Houston, We Have a Problem
Ok, so not really a problem, just a nuisance. But more on that later…
Kathy and Dennis made the drive to the Old Barn Campground with support drivers Ann and Doug Gurholt on Thursday afternoon to take over from Team 1, who had indeed left the RV in great condition. Thanks Matt! Tony Olson drove separately and arrived this morning just in time for breakfast sandwiches. Tony seemed to have impeccable timing all day long (almost), and this was just the start.
We broke camp and were on the trail by 9:30 am, on our way to the end of the trail in Houston. We had a nice, easy ride to Peterson, where we stopped for water and snacks. Riding toward Rushford, Dennis and Kathy spotted a timber rattlesnake on the trail. We thought that it might be dead, since it didn’t even move when Dennis got up close for a photo; however, we didn’t prod the snake to find out. Kathy also encountered a deer on her ride, which seemed to bring great happiness to her!
Tony arrived in Houston first, just as Ann and Doug pulled into town. They decided to go to the local coffee shop for coffee and a panini. Tony was on his return trip by the time Kathy and Dennis made it to the 35-mile mark in Houston. The full heat of the day had kicked in and we all knew it would be a tougher ride home. Back to the nuisance. For much of the ride between Rushford and Houston, we were inundated with silk from silkworms, our bikes and helmets and bodies caked with fibers that felt like cobwebs. Some of the silkworms hitched a ride on our clothing, only to be discovered crawling on us when we stopped later.
Tony got back to Peterson and just as he texted Doug and Ann, they came around the corner. He got much needed relief in the air-conditioned truck.Tony rode on to Whalan and stopped at the Aroma Pie Shop, thoughts of the World’s Best Pie dancing through his head. At 2:56 he texted Ann and Doug to meet him at Aroma, but for some reason he didn’t go in to buy a pie. When they got to Whalan just after 3:00, they learned that the pie shop closed at 3:00 and there would be no pie for dessert tonight.
62 miles had been achieved, so Tony and Kathy both called it a day, loading their bikes for the trip back to base camp. Apparently, there was no room for Dennis, so he finished the ride to the Old Barn. After showering and a little bit of work, Tony let Doug know that he was ready for dinner (Doug’s version of the story), and we were treated to a great meal of steak, mushrooms, salad and corn on the cob. Although there was no pie, we thoroughly enjoyed brownies and ice cream and then retired for an early bedtime with a light rain soaking our campsite.
