. Clair.
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| Bridge to Bay Trail |
The Trail came to a point where I could choose the river route or the inland route. I chose the inland route as it looked shorter. As I was riding along, I saw some big birds ahead. I thought they were turkeys, but upon closer inspection, they were peacocks and peahens.
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| Peacock |
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| Peahens and peacocks in the bushes |
Pretty soon the rain came. I stopped and, in addition to my jacket, I put my rain shorts on too. Last time I wore them was in the Adirondacks. They fit better now...
I came to a grocery store. I needed to restock food, so I pulled in undercover. As I was packing my groceries, a lady suggested I wait for a bit as the rain was only supposed to last a couple of hours, then have a good break. I was going to go to the McDonalds next door (and I did to use the restroom), but there was no place under cover for Tilmann. I continued on riding.
I came to a small park with a picnic shelter. I pulled in there and had a snack. I checked my phone to see if I had LTE coverage. I did, so I uploaded the last three days of posts.
When I was finished, the rain had lessened. I decided to push on. Just as I was getting back on the trail, two cyclists rode toward me. They were Henri and Leo from the Netherlands. They were riding from Portland, Oregon to New York. Leo even had a belt drive and a Rohloff! Henri noticed mine first, then pointed out Leo's. That's now the third person I've seen with a belt drive. They continued on, and so did I.
From then on I had the Barenaked Ladies song, "Another Postcard" stuck in my head. It has a line that says, "A pair of Dutch chimps send their love from Amsterdam." Google the song if you don't know it. It's one of my favorites.
The rain stopped, so I took off my rain shorts. Of course, that meant it would start raining again. *sigh*...shorts back on.
I had departed from the Bridge to Bay Trail, rode on a highway with very little shoulder, then picked up another trail called the Wadhams to Avoca Trail. I was only on that one for about 3.5 miles. It was raining raining raining.
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| Wadhams to Avoca Trail |
At the town of Emmett, I departed from the route to go to the post office in town. I've been carrying postcards for Grayson since Montreal. I could finally mail them now.
Back out to where the route turned, I continued off route another 5 miles to the KOA. It's funny, this KOA seems to be out in the middle of nowhere. Oh well, it works for me! I got a cabin because the rain seems to be continuing. Tilmann is happily under cover on the porch, and I am drying out in the shelter of the cabin.
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| The view from my cabin--I mean Kabin |
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