We made it from McGregor to Harper’s Ferry, 15 miles. It was pouring rain and around 45 degrees. We went up a 3 mile hill walking/biking/walking and surfaced at the top to a fierce wind and more rain. Did I mention that Erica doesn’t have rain pants? She was relying on a special bike poncho that we had both gotten, but it ended up not working on our handlebars and so she gave it to Heidi with the hope it might work for her. I had lost mine on a practice ride before we even left. Back on the rainy windy hill, Erica was losing the feeling in her legs so I led us up a drive to the nearest house where an elderly woman (reluctantly at first) let us inside. She made us hot chocolate and fed us brownies, yes I ate a brownie, my first in over 8 years, same with the hot chocolate. Her place used to have petting zoo and dance barn but her husband was sick now and she was old.
It was a 7 mile down-hill into Harper’s Ferry and we both had sand in our brakes
which made for scary ride on top of the wet, slippery pavement. Downhill, the rain felt like ice pellets. We got a room at the motel in town, took hot showers, and hung everything up. Erica went for a walk while I read. She came back from the local bar/restaurant and I could tell she felt uncomfortable. Erica claimed she got weird scary movie/ Boys Don’t Cry vibes (minus the whole transgendered part)from the locals who “sized her up” and called her vibram finger shoes “nigger feet.” We avoided that place and had dinner at the supper club. Just trying to unmoisten and move on tomorrow when things are dryer. Oh, and we finally got around to tuning/cleaning our bikes which have rode more than 200 miles this week – woo!
At this rate, we might not make it toSan Francisco, but I absolutely don’t care.
PS – That picture was taken the next morning, when it wasn’t rainy and cold.
