Day 16 - Rain, Rain go away...!

I've added a special segment in the middle of the day, well, because I have the time, and the story to tell.

Best to give it to you chronologically, I guess, I might not remember it all otherwise... the day started at midnight. Well, at least according to the clock. I thought I'd be asleep by then, but, apparently, my brain was too concerned about the possibility of thunderstorms that the weather website warned me about. So, at about 1am, I condensed my packing so I could more easily grab everything and run to the maintenance shed, about 10 yards away, when the storms hit. After that was "ready to go", surprisingly, I fell asleep. ; )

Woke just before my alarm around 6am. "Hmmm, no rain yet, this is good!", I thought. So, I checked the weather site again. "Thunderstorms possible at 7am". OK - let's get packed! First sign of rain drops led me to run my gear to the shed. (good thing I condensed it last night!) Got it in just before the downpour that lasted a few minutes. WHEW! Decided I should trek the 50 yards to the bathroom while it is dry. Opps, another burst made me wonder if I'd be hanging out in the bathroom for a while. Nope, just another short storm. While I was re-packing in the shed, under cover, the owner of the campground came by. (I arrived last night after the office had closed, so I was wondering how to leave my payment, etc.) After we chatted a bit about the rain and my trip, I asked how I should pay and what I owe. "Nothing.", he said. "Really?!" I asked. "Naw!" was the response. He went on to warn me against going into Greencastle by way of the new state road, too narrow, fast traffic and no shoulder. I thanked him profusely and took notes on his suggestions for a better route.

After loading up the bike, checking the radar, and listening to the rumblings in my tummy, I knew I could make it the 9 miles to Greencastle for a breakfast break. The energy from sleep and the sight of those gray clouds in the distance made the ride clip along at a pretty good pace. Until I found the Vandalia Trail. It is a straight shot into Greencastle from Fillmore, but it was all gravel. My 12-15mph turned into 5-8. But, I kept the pace slow and steady and still made it to breakfast in an hour.

As I was parking my bike at the restaurant, some other campers recognized me from the campground. They were impressed that I biked "all the way". I sat next to an outlet so I was able to charge my phone while I ate. I knew I was going to need it, because that window of clear radar was closing quickly between Greencastle and Terre Haute. I ordered a big breakfast to fuel up for the ride. I checked the radar and tried to find a town I could reach before the rain hit it, that would also have a place where my brother could come get me...

In the middle of all that contemplating, a gentleman from another table struck up a conversation. "I'm a biker. I'm nervous for you today because of the weather." 20 minutes or so later, Susan & Lee had invited me over to their house to wait out the storm. But wait, there's more... they were heading into Terre Haute this evening anyway, they could drive me there to meet my brother. "Really, God! That's the way you chose to protect me today? : ) I was content to find the library in town and wait for Greg to come. But you gave me new friends that offered me a home and a meal and excellent conversation (education, cycling, travel, historical preservation, etc). Sweet!" It has been raining all day in Putnamville, and pretty much the whole route I had planned out the other night. There was no way I would have avoided it. Today was literally a respite in the storm.

I had another hour or so at the restaurant while Susan & Lee's plan panned out. As I sat and finished my breakfast, another woman, Ann, came over who had overheard part of the conversation I had with them. She heard I was going to Terre Haute and wanted to make sure that I understood the crazy traffic patterns when I got there. She didn't want me to get lost when I met my brother. What she hadn't heard is that I was traveling by bike (and that Susan & Lee had taken over the transportation for the day). That led to more of a conversation about the trip, etc. It was another lovely conversation with another retired teacher. After she did her best to warn me to be careful and be safe, and I did my best to assure her that is exactly my plan as well...she took my bill and told me she'd pay for my breakfast. "What?! How crazy!" : ) (Thank you, again, Ann! If you are reading this!)

If you glance over at the green box to the right of the list of blogs called "At a glance..." I mentioned that I was excited to see what I would learn on this trip. I learned a lot today; the importance of trust, patience, and that having things in common make it a whole lot easier to get to know someone more deeply. But, don't be fooled... We all have something in common. It just takes a little patience and trust to figure it out! : )

#Lessonslearned #wildlifenature #PeopleMet