Day 27: Malta to Glasgow

June 27, 2021

Swarming Mosquitoes

“Unbelievable,” Robert says. “Stop, we need to put on bug spray,” Patrick says. “I don’t care which way the wind blows, it just needs to be stronger to blow the mosquitoes away,” Rachel says. We are swatting away swarming mosquitoes as we ride. The swarm increasing as we near Saco.

We are up at 4:30 and riding by 5am to beat the wind. The wind has been mostly coming from the North West, and the road generally is going north. We want to get to the section of the road that turns South before the wind picks up. As we leave town there is a beautiful sunrise. With a gentle tailwind we make good time, until that gentle tailwind helps the mosquitoes to keep up with us. We need a food break just as we reach Saco, and stop at the shelter in the midst of tall wet grass. Surprisingly, we are not bothered by the mosquitoes until we are back on the road. The mosquitoes are back and swarming.

We reach Hindsdale by 9am and stop at Ezzies for a break…for food, to get away from the mosquitoes, and out of the heat. “You know Saco is the Mosquito Capital of the world,” Emily the cashier says and then continues, “I moved here from Florida, and couldn’t believe the mosquitoes here were worse than Florida where we have swamps.” Patrick is wondering why there are so many since there are miles of wheat fields with no irrigation and the ditches are dry.

We sit at the back at the table and Emily joins us, she is very friendly and funny and we hear her story. Her family history is in Hindsdale. She moved up to see the area, her father had a very bad accident and she is the caretaker. “I’m liberal,” she says “and I just stay neutral. The town needed a bus driver and I got my license, the town needs someone to be here in the store, and I fill in.” She also mentioned her father has prostate cancer, and her brother the gene. Robert gives his Team Zero card, and encourages her to call for support. 2021 DIY Team ZERO: Mr. Robert Ferrari | Endurance Fundraising: Team ZERO (zerocancer.org)

After the break and back on the road, the mosquitoes are also back. The wind is picking up and in relation to the direction of the road, becomes a crosswind. There is relief when the road turns and we get a tail wind. This helps when there are a few dippity-do’s to the road just when you think it’s going to be downhill.

Right at noon with the temperature in the mid 80’s, we are at the Albertson’s in Glasgow and text our Warmshowers Host, Mary, that we are here. She gives instructions to find them at a greenhouse they are constructing about 5 blocks away. We ride over and Patrick helps unload heavy tables off a trailer. Then our gear is loaded into the back of John’s, aka Swede, pickup truck, and Mary drives us to their farm about 6 miles out of town. A shower washes the bug spray and road weariness away, laundry done and the frozen margarita’s also helped. A nice evening of conversation of exchanging adventures and stories. Mary backpacked in Europe in the early 70’s, John traveled to Mongolia to a seminar of prairie management.

They graciously accepted our request for a much needed rest day tomorrow.